I dont weld too often anymore, and had loaned out my TIG to my son for last two years, and got it back last week. So I knew I needed to practice a bit before welding in some patches on my Model A splash aprons and radiator shell. After several practice sessions, I am still just practicing tacks, and with only random success. Mostly the problem is blowing through the metal. I could use some advice on what settings are good starting points, and what are my likely problems you can see by looking at the garbage I am producing. These two lines of attempted tacks were at 65 amps and 15 cfh of argon. The first line on the right had only minor blowout and 2 bad spots were filled in using a bit of mig wire. Feeling like I was finally making some progress, I sliced off another strip and tried one more. With no change of settings, every attempt to tack was a blow through. I know I am half blind and miss my start spot a lot, but what else am I doing wrong? about half way through this second line I thought maybe there was a bit of oil on the metal from the cutter, so I wiped it down with acetone and continued, but still the same result. Not a single good tack on the entire line. HELP! thanks.
I'd turn the amperage down to about 40-45. Are you mashing the pedal down? You could just slowly press the pedal and when the puddle starts just back it off a wee bit. Fit up is critical too at that gauge. Its gotta be tight. Also try putting a piece of copper behind the joint. That'll help blow through. I just take a piece of household copper pipe and slit it lenthwise then flatten it out for a small piece of cheap copper. For that gauge of steel and amperage I think you could turn your argon down to 10 as well. Are you using any filler rod or just trying to weld whats already there? As the filler rod melts it will **** some of the heat out to again help with the blow through. Thin gauge is tricky to tig. Practice is what it takes.
I run the argon @ 10, set the amps @ 35 ish and rock and roll, but I do it every day.. Turn the amps down till theres very little penatration and move up from there.
X2. Sneak up on the amperage from below. You want to see how little heat you can get away with and still get a decent weld.
Fits were perfect as I just sliced a strip off the piece of sheet and was tacking it back. I was using a copper strip in the back, but not clamped/fitted tightly. I was not using filler rod except to repair two blow throughs in the first line. I will go down in amps and flow again. My first day of practice I started in the 80s for amps and a flow of 15 to 20 cfh range, and blew everything out, then I backed way down to about what you suggest, but it seemed like not enough argon flow and heat, so I bumped it up to a bit higher than the current numbers, and today dropped down again to the 60 and 15. Oxy-Ac with my old Victor is a lot easier for me still for tubing, but I want to avoid excess warpage on this stuff I am doing now, so practice, practice, and ask for help as needed on the board, and practice some more.
Fill rod makes it easier too. I use just enough to give me something to knock down before hammering. If'n you get to much, just grind a bit longer.
Thanks Kevinsrodshop, Da Tinman, and Gimpyshotrods, I will cut it back and slowly work up as needed. That is about what I thought I was going to have to do, but I was bouncing back and forth too wildly, as i was trying to zero in on good settings. You all have me heading in the right direction, now. Thanks. It will just be a few more days of practice before I get to working on my real pieces. I just do not want to be blowing holes through stuff I want to be finishing nicely.
A good rule to start is one amp per thous. of material......20 ga. is around .033,...... 35 amp. is a start......
Good advice here last night. I did about a hundred good tack welds this morning after cutting my amps to 35 and argon to 12+/- cfh. ...even did a few inches of bead, too a few more days of this and I might start welding on the Model A. YAY!
www.millerwelds.com has a link on their web page called a Welding Calculator. It tells you the amps and gas flow for all materials and their thickness. I use it all the time and it will put you right on the money !!! Remember....Tig welding is ALL about the material being clean! If in doubt, clean it with alcohol or ?? first and then brush it with a stainless wire brush prior to starting the arc. Good luck and Happy Tigging !!
cut them amps down dude! we use to crank em up to cut stainless backing rings on tank heads( to lazy to drag over a plasma) and thats what yer doing
I know this has been said and said here, but don't clean with brake cleaner = can kill you. Wil www.ridefree.com California Tours www.sakowskimotors.com
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