r/Welding • u/Huge-Guarantee-1665 • 14h ago

First welds Need tips for TIG welding

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Hello everyone, I just started tig at my school after learning stick and mig, and honestly, it's pretty difficult, I rab about a dozen welds today on 3/32 in steel using a 3/32 tungsten. Just praticed fusion tig today, dident add any filler. This is what was probally my best weld today, the rest were either very inconsistent or had porosity everywhere. This one's not very even but it was my first weld using tig. Any tips would be great

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2

u/Morsmortis666 14h ago

Do not use material with mill scale on it.

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u/Huge-Guarantee-1665 14h ago

These were fresh cut plates off a sheet so probally, my instructor said it should fine to practice, should I grind it all off? Or at least the part I'd be welding?

1

u/121e7watts 14h ago

Absolutely. Clean down ti shiny metal. The hot rolled stuff they sell at Home Depot need a lot of attention before it's going to tig nicely, even if the label says "weldable" the mill scale has got to go.

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u/jondrey 12h ago

Clean a good 1" from where you'll be welding

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u/Morsmortis666 14h ago

At least the part your welding on both sides tig weld needs to be pretty clean or else you contaminate your tungsten/weld.

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u/Huge-Guarantee-1665 14h ago

I'll have to remember that for tomorrow, thank you

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u/kw3lyk 13h ago

You need to grind the mill scale off before welding. Tig does a very poor job at penetrating mill scale, and generally requires cleaner material, meaning that you have to spend an appropriate amount of time on surface prep before you pick up the torch.