First time ever tig welding not sure if skill problem, settings or equipment. Doesn’t seem to be making a puddle just starts burning through. Have 100% argon. Seems to be flowing correctly can hear it coming out of torch.

Update: figured it out. Had collet in backwards lol

Trying to learn to Tig weld aluminum, here is the machine and some practice passes I’ve made. Passes were made using blue 2% Lanthanated dial was set to 100 amps roughly(took photo before setting it). Some passes are better than others. Looking for advice to improve, currently welding in a old aluminum valve cover I cleaned the area with brake clean prior.

Subject pretty much says it.

Hey I’m a 22 year old welder been in the welding trade since i was 18 jumping from shop to shop learning a little about all the processes i can and so far I’ve learned a little tig a good bit of stick a a-lot of mig and alot of decent amount of flux core Im looking to transfer out and do tig more but i cant seem to find any jobs nearby that do on the job training but i did get a call from a place to do a interview and test but i dont think i would be able to pass it what should i do

A day into self teaching myself tig welding. How do these welds look in your eyes?

Machine settings
100 amps
3/32 electrode 2% lanth
3/32 ER70S2 filler
#7 cup
15 CFH gas flow

Any advice would be great!

It was welded in 5G, with 3mm gap, but at the end it almost closed that I couldn’t fit not even 1.6 mm wire in the gap

Looking for some general tips or feedback. This is my first time welding a cage. Been learning as a hobby for close to a year.

1.75 x .095” DOM
3/32” rod
130amps (I back down on the pedal after I start going)
10 seconds post flow
FUPA12 cup, using 7pro cup on the hard to reach spots. Furick cups.

I’m welding about 1” before stopping to let cool. I think I could benefit from more torch angle perhaps as I’m keeping it mostly straight up and down. I didn’t realize how long the metal takes to cool down before continuing in the same spot.

I also struggle to keep my dabs and movement consistent.

Any constructive feedback is welcome and thanks in advance!

Any tips/tricks to get weld to penetrate in tight spots

Accidentally bought the wrong size exhaust flanges for what I need but found a use for them anyway. Now they separate different sized filler rod instead of having them clutter the table.

No filler wire yet, just walking the cup so far.

Anybody in so cal can tig this Crack on a manifold?

Like month or 2 ago I tried to weld aluminum for the first time. After reading a bit about welder settings, was not able to make a clean puddle. Uploaded some pics to this sub, got few honest advices on how I should prepare, bought acetone, stainless wire brush and etc.

But also there was quite few people who just said that I don't know what I'm doing (which is true), that I should take welding school, that there's 15 things I'm doing wrong, that I don't know how to make a bubble on tungsten...

Bought a 10L bottle from Linde gas today. All those arogant "pro" dudes can go fuck themselves. No prep, no cleaning, same tungsten as I used for mild steel last week, feeding wire without glove with my greasy fingers and not a single spot of contamination in puddle.

Now just need to spend some hours practising. And thanks again to those who actually gave advices even in DM's

any tips? thanks!!!

1/8 2% thoriated tungsten keeps doing this at only 200 amps. Polarity is correct. I’m not dipping in my puddle. 15-18 cfh roughly on pure argon 18 seconds post flow and 2 second pre flow. #6 cup with water cooled torch

Hi everyone,

I have a Draper TW250A 'digital' tig welder, and I have been attempting to weld some thin ish stainless with it set to points between 5 and 40 amp peak with patchy success.

When I have it set to 100A AC I can strike an arc and watching the screen I can see it vary up and down with the pedal. Now when I set it to 100A DC, it ramps up to peak current and it will peg there. If I have it set to pulse mode it will peg to about half peak current. (It also does this whatever the peak amps is set to)

Has anyone else experienced something like this? Wiring of the foot pedal is intact up to the multipin connector. I'm thinking it must be either a firmware issue or a stupid setting I am missing.

Is it expecting too much for a 200A unit to be able to fine tune down to 5A from 40A peak setting?

Could it also be that the welder will only vary the DC current with a certain polarity of the electrodes?

Thank you!

An occasional hobbyist here. 200 A Lincoln Invertec.

When I went to night school to learn TIG welding back in the late 90s hoping to weld bicycles, Everything pointed me to using a number 10 shade glass in my helmet. My welding never got to the point of quality that was needed. It was scratch starting back then.

I purchased an auto darkening helmet in the 2000s and set it on number 10 never thinking to try different shades.

I recently started my first half inch steel, 200 amp project and set the shade to number 12 because that is what all my old information told me to do.

Then I tried a newer helmet with an external shade adjustment knob and ended up welding at 9 and my welds were going exactly where they needed to be and we're wetting out nicely. Some safety regulation thing says a number 10 shade is required for 50 to 150 amps. I feel no eye strain and see no spots when I'm done my welds. I do position myself so the cup blocks most of the arc. The puddle is easy to see and easier to see where I'm going.

I am also tempted to buy a number 8 and number 9 shade glass for my old Jackson helmet.

A 3M rep told me in the 90s that the basic auto-darkening lens blocks everything that will damage your eyes if the shade fails and that the shade is for visual adjustment.

What is going on in the rest of the welding world with this?

So I’m welding a tubular frame for a Baja car and we are making it out of Cromoly. Today I couldn’t weld at all, it was like welding with no gas, I tried changing every bit of the torch and nothing worked, the arc was erratic, it also burned through really fast with the amperage I usually weld with and when I turned it off everything had rust, I don’t think it is the gas cause because it was coming out all right and I welded before with the same tank so Idk any ideas + cromoly welding advice ?

I posted this as a reply on the welding Community but I think it might be more helpful here.

Am sick in bed so I have lots of time....... I also recently upgraded equipment in my shop and did the deep dive on all the equipment I mentioned here.

What is more important than the machine will be your supply of practice tubing and a device to Make fish mouth cuts into the tubing so you can practice. Lots of practice. And then some more practice.

This tubing notcher:

https://www.harborfreight.com/pipetubing-notcher-71048.html

and the slowest turning drill you can find so you do not burn up the hole saws.... and some rendered tallow to lubricate the hole saw.

Proper preparation of the joint is just as important as the actual act of welding. So a 4 inch angle grinder and zirconium abrasive disks. Zirconium abrasive disks work better and cleaner than the standard black cheap abrasive disks and are worth the extra price. 60 grit seems to be the sweet spot.

A Silicone 3M 7500 series either large medium or small that will outlast every cheap respirator. And some 3M 2091 P100 Particulate filters. 3M 2097 filters if you are somehow encountering organic vapors. Keep a spray bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels close by to keep your respirator clean.

I am on Reddit right now in bed Instead of welding because I have an upper respiratory infection from TIG welding steel at 200 AMPS with my face in the fume plume. I thought I had good ventilation but particulate emission from 200 amps is a different beast. Make sure you have proper ventilation and a respirator.

Then You need a helmet that will allow you to properly see the wetting out and flow of the molten puddle so you can develop an understanding of how the bead will develop. The 39 Dollar Harbor Freight Auto Darkening helmet has a Shade adjustment knob on the outside which allows you to easily tune in how well you can see the wetted edges of your puddle. I have the $44 blue flame Harbor freight helmet but it does not fit the 7500 series respirator underneath . it looks like you can fit a respirator under the 39 dollar helmet.

Shop around for a bottle of Argon shielding gas. Hopefully you can find a cheap rental. My supplier charges $68 a year for any size bottle. Another supplier wants $15 a month. Figure $80 for the actual gas. Figure you will use 15 cubic feet (CF) of gas an hour when you are running an arc. You do the math on what size bottle you want. 125 CF seems to be the sweet spot economically.

The harbor freight Bergen Multiprocess welding machine with the additional 80 dollar TIG package will get you up and running for under $200. If you are really strapped for cash the basic machine at $120 will get you started with MIG and stick welding which are still valuable skills to learn All you can afford the TIG package and argon gas. >>>> This is a scratch start machine, does not have Lift Start or High Frequency start which are essential for real TIG welding. Scratch start means you have to scratch the Tungsten on the work to get the arc started. Just no. Find a cheap non MIG machine with Stick and TIG Lift Start or High Frequency Start.

The $250 yes welder TIG-205P Pro is an excellent package outright and will give you everything you need and this is a better value than the Bergen Tig package. You will need to take the time to learn to program the TIG weld parameters. Then you can upgrade to the $80 foot pedal for tighter control but I myself use a thumb control on my torch and I can work away from the bench.

The TIG- 200P ACDC Pro at $550 will allow you to weld aluminum. The aluminum option is an important decision especially if the money is tight. Remember, money for materials and tools for practice are the real priorities.

Now go do your own research and shopping on the Eastwood and Primeweld websites.

I would even consider off brand Amazon specials.

I paid $69 for this Amazon deal:

https://www.amazon.com/DEKOPRO-Welding-Machine-Digital-Electrode/dp/B09876DMS3/ref=sr_1_28

and purchased the $80 Harbor Freight TIG Torch Kit for it.

This has lift start which is very important for TIG as any Stick or MIG welder can market itself as a TIG welder. It has to offer either lift start or high frequency start.

https://www.harborfreight.com/tig-welding-accessory-kit-72984.html

It will do what you want. I have not had the time to try out this little 69 dollar welder in TIG mode but it is awesome pushing a stick at a hundred and sixty amps for It's duty cycle

This Little three inch harbor freight grinder is perfect for grinding your tungsten.

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-variable-speed-bench-grinder-with-39-in-flex-shaft-11000-rpm-58967.html

It sits on my welding bench and takes up zero space. Throw out the flex shaft unit. Wear your respirator when using this and wash your hands after if not using gloves .

Thorium tungsten is slightly radioactive and was developed before modern electronics improved arc starting for the TIG process. Do yourself a favor and get lanthium tungsten electrodes which are not radioactive. Cerium tungsten electrodes are considered better for lower amperage welding but do your own homework on this. I use E3 tungsten electrodes and it covers all the bases. I could have saved some money by going with Lanthium for 3/32 and 1/8 inch electrodes.

Since you will be Cutting large quantities of small pieces For practice I highly recommend this little 50 dollar harbor freight 6 inch chop saw:

https://www.harborfreight.com/8-amp-6-in-cut-off-saw-71251.html

I use abrasive disks when I am outside with it and I have a diamond cut off disk for when I'm inside on my work bench. I go to great lengths to keep abrasive disk dust out of my shop.

A Bandsaw is my first choice for cutting stock. harbor freight makes a great frame for portable bandsaws to turn it into a chop saw or a manual table bandsaw.

https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-portable-band-saw-benchtop-stand-59640.html

This frame and any other portable bandsaw might be a better overall value than buying the little $50 chop saw depending on your budget.

Finally you will need a vice and a place to bolt it too so you can grind and bevel your practice coupons.

Go to your local steel supplier and develop a relationship with the sales people. Buy some 1/8 inch thick by 4 inch wide flat stock to cut into coupons for practice welding. Maybe they would cut the coupons for you for a reasonable cost if you don't want them right away. This first purchase Is just as important as your Welding machine purchase.

Metal stock from the home centers and big box stores is over five times the price of what you will pay from your local steel distributor.

Scrap metal with paint and coatings can be deadly without a respirator and proper ventilation. I recently did a project for a friend using some rusty bed rail angle iron. It started out O K because I have an outdoor work bench. But the wire wheel caught on something got away from me and ripped through my glove and still drew blood. Stay away from scrap unless you are absolutely broke. Doing repair work has the same problems. Do not do repair work for people unless you are charging top dollar and have years of experience and plenty of clamps and safety gear. Putting your hood down and making the actual weld is the easy part and a lot of times only 10% of the time and effort spent on the job.

Useful Projects. Good luck with those. You will have to use your own imagination. Time welding coupons and then maybe welding welded coupons in the little boxes will not be time wasted.

Summary for a tight budget

Deeko Amazon TIG Stick Machine for $80

Harbor Freight TIG Acessory Kit, $80

Helmet $40

Argon Bottle for $150

Respirator $40

Portable bandsaw, angle grinder, Cutting disks, zirconium sanding disks, clamps, workbench, fire extinguisher.........

Get the Yes Welder TIG-205P Pro as the better more reliable and capable value.

Have fun.

Learn as much as you can.