tig welder

[nzsimon]

I just bought myself a small 140 amp DC lift start tig.

I wish I had one years ago it is so like gas welding no smoke and sparks etc sort of like grown up welding nice and slow

I have a few questions that I have not been able to find answers to :

How far out of the shield do you have the tungsten ? and does it matter ?
When you sharpen it do you have a long sharp point like a pencil or a much blunter angle

How high off the weld do you have the torch and what are the effects of having it further away

How do you get those tiny little welds so perfect ?

Can you use it for heating metal to make it easier to bend like a torch ?

I know I could experiment indefinatly but I am getting old and want to master it before I am dead

The next purchase has to be an auto darkening helmet !

[Unkl Ian]

[ QUOTE ]
How far out of the shield do you have the tungsten ?

[/ QUOTE ] 3/16" or so. [ QUOTE ]
When you sharpen it do you have a long sharp point like a pencil or a much blunter angle

[/ QUOTE ] Ling and pointy,with the grinding marks going lengthwise. [ QUOTE ]
How do you get those tiny little welds so perfect ?



[/ QUOTE ] LOTS of practice. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Paul]

I recently bought one too

I am setting it now.

my question is why does every 220 device I own have a different stlye plug?

I know why, but dang, what a hassle.

Paul

[CharlieLed]

Each AMPERAGE rating has a different style plug. Supposed to make it so you don't plug a low amperage device into a high amperage circuit...
I make up pig-tails so that all of mine look like a dryer plug where they plug into the wall outlet.

[McGrath]

One way to get those Tiny Beads is to use the right size Filler. Way too many people try to use Bigger filler Rod than is needed, maily because that is what they happen to have.

Most of what I do is Stainless Sheetmetal, like Countertops and Shelves in Restaurants. On 20g to 16g I generally use .045 Filler, 14g to 10g I use 1/16" filler. The reason for using the smaller filler is because it allows you to control the flow of filler more accurately.

Big Filler takes more heat to melt. If you are using filler thats heavier than the Metal you are welding, you have to put more heat on the Filler itself to get it to melt properly. If you use Filler that is lighter than the metal you are welding, you concentrate on the Puddle and just have to keep the filler at the edge of it. The heat of the puddle is enough to melt the filler and capillary attraction pulls it into the puddle.

Using 1/16" and larger filler rod on light Sheetmetal is asking for warpage too. Since it takes more heat to melt the Filler, you are traveling slower. The slower you go, the more heat gets into the surrounding Metal and thus causes warpage. On 20g and lighter metal, I generally run some .035 filler wire off one of our MIG's, Straighten it as best I can, and use it for my Filler.

[McGrath]

Forgot to mention, I sharpen my Tungsten kind of like a Hollow ground knife blade. I start high on the Wheel to get a shallow angle on the Hollow Grind part, then sharpen the very tip at a sharper angle. If you sharpen them this way, you can use 3/32" Tungsten for a wide Range of Welding Jobs.

This gives you a Fine point for Light gauge metal, but with a medium size Tungsten for heavier work. I use this on 90% of my Welding Jobs, everything from 24g to 1/4". Once you get over 1/4" you are running too much amperage for the 3/32" Tungsten.

And like UncleIan said, make sure your grinding marks are lengthwise. Tungsten is Brittle and crossways grinding marks will cause enough of a stress riser for the tip to break off after a couple of Hot/Cold cycles. Beside that,at lower amperages the Arc flows off the Tungsten better with the grinding marks lengthwise.

[Unkl Ian]

I always used Red Tungsten(2% Thorium)for steel and Stainless,Green(pure Tungsten) for Aluminum.I understand Thorium is being phased out due to heath risks.

[McGrath]

They might be phasing out the Thorium in Red flag, but they will need to come up with a replacement for it if they do. Thats what stabilizes the Arc at low Amperage.

Green Flag is Pure Tungsten and since most people only use it on aluminum and the tip is balled, a stable Arc is not an issue. With the balled tip and AC power you are pretty much throwing it out like a Flame Thrower anyway.

I have tried to use Green flag on Stainless, sharpened instead of balled, and at low amperages the Arc wanders around noticeably. The Thorium in Red flag definitely makes a difference.

[Luckypabst]

The yellow ones (alloy escapes me now) are used as a substitute for the radioactive Thoriated tungsten.

A good rule of thumb for electrode stick-out is make it the same as the diameter of your cup i.e. #7 cup = 7/16 stick-out. You can vary either way depending on how much gas coverage you can get. With a gas lens, we can sometimes double (or more) that stickout rule in a well protected weld. Basically keep it out far enough that you can easily see the puddle but not so far that you lose gas coverage.

Arc length should be as short as possible while also not dipping the electrode in the puddle. The longer the arc length, the higher the arc voltage, the higher the heat at a given amperage, the more unstable the arc. Ideally you want around 18-22 arc volts, but you also need a machine with a voltmeter otherwise that's worthless info.

You may use a much blunter tip for welding aluminum - it'll ball easier without melting the end off. Run it a few seconds on reverse polarity to help the tip ball up quicker.

Chris

[McGrath]

I use a Gas lens occasionally, they make a lot more difference than you would think. Bad thing about them is the extra size though. Sometimes they cause problems getting the head into a tight spot.

[McGrath]

Here is a Gas lens, in case anybody was wondering. It is basically a Screened Collet body with a Larger cup. The Screen straightens the Gas flow and diffuses it more evenly than a regular Cup.

[McGrath]

Here it is broken down...

[Joes50]

What timing.......I purchased a Miller Tig Welder "Giant sucker" on a cart with foot pedal and water cooler from a friend of my dad's for $100.00 . His shop just purchased a brand new tig welder. I went over to see it and when he said $100 I couldn't get the money out of my wallet fast enough. I still need the tank and regulator but I hope to start practicing next weekend.

[MIKE-3137]

Is anybody using the new Miller Tig Runner 180? Been looking at it for a while, and have about talked myself into it, would be curious to get some first hand knowledge on it.

[hammeredabone]

The reason there are different plugs configurations for 208-230volts or other voltages is the national electrical code. Each circuit is designed with an operating amperage range in mind. The wiring to the plug is rated the same . Say you have 10gauge wire and a 30 amp cicuit breaker, then you should use a 6-30 receptical.
If your equipment exceeds that amp draw then the breaker should trip.