Tig welding

[Durgo]

Just got a welder (my first) its a HF dc tig inverter. Its french and didn't come with many instructions. Can anyone recomend a good book or website for beginner welders.
i posted on a couple of welding forums but didn't get any response. any tips to get me going would help.
I have a history of buying tools and jumping in at the deep end (with great success usualy) but the fear of death by electricusion or burning prevents me in this case.
Thanks

 

[Hitachimad]

Hello Durgo...
What do you need to know matey??
Setup? techniques...?
I can help you there...
A HF tig set, fancy for a novice
Providing you make sure you have a good earth to your work, and dont touch your welding wire on the tungsten you wont get electrocuted!!
Not that it will be serious anyway!

 

[Durgo]

hi hitachi, thanks! I went for the GYS 160a HF, it has post gas, slope up/dow, spot timer and pulsing. In the past ive bought good tools and they have always made learning easier plus i want to do nice looking welds.
First question is gas flow. does the machine control it completely so i just keep the regulator full open? I guess yes cos it has post gas but not sure
2) how much of the tungsten should stick out of the ceramic nozzle?
3) do i judge the gap (between work and electrode) while i'm welding or on a scrap or is it obvious when you play with it?
4) whats the "secret"(s) of tig/welding?
5) is there any thing to clean aluminium to enable dc welding? I heard about the oxide thing but an ac/dc machine really would of been ott for a beginner. Plus my wife would have killed me. Cheers!

 

[Hitachimad]

hi hitachi, thanks! I went for the GYS 160a HF, it has post gas, slope up/dow, spot timer and pulsing. In the past ive bought good tools and they have always made learning easier plus i want to do nice looking welds.
First question is gas flow. does the machine control it completely so i just keep the regulator full open? I guess yes cos it has post gas but not sure
2) how much of the tungsten should stick out of the ceramic nozzle?
3) do i judge the gap (between work and electrode) while i'm welding or on a scrap or is it obvious when you play with it?
4) whats the "secret"(s) of tig/welding?
5) is there any thing to clean aluminium to enable dc welding? I heard about the oxide thing but an ac/dc machine really would of been ott for a beginner. Plus my wife would have killed me. Cheers!

Answers...
1) No, set it around 12 litres/minuite. The post gas controls the time the gas continues to flow after you release the button. keep it fairly low to save wasting gas. Unless your welding something that will hold heat for a few seconds after you finish the weld.
2)Depending on the joint, whether its a fillet, butt, outside corner... but for a rough guide, about 5-6mm.
3) Beceause you have a HF set, the initial arc will jump the gap to start, hold it a touch closer to make it easier though. It will depend on what you are welding, lower amps and more control it require it being closer, again a rough guide, 4mm or so... and yes, with a bit of practice it will become obvious. The only thing is dont touch the tungsten on the work.
4) Practise, a steady hand and finding a comfortable position to do it. For small parts a good clean bench and a chair. Also keeping your tungsten sharp will give more control.
5) Not that i have ever heard of for TIG.

What are you planning on making then Durgo???

 

[Durgo]

I'm prototyping an invention as pretentious as it sounds. I can't be too specific at the mo for legal reasons but i'm gonna be using simmilar construction methods as multigyms - angle, tube and thin(ish) guage sheet
For patenting reasons i have too include as many alternative ways of acheiving the functionality to protect myself from competitors who would otherwise design around my patent. So i need to do a lot of trial and error, process of elimination, trying ideas out.
I hope your on here a lot - i could learn a thing or 2 to say the least m8. what do you do work wise? Do you use tig?

 

[Hitachimad]

Yes, my dayjob is a welder/fabricator. Stainless, ally, mild...
And i come on here a fair bit to.
If you need any more tips just ask.

 

[Hitachimad]

Personally i think the ideal starter sets are MIG.
Its quite a bit cheaper than TIG.
For welding gates and bits of cars dont bother with TIG, as its only realy anygood for clean metal.
A mig set will weld steel, stainless and ally, but with not such neat results.

 

[Durgo]

So frustrating! they sent me the wrong accessories so ive yet to fire her up and try. The "t" bit where the gas conect to the torch block the socket for the trigger once youve rotated it 180. but im still preparing a work space in my garage and thinking about makin a table and also i need a cut off saw - seen yank ones on ebay for 60 quid but who knows if there any good i mean is a clarke or sip one anybetter for over a ton?
Do you know if there are clamps for holding round tube in a t joint? or rightangle for that matter... ?

 

[Hitachimad]

Do you mean abrasive wheel cut off saws? You can get Maktec ones for about £70 (made by Makita but on a budget)
dont know what they are like though, never use them.
The clamps, you can get these type, they will hold box/tube in a 'L' or a 'T'
http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/products.php?cat=Angle Clamps#BESSEYWSM9 Cheaper ones are available if you look!

 

[Durgo]

cheers, lawson do the saw as well. i reckon makita gotta be better than nutool(same price roughly) i'll probably go for that - i have a makita drill for work and its great. oh ye have you done much titanium/at all??

The second reason i wanted to get into welding is so i can build a car ive been dreaming up for about 10 years. sounds mad iknow.

it is a tubular space frame chassis with un stressed carbon fibre bodywork and a aircraft style pillarless canopy, that opens like a visor on a crash helmet.

I'm thinkin about what to make the frame out of. chromoly steel seems preety standard amongst a lot of pro builders but certain ti alloys are also used occasionaly but finding people to ask about it is hard.

 

[Hitachimad]

I havnt personally.
Sounds a bit expensive to build an entire car chassis....
Maybe Aluminium?

 

[Durgo]

i havent got quotes yet but i read that if you compare it per linear foot (instead of by kilo or whatever) its not that much more than a "high end steel alloy". I'm gonna call a couple of companies tommorow for some guide prices. You can buy titanium push bikes for £500 so i can't see it being a problem really but we'll see.

 

[bikerm4]

if you can get a titanium pushbike for £500 post a message and tell me where. You will be lucky to get a discounted frame and fork for under £1500.

 

[Durgo]

Boreas Ignis. £634(ok, ok) www.wiggle.co.uk. I was searching for somthing else m8. I didn't look into it but you can if bikes is your thing

Hey hitatchi, are all auto masks as slow as the one i just bought? when i look at the light buld in the room it takes an age ( at least 4-5 second to dim - what?! it was 75 quid!! Was i robbed? its a parweld

 

[bikerm4]

Boreas Ignis. £634(ok, ok) www.wiggle.co.uk. I was searching for somthing else m8. I didn't look into it but you can if bikes is your thing

Hey hitatchi, are all auto masks as slow as the one i just bought? when i look at the light buld in the room it takes an age ( at least 4-5 second to dim - what?! it was 75 quid!! Was i robbed? its a parweld

Boreas ignis is 7005 alloy with 1% titanium and 1% zinc added.
Litespeed titanium frames here, priced in euros and heavily discounted cos they are last years stock http://www.totalcycling.com/Product...upID/2/v/8eb19988-5b53-4567-b32d-85632ee93b1e