Welding Tips and Tricks

i have an older machine (84ish) lincoln idealarc 300/300 tig torch(wet) and i am as ive stated before a sooper newb. in fact if it wasnt for the great guidance of this site and jody mostly, i wouldnt even know how to set that thing up.
Ive been on the road moving between oregon and oklahoma and it wasnt a pleasant one at all i really am missing some serious time learning the tig torch.
my questions are sorta dumb but not to me, all the welders in the world are gonna laugh at me but its ok even i laugh at me.
im not really in tune with my machine, its set by the P.O. for just aluminum i cant get to it because its still in the truck but as it was set up i was able to make some puddles, not perfect ones but puddles nonethe less.
i had lots of trouble at first and almost had to put the cup against the metal(AL) to make said puddles. after watching a few of the videos on here i realized that the tungsten wasnt out far enough to create a decent arc.Then there was the cup size, after adjusting these things it was time to tuck it in the truck, so i havent had time to really get it out and start practicing, so heres the question now that the history has been set.

was the idealearc(750+lbs) a decent purchase at 800$ and how do the settings work?? im familliar with welding am a darn good stick and mig welder, the few little puddles i made showed me i have the knack but im 40 and not in the means to take a class at lincoln or miller to learn.
would a class at the local Community college benifit me or would i be better off just learning and burning sticks on my own??

also what settings could be recomended for stainless and brass(same as AL?) im sorta confused,also can i buy a tank of helium and run it side by side with my argon and turn the flow down to 10kph per side to equal 20 or will it set itself at 10 kph regardless??do i really need CO2? i was told it was just filler gas?

if i confused anyone im sorry, im not a great typist and my punctuation is wonky at best, thanks all you that help, and those that didnt, you will someday lol...

I'm no expert, either, but I can stick sheet steel and alu. together

I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in, but I can give you a few pointers to start out.

I found a manual for a 300/300, but I don't know if it's the same as yours. it seems they made that model for a while. the newer ones had a digital readout. http://content.lincolnelectric.com//pdf ... /IM243.pdf

If you can look through the manual and see if what options your welder has, it'd be helpful for us.
namely, does it have the HF (high frequency start) module? is it an AC/DC machine, or just AC?


for aluminum, you're going to be using AC. all TIGging is going to be done with pure argon. 1 tank, no hassle. after you weld for another 10 years and decide you need to knock 30 widgets out an hour instead of 20, then you can think about going to a argon/helium mix. don't think about it until then.

anyway, back to aluminum. you're going to want to set the welder so you have roughly 1 amp per .001" of material thickness + about 10% for a foot pedal margin.

so, 16ga sheet = 63A + 7A margin= 70A
1/8" plate = 125A + 15A margin = 140A

I find that I like a little hotter for aluminum than the 1a/.001" rule of thumb, but that's a good place to start.

get a stainless steel wire brush. use it lots. before you weld, when you stop, ect. if you're working with brand new mill finish alu, it's not as important, but its good practice.

also, clean your workpiece off with a solvent (mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, rubbing alcohol, methanol, ect.) before you weld. make sure its all flashed off though before you weld. they'll all give you a nasty surprise if they flare up.
and move the rag you used FAR away from the welding area. I've lit that thing on fire multiple times (never with tig, but better safe than sorry)

now, for sheet butt welds(my only aluminum experience) you're going to want to set your stickout far enough so you can see well and get the filler rod in at about 30degrees. you need to stab or poke the puddle a bit, or the arc will ball the tip of the filler before you get it to the puddle. no dilly dallying around waiting for the arc to grab the rod. it won't.

you're going to need to heat both sides of the joint. when I'm working with something dirty, I just barely puddle the edge of both pieces, stop, then wire brush the crap out of it. then you're going to need to jump the tig torch from one side to the other until you get a little bit of puddle, then start adding rod to one side, then the other, then kinda weave the tip over the two puddles, dip the rod in the middle. then you've got a tack. aluminum is pretty forgiving, but when you get it too hot it lets you know by dropping the puddle on your foot.

from there, you keep the torch on the puddle in between the sheets and add filler to the front of the puddle. after you've been welding for a few seconds, you'll need to back off the heat as the aluminum around your weld will get hot and take less amperage to melt, or else you'll blow a big hole. if it starts to get away from you, get off the pedal, let it cool for a sec, but DON'T move that torch. you want the hot puddle shielded so it doesn't start forming oxides. aluminum oxide (same stuff the pink tig cups are made of) melts at a much higher temp than aluminum, so letting oxygen in in between restarts will make starting again more difficult.

for steel, you're going to need DC. 100% argon. 1A/.001"

steel is a lot easier to weld, in my opinion. for thinner stuff, you can bridge the gap with the filler, put the torch on the filler and push the rod a bit and you'll get a little ball of filler straddling the joint. then you can just weave the arc across the ball and it will melt in to both sheets. from there you just move the puddle with the arc and add filler into the keyhole. use the foot pedal to back the heat off as you go so you don't get too crazy with the keyhole. steel won't want to blow out near as much as aluminum. though.

for thicker materials, steel is really easy, just don't be afraid to weld hot and add rod. I'd recommend trying to fuse some stuff together with no rod first, then do the same type of joint and add as much rod as you can and still get penetration. once you've done both extremes, it should be more apparent how much rod you need. also, while you're playing around, try burning a hole in a T-joint or a corner joint just so you know how much heat it takes.

once you've got some arc time, you can start absorbing more information from Jody's excellent videos and articles.

good luck, man.

wow! i am humbled, thank you much the tig has been a passion for some time just not a lot of money to buy one as raising a family keeps me in financial check regularly!
buying the machine was a risk, its old, its big, but it was what i could afford(800$) the few moments i spent playing with it didnt make any sense to me but after a visit to jody's site i started understanding way more about it, i was told if i got a certificate i could get a job welding, but im not sure i want to make a hobby a job?? it seems to me a way to destroy the enjoyment behind it?
getting the settings right for steel and stainless is important to me, and i apreciate the input it will come in handy when/if i ever get the thing out of my truck.
for the moment we are homeless and jobless, the deal we moved here for didnt exsist as i was promised so we are staying with a friend and hes paranoid about me hooking this machine into his dryer socket. so for now "the beast" resides in the truck.

im planning on makeing parts(intakes,exhaust, and a few other goodies)from AL and stainless these are parts for my friends on a merkur forum they know my work and are anxiously awaiting my education with the machine, hopefully we can get a home and job soon so i can get busy with my promises!!
thanks again for the valued advice!!mike....

wow, I'm sorry to hear that your prospects didn't pan out. I've never been in that situation, but I know a few folks that have. I wish you luck in finding something to support your family. something you might want to do if you're planning on welding stainless is find something to use as a purge chamber. harbor freight has a few plastic sandblasting cabinets that have been suggested, but if you've got the time and the knack, you can probably knock one together for a fraction of the cost. good shielding is very important for welding stainless and making it pretty.

but before you get into stainless, practice on lots of plain steel. its a LOT cheaper and welds similar. stainless requires less amperage, but the feel of it is pretty similar. aluminum and steel are fairly different, though. when you get settled in and get some arc time, you'll pick that up right quick.

well again, good luck on the house/job hunt. I hope you catch a break ad feel free to ask any and all questions.

If you go to Lincoln electric web site and go to the [Owners Manual] link and enter the {Code Number] of your welder.You can donload the owners manual and parts list.
Its with the serial number and model number on the control panel. The link the other member gave you could be the correct Manual but your sure to get the right one from the web site.
I have an old 300/300 from the early 60's. They say its osolete. Not to me. If its what you can afford and it works enjoy it. Learn and get good ,then later upgrade if necessary.
Im an amature welder wanting to learn Tig,like yourself. I cant help you with setting.
The word obsolete is abused by the company wanting to sell you a new one. I dought if the new welder will live long enough too become obsolete.although Im sure the new ones can be fine tuned better and are great to use.
Mike

I hear you about new vs old, i do have a manual for the 84 idealarc 300/300 tig and its older than machines ive seen fail many times its just big and bulky not portable, todays welder is looking for a smaller less space consuming the versatilitie of the older machine is unreplaceable.
the newer machines seem to have a inverter and a sattelite unit or like most industrials there are so many extra connections to make?? i do know they work good but there are significantly more repairs being made to newer machines (as reported by the companies) than older big bulky machines.

I made the choice i made out of financial,and longterm repair decisions, 800 wouldnt touch a namebrand tig machine today and to get a comperable tig machine to what i bought would cost in excess of 5k today.

ogorir wrote:wow, I'm sorry to hear that your prospects didn't pan out. I've never been in that situation, but I know a few folks that have. I wish you luck in finding something to support your family. something you might want to do if you're planning on welding stainless is find something to use as a purge chamber. harbor freight has a few plastic sandblasting cabinets that have been suggested, but if you've got the time and the knack, you can probably knock one together for a fraction of the cost. good shielding is very important for welding stainless and making it pretty.

but before you get into stainless, practice on lots of plain steel. its a LOT cheaper and welds similar. stainless requires less amperage, but the feel of it is pretty similar. aluminum and steel are fairly different, though. when you get settled in and get some arc time, you'll pick that up right quick.

well again, good luck on the house/job hunt. I hope you catch a break ad feel free to ask any and all questions.

i wondered why the guy who sold me the machine was so adimant about selling me a "blasting cabinet" with the machine?? he wanted another 250 for it but the wieght factor was more than i could bring(i was 440 over gross @ 24k as was) i wanted the cabinet but i do know how to build just about anything i can see in a picture. thanks again for the inspiration seems the folks in this town(enid) are partial to cherokees and locals, but are always asking for a dependable person?? resume's dont seem to be needed just well connected friends, we might have to look in OKC if it goes on any longer??
again thanks for the kind words and excellent advice, mike...

I believe you done ok with the price. Your right about it not being portable .Massive!!
I did read somewhere else on this forum that they live forever or never die. Not a Quote!
Im learning a lot on this forum, Great source of information. Not a lot of negative people like other places. I got ripped on a forum once for bad grammer and punctuation once. Ive been holding a wrench for 35 years not a keyboard. Good luck with the Job. Mike

thats so wierd my name is mike and ive been kicked off forums for bad grammer and lack of punctuation or capitols?? my hands have been abused for 25+years with lumber,metal ,mechanic work and ive got severe arthritis now because of it, so yea no complaints so far here, my merkur forum doesnt care either, they like me a lot cause i make stuff way cheaper than anyone else(im for the person not the $$) my hearts in it not my wallet. thanks again,mike...

kicked off other forums for punctuation and grammar? say it aint so.

thats not how we roll up in here.

Welcome.

just do the best you can.

we dont give a piss about grammar, just keep it interesting and civil... we are welders, and if you ask me...the salt of the earth.

jody

admin wrote:kicked off other forums for punctuation and grammar? say it aint so.

thats not how we roll up in here.

Welcome.

just do the best you can.

we dont give a piss about grammar, just keep it interesting and civil... we are welders, and if you ask me...the salt of the earth.

jody

i thought i knew welding pretty good, after i found this site, i got an education. its what has kept me from giving up on the tig! though i havent really had a lot of time stinging metal, i fell in love with my first arc strike, its awakened the primal urge for fire in me!! thanks for the site jody!! i love it here!!