New TIG welder is finally here!

ldbtx · Tue Apr 21, 2015 6:33 pm

Well, my new AHP AlphaTIG 200x was sitting on the porch when I got home last night. I don't have an indoor shop here at the house, so I took it to the shop in our building at work. Got it unpacked today and tomorrow I'll pick up a bottle of Argon and commence to proceed to begin to learn how to TIG weld. Unlike my self-taught stick and MIG welding, at least this time, I'll have the benefit of Jody's videos, Lanse's videos, and the experience of y'all on this forum. Should be a lot easier than doing it all by myself.

ldb

exnailpounder · Tue Apr 21, 2015 7:34 pm

Congrats! Now you get to buy too many filler rods (of all sizes) too many torch parts, a flowmeter, a new auto-dark, tig gloves etc.....when you are all done you will look back and think your machine was the actual bargain

Welcome to the obsessive, brain damage, always thinking about it, world of TIG welding! You are in excellent company here

Seriously...its alot of fun, enjoy it!

ldbtx · Tue Apr 21, 2015 7:50 pm

Yeah, I was taking a short break at work, sitting at my desk drinking a cup of coffee and doing a bit of mental math about all the accessories I'm going to need for the new TIG habit. I was thinking filler rods, gloves, stubby gas lens kits, electrodes, argon, etc. -- didn't figure on a new auto-dark. I think the Miller goes to 13. Anyway, figured that the sooner I get good at it, the sooner I stand a chance of making a few extra bucks with it. So, it needs to take priority over my other dollar-intensive hobby/interest/addiction. Looks like that Henry .45-70 lever gun is gonna have to wait a little longer before it comes to live at my house.

rick9345 · Tue Apr 21, 2015 7:50 pm

Tig = Addictive

Learn and earn

ldbtx · Tue Apr 21, 2015 7:54 pm

rick9345 wrote:Tig = Addictive

Great! Just what I need. Another expensive addiction

ldb

exnailpounder · Tue Apr 21, 2015 8:52 pm

ldbtx wrote:
rick9345 wrote:Tig = Addictive
Great! Just what I need. Another expensive addiction

ldb

Lawd knows I got too many of them

Guns are another one

Oscar · Tue Apr 21, 2015 10:12 pm

ldbtx wrote:Yeah, I was taking a short break at work, sitting at my desk drinking a cup of coffee and doing a bit of mental math about all the accessories I'm going to need for the new TIG habit. I was thinking filler rods, gloves, stubby gas lens kits, electrodes, argon, etc. -- didn't figure on a new auto-dark. I think the Miller goes to 13. Anyway, figured that the sooner I get good at it, the sooner I stand a chance of making a few extra bucks with it. So, it needs to take priority over my other dollar-intensive hobby/interest/addiction. Looks like that Henry .45-70 lever gun is gonna have to wait a little longer before it comes to live at my house.

Auto-darkening is not about how dark it can go. On the other spectrum, low-amp tig welds are easier with clarity. A 1/1/1/1 rated helmet is a good investment. I recommend the Optrel e684. It can adjust the shade level on it's own, so it's always a consistent brightness as you perceive it. Once you set the preferred brightness, it will regulate it self down to #3 and up to #13. Really cool stuff.

ldbtx · Wed Apr 22, 2015 12:29 pm

Thanks for the clarification, Oscar. I'd not heard of the 1/1/1/1 rating system before. Had to look it up. The Optrel looks like a heck of a good helmet. Guess I'll need to start saving for one.

LtBadd · Wed Apr 22, 2015 1:03 pm

ldbtx wrote: Auto-darkening is not about how dark it can go. On the other spectrum, low-amp tig welds are easier with clarity. A 1/1/1/1 rated helmet is a good investment. I recommend the Optrel e684. It can adjust the shade level on it's own, so it's always a consistent brightness as you perceive it. Once you set the preferred brightness, it will regulate it self down to #3 and up to #13. Really cool stuff.

The Lincoln Viking series (I believe) have this clarity rating, although I have never heard of the Optrel brand, I'll have to look that up.
I wonder if this adjustment of the shade level is a gimmick, or if would use more battery power....? Makes you think of the technology yet to come to the trade.

geo · Wed Apr 22, 2015 2:53 pm

Zen and the Art of Tigging. As a hobby it's satisfying and relaxing, like fishing, but a more expensive. Getting a welder is the really the cheap part.

Once you buy the necessary stuff and lay a few beads you see the light.
Next is shop projects like carts and table and cable booms and rod holders. Then cutting-grinding equipment, their consumables and stands. Then storage racks and outbuildings. Then upgrade the original cheap necessities for better stuff (helmet, gloves, consumables), add more shop light, expand on the table you though was big enough and realize there can never be too many clamps and jigs (helps to have a lathe and mill if you have the room).
Now your flat beads are good but you figure they will maybe look better if you try gas lens which leads to the need for a new couple of drawers for all the different possible combinations of standard, stubby, large, x-large, jumbo and micro collets and adaptors (they look neat too, like fishing lures) in .40, 1/16th, 3/32, 1/8th sizes with all the different cups styles and insulators from 4 to 15 and a extra large stock of tungsten in a few flavours because sometimes (a lot really when learning to dip the rod instead of the tungsten) you will screw up but it's hard to believe it's you and not the equipment so you make or buy a way to grind that tungsten perfect to eliminate that possibility and cut the tungsten prep time to 30 second flat. Then a couple of different torch sizes (cause you'll never need water-cooling) and smaller is better plus the superflex hoses are awesome but don't forget the new consumables for the new torchs (another drawer?).
Then you go to the eye doctor and order a few pair of glasses (just in case it's your eyesight) from mag to reading to progressive.

Now your cookin' with plate and angle in mild steel and aluminum so it's time to find scrap stainless, chro-mo, cast alloys, pure alloys and tube (might as well pick up a tube coping set-up and bender and redo or make again all your jigs and clamps for round stock while your at it) in many sizes and thicknesses so you can be ready and experienced for anything.
You'll need to expand the rod storage now to add a dozen places for filler rod in different hard to find and expensive blends, learn to build purge set-ups, set-up cart for two bottles to mix helium because your beads are longer and the torch is getting hot too soon for you and you think lower amps is the answer and don't let you tungsten supply go down or forget your practice on tungsten prep as you learn multiple tube joints to attain the next level of enlightenment.

As you approach Zen master enlightenment you realize you should have gone liquid cooled and at least a 20 torch in the beginning so redo your cart again (easiest to start again this time) and hope you bought a big enough-modern enough welder the first time (usually not). Good thing is tig stuff for every level sells easy.
All this is still because you wish to be a true Zen master (nothing more satisfying than a beautiful tig welded, completed project to a hobbyist even if it was done for free) and you still don't have enough experience to realize it's not the equipment completely because you watched the vids and pics from true Zen masters and they can delete or crop if need be and you can't or it will cost you too much in booze or home life.

I don't know if the professionals realize the commitment at hobby level to become a Zen master particularly with tig. Jigging, equipment and consumables that are needed daily are not usually in the average garage and once you do a "good" job in tig (like catching the first "big one" on the fly) sticks get wet and mig wire goes rusty.

Enjoy the learning curve with your new tig set-up OP. The welder is just the beginning because it usually takes 2 hours of cut and prep for 5 min. of weld time but oh, what a 5 min. if you got it all right.

rick9345 · Wed Apr 22, 2015 4:42 pm

geo

well said

And that was just the short version
"idbix" welcome to the club

Oscar · Wed Apr 22, 2015 8:06 pm

LtBadd wrote:
ldbtx wrote: Auto-darkening is not about how dark it can go. On the other spectrum, low-amp tig welds are easier with clarity. A 1/1/1/1 rated helmet is a good investment. I recommend the Optrel e684. It can adjust the shade level on it's own, so it's always a consistent brightness as you perceive it. Once you set the preferred brightness, it will regulate it self down to #3 and up to #13. Really cool stuff.
The Lincoln Viking series (I believe) have this clarity rating, although I have never heard of the Optrel brand, I'll have to look that up.
I wonder if this adjustment of the shade level is a gimmick, or if would use more battery power....? Makes you think of the technology yet to come to the trade.

No gimmick, it works as advertised, I own an e684. It can't do it if you use pulse with very different peak/base currents, but for standard non-pulsed welding where you are modulating the amperage with the foot pedal, it indeed keeps the brightness constant, based on how you initially set it.

ldbtx · Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:48 pm

Geo, if you weld like you write, you are indeed a master. I know it's not fiction because I recognized the analogous progression to my gun collecting/reloading addiction. One advantage to being single is not having to answer silly questions like, "Why do you need four reloading presses and all those 1911s?" I already have a small lathe and I just mentioned to a friend this evening as we were consuming some tasty beverages that I need a mill. So, it's already started. The TIG machine is just another step down the road. And I think it's like Maverick said to Goose in "Top Gun", "We're gonna have a good time here".

ldb

kiwi2wheels · Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:58 am

Oscar wrote: No gimmick, it works as advertised, I own an e684. It can't do it if you use pulse with very different peak/base currents, but for standard non-pulsed welding where you are modulating the amperage with the foot pedal, it indeed keeps the brightness constant, based on how you initially set it.

Oscar, is it possible to set the shade manually, in the event you have to use auto pulse settings ? And does the lens give a blue shading ? With some helmets I get a red flare around the arc on DC and then it goes rapidly downhill from there.......

Thanks.

geo · Thu Apr 23, 2015 1:03 pm

Idbtx. It's mostly about the fun for us hobbiests but maybe a bit of ego too. I think building things from metal is a form of creating a heritage (cause it will last a long time) and that's part of the satisfaction. Tiggin' is purdy when done well to anyone that sees what you build (the ego part).

If you get into it it's good your single. I think my first wife left because after I framed in the double car port as a shop I told her she couldn't park in there any more. Oops.
I'm pretty sure my second left because one night about 11:30 she came in to ask if I was coming to bed. I said "no yet". Then she said "You love this welding more than me?" I replied "Maybe". Oops. Shoulda thought maybe, but what else are you going to say half way in a bead when someone is trying to get your attention lol. And,,, are you really expecting someone to stop when there is just two more fit-ups and 5min. of welding left to finish??

Enjoy Idbtx. Build some heritage you can show off.

Oscar · Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:58 pm

kiwi2wheels wrote:
Oscar wrote: No gimmick, it works as advertised, I own an e684. It can't do it if you use pulse with very different peak/base currents, but for standard non-pulsed welding where you are modulating the amperage with the foot pedal, it indeed keeps the brightness constant, based on how you initially set it.
Oscar, is it possible to set the shade manually, in the event you have to use auto pulse settings ? And does the lens give a blue shading ? With some helmets I get a red flare around the arc on DC and then it goes rapidly downhill from there.......

Thanks.

Absolutely. You can set it to manual mode. The select the range, either 3-9, or 9-13. Lens is not really blue, it's just a darker version of reality. It's like you're not even seeing through a lens. It's that clear. Even as a non-professional, it is WELL worth the money.

exnailpounder · Thu Apr 23, 2015 7:32 pm

geo wrote:Idbtx. It's mostly about the fun for us hobbiests but maybe a bit of ego too. I think building things from metal is a form of creating a heritage (cause it will last a long time) and that's part of the satisfaction. Tiggin' is purdy when done well to anyone that sees what you build (the ego part).

If you get into it it's good your single. I think my first wife left because after I framed in the double car port as a shop I told her she couldn't park in there any more. Oops.
I'm pretty sure my second left because one night about 11:30 she came in to ask if I was coming to bed. I said "no yet". Then she said "You love this welding more than me?" I replied "Maybe". Oops. Shoulda thought maybe, but what else are you going to say half way in a bead when someone is trying to get your attention lol. And,,, are you really expecting someone to stop when there is just two more fit-ups and 5min. of welding left to finish??
You guys need a low-maintenance girl. Mine wants me to show her how to weld so she can hang out in the shop. I'm not so sure about that because "A MAN AND HIS WELDER...ITS A BEAUTIFUL THING"
Enjoy Idbtx. Build some heritage you can show off.

jdranchman · Thu Apr 23, 2015 8:33 pm

Congrats on your new purchase. Now practice the required mantra with me: "My name is _____ and I'm a Tigaholic. I can't stop buying more stuff for my Tig habit." There isn't a cure other than an empty wallet.

kiwi2wheels · Fri Apr 24, 2015 5:58 am

Oscar wrote:
Absolutely. You can set it to manual mode. The select the range, either 3-9, or 9-13. Lens is not really blue, it's just a darker version of reality. It's like you're not even seeing through a lens. It's that clear. Even as a non-professional, it is WELL worth the money.

Thanks Oscar.

RocketSurgeon · Fri Apr 24, 2015 11:57 am

If you would please sign in here:
http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... f=5&t=5560
We welcome you to the support group. Coffee is in the corner, gas lenses are in the "Welcome" bag.

ldbtx · Fri Apr 24, 2015 2:14 pm

RocketSurgeon wrote:If you would please sign in here:
http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... f=5&t=5560
We welcome you to the support group. Coffee is in the corner, gas lenses are in the "Welcome" bag.

Chris, I've signed in with the group, but I somehow get the idea from reading the other posts that the support will take the form of encouraging me to buy more goodies. Nobody really indicated that they were interested in ending their addiction. Which works out fine...I'm not interested in giving up mine either

ldb

LtBadd · Fri Apr 24, 2015 8:26 pm

RocketSurgeon wrote:If you would please sign in here:
http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... f=5&t=5560
We welcome you to the support group. Coffee is in the corner, gas lenses are in the "Welcome" bag.

Hi, my name is Richard and I'm..gulp..a gas lensaholic

RumT · Sat May 09, 2015 1:14 pm

geo wrote:The welder is just the beginning because it usually takes 2 hours of cut and prep for 5 min. of weld time but oh, what a 5 min. if you got it all right.

Hallelujah

Bill Beauregard · Sat May 09, 2015 9:45 pm

ldbtx wrote:
RocketSurgeon wrote:If you would please sign in here:
http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... f=5&t=5560
We welcome you to the support group. Coffee is in the corner, gas lenses are in the "Welcome" bag.
Chris, I've signed in with the group, but I somehow get the idea from reading the other posts that the support will take the form of encouraging me to buy more goodies. Nobody really indicated that they were interested in ending their addiction. Which works out fine...I'm not interested in giving up mine either

ldb

You can't end addiction, you can deny it, It just burns 'till you die of it.