Welding Tips and Tricks

New member... Been following for a bit and have watched probably every video there is on TIG. Been a hobby welder for 20 years (MIG carbon and AL) and recently retired from my grown-up job and now work at a country machine/welding shop (job shop) where I've helped at off and on for the last 15 years.

We wanted to add the TIG procedure to our capabilities.

Holy Crap this TIG thing has a lot of stuff going on at the same time. I just received my CK Worldwide MT200 machine and got it all set up and ran a few beads without filler on 11ga carbon steel then attempted to coordinate the addition of some ER70s-2 filler while running a pedal, maintaining torch angle, arc height, travel speed... Whew!!!

Looking forward to this coming together. Makes me envious of ya'll that can make sound, good looking TIG welds. Attached image is of my first runs. This is on 11ga scrap I ran a wire brush over. 120 amps, 3/32 electrode, #5 cup, 12 cfh Argon. Upper right started with no filler, just push'n the puddle. Left column I added filler. Didnt take a picture of the back but It burned through a bunch. I'm guessing i'm way-to-slow right now.

Thanks for viewing. And any advise on drills to get up to speed is appreciated.

Keith (South Georgia, USA)

Welcome. You are losing gas coverage as evidenced by the pin-holes. With such a small diameter cup, you have to keep a short stickout, I recommend 1/8 - 3/16", and keep it consistently at that height. Also, a lot of beginner's use 30-45° push angle, and that is another avenue of lost shielding gas coverage. 15-20° max. Other than that, not bad at all. Don't lean on your forearms and put excessive weight on them because then you won't be able to make smooth, non-jerky movements. Tighten up your core, take deep breaths to stabilize your movements, and only lightly rest your arms/hands on what ever supports you are using. Never "free arm" the TIG torch during the learning process.

Speaking of TIG, I just made this TIG torch holder. You'd think after 10 years of having first started to TIG weld I'd have made a single one already, lol.

Welcome Keith!

Those CK welders are pretty nice from what I've seen/heard.

To piggyback on Oscar's reply just a tiny bit:

Try going up a bit in cup size while you are learning. I'd suggest a #7 or #8 for the welding you are doing there, while you are in practice-mode. You can learn to save on gas later. A #5 cup is fine, but there is no sense in making it harder on yourself while trying to dial in the basics.

Spartan wrote:Try going up a bit in cup size while you are learning. I'd suggest a #7 or #8 for the welding you are doing there, while you are in practice-mode. You can learn to save on gas later. A #5 cup is fine, but there is no sense in making it harder on yourself while trying to dial in the basics.

Good advice. I use a #8 alumina cup as it gives me a tad better view of the puddle. I'm not worried about saving gas myself, when I need more I go get it. I only need to get a bottle about ever 6 months.

Welcome to the forum, 281. Keep running beads without filler until you "learn" your machine. Don't forget to ask, WE will all help, just sometimes it takes a bit of time for everyone to chime in. Lots of info and help available.
gramps.

Oscar wrote: Speaking of TIG, I just made this TIG torch holder. You'd think after 10 years of having first started to TIG weld I'd have made a single one already, lol.

The secret is out, Oscar has a wireless TIG torch!!!

wondering if it's water cooled. Everything else he tinkers with is water cooled...tig, mig, stick,,,hammers...

Water cooled and wireless! Where do I send my money?

v5cvbb wrote:Water cooled and wireless! Where do I send my money?

Directly to my PayPal

You think this is impressive, you should see my ground clamp

I'll be looking for your ground clamp break though Oscar.

Oscar wrote:

v5cvbb wrote:Water cooled and wireless! Where do I send my money?

Directly to my PayPal

You think this is impressive, you should see my ground clamp

Something tells me you've used that as a pickup line in the past.

Uh, Keith, you must clean the metal you are welding to a bright, shiny, almost surgical level when TIG welding. The #5 cup is not your issue, mill scale and crap on the surface is causing the porosity.

If you look closely, there's a consistent gas coverage shadow around all your welds, but I suspect that your tungsten has a fair bit of Schmutz on it from welding without cleaning.

You can flap disk it, but then wipe it with Acetone. You can use Brake Kleenexes, but use the non-chlorinated type only (you probably know this.) For TIG to succeed, cleanliness is everything.

[quote="Oscar")

[/quote]

Must be a blue tooth torch. It has no power cord.

I'm looking at the weld bead at the base of the stand. Not sure what.to say about it.

VA-Sawyer wrote:I'm looking at the weld bead at the base of the stand. Not sure what.to say about it.

Looks like he ran MIG for his TIG torch stand.

Sacrilege indeed.

Spartan wrote:

VA-Sawyer wrote:I'm looking at the weld bead at the base of the stand. Not sure what.to say about it.

Looks like he ran MIG for his TIG torch stand.

Sacrilege indeed.

lol, yup, just a quick MIG bead. It's not a load-bearing structure. Trust me, it will hold.

Oscar wrote:

Spartan wrote:

VA-Sawyer wrote:I'm looking at the weld bead at the base of the stand. Not sure what.to say about it. [emoji38]

Looks like he ran MIG for his TIG torch stand.

Sacrilege indeed.

lol, yup, just a quick MIG bead. It's not a load-bearing structure. Trust me, it will hold. [emoji38]

A torch "holder". That is the definition of "load bearing".... [emoji41]

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

JayWal wrote:A torch "holder". That is the definition of "load bearing".... [emoji41]

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

Yea yea yea, lol. A couple ounces ain't gonna do nothin lol

Could have dusted the rust off and weld looks a bit cold. There are people here that can help you with mig
if you just ask.

robtg wrote:Could have dusted the rust off and weld looks a bit cold. There are people here that can help you with mig
if you just ask.

I did dust the rust off where I welded it, and I left it cold on purpose.

Ok.

I haven't made a weld that looked good enough to post on this forum.
And now you know why.

VA-Sawyer wrote:I haven't made a weld that looked good enough to post on this forum.
And now you know why.

It's ok, we all give each other the 3rd degree, so once you do post, you are entitled and can join the party

Over a year ago, I posted a picture of PRACTICE beads on aluminum. Mostly to show Lt Badd my progress, and to thank him for his help.
Practice bead pictures dont get judged here, by the same standard as actual WELDS. They get help, and constructive criticism. Sometimes, they even get good advice.
Real WELDS on the other hand.......