Welding Tips and Tricks

I have been tig welding for a total of 2weeks now lol. I finally think I am comfortable running strait lines so I have now started doing out side corners. Was just look to see if I was headed in the right direction. I have mainly been practicing on 17 gauge metal and 1/8. The 1/8 is easier and the beads look better than the thin stuff. But I am still happy with the 1/16. I am going to get the outside corners down until I move on to inside corner. I tried one but I think I was way to cold and not using enough amps. I have also been using alot of silicon bronze as that is what I will be using on my rocker panels so need to get that down. Obviously I still have a long way to go but hope you all can tell me if you recommend tweaking anything to make the corners even better. Thanks for the suggestions. Any suggestions for practice methods would be awesome too.

I got a little slow at the end specially with using the trigger, it's not very forgiving lol.
I have learned the silicon bronze I need to move much fast with way lower amps. If anyone has suggestions for settings when using 1/16 and 3/32 silicon bronze for outside corners, inside corners and buttt welds. I still have not been able to tie that in. I know I will learn with trial and error. Thanks again.

Settings
Welder Amico CTS 160 DCEN
70 Amps (trigger button) I will get a machine with a pedal when I am better
3/32 e3 tungsten
3/32 filler er70s-2
11 cfh
12 cup gas lense

If these settings are for Silicon Bronze, I think you’re way too hot. I just did a small project using 1/8” SilBr filler and used 45 amps.

If those settings are for ER70, then for 3/32 filler and .125 material I’d be well over 110 amps. For 1/16” filler I might drop closer to 100 amps.

If you are using a #12 cup, your CFH needs to be over 25 CFH.

I'm also a newbie and I can say that I'd be mighty happy with that corner joint!

cj737 wrote:If these settings are for Silicon Bronze, I think you’re way too hot. I just did a small project using 1/8” SilBr filler and used 45 amps.

If those settings are for ER70, then for 3/32 filler and .125 material I’d be well over 110 amps. For 1/16” filler I might drop closer to 100 amps.

If you are using a #12 cup, your CFH needs to be over 25 CFH.

I will try those settings, I guess I have not gone above 15 cfh because I thought what I was doing looked ok. I will try and use more gas. The low amps if for silicon bronze. When I got above 70 amps on 3/32 i have not been able to get any appearance of a bead. It looks more like just a filled line. I will try your suggestions though. The corner bead in the pic was with steel filler rod and at 70 amps, are you saying try it at 110amp? I will try that and move a little faster. This is all the stuff I am trying to get squared away so thank you for the input. I will continue playing with things. Thanks again.

Amperage can be deceiving. If you did run ER70 1/16” at 70 amps and got that, then I would suspect 2 things may also be true:
1 - your arc length is pretty long causing a “hotter” weld pool and less control of the bead, and
2 - you likely don’t have weld down into the root of that joint. This you can determine by cutting that in section in a few places. If you have a hollow root, that too is caused by insufficient amps.

Plus, inspect the backside of the joint. Any sign of heat? Bumping up to 100+ amps you will use more filler but should get a better weld. But you do need to tighten the arc up “almost touching” the weld pool. If you aren’t dipping your tungsten as a new welder, you aren’t learning And yes, THAT tight!

Cooperstown wrote:The corner bead in the pic was with steel filler rod and at 70 amps, are you saying try it at 110amp?

I wasn't clear from your first post...is the picture of 1/8" or 17 gauge?

I think your welds look beautiful. Your starts and stops on the corners will improve as time goes by. Still look fine to me but I'm sure if you were being tested they would want nicer by a good bit.

Something to keep in mind on your gas flow, when you're doing an outside corner you're going to want a considerable amount more and when you are doing an inside corner you need dramatically less. Obviously the inside corner captures the gas and the outside corner vents it to the atmosphere. I tell people someone jokingly, the gas flow that you need on an outside corner will damn near blow away the puddle on an inside corner.

Adjust accordingly.

BugHunter wrote:I think your welds look beautiful. Your starts and stops on the corners will improve as time goes by. Still look fine to me but I'm sure if you were being tested they would want nicer by a good bit.

Something to keep in mind on your gas flow, when you're doing an outside corner you're going to want a considerable amount more and when you are doing an inside corner you need dramatically less. Obviously the inside corner captures the gas and the outside corner vents it to the atmosphere. I tell people someone jokingly, the gas flow that you need on an outside corner will damn near blow away the puddle on an inside corner.

Adjust accordingly.

Thank you! By far the most frustrating thing so far is trying to figure out good gas rates along with amps. I think I have steady hands now for the most part at least for the little lessons I have been doing. But those damn setting are hard lol. I have tried reading so much but that is limited to actually playing around with things on my own. I mainly just wanted to learn how to weld so I can do the rocker panels on my 72. I didn't want to mig weld it and wanted the challenge of hopefully learning at least a little bit on tig welding. But it has turned into an addiction lol. I work up on the oil fields in Alaska 2 weeks at a time and when I am home I have been going through 2 ( 110) bottles of argon on the 2 weeks I am home. Which might not be a lot to most people but it is for me haha. It has been really fun and i hope I can just keep getting better and eventually start learning how to purge and do exhaust pipe. I have a long ways to go and the practice is fun. I really need to try and start kicking up the amps though. I am going to stick to practicing on 1/8 mild steel for a bit so I can use more amps. The 16 gauge I have been doing most of my practicing on I am just afraid to go hot.

Just out of curiosity and I know it is different between each person what should my amperage be when welding say 16 gauge to 19 gauge mild steel? I have been using 40 to 70 amps. my beads look good I think but I don't know if they are right which is a big difference. Just figured I would see people different amperage usage for that type of stuff. Thanks for the recommendation. I will adjust accordingly.

G-ManBart wrote:

Cooperstown wrote:The corner bead in the pic was with steel filler rod and at 70 amps, are you saying try it at 110amp?

I wasn't clear from your first post...is the picture of 1/8" or 17 gauge?

Sorry I kinda rambled now that I re-read it,
The picture is of 1/8 mild steel. Using 3/32 tungsten and filler. I see how it owuld have been confusing when I rambled about also practicing on 17 gauge metal. I should have left that part out and stuck to just what the picture showed. Sorry.

cj737 wrote:If these settings are for Silicon Bronze, I think you’re way too hot. I just did a small project using 1/8” SilBr filler and used 45 amps.

If those settings are for ER70, then for 3/32 filler and .125 material I’d be well over 110 amps. For 1/16” filler I might drop closer to 100 amps.

If you are using a #12 cup, your CFH needs to be over 25 CFH.

I think that might be one of the biggest problems for me then. I was not using nearly as much gas as you suggested. I wil try to bump it up for next time.
The corner beed is with steel filler. I was just practicing with silicon bronze on the sides earlier. What amps would you reccomen for using 3/32 and 1/16 silicon bronze on 1/8 and 17 gauge mild steel.

Man, I have never even thought about 25 CFH, I am really curious to see what that feels and looks like! Thank you.

Cooperstown wrote: What amps would you reccomen for using 3/32 and 1/16 silicon bronze on 1/8 and 17 gauge mild steel

Try 35-40 amps for the 3/32". For the 1/16, I go as low as 25 amps. Lots of argon, a tight arc, works great.

Maybe as much as 50. But probably less.

Thanks guys! I will start playing with those settings. I appreciate the help.