Welding Tips and Tricks

*Mods, if this isn't the right section, please move it. Seemed to fit well to me *
A little background: I'm 20 years old, have welded TIG for about a quarter so far (fri,sat,sun), and am in love with it. I have some experience with stick as well, from high school. I went to a tech school for 4 quarters (2 quarters full-time equivalent) and all we did was stick weld. When I saw the guys welding TIG, I wanted nothing but to weld that. And now I am.

I'll start with the oldest pics I can find, to the newest ones I've taken. Won't be many updates until the 10th of January. Believe all of these were done with 3/32 tungsten (mixture of Lanthanated, Ceriated and Thoriated), 3/32 filler rod, and a combination of a 7 and 8 gas lens.















Walking the cup


Aluminum


More aluminum


Comparison shot. Top is my old aluminum. Up until these welds pictured, I HATED aluminum. I went through 3 full tungsten in 2 days of welding and was having a hell of a time getting it. Didn't touch it for about a month, and boom! Maybe it was the new machine, the aluminum was thicker now (my thin aluminum is nowhere near this good) or just more practice on mild steel. Whatever way, it's now my favorite to weld!


Comments, concerns, etc. are all appreciated. I'll try and find more pictures on my old phone/other thread to post up.

good job
nice work

ps' you might weld a little hotter, some of your welds have a little cold lap
good luck and keep up the practicing
John

Nice work! Looks like you have the bug. Practice practice practice. You're on your way!

AKweldshop wrote:good job
nice work

ps' you might weld a little hotter, some of your welds have a little cold lap
good luck and keep up the practicing
John

Thanks! I'll try and remember to up the amps when I get back to it!

zank wrote:Nice work! Looks like you have the bug. Practice practice practice. You're on your way!

Thank you! And yes, I have the bug! I'm going insane not being able to weld, and I still got 3 more weeks before school starts up again!

Weldakota wrote:

AKweldshop wrote:good job
nice work

ps' you might weld a little hotter, some of your welds have a little cold lap
good luck and keep up the practicing
John

Thanks! I'll try and remember to up the amps when I get back to it!

Remember first, it's a suggestion. Not every idea works for everyone. I think he's right, but only YOU will know what works for you.

I'd say you DO have the bug... That's a lot of stacked beads...

Steve S

If you are not sure where welding may take you then I have one suggestion. While doing all this practice weld some using the opposite hand from usual. It appears that you are right handed so that would mean welding left-handed. There may be a time when this will come into play and it could help with your career aspirations.

Otto Nobedder wrote:

Weldakota wrote:

AKweldshop wrote:good job
nice work

ps' you might weld a little hotter, some of your welds have a little cold lap
good luck and keep up the practicing
John

Thanks! I'll try and remember to up the amps when I get back to it!

Remember first, it's a suggestion. Not every idea works for everyone. I think he's right, but only YOU will know what works for you.

I'd say you DO have the bug... That's a lot of stacked beads...

Steve S

I'd say somewhere around 1,000 to 1,200 beads since I started the quarter.

lazerbeam wrote:If you are not sure where welding may take you then I have one suggestion. While doing all this practice weld some using the opposite hand from usual. It appears that you are right handed so that would mean welding left-handed. There may be a time when this will come into play and it could help with your career aspirations.

I will start doing that once I get my normal hand down. Don't see the point in confusing myself yet lol