Welding Tips and Tricks

Is there a good reference to figuring out the size of the tungsten you should use for the thickness of the metal, whether it's a chart or formula......

goto following link download the guidebook has all the knowledge you prolly will ever need for tungsten. Miller and a few others list amperage range too if you Google it.

http://www.diamondground.com/tungsten-guidebook/

Here is Miller chart

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/ar ... Selection/

pet1sr wrote:Is there a good reference to figuring out the size of the tungsten you should use for the thickness of the metal, whether it's a chart or formula......

Recommend you watch Jody"s video series on TIG, might help, certainly helped me....

T

Tubal wrote:
Recommend you watch Jody"s video series on TIG, might help, certainly helped me....

T

That's a good recommendation to learn about welding but as for diameter of tungsten it is all based off how much amperage your welding at. Small tungsten has a more stable arc at a specific lower amperage than a larger tungsten. if your at higher amps smaller tungsten gonna burn up where a larger one will survive. all depends on amps. If on AC the tungsten amp range isn't as high as DC. Miller chart prolly the easiest for you to read.

Without going into to detail, Jody talks about tungsten type, size and much more in the "TIG basics" series....

Again, highly recommend spending the time to watch the series.

T

Actually one of the biggest factors is if your are using a Transformer or Inverter.

soutthpaw wrote:Actually one of the biggest factors is if your are using a Transformer or Inverter.

How does this make a difference?

DSM8 wrote:

soutthpaw wrote:Actually one of the biggest factors is if your are using a Transformer or Inverter.

How does this make a difference?

Because transformers ball the tungsten up to 1½x the diameter of the tungsten. So unlike an inverter where you can't keep a 1/8" tungsten pointed and do very thin Aluminum. Transformers you need .040, 1/16 etc. Else you would get a wide arc from the large surface area.

DSM8 wrote:

soutthpaw wrote:Actually one of the biggest factors is if your are using a Transformer or Inverter.

How does this make a difference?

Ok your starting to go off course here. The inverter vs transformer has to do with the make up of tungsten. Certain compounds work better with inverters than transformers and vice a versa. So you choose the typed based on the machine you are gonna run it on.

BUT

Diameter is deciding factor on how much amperage tungsten can handle read the Miller chart it doesn't lie. If you read the chart it will give you breakdown of diameter ,types of tungsten with amperage ranges of DC and AC with different AC balances. more cleaning decreases the amperage a given diameter can handle


http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/ar ... Selection/

pet1sr wrote:Is there a good reference to figuring out the size of the tungsten you should use for the thickness of the metal, whether it's a chart or formula......

Just tell us what your welding.....

soutthpaw wrote:
Because transformers ball the tungsten up to 1½x the diameter of the tungsten. So unlike an inverter where you can't keep a 1/8" tungsten pointed and do very thin Aluminum. Transformers you need .040, 1/16 etc. Else you would get a wide arc from the large surface area.

You imply in your statement that you can just sharpen a larger diameter tungsten to do job of small tungsten just cause it an inverter. It doesn't really work that way. You need variety of different diameters to cover amperage ranges you weld in. If you sharpen a large diameter tungsten to a narrow point, it does not give you a good crisp start and stable arc like a smaller diameter tungsten would that is made for the amp range you are welding at. If you want the great control and precision that tig is capable of you should have different diameters. Can you use a large diameter for lower amps yes is it the best practice NO works in a pinch though.

On a side note the O.P. that asked this I believe got his answer and flew the coup.

This helps me a lot at home and sometimes at work (we work to WPS's).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UH ... UTF8&psc=1

I use it as a starting point for setups. It isn't 100% right, but it is very handy.