[michialt]

Finally things are starting to come together in my head and now maybe I can start practicing to get better. What I mean by this is that I learned a little more about setup, and finally have the welder doing the work rather than me.

I spent 2-3 hours over the previous 2 weeks welding 2 pieces of 6ft 1/8" angle together. And that is no exaggeration of time either. Finally in a previous post someone pointed me to a website to help find amperage settings, filler rod etc. I saw that just about everything claimed 12 inches per minute welding speed. NOT 24 inches per hour.

I finished the first piece ever so slowly and frustrated. During that 6ft weld I learned how to configure my machine for the petal to work properly. Learned about collet sizes to tungsten sizes, and finally about that web page.

Today I went to start on the second piece of 4. I decided to make some changes to my torch setup. Previously I was using a 1.6mm Tungsten and a 3/32" filler rod. And 100amp setting on the petal.

I decided to bump up to a 2.4mm Tungsten/collet. Set the petal to 150amp, and still used the 3/32" filler. I tacked my pieces together at 4 points of 1" ea. I was shocked at how fast the pool formed, and how quickly I was able to get the tacks in place. Next I started running my bead down the joint, and before I knew it I was at the tack. Im still running a little slower than 12"/min but thats because my coordination is off so Im slowing myself down.

Now for the best part? On the 6' piece prior I used up an entire piece of Tungsten... For this 4' section I sharpened the tungsten only 1 time and that was at the start, its still sharp and ready to do more...

Attached are pictures of a 4' segment completed in about 15-20 minutes. My beads aren't perfect, but that will come in time.

I would welcome any comments or advice about the posted pictures, and anything I might be doing wrong, or how I could improve on what I am doing....

[Otto Nobedder]

You're on the right track!

It looks to me, you are holding your torch hand freely in the air, like stick-welding. If you'll get some fire-blanket or fiberglass cloth to fold up under your torch hand so you can rest it on the steel near the weld zone as you work, you'll keep your movements much more precise, and begin to get that even bead you're seeking. This is the key to a "freehand" weld, supporting your torch hand for steadyness, and the reason Jody sells so many "Tig-Fingers".

The other option is learning to walk the cup, where your "prop" is the nozzle against the steel.

Either one will give you a much more steady torch, and more even bead.

Steve S

[michialt]

I actually am using a pad to prop up my torch hand. The problem is that I am Right handed, and my left/right coordination is horrible. I have to make a conscious thought process of slide, lift, dab, slide.. repeat...

Im still working on learning to coordinate keeping the torch on the joint while dabbing the filler rod.

Something else Ive noticed since I made this post. If I slowly move the torch in small circles across the joint I can then slide the filler along the joint, and as the circle crosses over the filler rod it will melt the filler and pull it into the weld pool. If I try to follow the joint with the torch and dab the filler, the bead will build up on one side of the joint. The circles massage the bead into both pieces of the joint.

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I have another quick question. I know that ER309L is recommended for stainless to mild, but I can't find any locally. Can I use ER308L. I just got two Macaws, and the tray in the cage that come with them is eaten away, so Im going to make a new one.

[Otto Nobedder]

Yep,

In a non-critical application, you could TIG that birdcage with coat-hanger wire and be fine.

You lose the corrosion resistance with a coat hanger...

308 is a non-issue. Unlikely the bird will fall for the wrong filler...

Steve S

[michialt]

The structure portion will be steel. I don't have a brake thats big enough to make the whole thing from a single piece.

I have another quick question too. Other than the big leather welding jackets, is there something that can be worn to prevent the welding "sunburn?" I spent 5 or 6 hours last night working on my project, and when I woke up this morning I have a nice sunburn on my upper right arm, and most of my left. My shield must have prevented my neck from getting burned.

It's way way too hot here to be wearing all leather protection for welding more than a few minutes at a time.

[noddybrian]

There are " over sleeves " available in a variety or materials & the leather ones I've found in several weights the thinnest of which are'nt too bad though I don't like them myself - because I do a variety of work mostly of a grubby nature I wear coveralls all the time - a decent quality ( flame retardent ) pair is sufficient to protect from most average welding - obviously if using very high amps especially on aluminum / inside reflective structures or using air arc / thermic lanse extra precautions are needed - if you make a point of wearing them all the time after a while you don't notice them - it's like wearing hard hats on site work.
Do avoid " sun burn" from welding at all cost - if it does'nt cause skin cancer it will affect the skin badly as you get older - I'm 50 this year & stuff that I did when teenage & new to the job when there was little regard for safety especially in the industries I worked in is catching up! & none of it's good !

[michialt]

I turn 45 in November, and grew up working farms during summer and school breaks. Never wore sunblock and rarely wore shirts. I look back at all the accidents I had and wonder how I managed not to loose my life or limbs.

I still don't like sunblock, and just live with the sun burns, but I had read someplace that the burns from Tig burn the sub dual skin layer. Thats deep enough that the skin doesn't regenerate and heal.

I've still got a lot of welding to do this next couple of weeks, and most of my free time is today. Im going to use SPF100 sunblock for the next few days until I can get something. The burn from yesterday ia already starting to itch.

[noddybrian]

Yea - done plenty of farm work from about age 12 - know what you mean.
Not an expert on the subject - but it makes sense that with the temperature / intensity of welding UV so close to the source the skin is not going to take too much - a mate once borrowed a 500amp Mig set of mine to weld up a trackhoe bucket using 1.6mm mire & a "shed load " ! of power - he did it in the summer in a short sleeved shirt as he did'nt know any better - he told me he knew what he was doing & I was out at the time - saw him about 3weeks later when he was out of hospital - the skin graft was still oozing stuff & it made me feel sick just looking at it - was like raw meat. - although it healed it was never quite right - can still picture it - makes you think.
Worst I've tanned is when first welding aluminum livestock trailers with a spool-on - I had normal gear on but it was all in difficult positions inside where the light reflected off the metal - top of my coveralls pulled open a bit & I had a real red V on my chest & a bit round the neck where the mask did'nt cover - now I'm more thorough before I start welding.

[Otto Nobedder]

I'll TIG in short-sleeves all day. (It's frequently 100+ in my shop on summer afternoons.)

SPF-45 sunblock or better is my TIG jacket. If you're wearing a thin shirt, slather up like a day at the beach, because you can burn right through thin cloth.

Been using the same $10 bottle for almost two years. Oh, and I've worked a few places that required long sleeves for hot-work period. I bought silk dress shirts from goodwill, and used the sunblock.

Steve S

[michialt]

Im going to use the spf100 sunblock for the next few days to get this project done. I've been dragging my feet, and now Im down to 2 weeks before I need it finished.

I am learning a lot with this project though.

[nathan]

I'm right handed too. It helped me LOADS to switch hands. Torch in left and filler in right. It was easier to control the (relatively) bulky torch with my left hand than it was to work the filler. And you'll be able to aim the filler more precisely with your right hand than with your left. Now, with less than a year experience, I'm equally competent TIGging left- or right-handed. It sound wonky, but give it a try. It may help some.