TIG welding - any experts?

[EssexDave]

I'm looking at getting myself a basic TIG welder and making a load of scrap metal (Which I'm sure will please the scrappies around here).

Do we have any experts that can give me some general advice or pointers in the right direction?

[mister c]

Why TIG? Do you intend to be welding Aluminium or Stainless? If not, look at a MIG welder if you are using mild steel they are a lot easier to use. Even a dog eared Monkey sh*t welder like me can make quite a nice job with a MIG, but I couldn't get to grips with TIG.

[beabert]

+1 Why tig and not mig.

[EssexDave]

Aluminium.

[Specialone]

But you can use a mig to weld ally with argon gas and the correct wire, admittedly not as good as tig, but more versatile generally.

[EssexDave]

But you can use a mig to weld ally with argon gas and the correct wire, admittedly not as good as tig, but more versatile generally.


From what I've heard, despite being difficult to weld anyway, it is easier with a TIG welder than trying to use a MIG.

[Specialone]

From what I've heard, despite being difficult to weld anyway, it is easier with a TIG welder than trying to use a MIG.

I've done a small amount of ally welding, I'm not gonna lie, it is more difficult, I've never tried tig, but ally doesn't behave like mild steel but once youve hot the power and feed set up, it's only your experience that will improve the look of the final weld.

[Bibio]

get 2 ball point pens or 2 pencils and practise with them, suing a pencil/pen in each hand draw a line with one and dot the line with the other. once you have mastered that then draw tiny curly circles and dot at each intersection. if you cant manage that then get a mig as you can weld stainless alloy and steel with it using different wires and gasses.

[mister c]

get 2 ball point pens or 2 pencils and practise with them, suing a pencil/pen in each hand draw a line with one and dot the line with the other. once you have mastered that then draw tiny curly circles and dot at each intersection. if you cant manage that then get a mig as you can weld stainless alloy and steel with it using different wires and gasses.
You also need to regulate the power with your foot if its a good Tig. I've tried both MIG & TIG, my TIG welding was awful, it is a lot harder

[Bibio]

tig is good for thin gauge just like gas. mig is good for medium gauge and ark is good for heavy stuff like thick plate/pipe.

drawing a slow line and doting it every cppl mm is just for practise, obviously there is a lot more involved like creating the pool and being able to move it along without blowing threw then you learn how to dip the rod. if you can master the technique before using material then all the better.

[Specialone]

I disagree about migs being unsuitable for thin gauge steel, a good quality industrial mig will weld very thin metal no problem as you have very fine adjustments on the panel.

My sip turbo mig on the other hand is the opposite, thin stuff is very difficult to do with it as it's a bit crude.

[yorkie_chris]

If you want to do TIG aluminium you need AC TIG, which is expensive.

[beabert]

I disagree about migs being unsuitable for thin gauge steel, a good quality industrial mig will weld very thin metal no problem as you have very fine adjustments on the panel.

My sip turbo mig on the other hand is the opposite, thin stuff is very difficult to do with it as it's a bit crude.

+1

when i was researching to buy one that was the general consensus. Spend some money and buy one with as many power settings as possible.

[theboatman]

If you want to do TIG aluminium you need AC TIG, which is expensive.

Depends on the thickness as to whether you need ac or dc tig when welding Ali.

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[suicidesam]

Ac tig, cost a load of dosh for a decent one. Weld area needs to be as clean as poss, and will need a load more amps than what you would use on mild/stainless steel. I used to describe it as welding chewing gum :mrgreen:
I have done everything from repairing ally road tanker chassis (shed loads of amps) to rebuilding the edges on outboard props(tiny amps!)... still hate the stuff! Lightweight mig's are ok for sticking ally together, but it doesn't penetrate anywhere near what a tig weld with the right amps would.
Never used a tig on dc for ally, or ever been asked to by any of the places I've worked :confused:
Main point to remember is that ally dissapates the heat from the ark very well, so it takes either more amps or a long wait for the weld pool heat to build, (or a quick blast with a heating torch to get things going quicker :D) and when welding thin plate/pipe you dont get much in the way of visual warnings that it's about to go pete-tong resulting in an ally splat on the deck!

[NTECUK]

TIG welding is just wrong , we don't wright , right to left , so why weld that way?