Beginner With DC TIG

[ryeguy2006a]

Hey guys,

I'm starting to work with the DC Tig weld settings on my Everlast 225 MTS, and hoping to get some feedback. I've watched a ton of youtube videos on both AC and DC Tig welding tips, and think I know what I'm doing wrong, but would love to get feedback from any welders here.

Here's the first few attempts with a coupon I picked up online somewhere. I cleaned everything with a wire brush and finished with Denatured Alcohol before I started.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53119686587_3d1274aeb0_b-1.jpg

Here's an outside corner joint that I did for a fuel tank recess panel.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53119686582_08bace0198_b-1.jpg

This was after I changed my positioning and slowed down a bit.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53120292536_b863bb0557_b-1.jpg

Any and all feedback is appreciated. You won't hurt my feelings. I'm happy to share my weld settings and setup as well if it's needed.

Thanks,
Ryan

[btmatt]

pic 1: welds are too hot and contaminated
pic 2: weld is a little cold and contaminated
pic 3: not bad; pace is a little inconsistent but much cleaner

the metal appears to have scale and will need more than brushing to clean. Try flap wheel or scotch brite

[ryeguy2006a]

Thanks BTmatt! I have been watching a lot of beginner TIG videos and think I need to tweak the settings on my machine and turn the amps down quite a bit.

[raustinss]

What gas are you using ? .. what cfm ? And what size cup?

[ryeguy2006a]

100% argon, 7 cup at 20 chp

[Bigblockscott]

What tungsten, color and size, and how are you sharpening in?

[ryeguy2006a]

3/32, light green and sharpening with my bench grinder.

[raustinss]

Make sure you're sharpening online with the grinding wheel ..I use a drill at work , I personally would up my gas a bit and cup size .. an 8 or 10 with a gas lens not a diffuser and around 30 cfm

[ryeguy2006a]

Thank you all for the advice and tips! I've made some more adjustments and hope to get a little more seat time this week. I was anxious to start welding and I did a lot of things wrong that were all working against me.

-Like another posted, my metal needed to be cleaner. I bought some new SS wire brushes and one will be only used for aluminum.
-After watching a bunch of videos, I realized that I didn't have enough post flow for my tungsten, and it was becoming contaminated.
-I also had some really thick welding gloves, and I wasn't able to get a good feel in my feed hand, so I bought a pair of thinner gloves to give me way more dexterity.
-Lastly, which I think was my biggest problem. I kept my welder close to my work area so that I could easily make adjustments, however I realized that there was a breeze in the work area with my gloves off! I believe that the fans were blowing some, if not all of my Argon away. I moved the welder farther away, and the welds didn't look contaminated but I dipped the tungsten so welds were doo doo.

Here are a few more of my "better welds" to critique. I also dabbled with aluminum. I need to lower my Amps overall, because they are way too hot but they do have better consistency I think.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53132283238_3d766702b8_b-1.jpg

Never mind the green, that was before I moved the welder and bumped up the post flow time.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53132008269_2e3c83b569_b-1.jpg

I tried to use up the coupon as much as I could so the last one I tried was this corner joint.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53132008144_eab7b7b8f9_b-1.jpg

I'm going to order some more coupons and start fresh with all the changes and see where it takes me.

I have to say I love that you can weld without sparks flying everywhere! Also, love that you can initiate an arc without having to add filler.

[srode]

What size filler are you using?

[ryeguy2006a]

For the aluminum I believe it was 3/32", and the mild steel it was .045" or 1/16"

[Blackhawk]

See if you have any local metal suppliers or fabrication shops, they'll usually have remnants of sheets that they'll sell for cheap. They may even have them cut into coupons already, like one of the shops local to me does. You must be spending more on shipping the coupons than the actual coupons.

[raustinss]

Try using a black tungsten on aluminum, obviously ac current ..and I recommend using a scotch bright to get the aluminum oxide off the weld area , then clean with acetone

[Bigblockscott]

I agree with Raustinss. Scotch bright your aluminum then wipe with acetone. I actually clean all my materials with scotch bright, I have a few dedicated SS toothbrushes I use if I need to get into little nooks and crannies.
Tungsten stick out and how close you are holding the torch to your material can make a major difference too.
I personally have not done much mild steel, I mostly do stainless exhaust, and I run 1 amp per thousandth of material thickness. 0.060 exhaust tubing = 60 amps on the welder.
I need to practice with aluminum more, my aluminum welds look like garbage.
Don't forget to wipe down your filler rod with a little acetone on a paper towel.

[ryeguy2006a]

I've been using denatured alcohol, but I'll pick up some Acetone. I'm hoping to get some more practice this afternoon, and I'll report back. Appreciate all the tips!

[ryeguy2006a]

Here's a couple practice beads on mild steel. The first picture was 18ga steel and the second and third are 1/8" coupons.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53138593914_21f7c6c281_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53138803405_7e9757f992_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53138395216_f7669bc24a_b-1.jpg

This was also 1/8", but some SS coupons I had. I realized afterwards that I should have increased my gas flow and used a bigger cup.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53138803335_77b64cdfc9_b-1.jpg

Any input/feedback will be greatly appreciated. I ordered a gas lens kit with an 8, 10 and 12 cup. Hopefully it will be here by Saturday so I can do some more testing. :smoke:

[ryeguy2006a]

Oh, and I was going to ask. As I was welding the pools looked really clean, but I noticed as I was welding that black flakes of something kept falling into the pool? Where is that contamination coming from? I used a freshly sharpened clean tungsten before I started. I'm running about 15 CFH, and I was running the 6 cup. Is that an indication that it's still not clean enough?

[btmatt]

still not clean enough; that is mill scale.

or switch over to cold rolled sheet

[raustinss]

That stainless is too hot , either less heat or move quicker , questions regarding it ... whats the thickness and filler .? I tig stainless all day lol

[srode]

You should be using stainless filler on your stainless coupons. 309 would be the right choice I believe.

[ryeguy2006a]

Thanks for all of the feedback! I'll pick up some acetone and do a better job of cleaning the metal before I weld. I'll turn down the amps a bit and try to work faster. I also picked up a gas lens kit with some larger cups.

Srode, I'm using 309 filler wire which is good for welding mild steel to stainless. I want to get lots of practice in so that when I'm ready I can do a good job welding the 304 SS fuel pump ring from Vaporworx to a fuel pump recess panel I made to go in my stock tank.

[Olds.PhD]

Are you not using a foot pedal? You control the amount of heat if you do.

I have had to use a basic finger trigger switch quite a bit fitting into tight spots, which doesn’t allow you to control heat other than amp setting and speed. Maybe you’re using one of those instead? I found a variable control finger trigger, but they’re a bit too expensive for my limited use at the moment.

[ryeguy2006a]

I'm using the foot pedal, I'm just not great at knowing when to back off after I get the pool started

[Olds.PhD]

One drill I’ve done is to ignore the filler and just focus on keeping your puddle width consistent. That’ll work on your skill controlling heat. Then add filler once you’ve mastered that. Worth a shot. There are a ton of drills available online.

[Sinnister69]

Subscribe to weldingtipsandtricks on youtube

[ryeguy2006a]

I've been watching a bunch of videos over the last few weeks. Trying to balance watching the videos and getting real seat time with my machine. I've been practicing on stainless and trying to understand how I can get better, and I think I've done a decent job of the last few welds. Like the comments before said, I had too much heat in the metal, and needed to up my travel speed. I also found that I needed to increase my post flow. The combination of those two seemed to make my heat affected zone much smaller. Aside from my inconsistent feed hand, I think they are looking much better.

The first three were when I was playing with my travel speed after I adjusted the post flow.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53155688015_b070a5828b_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53155464614_afab32482e_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53155260126_ff5ac93f38_b-1.jpg

I ran out of good coupons and found a piece of 1/8" 304 plate that I had, and started with that. I was able to move much more quickly and think I did an ok job with my filler. But again, love some feedback.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2023/08/53155753578_31a325ea00_b-1.jpg

Thanks,
Ryan

[srode]

I think you could do technique practice work with cold rolled steel coupons much less expensively. Not sure there's much to be gained practicing on stainless, but could be wrong - My Tig work isn't pretty but it's sturdy.

[ryeguy2006a]

The reason for welding on the stainless first was to practice before I welded the 304 SS fuel pump ring to my mild steel fuel tank. It would definitely be cheaper to practice on Mild steel haha