First attempt at an outside corner with 16 ga. to 3/32 wall 1/2 tube.

http://sieg.smugmug.com/Other/Weldin...IMAG2598-L.jpg

Not real pretty but with every attempt there is progress.

Too much heat -- and moving too fast to try to keep up with the heat?

TIG is more finesse. If you have too much heat - back off the throttle.... CONTROL.

How well can you see? Can you see the part lines? Can you see the puddle develop? Can you see it freeze when you add fil?

Here's another little "welding" tip....


When doing something with "endings" -- start a tack 1/4" or less from the end and run it to the end -- back off the heat as you come up to the end and double dip @ the end just before lifting completely.... hold your torch for the post gas period..

Always weld up your corners or ends first. Place a couple quick tacks along the run so your metal doesn't gap out ahead of you. And tap your work down to close up any gaps created by the tacks.

Now go back and start your run. Go right thru the tiny tacks you made like they're not even there.

Any time you're finishing - dab twice or you get a crater or pin hole and don't just let off the gas pedal sharply. Anticipate the end of the run or the end of the piece and start to back off the heat - as the heat is already built up and has no where to go - which is why you should close up your corners or ends first... so you don't get down there with all this heat and just blow it up. :cheers:

Probably, still getting a feel for the throttle, engine, and steering input of the machine.

Trying to find the sweet spots between creating the puddle without over-penetrating the material and controlling width. With wire my tendancy was not using enough heat so I'm being more aggressive experimenting with the TIG. I'm learning, the TIG requires more patience than the MIG. I haven't tried anything thicker than 3/32, working with some larger scale 1/8 and 3/16 plate would probably help the learning curve.

I can see OK but a helmet that would go 1-2 shades lighter wouldn't hurt but I can see real good when I get the rod stuck in the fricken puddle!

I need to hit YouYube and find some video's of close up the correct actions to understand right/wrong quicker.

Appreciate your input. :thumbsup:

A good tip for tacking....

Thanks Buddy! Good video's. :thumbsup:
Advanced welding Kama Sutra for Dummies. :D

TIG is so different from MIG....


I like the guy at WeldingTipsandTricks.com -- he's very good at "normal" talk.. and explains it so I understand the REASONING so if I want to I can modify what I've learned.

Since "WE" don't actually weld all the time -- "WE" forget sometimes the little tricks... and if I have a project that requires me to do nice - I'll watch a video beforehand just to get it in my mind.

The thing about the kind of welding we do -- I'll do aluminum... then I have to build something in Stainless... then I have an overhead in steel to fix a floorpan... then I won't weld for weeks... and we work on thin - and thick - inside corners - rounds - etc.... but we don't do this day in and day out. :cheers:

I use this calculator -- again -- because I never can remember from one project to another. I actually have the "app" on my iPhone!

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...calculator.php

I just ordered this --- I personally LOVE my Optrel -- but sometimes friends are over and want to watch so I grabbed this for them to wear. It has a range starting at 5... Lots of my TIG is done at 8


I keep two separate helmets for MIG... one for me one for buddies... they get the crap version! HA! I just don't like to have to re-do all the settings when I'm working - so hang them on the appropriate machine.



http://www.amazon.com/Jackson-Weldin...welding+helmet