So Sieg and I were texting back and forth.... regarding TIG welding.
#1 -- Please trust me when I tell you I'm no expert welder. Actually - I'm no expert anything.... but I weld once in awhile. Sometimes it's TIG - maybe it's stainless steel - maybe it's aluminum.... sometimes I MIG.... But HOME SHOP GUYS just don't weld very often. And when we do -- it's rarely the same thing twice!
I say this because what people need to understand is that you're never going to lay down perfect little unwavering beads --- like a pro does --- that welds bicycle frames all day long for a living. We just don't get behind the wheel that often -- but that's not to say you can't develop decent welding skills - and like riding a bicycle - you should be able to go for periods of time - without forgetting what you've learned.
Experts know all the little tips and tricks. Me? I have to remember to plug the GD machine into the wall!!
So back to the reason for the post. Sieg sent me some decent stacks via text. Then I decided - since I've been telling him to REDUCE his amperage and slow his travel speed down while he's trying to get the move / dab / move / dap hand dance down. So with this in mind I thought --- OKAY BIG MOUTH --- head out to the shed and see if I can replicate what I'm seeing in Siegs beads and do this myself! WTF -- It's raining today... I got nothing better to do - and it'll be interesting.
First I cut a bunch of 5" long 1" square .50 wall tubing.... deburred it -- cleaned it with NON chlorinated brake cleaner - and scuffed it quickly with a 3" roloc disc.
The rule of thumb is ONE amp per ONE THOUSANDTH material thickness.... and since I'd been telling Sieggy the weld master to cut his amperage I figured I'd stick to that rule - so 50 amps it is....
Well.... I could hardly get a puddle going - and by the time I could get puddle and try to move it along and dab --- #1 my auto darkening helmet kept lighting up! Which blinds you momentarily - and trying to weld at this low amperage was just so SLOW.... and not a good puddle at all! It was like REALLY DUDE! YOU SUCK!!
Now -- the MILLER weld calculator I have on the phone says the range for 1/16th butt welded steel should be 50 to 80 amps...
I have not TIG welded ANYTHING for probably 4 or 5 months!
I'm using a 1/16th 2% Thoriated (red end) tungsten - 11 CFH argon gas - 1/16th fill rod - gas lens #7 cup.
Both ends tacked --- I started at one end and laid down the whole 5" piece... and this was what I got:
My point is that --- with too low of amperage (heat) I couldn't weld for shizzle! Using the top end of the "range" I could walk the puddle and dab (one dab per little stack here) and weld at a speed that I'm used to.
