Anybody TIG weld?

[Mark One]

I'm considering learning and possibly buying a TIG. My main questions are

• Anyone taught themselves to TIG? How? Just practice?
• Advice on buying a welder, particularly current range and brands to look out for
• Apart from the ability to weld ally, what advantages are there over MIG?

Cheers,
Mark

 

[powey]

Advantage over Mig is more heat control and penetration, easy to get cold lapping with mig ( weld looks good but hasnt burnt in giving zero strength)

Id recommend looking out for a book on tig welding, there full of info and can advise on what to do in the event of problems.

Will also show you what preps are required for certain joints, I.E single V prep. as anything over 3mm should have a prep.

TIG can weld stainless, Ally and mild so very verastile although they require different tungstens/gas/filler wire.


May be worth searching for companys that have gone bust and selling 2nd hand welders

Also pedal boxs are great as it gives even more control

 

[theduck]

Drop Fred a PM, he loves welds that lad.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Beat me to it,Fred is your man.

 

[Mark One]

Thanks
Any idea what I should be buying in terms of current range and new/2nd hand cost?

I'd probably never go beyond 5-6mm and most of what I'd do would be 3mm or less.

Are different gases required for stainless and ally?

Edit: and oh my god, I just managed to get a PM through to Fred. Have the mods enlarged his inbox?

Edit2: What's all this about Pulse TIG welding????

 

[Gaz.]

It's hard to master, although I only spent a couple of hungover days learning it lol.

 

[pip.]

As said, hard to learn and something that only practice will perfect, but very worth it. It's practically a "black art". I've destroyed a few pieces of plate over the years.

 

[Mark One]

Bit of trawling round the web and I've learnt that Mild and stainless steel require DC current and AC is used for ally. Some of the cheaper welders only do DC
Also Argon seems suitable for all 3 materials.

Still no idea what a welder would cost me though, £300-1000, no idea.

 

[pip.]

Bit of trawling round the web and I've learnt that Mild and stainless steel require DC current and AC is used for ally. Some of the cheaper welders only do DC
Also Argon seems suitable for all 3 materials.

Still no idea what a welder would cost me though, £300-1000, no idea.

All I will say is spend as much as you can.

 

[Nigel]

Give up if you want to weld to any kind of recognised standard. Absolute joke and a mine field!

See if you can find any engineer that'll specify a throat or leg thickness!

 

[pip.]

Give up if you want to weld to any kind of recognised standard. Absolute joke and a mine field!

See if you can find any engineer that'll specify a throat or leg thickness!

Someone else who's destroyed a few plates over the years by the sound of it.

 

[powey]

Give up if you want to weld to any kind of recognised standard. Absolute joke and a mine field!

See if you can find any engineer that'll specify a throat or leg thickness!

Lol hate how the codings are always changing to. My lecturer was saying the other day how certain countries prefer BS as opposed to american and visa versa.


Different wave patterns will help with ally as more positive electrons will help break down the surface oxides.
Then some sets offer slope in and slope out.

What gases you use will effect the weld in various ways from finish to penetration.

 

[fmp_]

enrole in a college course, learn the basics there, then practice practice practice!

 

[Timmyevo6]

i would not of thought a college course would have access to decent tig welders, let alone actually allow pupils to use them.


you can get a 'ok' tig welder off ebay for about £600, they're china import jobbies but do the job, we've built all sorts of intercooler pipe work and fabricatied exhausts. they're 'inverter' types as they run on 240v, 415v is MUCH better as the control is greater still.

as has been said, it is a art to get right, practice practice practice. but i can't see a college course helping much. there is a welding forum that's damn good, would be best to contact someone on there regarding some lessons from someone.

 

[Lagerlout]

I learnt in a workshop. Off a Sheet Metal Worker/Welder. He's f**king s**t hot tbh.

I aint bad though I had to repair my ProSpeed after it fell to bits.

Bad design + bad welds =

Laingo + Practive + Instruction =

 

[Fred@BTM]

for a decent TIG machine, look at Lincon electric, they're the best IMO, about £2.5K for a portable invertertec does upto 200 amps AC/DC

i learnt at motorsport college, to learn you should start off learning gas welding first, then you progress up through all the different types, prep etc etc

i think my old college do evening courses, they're in bicester

 

[Mark One]

very nice laingo. When I've got some cash together I think I'll get on ebay, see what I can get for 5 or 600.

Bicester is just up the road from me fred, I'll ask about that, cheers.