I am trying to weld 22 guage cold rolled steel using the TIG process. I have a Miller Econo-tig. I was using 100% Argon and a 3/32" tungsten rod (the one with thorium). I did 5 tests today, I tried dial settings on the front of the welder from 30 amps to 0 amps. I can't really say that the dial setting changes were noticeable. The steel that I'm practicing on is .028" and I welded a but joint with no gaps. I'm practicing on 22 gage since that is what I have, but I plan to actually weld 18 gage steel for a car restoration. Is there a process that would be better for autobody welding?
First, I could not use any filler material. There is no time to form a puddle and place the wire into it. I was trying to use MIG wire. Most of the time I ended up putting a hole in the metal, although a few times I was able to get a bead of about 1/2". I finally ended up getting a nice looking 3" joint by connecting a lot of tacks but I had a few small pin holes in between tacks and usually a small dot in the center of each tack left when I released the pedal. But no light shined throug the joint. Is this kind of "continuous" tacking a valid weld for autobody work? Will 18 gage steel be a lot easier than
22 gage? How can I improve welding 22 gage other than practice more? Would a smaller diameter tungsten rod help, maybe with a different alloy? Does the dial on the front of the econotig really limit the current on the pedal?Thanks for your help.