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using TIG to weld 22 gage steel

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.

Reply to
Wilfred Johnson
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Sounds like you have one of thge early Econotigs where the dial doesn't work in TIG mode. There is a main board replacement for that machine that reactivates the dial so you can dial down your amps for thinner material, but it can be expensive.

I had it replaced in mine under warranty. It made a HUGE difference.

There are a few tricks to drop your amps down. First move to a 1/16" tungsten. Second get about 100 feet of heavy chain. Clamp on end of the chain to the welding table and snake the rest across the floor in a zig zag. Now clamp your ground cable to the far end of the chain. If it drops it too much , move the ground clamp closer. The idea is to eat up amps by adding resistance to the circuit.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

man that is ingenius! (no idea how Ernie knows all this stuff!) walt

Reply to
Wallster

It came from a guy here many years ago. He used the trick in logging camps, using rusty chain. He was scratch-start TIG welding off of a BIG generator.

The real device to use is a choke coil. It eats up the extra power in copper windings to basically make a BIG electromagnet.

I had an old one that I used with my Econotig before I sold it. One of my welding repair buddies gave it to me.

It only worked in DC mode though. AC walked right through it.

He explained that the AC currrent cancells itself out so it can't set up an EM field.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

Ernie, I was told by some old timer once that someone he knew had a car blow an engine in Mexico somewhere and a bus with engines stockpiled inside had stopped to "help", long story short, they (supposedly) used the high tension power lines with hooks on them to weld with. They would control the power by spacing them further or closer to each other (power, nuetral). Is this possible? or have you ever heard a similar tale? walt

Reply to
wallster

Impossible. High tension wires run about 7000 volts AC. Bloody useless for welding, although that first arc strike would be memorable.

Even mains voltage of 460 volt is way too high to weld with.

A few car batteries in series works fine though. You need to be down in the 12 - 48 volt range to weld.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

I have proven the car battery welding theory when i was a teenager. I was removing the positive lead first and touched some metal "ZAP" nice arc and the wrench still has an arc crater! I haven't forgot to remove the negative lead first since. walt

Reply to
wallster

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