1. Home
  2. ⏣ General Metalworking
  3. Just got an HTP 201 Invertig

Just got an HTP 201 Invertig

I'm totally new to tig. It took a while to figure out the ceramic was upside down. Even longer (days) to figure out that tig welding is easier while NOT standing on the torch hose. Argon gas seems to be wierd that way. 1/4" steel plate fuses itself. Fused two .100" copper coated steel rods togther with 50% penetration...amps=rod diameter / 2 ???. Aluminum is kicking my butt. Trying to figure out how to dc tig with HF. Tig IS hard after all. Tig welded 3/16" rusty steel rod to new 1/4" stainless 316 rod. Huh, I made a new alloy somewhere in the middle of the joint. Cool. Really, really cool. But this is gonna take a LOT of practice I can tell. Fusion is challenging. One day I hope to graduate to actually adding filler to a puddle.

Reply to
Ben
Loading thread data ...

Well, you certainly will not be able to weld Aluminum with DC. You need AC, at the least, or square wave AC to TIG aluminum. The reverse polarity uses Argon ions to bombard and clean the aluminum surface.

Tig IS hard after all. Tig welded 3/16" rusty steel rod to

I'm in the same boat. I have a Lincoln square wave 300. I have made actual Tee welds in aluminum sheet, but there were only a few good sections, and lots of holes and weak welds. Practice, practice.

I made the mistake of getting pure Tungsten electrodes at first. After having lots of trouble, and being guided by the experts that pure Tungsten was pure trouble, I dug out some thoriated electrodes I found years ago, and the difference was amazing! I didn't get blobs all over the electrode, for one thing.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

Absolutely. AC is a requirement for successful AL welds.

I think it is easier with filler rod. Then it becomes more gas welding where you can sort of push the puddle around.

Reply to
Jim Levie

There's a lot of info on sci.engr.joining.welding that you may find helpful. As 316 SS is mostly steel, your new alloy isn't quite there yet. If you manage to weld Ally to SS, now that would be a neat trick.

John

Reply to
John Manders

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.