TIG settings

Here are some quotes from my past answers to your question about basics:

A basic selection of TIG Rod should include Steel, Stainless steel, aluminum, and bronze.

Steel ER70S-2 The basic TIG filler for steel. It comes copper plated to prevent rust, but keep it in a tube or bag anyway. Sizes:

0.045", 1/16", 3/32", 1/8"

Stainless steel

308L is the standard filler for 304 SS which is the most common type. 309L is a better filler for joining any kind of stainless to steel. 316L is the best for marine work. Sizes: 0.045", 1/16", 3/32"

Aluminum

4043 is the most common aluminum filler rod. It works well for most situations, but... 5356 is stronger, better corrosion resistance and better color match for polishing or anodizing. 4047 is my favorite for welding castings, but it is kind of hard to find. Sizes: 1/16", 3/32", 1/8"

Bronze Silicon Bronze is excellent for joining other copper alloys such as copper, brass and most bronzes. It can also be used to TIG Braze Weld steel and stainless steel. TIG Braze Welding is very useful for stainless steel since it doesn't actually melt the base metal so there is no chromium oxides formed on the back face of the metal. Sizes Sizes:

0.045", 1/16", 3/32" Sil-Phos Bronze can also work here, but only on copper alloys, never use it on steel.

An advanced selection would include: Some aerospace alloys like Inconel, Hastelloy, or Haynes alloys. They are my favorite alloys for joining odd things and are extremely strong. Pure Nickel is excellent for joining cast iron. Pure Copper is good for TIG welding copper where it will be seen. ER80S-B2 is the current top choice for TIG welding Chrome-Moly tube for planes, cars, motorcycles and bikes.

As to a vendor. The only guys I know that even list TIG rod on the Web are:

Great outfit, they carry all things TIG.

You can also mail order from Central Welding at :

Just call them and they will ship it to you.

Here is an exercise to practice when not welding.

Level 1

Take a 3/8" steel washer. Place it on a piece of white paper. Take a nice sharp pencil. Place the tip of the pencil against the paper inside the washer. Now start swirling the pencil tip around the inside of the washer to draw a circle on the paper. Keep circling the inside of the washer, while nudging the washer across the paper. Try to end up with the washer traveling in a straight line across the paper. You should end up with a long swirl pattern across the page. Keep practicing until the swirl pattern is even and in a straight line.

Level 2

Same setup, with one change. Once again slide the washer across the page while swirling the pencil tip around the inside of the washer, but now DON"T touch the paper with the pencil tip. This means being able to hold the tip of the pencil within a 1/16" of the paper without touching it and without lifting out of the washer.

Level 3

Do Level 2 while standing next to the table without any part of your arm resting on the table.

Level 4

Move to a 1/4" washer.

This exercise comes from a welding textbook from 1929, and it still works quite nicely to train your muscles for floating the torch.

Normally I do not swirl the torch while TIG welding, but this still works as an exercise to build up muscle control.

Here are 2 Quicktime movies I posted a while back

Here is all the info on water pumps for building your own water cooler.

For most TIG welding all you need is a pump and a bucket. A water filter isn't a bad idea either. Fittings can be purchased from most welding suppliers from the Western Enterprises catalog. TIG water fittings are 5/8" x 18 Left hand thread.

You need 50 psi water pressure to get the water through the head.

You can buy just the pump and build your own water cooler with a 5 gallon water bucket.

These guys sell the pumps direct

Depco Pump Company

2145 Calumet St Clearwater FL 33765 Phone: 727.446.1656 800.446.1656 Fax: 727.446.7867

Business Hours: -Monday thru Friday 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM ---Eastern Time

Tell them you are interested in the constant pressure gear pumps used for welding water coolers.

They have an Italian brand that works very well called Fluido-tec.

Procon replacement (Used in most Miller water coolers) Fluido-tec PA301X-100PSI $86.36

Oberdorfer (used in most Bernard water coolers)

1000R-39 $139

These pumps require a 1/3 HP 1750 RPM motor

Another source is Grainger

Product Category: Pumps & Plumbing > Pumps > Gear Pumps Description: Bronze Carbonator-Mount Rotary Gear Pump Head without Adjustable Relief Valve, 1/4 inch connectors

Your Price: $108.25 Grainger Item#: 2P381 Manufacturer: TEEL Mfg. Model#: CBN2 Catalog Page: 3270

The pump model used by Tweco is: Procon #101C100F11B060

100 Gal per Hour @ 60 PSI

Ernie,

That post was so good, I printed it out and I put it in the TIG supply cabinet. That way I can re-read when I fire up the unit.

Karl

Thanks . As always you prove to be one of RCMs great assets . Ken Cutt

Ernie

Just a thought but have you ever considered putting up a TIG answers section or a TIG FAQ on your stagesmith site?

Odds are most of the section would be already posted and a bunch of cut and pastes. but it would reduce a LOT of your postings to posting links to it

BTW great post and explanation

Brent Ottawa Canada

Someday I will do just that, but I haven't had much time to update my site in a while.

Been on my desktop for quite a while. It'll be right handy when I finally get a TIG machine.