First TIG welds, I'm hooked!

Depends on the weldor. I like TIG a lot more than SMAW (stick), but given that my present main need is to weld heavy plate, etc. on a backhoe, I use SMAW. For the sheer joy of welding, TIG or O/A is my preference. Some people find it more difficult, I think because it's a two-handed process - I find it easier. So you're not alone.

Are you sure you need to start by touching the electrode to the metal? I've been learning TIG too and I NEVER touch the electrode to the metal if I can help it. You want to get it close, but not too close. Then adjust your arc length and go.

It sounds like your tungsten is getting contaminated. If it develops a 'bulb' like you say, you should repoint it. If the point is still sharp, I wonder how you're getting a bulb above the point. I would regrind the tungsten.

rvb

First, it is good that you are not in denial. But, you are in the early stage of an addiction. Sad, but true.

I too am not a professional weldor. I've been stick and tig welding for about 3 years. I quite love the tig process for some of the same reasons you indicated. Because of this, I probably tig most of my projects. But not all. That's because sometimes I just want the speed that stick has over tig (I don't (yet) have a mig machine.) Other times, the weldment is too heavy to make tig practical. And, I get a lot of my steel from the local scrap yard. It's used and may have rust or paint or be galvanised. Then, it's just a whole lot easier to get 'most' of the crap off and use a stick electrode that will produce a satisfactory weld on dirty steel. (Caution--don't breathe fumes from burnt paint etc when welding this stuff.)

After I have been tig welding for several weeks (read 'weekends') in a row, I enjoy the change of pace of a project that invoves stick.

My experience prompts me to write: enjoy the tig but don't write off stick because it too is fun _and_ unless all you will do is specialised welding like, say, airframes then you'll need stick too. There is a huge challenge in stick to learn to see the puddle. Yes, it is harder to see the puddle in stick welding, but it is there, and like tig when you 'see' the puddle you have a chance to control it. (One tip I got--I think here--to seeing the puddle in stick is that the beginner's eye is often drawn to the brightness of the arc. But the puddle is located in the space _after_ the arc--look a little behind the arc and you will see rippling moulten metal. Get good at paying attention to that and one's welds will improve.)

Ciao, David Todtman

Lift arc is designed so you shouldn't stick the tungsten, but I noticed on the Maxstar 140 I had a few years ago that I still had to dress my tungsten more often even though it used Lift Arc start.

Make sure you actually hold the tungsten against the metal for a full csecond before lifting.

DO NOT SCRATCH the tungsten across the metal.

Lift arc is not foolproof. You will get contamnination in a small way.

Jus a little bit.

Try the next size up for your tungstens. You will find they last a little longer and are easier to grind.

They are tungsten, not cheese. There is no expiration date.

Whenever the tip degrades enough to affect the arc. As your tip gets worse you will get less focus to the arc.

That is very personal. Some people have a much easier time with TIG. It really depends on background and natural ability.

Just keep laying welds. Torch and filler control are cumulative.

The HF will make your tungstens last a lot longer.

Lift arc works that way. You depress the pedal and tough the electrode to the work. When you lift the electrode, a small current starts the arc and then ramps up to the amperage chosen.

I'm not writting off stick, it is still a useful process for big lumps of iron :-) I will try your advice to better watch the puddle, but my feling is that itt is not easy to tell what is metal and what is flux.

This is what I am doing. Maybe that machine does not have real lift arc. The instruction are sketchy and confusing.

I meant: how long can one weld before regrinding? Do you weld, say, half a day on one tip or is it more like 10 minutes or 10 seconds? I realise that it will depend on contamination, etc, but it would be nice to have an order of magnitude.

When the arc deteriorates to the point where you aren't getting sufficient heat or control out of it, then redress your tungsten.

I can't give a time estimate because as you keep welding. and getting better. the tungsten lifespan keeps rising.

I usually pre-grind about 12-15 tungstens and have them sitting in a tray next to me. It allows me to work right hrough a weld project, no matter how difficult.

Ahhh. Thanks for the clarification. I'm a newbie, but I do like to offer help whenever I can. Thanks for educating me on lift arc.

rvb

Hi Ecnerwal !

I have one backoe. I have a can of hardsurface rod - I can tell you what it is when I next am near it (it's about 8 miles from the computer).

Somone with a bit more range of use might offer better comparison-shopping informration.

What I will tell you is to make sure that the edges are built up (or cut off and replaced with fresh steel, whichever) before you start in with the hardfacing - hardface "sharp", not "dull" - hardfacing is a coating to maintain a shape, so you want a good shape before you hardface - it's not the material to use to rebuild the worn down parts.

I'm not much more than a newbie to tig, but my inverter has this ability and I have played with it a little bit. Kinda neat, but I prefer HF...much nicer!!

Great, isn't it.

because it doesn't have HF. You will very soon (if not already) want to weld aluminum. For that, you will *need* AC and HF. With that, lift start may be an option but you'll never use it once you try HF start.

So do I but then I first laearned O/A.

You really want AC/DC/HF.

Ted

OK, I tried it again. It seems that on this particular machine, you have to hold the tungsten against the metal, but a fraction of a second. Not scratch (I tried another machine with only scratch tig and that is a pain to start), but if I wait a little too long, the electrode stays glued to the metal. If I touch and lift, it starts easilly.

The bulb on the tungsten was indeed contamination;: I broke it off and it is magnetic.

Now I tried to weld an inside corner and that appears to be more difficult than the rest. The arc kept jumping from one piece to the other. I solved the problem by increasing amperage, but the weld is quite thick now.

I first learned to weld with O/A then went to stick, then no welding for 30 years.Got a stick welder about a year ago to build a few projects around the house. Recently tried TIG and I love it. Reminds me of O/A. Made some nice welds in 1/8 inch steel plate and pipe. Dont know how to set up for it yet but think I am hooked.