TIG current for welding steel tube?

Mar 23, 2006 6 Replies

Would someone kindly suggest a starting point current for welding seamless



1.25 inch OD, 18 gauge steel tubes together in a joint where 3 tubes come together, the ends are all cut to sit snugly together, as in a race car tube frame chassis? Thanks. I THINK it's T45 tube, but not sure, what is a good choice for filler rod please? Thanks.

One Amp per .001th of wall thickness is what you should need.

Frank

Chris wrote:

Grind the tube and see what it looks likely to be made of, and then you will be able to think about what filler rod you are going to need.

k

i find this to be a tad high. welding .125" walled tube does not need

125amps, etc.

it also depends on IPM too. real fast and high current may work, but control goes down. i find it much easier to go slower on lower current.

i also find myself cranking up the amps when welding thick to thin items, like exhaust tubing to the header flange. i focus the heat into the thick part and allow the puddle to pool/flow into the thin material while feeding some tig filler.

i'm still a noob at TIG'ing, but this has been my experiences thus far.

Chris,

You might find the following of interest - for $6.

formatting link
It's a tig calculator with the following comments:

"Mister TIG?" says: "Every TIG Welder should have one of these in their tool box. The TIG Calculator takes the quess work out of setting up, giving you a better weld and saving time and material!"

and

"Ever found yourself wondering what the correct set-up is for a particular metal, weld type, material thickness, etc.? Now we offer a tool that works like a slide rule and solves all your set-up problems. Whether you are looking for the right amperage, tungsten, alloy or any of the variables that go into setting up for a successful weld operation, the TIG Calculator can help solve your question."

$6 for the sliding chart and another $6 for UPS shipping. Forget it!

Useful item, but 12 bucks (including shipping) is ridiculous. This

formatting link
seems more reasonable at $1.50 delivered.

Wayne

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required