TIG is the ultimate welding process. Can be used to weld anything, i got pretty good with one working for a fabrication shop. After the old timer retired, i got to do all of the TIG work. Definitely not something you just pick up and start welding with. Takes years of practice. A good TIG welder can just about name his price.
request for tips on welding
- Thread starter infinitymike
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
My best piece of advice, one passed on from a master welder and university instructor: understand that you can't fix a bad weld with more welding.
You might make a weld look good with additional passes but all you're really doing is hiding a problem.
Those that believe they can "burn" out a bad weld with another pass are fooling themselves. Contaminants from rust, paint, flux, etc. that remain in the weld weaken it and have to be removed with a grinder or torch.
I've had numerous welding classes and made many welds only to dissect them later for microscopic examination to see this first hand.
You might make a weld look good with additional passes but all you're really doing is hiding a problem.
Those that believe they can "burn" out a bad weld with another pass are fooling themselves. Contaminants from rust, paint, flux, etc. that remain in the weld weaken it and have to be removed with a grinder or torch.
I've had numerous welding classes and made many welds only to dissect them later for microscopic examination to see this first hand.
True, in welding classes we would take a 1/2" x10"x10" plate and weld back and forth. For hours in each position. Basically making a 10x10x10 cube of weld. Cleaning after every pass, when we were done we would cut into thirds on a band saw to see how well we did. If you took your time with chipping,cleaning and grinding you would have very little porosity or pinholes. The guys who did not clean right had big pockets of slag and holes throughout.
Funny thing about TIG that I learned while apprenticing, is when welding a non-ferrous metal (such as aluminum which was the main metal I welded) you can't use a ferrous grinding disc or wire brush/wire wheel. You must use a stainless wire wheel to clean non-ferrous metals prior to making the weld. Use regular steel wire wheel and you had all kinds of pops, pinholes and junk in that weld. Same went with oil or grease contaminants. Any of that junk on the metal being welded and you had problems. We used to practice on the Miller TIG machine at my old job by cutting soda cans, flattening them into small square "patches, cleaning the edges, setting that welder down as low as it would go, and weld them together, end to end. Make a kind of patchwork "quilt". I wish I would have gotten a picture of one of those patchwork panels, that taught me alot about controlling the heat, and controlling the fill material. The one guy was so good he barely needed any fill material at all. Some guys are downright gifted with a TIG welder......
So long as the material is clean, fit up is excellent, and the job is inside/out of the wind, TIG does produce exceptional welds. It has it's downsides tho. Fit up and prep must be very good where as other processes will tolerate dirty metal, some wind, and less than perfect fit. When speed counts, TIG comes in dead last every time. Pulsed MIG will lay awesome welds on aluminum (they look just as good as TIG welds) with all the speed we love about MIG. Flux-Core MIG will weld outside in the wind, dirty metal, painted metal, etc. where a TIG torch wouldn't dare go. You can run a MIG torch in just about any position you can cram your body into. TIG welding overhead is miserable. Actually, whenever you must weld out of position, TIG is rough.
So I wouldn't say TIG is the ultimate process, and neither is MIG or stick, but like anything else, pick up the right tool for the job and the results are always positive.
Let me rephrase, TIG is the most versatile. Trust me i know the limitations of each process. Of course it is not the fastest or the easiest. 99% of "welders" can't even use one. Fit and prep must be good. Should be good and clean anyways. Truth is i use a Miller MIG welder for 90% of the work i do, i also have a Lincoln 110 with flux core, and a Lincoln portable stick. I would not pick TIG to weld a steel trailer or fence, or a bridge, or a stadium, but if you wanted to you could. That's my point. You could also weld aluminum foil and beer cans together if you wanted to.
Lets see ya do that with a mig or stick.
Lets see ya do that with a mig or stick.
- Status
Similar threads
