Hi, I plan on purchasing a tig welder in the very near future and im looking for advice on how to get started. I have a mig machine currently ,but I want to step up and learn tig. Do you guys reccomend any video's or books to help me out. Im trying to find a class locally ,but so far im not having any luck so I figured id ask some of you guys.
Thanks

 

bump cause i need the same info

 

I learned with lots of practice, and reading up on online forums such as
http://www.hobartwelders.com
never had the money to go to an actual school for any of the welding, so alot of trial and error, and alot of luck.

 

hey bmcrace what kinda machine do you use? just curious thanks for the input

 

I was in the same position as you (original poster). I had a MIG for about four years and decided I wanted to get into TIG. I had about 2100 bucks total to spend give or take and I wanted to stay under that to get up and running.

I looked at the Miller machines, as well as the Lincoln. Honestly, my initial desire was to get a Miller, and I was looking at the 180. I went to a shop that sold both, and really compared the two. The Miller 180 was about 50 bucks more expensive and seemed like a pretty good machine. Lincoln had their 185 though, and the more I looked and read about it, the more I got shifted in that direction. I was glad I did, and I'll tell you why.

Both machines are pretty dead even performance wise. The Lincoln has 5 more amps...but what's 5 amps really gonna get you..not much. The major difference was the Lincoln had a pulser. This pulser feature ended up helping me tremendously, and I would recommend getting a TIG with that feature if your gonna teach yourself to TIG.

Initially, when you start learning, establishing a rhythm, getting the bead profile right, and many other things are a bit challenging. This is where the pulser really helped me. I would set the pulser to about 1 second intervals, and man it really made an improvement. The pulser reduces the amps momentarily to reduce putting alot of heat in the material. During this reduction I would move my position forward. It made my bead profile come together, reduced warpage of light materials, and just really made my welds look very good.

Forums helped alot too. I would post pics of my welds and get tips, plus I read all the material my welder came with. Any welder you get will mostlikely give you a bunch of info with it. Just be sure to get AC/DC, unless you don't want to weld aluminum.

Liquid cooled torches aren't necessary. They are nice I am sure, but believe me you can do alot of welding without a liquid torch. I have welded up intercoolers, exhausts, random mountings, and even seam welded a chassis with it. Every 30 minutes or so, I would stop and let it cool a bit, but it's nice to take a break anyway after welding that long.

Good luck man....after you TIG, MIG will be reduced to tack welding duty. TIG is so controlled, and clean, and just plain awesome man.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NAPIER &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">hey bmcrace what kinda machine do you use? just curious thanks for the input</TD></TR></TABLE>

Millery Syncrowave 180sd, I plan to get either a dynasty 300 or start getting manifolds cast pretty soon though.

 

practice.. But basically with a tig your going to want to make a puddle with the gun, then dip the rod in the puddle and do it over and over again. That's about as short and simplified i can put it, but once you start to practice you'll understand and develop a rythm of your own. As for a machine I personally prefer miller welders, but other brands are good as well. The synchrowave 250 is a nice machine, probably a little pricey, but i like it. It's pretty powerful but it's a very nice machine, if your just getting started you're probably better off starting with something a little smaller.

I found this picture online which will give you a better idea of what i mean by creating a pool of the base material and then dipping the rod as you go...

 

The new Miller sd180 that is coming out in a few months is going to have a few more options, along with a builtin pulser

 

When is it suppost to be release?

 

my personal opinion is that unless the machine you learn on is going to be the only machine you ever use, then learn on an older machine with no pulser...its gonna be harder, but it will be worth it. what happens if you are somewhere and need to weld something up and cant do it because theres no pulser...controlling your own heat with the pedal/thumb control or whatever is what makes TIG more difficult than the other types of welding....start there first then everything else will be a breeze

its the same reason they start students out on 6010 rod in stick classes, its generally the hardest/messiest form of stick welding...after they get that down 7018 or something is no problem at all

 

^^^^ exactly what he said. i chose the oldest most run down machine in my class to learn tig. Challenge yourself, and DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT get pissed at yourself. It took some people that i know months of practice before they got it down. Some pick it up faster. Practice, practice, practice...... I cannot stress that enough. Keep a level head, and have fun with it. If it looks like ****, then who cares. You can get better. Have fun with it man. Cuz to me nothing is better than welding. It's a blast, no matter what im making lol. Oh yah and keep your tungsten sharp. Unless your welding aluminum of course.

p.s. 6010 ruined my life at first, it was the hardest weld for me to learn. When i got, like the guy above me said, it just clicked. I developed my own technique, and it worked for me. Now its easy. Just keep a good attitude.

 

I learned at a community college. Started off oxy-acetylene welding, and when I switched to tig it was simple. I also learned to tig on the oldest machine there. No digital readouts and just a few dials you had to play with until you got the setttings right. When I got my new Miller machine it was a whole new world I've never even used a pulser so I can't comment on it's usefullness.

 

took classes. learn the basics...stick, mig, gas. i would say just buy the welder and start messing with it. that's a great way to learn.

 

yea, I think im gonna be purchashing a miller synchrowave 180sd here soon. thanks alot guys

 

I dont know but ive heard many ways to do it. But just trying doing what "Quick 99" stated above. Also do get mad or stressed out because they came out whack. Its easier said then done. I used to arc weld go kart frames so I had the stable hand but once I got into tig welding it look like trash. Just practice practice practice and practice. youll end up getting it down!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by own6volvos &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The new Miller sd180 that is coming out in a few months is going to have a few more options, along with a builtin pulser </TD></TR></TABLE>

That has not been confirmed yet, there looking into it, but its not 100% a done deal.

 

I'm gonna start taking tig lessons from good friend of the fmaily, he does work for boeing, lockheed martin etc. builds drag bike frames and such.


plus i get to play with this



MILLER AEROWAVE 300 230/460/575 60HZ FULL FEATURE MODEL

hehe, with a torch cooler and all, plus a few more mig machines and 2 more tig's

 

i need some lessons.. had the machine for days... mig is so easier

 

well my dad and granddad were both nuclear welders out at the shipyard in charleston before it closed down so they're "pretty good teachers". When we went and bought the miller syncro 250dx we have now so I could do some aluminum work and they could teach me tig, the welding place had free cd's on how to do oxy/acet, mig, and tig and I got a pretty good start by actually going through those and learned some extra things on mig and oxy that I didnt know.

might just try and go to your local welding supply store and see if they have the free how-to cd's.