Im right handed. Is there a direction you are supposed to travel while welding (ex. torch in right hand, filler in left, moving right to left, or vice versa) ?? I usually move left to right on stainless because i can see the puddle that way, but when i try aluminum like that it makes the beads all oxidized looking, but when i move right to left on aluminum the beads are shiny. can someone explain to me what i should and shouldnt be doing? Also, is there a certain technique or movement of the torch that i should be practicing? like moving the torch around in circles or something, ive heard some people mention that.

Here are some of my welds. These are all SS and i move left to right

 

Right handed you start at the right side and move to the left

Left handed you start at the left side and move to the right

And only move the torch in a circle when forming a puddle.

 

is there a reason for this? whats the pros and cons (if any) over the way i currently do it now. and how the hell do you see the spot you just filled behind your new puddle to know how far to move the torch, just practice?

 

Never look behind in welding, always look where your going....If you pay attention to what you have already done, you will screw up on what your about to do. And if you move the tungsten you lack penetration usually. Your spreading the bead and penetration out, as appose to fusing the two pieces of metal together with an non consumable tungsten electrode and getting as much penetrations as possible.

But your welds look really good, so i guess im a little confused on why your asking this kind of a question. You obviously know what your doing, and whatever works for you is fine.

 

Your welds look pretty nice. What kind of gas flow rates are you using? I would think that by holding the torch in your right hand and moving to the right you might have an issue shielding the puddle as it forms, maybe not, just a thought.

http://www.millerwelds.com has alot of informative articles and tech stuff to browse through, check it out if you have time

 

im using about 17 cfh with a gas lense and size12 cup. Reason im asking is because i look at alot of peoples stuff on here, and their beads go the opposite direction on something where if i welded it , it would go a different direction, like a flange to pipe weld or something, maybe im just paranoid , i dont know, i just really want to be a god tig welder so im looking for as much help as i can get.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4cefed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">is there a reason for this?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Pretty sure it has to do with gas flow. If you are going forward, gas flow will cover the new puddle being formed. If you are going backwards, the new puddle is not getting the proper coverage.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 90blackcrx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Pretty sure it has to do with gas flow. If you are going forward, gas flow will cover the new puddle being formed. If you are going backwards, the new puddle is not getting the proper coverage.

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That's what I was told, plus your directing the heat to the direction of travel.

 

Nice welds

Always add your filler to the same side as the direction your traveling (as stated)

 

I have a question....in the 1st picture, the weld bead goes all the way up against the stud hole in the flange...how are you going to get a nut on the stud, how are you going to get a wrench on it, and how are you planning on getting the nut to seat against the flange when it will make contact with the weld bead before it touches the flange? The reason I ask, is that I've been going through this bullshit with a Weber manifold and sidedrafts on my VW. The manifold does not have 1 flat surface for the nut to seat, and you can't get a wrench on them easily without making a custom wrench, and even then it kind of sucks.

 

Good point. I'm completely new to welding, so excuse the newb question, but I see everyone doing full circumfrence welds on the exterior of turbo flanges, yet in Maximum Boost, Mr. Bell clearly illustrates spacing your exterior welds and fully welding the inside circumfrence. Following Mr. Bell's advice would allow you to "space" around the bolt holes and fill inbetween.

 

thats why the pipe is crushed down right by the bolt hole there. Clearance was not an issue, nor was getting a bolt in there with a flat washer and getting a wrench on it, i have pics of it installed on the civic i built it for if youd like. and a thumbs up to justin the customer, he just put down 340whp at 14 psi on a VERY conservative tune and a 2.5'' exhaust after the 3'' downpipe. I am going to be building him a custom 3'' very soon here, and hope to get around 400whp

 

I am a bit ambidextrous. I am right handed with pretty much everything but I weld with the torch in my left hand and the filler in my right hand. I work left to right.

Evan

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by FastCougar &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Good point. I'm completely new to welding, so excuse the newb question, but I see everyone doing full circumfrence welds on the exterior of turbo flanges, yet in Maximum Boost, Mr. Bell clearly illustrates spacing your exterior welds and fully welding the inside circumfrence. Following Mr. Bell's advice would allow you to "space" around the bolt holes and fill inbetween.</TD></TR></TABLE>

to be honest that book has alot of dated information

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 2kjettaguy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am a bit ambidextrous. I am right handed with pretty much everything but I weld with the torch in my left hand and the filler in my right hand. I work left to right.

Evan </TD></TR></TABLE>

i thought this was just me....im right handed but i hold the torch with my left hand. although i can hold it with either hand, i feel way more comfortable and have a lot more control with the torch in my left hand.

 

Beauty of welding....

Do whatever works for you as long as it works.