Hello, I’m mike, I’ve been following this board for a long time. I’ve watched as many people went from total newbies to damn good fabricators. It’s been great, and I’ve enjoyed following along and admiring all of your talents.

Well I finally got off my *** and picked up a tig (diversion 165), I know it’s not the best, but I really like it. I’ve been trying to practice when I’m not totally wrapped up in my job.

So here are some pics, go ahead and let me have it, I have thick skin and know the talent level on the other side of the screen, so I appreciate any time you spend critiquing and offering help! I would like to get better and I take pride in the fact that I do all the work on my car myself. So I hope to add this skill set.

The tube is is 304 stainless 14 ga., amps set on about 50, 2% thoriated tungsten 3/32, pyrex cup, 24 cmf.
I think that’s all the pertinent info. I didn’t back purge as I’m just practicing. I ended up using some stainless mig wire for filler because the 1/8 filler rod was making a lumpy mess, I’m not sure if I’m doing something wrong. Again thanks for your time.



don't know what's up with the dot, it happens every time i stop.

 

Are you intentionally doing the fish scales or is your hand not steady? If you're "walking the cup", your hand motion is too extreme. If not, then you have an unsteady hand, like me! Try resting your arm on something.

The outside color of the weld looks good. The penetration looks good also, except you didn't back purge. Try back purging with argon at about 10-15 cfm. Experiment with different flow rates and vent holes until you find something that works for you.

The reason your get the "dot" is because you probably lift your foot off the pedal too quickly. When you get to the last bead, gently ease off the pedal as you add filler and you will no longer get the "dot".

I think you're off to a good start. Fix the hand motion, back purge, address the "dot" issue and report back! Best of luck!

 

ok if your walking the cup. stop now, and learn to weld the traditional way.

if your pumping the pedal stop that also. you need to learn how to add filler correctly.

also start on flat sheet metal then once you have that down go to joints. tuning should be the last step in welding. not the first.

 

I know it's easier said than done, but work on consistency with the bead. My consistency still sucks, but it's probably the hardest part of making a nice bead. Your gas coverage looks good, so you have the postflow/timing of how far you move the torch per each start stop down. Also Try fading out slowly with the pedal instead of just letting off.

 

I would most definitely say weld on a flat piece first. Learn to watch your puddle and know when to add filler to the puddle. I'm not sure your trying to walk the cup, something tells me your moving back and forth for penetration reasons.

 

Not a bad start at all really... looks like you may be pushing the wire too much in places because you can actually see a piece on the penetration side sticking through, and to fix the fish eye when you stop try easing off the pedal slowly when finished and I do a circular motion. might sound weird but i guess it's easier shown than explained. Keep at it you'll definitely see progress with time. Good luck and post the progress.

 

cool,
i used the wire to space the tube while tacking it up.

I used a weaving motion to help tie it together, I was having trouble blowing threw and it seemed to help, wasn’t trying to be a cup walking stunna, wasn’t walking the cup, just kinda weaving the torch in a small back and forth motion. So go straight, Got it.
Why not pump the pedal? It makes the puddle where I want it and seems to keep it from overheating. So do you just hold the peddle at one place and run with it?
Tube is all I have at the time, figured I would try some butt welds because just running a bead on the top of something is nothing like fusing metal together.
Thanks for the help.
Go straight.
Don’t pump the pedal.
Find some flat metal to practice on.
One question, can you back purge with argon co2 mix? I was thinking of using my mig tank.

 

When I was in school, the instructor talked about making a C shape and then interconnecting that as you travel along the weld. Many people move in a circular motion and that does a good job of mixing contaminants back into the puddle as opposed to the other techniques which keep the puddle moving foward and help push the contaminants out of the puddle.

I had a conversation with a friend that doesn't move his torch at all. He uses his feed of the rod into the puddle to create the proper bead shape. I don't necessarily agree, but it seemed to work when he was showing me on some scrap.

One thing about tube, is the fit. In many cases, especially stainless header tubes, you really don't need a bunch of filler. In many cases if your fit is good you can just weld the tubes without filler.

That sugar you see on the back side of the tube is bad. It will weaken the weld. It is a result of oxygen exposure on the back side of the weld. You should be back purging stainless anytime possible to keep this from happening.

As for the end of the weld, instead of just stopping and picking up the torch, slowly come to a stop at the end of the bead and while you still have a nice puddle move backwards slightly and taper off the pedal to remelt and blend the puddle back into the bead.

It just takes practice to get everything perfect.

 

the reason i said to stop pumping the pedal, as it doesn't teach you how to read and react to what is needed when adding filler. when you do the backwards c shap like this.

))))))))) it gives you a rhythm that you can use to add filler at the same time to help with bead symmetry.

the tubing is thin enough that no spacing is needed. to achieve penitration.

 

not bad, it covers and connects, could be a bit smoother everyhting else has already been said.

Strike Hold

 

pumping the pedal is bad habbit.
keep it steady. heat on heat off heat on heat off will make a weak weld

 

To add to what others have said, I think you're doing a pretty damn good job for a beginner. Making clean and consistent beads on thin-wall tubing is one of the hardest things you will ever learn. It's taken me years to get decent looking beads, and I'm still not super good at it. It's a slow welding process, and you have to practice dipping the filler at the exact right spot in the puddle, and at the right time. Torch angle must be kept constant, and that's tricky.

Keep practicing with the amperage higher than you need, and regulate the heat with your foot. You'll never look at the amperage dial again if you master this, and it will make you much more flexible as a welder.

Oh, and try to score some 1/16" filler rod.

Hope that helps!

 

Thanks for all the replies and help, I finally got my copy of corvells “tig welding basics” last night, and now I know I’m totally screwed up and all the stuff you guys have been saying about pumping the pedal and smoothness, makes sense. My damn job has me gone for a few weeks then I’ll post up some weld using your recommendations. By the way the ron corvell dude is pretty awesome, but I’ve seen much better welding here on the site by you guys, you guys should make a how too video!

 

yeah, i didn't know what i was doing and ordered like $150 of 1/8" (where is the hit yourself in the head with a hammer thing)

 

Ok couldn’t resist running a couple beads on aluminum before I took off. Ok I just started the puddle and held the heat and moved the torch to control the bead width.
The vertical on the right is a butt weld, I think not too bad but need to be steady on the movement.
Same thing on the middle vertical weld.
I think the one on the left I finally got the movement right.
The top is too cold and not steady enough.
What do you think?



Here is my torch set-up



My getto welding cart I made



And my getto welding table, just a 5X3 sheet on saw horses so I ca stash it against the wall when I’m not using it.

 

Move faster. Crank the pedal down and get a puddle and them haul ***. You moving too slowly and putting too much head into the bead. I should know, BTDT.

 

no need to weave or gap your parts on such thin tube. You can probably turn your gas down to about 18 and be fine too. keep at it

 

cool i'll turn down the flow and give it a try when i get back.

 

I see you are a fan of yuengling. I love that stuff! Can't get that where I live.

 

Doing some more practice. Playing around with some aluminum, make a little box. The stainless is the same piece, the weld in the center is the last one, hardly any filler and no pumping the foot pedal.

 

Doesnt look to bad. Try a tiny bevel if you are using 16g tube and maybe some .045 filler. Will do wonders for your bead consistancy. `

 

You must really like Yuengling.

I used to live in Greensboro. What part of NC are you from?

 

"Doesnt look to bad. Try a tiny bevel if you are using 16g tube and maybe some .045 filler. Will do wonders for your bead consistancy. ` "

will do, thanks for the help, man i feel like i have bought a lot of filler and all the wrong size.

"I used to live in Greensboro. What part of NC are you from? "
the beer is for my father in law, i'm a scotch drinker. i'm in fayetteville, living the dream.

 

Here is some stuff I’ve been doing while not slaving at work. It’s aluminized mild 3” mostly. I’ve been upgrading my exhaust from 2.5”, the back section is stainless I polished up, hopefully it will stay kinda shiny . I have it all tacked up, and I’ve been welding it up after work, as I find time, I’m tempted to pull out my mig and be done with it, but I keep telling myself this is good practice. Go ahead and rip me apart, what do I need to do ,or what can I do better?

 

what exhaust is that youre run? or at least the axle back? Looks good