Basics - How to TIG Weld

[robrob]

I use the side too and only use it for tungsten.

[Allegro40]

I use the side to freshen up the occasional drill bit but doing tungsten wears the wheel a lot more. Then I will need to dress the side.

I have been considering diamond lapping disks mounted on an old 6 inch grinder. But, if I make sharpening tungstens EASY I will not be motivated to stop screwing them up in the first place.

yeah i'm there.

[SICFabrications]

tungsten is some really neat stuff..... and over time, you will wear out the side of your stone, making it unbalanced and unsafe..... someone poasted earlier about using a diamond flap on a 6 inch sander.... that is a wonderful idea! now to go back through and post more regarding others posting

---------- Post added at 08:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:37 PM ----------

Y I think the weld will oxidize as well as the Tungsten because CO2 is part Oxygen so it would defeat the purpose of keeping the weld area free of Oxygen.

i think the word youre looking for is hydrogen..... hydrogen when burned (for example in the weld arc) releases water.... what does water do to molten metals? makes porosity..... if oxygen is bad for a weld on steel even stainless, then co2 would never be considered for a shield gas... as it is, co2 in its entirety can be used to shield for MIG on steel, and mixes of it using argon and helium accordingly shield for stainless as well.... pure argon for steel = bad, but add some co2 and it makes it all better

as for TIG (aka heli-arc) helium was the original gas used to shield the arc and is way cool because it adds its own heat to the weld in addition to the machine's arc...however, with the ginormous price of helium, argon soon became the replacement.... helium is still used in heavy steel tig and even aluminum, but adding pre-heat will take away this necessity

---------- Post added at 08:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:42 PM ----------

Don't use the side of the wheel you should be grinding the electrode lengthwise also for 1/8 use 150 amps and use the pedal to adjust down. 1/16 tungsten is when you will need for steel 3/32 use foe aluminum over 150 amps or if you have a really unbalanced wave. Don't bother purgin the line unless your welding something really reactive such as titanium or inconel. For filler start with er70-s6 for starters 5356 for aluminum. That should do it.

---------- Post added at 03:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:32 PM ----------

Also don't listen to someone if they try to tell you how to hold the torch. Hold it how YOU feel comfortable for starters. When you start actually doing projects most of the time your not going to be comfortable trust me i've done it all.

---------- Post added at 03:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:35 PM ----------

As for inspection of the weld cutting it in half really does not give a good representation unless it is polished after cutting.

---------- Post added at 03:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:37 PM ----------

One more thing. Don't use sandpaper to clean the material it inbeds oxides in the weld which are contaminate. Especially not on aluminum.

i think junes and i are from the same school of thought..... well said

---------- Post added at 08:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:44 PM ----------

Get some dycem or how ever you spell it I can't think right Noe (die makers paint) in the red green and what ever other color it is and paint the center with a light coat. As for telling the tungsten apart turn to ac if it balls really easy and doesn't split it's probally pure if it doesn't ball and does split then it's not pure it's prob Thor or ceriated. Using the outside of the wheel is not only inconvient cause you have to grind it upside down but that's where alot of contaminants are. Just stick a new fine grit wheel on one side and don't use it for anything but tungsten. Now if you reallly wana be a ball buster you need a different wheel for every different tungsten and every different metal your welding. Same goes for cups collets collet bodys and back caps. I only change it all in special cases.

yep, same school

[ahack3r]

I'm loving the welder, car and especially the license plate!

[oneeyedmac]

This thread has a lot of good tips in it even if it is old so bump it up to the top.

[Tritium]

I use my diamond flat lap lapidary machine (rock grinder) to grind my tungsten. It is fast clean and I already had it.

Thurmond

[danielleckemby]

I am new to tig welding this post has some excellent tips. Thanks

[IanKWalker]

I use a $10 diamond wheel set from HF in a normal air powered hand held die-grinder. The kit comes with 3 wheels and I chose the tapered wheel and and just held the tungesten in my hand slowly sping it. It took nothing at all to put a point on the tungesten. Maybe took 2-3 minutes to sharpen 4 ends from learning to done...

4 Piece Large Diamond Grinding Wheel Set

This was a simple solution that totaly rocks for me. With this, I don't have to worry about my grinding wheels or sanding disks contaminating the tungesten because at $10 I just use this for sharpening tungsten.

Ian