Gasless mig ?

[yamaico]

Yep, sure do. C, D, E and G, take your pick. The refill is about the same price as BOC from memory.

[skypig]

I love the info from you guys.

Think I might buy a TIG. How different is the setup going from alloy (I'll probably only try it a few more times before I give that up) and steel. (Some hope of proficiency.) Same gas? (Excuse my ignorance.)

[sleepy]

I love the info from you guys.

Think I might buy a TIG. How different is the setup going from alloy (I'll probably only try it a few more times before I give that up) and steel. (Some hope of proficiency.) Same gas? (Excuse my ignorance.)

Steel uses DC current with a thoriated electrode and alloy uses AC high frequency with a zirconiated electrode. Gas for both is pure Argon. If you plan to do alloy think about getting a water cooled torch as the current needed is much higher.

[sleepy]

If you do get a TIG and use the thoriated electrodes be careful as they are radioactive. Breathing the grinding dust from sharpening the tip is bad for you and I wouldn't store electrodes close to your person.

[Slakewell]

I tried to buy some zirconiated rods the other day and they told me , you can no longer get them? Had a new one that is meant to do both now? Health reasons?

[shelpi]

yep get a tig that can do ac ("A" for alloy) then you can weld aluminium and those magnesium covers, then it all comes down to what series rods and practice

[skypig]

If you do get a TIG and use the thoriated electrodes be careful as they are radioactive. Breathing the grinding dust from sharpening the tip is bad for you and I wouldn't store electrodes close to your person.

More good info.

Looking at my friends machine, I'm not sure I could even learn to set the machine up, let alone practice enough to be proficient.



In my youth I did 2 years of stick welding at TAFE. I wonder if there is anything like that these days for TIG?

[Slakewell]

Flick it to 4T crank the peak current to 200 , then set the base around 75 , downslope around half way. That should do most Alloy

[shelpi]

Flick it to 4T crank the peak current to 200 , then set the base around 75 , downslope around half way. That should do most Alloy

is it the peak current that does the cleaning on that machine? if so set it to around ninety for welding old alloy!

[sleepy]

If you do get a TIG and use the thoriated electrodes be careful as they are radioactive. Breathing the grinding dust from sharpening the tip is bad for you and I wouldn't store electrodes close to your person.

More good info.

Looking at my friends machine, I'm not sure I could even learn to set the machine up, let alone practice enough to be proficient.



In my youth I did 2 years of stick welding at TAFE. I wonder if there is anything like that these days for TIG?

If it is left in 2T mode the peak current is welding current and I think the AC balance(my machine calls it clean weld) has an effect on the cleaning of oxide and contaminants.

[skypig]

The pictured machine used to have a vital accessory- a skilled operator

Jobs he did for me.



And DC
 

[sleepy]

It takes a few years to get good at TIG and even after close to 40 years of doing it I'm still learning. Struggle now as one get older is to see what I'm doing and try not to forget the things learnt in my youth. You are correct about the operator, very important part. 

[shelpi]

It takes a few years to get good at TIG and even after close to 40 years of doing it I'm still learning. Struggle now as one get older is to see what I'm doing and try not to forget the things learnt in my youth. You mare correct about the operator, very important part.

yep I'm loosing it, haven't welded alloy for a few months so off to me mates work shop, he said hes got a metre or two of aluminium to weld, he said you should have ya hand and eyes co-ordinated by the time you leave, first weld will probably look like shit!

[Slakewell]

If you do get a TIG and use the thoriated electrodes be careful as they are radioactive. Breathing the grinding dust from sharpening the tip is bad for you and I wouldn't store electrodes close to your person.

More good info.

Looking at my friends machine, I'm not sure I could even learn to set the machine up, let alone practice enough to be proficient.



In my youth I did 2 years of stick welding at TAFE. I wonder if there is anything like that these days for TIG?

If it is left in 2T mode the peak current is welding current and I think the AC balance(my machine calls it clean weld) has an effect on the cleaning of oxide and contaminants.

The arc balance affects the cleaning. Normally you park it in the middle and leave it. Moving the balance only changes the width of the ark not the cleaning affect. But if it's wider it looks to clean more but it doesn't.
I use the arc balance more for stoping my electrode from dripping than cleaning. If you crank all the way to wide clean on a 2.4 electrode  above 200 it will start to melt. Turn it the other way and it stay cooler. Sorry if that looks a bit dutch. about the cleaning action. Turn the knob right and the arc gets wider ( sort of cleans better ) The weld pool gets wider and harder to look after as well. Turn to the left and it cleans much the same but in smaller width ,( so appears worse ).

When I used to to do alloy heat exchanges in power stations I would prep the fork out of it , so cleaning action not really needed. I would turn to the left narrow arch for more penetration and a perfect weld. They ex ray most welds after on these jobs and a few failures and your fired.

 

[yamaico]

It takes a few years to get good at TIG and even after close to 40 years of doing it I'm still learning. Struggle now as one get older is to see what I'm doing and try not to forget the things learnt in my youth. You are correct about the operator, very important part.

This is what you need Sleepy, if you haven't already got one.
https://www.revolutionindustrial.com.au/assets/full/N469.jpg