Welding - Stick, TIG and MIG

[coppercone2]

the thread/forum is dead, I posted technical engineering details in every post, and you show up complaining that someone is basically leaving papers on an abandoned island with 5 / posts a week if that.

and its gonna stay dead because no one is going to be buying expensive tools and materials during a recession.

[armandine2]

and its gonna stay dead because no one is going to be buying expensive tools and materials during a recession.

Today in Lidl - Parkside welding eqpt in the aisle.

[beanflying]

the thread/forum is dead, I posted technical engineering details in every post, and you show up complaining that someone is basically leaving papers on an abandoned island with 5 / posts a week if that.

and its gonna stay dead because no one is going to be buying expensive tools and materials during a recession.

As I started this thread more or less as a 'resource' list one I fully expected it to be fairly static and like other similar ones throughout the forum just get updated in the first couple of posts as needed.

If you have a project then it is much better to start a thread rather than get it lost in here overt time as it will search better. Some of the WORST threads to find content here are the ongoing rambles making the content largely useless to even attempt to search through later.

Either way your choice to put content here to be lost or start a thread having the first posts pop back up in the list is a good thing but that is a poor reason to post content for contents sake.

[coppercone2]

1 year no posts. I finally reupped my argon

[coppercone2]

I replaced all the dodgy clamps on my welders with Tweco clamps. I wanna see how that old lincoln electric mig welder does with a tweco solid copper ground clamp and a flow type regulator instead of the cheap pressure gauge. The copper strap was beyond corroded 

[coppercone2]

Lol I hooked up my purge plate finally with the copper top with argon, it seems to work OK but with how much noise the miller dynasty makes it keeps making me think I have a gas leak.

I think you really need to crank it, but it did get rid of the sugaring on the back of a stainless piece that I tried to run a bead on. This equipment takes some getting used to after a year, its freaky

I forgot how noisy all this stuff is.. I think I gotta set up a over powered arc welder to blast some holes in some plate so it stops spooking me every time it sparks LOL

It feels like you finally got some game to stop crashing and it loads into the first level LOL

[tautech]

Time with a MIG helps reduce TIG arc/spark sensitivity but being properly comfortable and wearing good PPE also helps settle the operator to perform good work.

My first MIG time was some years after I'd been introduced to TIG and many since Oxy/Acet and arc stick welding both learnt in my early teens.

[jpanhalt]

Sorry, I don't see the issue with TIG noise.  The change from frying to low sizzle helps me know when penetration is complete using a backing/purge plate.  It's a little different with MIG, but still sound helps.

I can't tell whether CC2 is complaining about that arc noise or noise from the welding supply.  The only sound from my TIG is the fan and a few solenoid valves.  The Linde MIG has a little added sound from the wire-feed motor.  It's certainly not loud and confirms its running.

[coppercone2]

in AC mode this thing sounds like its malfunctioning. Everyone says the miller dynasty is noisy. It sounds very similar to gas leak.

The pro is that on DC its quieter, the arc is nearly silent.


Have you tried the miniaturized inverter welders? It seems to be luck of the draw, or perhaps people with more sensitive ears complain more.

There is a cacophony of coils making modulated whines in it

It literally sounds like some scifi alien artifact prop. Very much like a plasma globe.. thats doing things. Actually if you put a person hiding in a cardboard box poking around a plasma globe, I would believe you if you told me that its a inverter welder.



Silicone tubing is noisy too, I am almost certain the heavy 'welding' gas tube for argon is much quieter. I hooked up my purge block to a silicone hose for convenience not realizing how loud it is, I actually went to get soapy water to check for leaks before I realized the noise stopped if I plugged the tubing

[tautech]

in AC mode this thing sounds like its malfunctioning. Everyone says the miller dynasty is noisy. It sounds very similar to gas leak.

The pro is that on DC its quieter, the arc is nearly silent.


Have you tried the miniaturized inverter welders? It seems to be luck of the draw, or perhaps people with more sensitive ears complain more.

There is a cacophony of coils making modulated whines in it

It literally sounds like some scifi alien artifact prop. Very much like a plasma globe.. thats doing things. Actually if you put a person hiding in a cardboard box poking around a plasma globe, I would believe you if you told me that its a inverter welder.

Is the HF start running continually ?

[coppercone2]

in AC mode this thing sounds like its malfunctioning. Everyone says the miller dynasty is noisy. It sounds very similar to gas leak.

The pro is that on DC its quieter, the arc is nearly silent.


Have you tried the miniaturized inverter welders? It seems to be luck of the draw, or perhaps people with more sensitive ears complain more.

There is a cacophony of coils making modulated whines in it

It literally sounds like some scifi alien artifact prop. Very much like a plasma globe.. thats doing things. Actually if you put a person hiding in a cardboard box poking around a plasma globe, I would believe you if you told me that its a inverter welder.

Is the HF start running continually ?

Nah that makes a different noise. I have it on foot pedal control and it does work. I am almost certain its the switching supplies. I very much wish they put some regular iron transformers in it instead of making creative circuits (i.e. power the IGBT driver from a flyback)

[tautech]

in AC mode this thing sounds like its malfunctioning. Everyone says the miller dynasty is noisy. It sounds very similar to gas leak.

The pro is that on DC its quieter, the arc is nearly silent.


Have you tried the miniaturized inverter welders? It seems to be luck of the draw, or perhaps people with more sensitive ears complain more.

There is a cacophony of coils making modulated whines in it

It literally sounds like some scifi alien artifact prop. Very much like a plasma globe.. thats doing things. Actually if you put a person hiding in a cardboard box poking around a plasma globe, I would believe you if you told me that its a inverter welder.

Is the HF start running continually ?

Nah that makes a different noise. I have it on foot pedal control and it does work. I am almost certain its the switching supplies. I very much wish they put some regular iron transformers in it instead of making creative circuits (i.e. power the IGBT driver from a flyback)

Yeah well modern stuff is normally more reliable. 
Even a mates old Hobart 300 blew its control bipolars and while it is a nice welder its HF would take out all radios within 50m. Scary excessive EMI ! 

[coppercone2]

I did get a extra thick grounding wire for it with a big copper clamp that is way thicker then people use to hopefully reduce EMI

I probobly should get shorter length cables to just work where I normally work to keep the connections tighter, because I noticed I have a 20 foot cable and I am 5 feet from the machine, usually. Every one of these little improvements is so expensive though.

[tautech]

Just the 'right length' welding cables for every job is just an illusion. 

With multiple welders swapping them around can be useful but IMO the longer the better, especially when working on big maintenance/repair jobs.
However with long MIG cables, the need to keep feed wire and liners very clean but a pull handpiece can help to reduce/hide any dirty and sticky liner problems.

The old foam earplug trick with feed wire passing through it just before the MIG lead does help extend liner life.

[coppercone2]

does anyone have a printable chart (that I can laminate) to show the basics of TIG setup ?

Like electrode diameters, composition choice (work function), current, metal thickness, metal type, rod type, flow rate/cup ratio, balance stuff, etc


I was thinking of putting it together but I thought there might be a handy chart.

[Zeyneb]

A chart that has all of this on one page might be a bit too much. What I use for a similar purpose is a technical guide from a company called CK Worldwide. It is quite a prestigious company with a broad range of advanced TIG welding products.

The technical guide is a free download from this location:
https://www.ckworldwide.com/service-and-support/manuals-and-guides

There find the TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR TIG WELDING download.

[tautech]

A chart that has all of this on one page might be a bit too much. What I use for a similar purpose is a technical guide from a company called CK Worldwide. It is quite a prestigious company with a broad range of advanced TIG welding products.

The technical guide is a free download from this location:
https://www.ckworldwide.com/service-and-support/manuals-and-guides

There find the TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR TIG WELDING download.

Downloaded and excellent.   

[coppercone2]

ok yeah a binder will do


Realistically it should be etched into titanium sheet

The booklet for OA welding that Henrob gives is good for acetylene welding, I need something similar for TIG, but the quality of the paper is attrocious, especially when you are dealing with dirty shop shit

I think screen shots of youtube videos showing bad welds etc could be added to the TIG PDF for trouble shooting reasons. If you do it infrequently there is like no way to remember everything

If it was made out of metal you could throw it in the sink to wash it from grits. Maybe a good laminate but I can dream. I wanna be able to dunk it in a bucket of soap lol.


A really good book would have a actuation leaver that seperates all the pages out like a fold out "japanese fan" so you can leave it to dry off. Or a motorized rolodex that spin dries. I feel like that would exist if not for the world war, the 1920's noir would just go on


gal-gage had the right idea for implementing computers.


I have like a hard core really well laminated sous-vide book for my cooker I hang on the fridge. Other then the rather conservative numbers for duration, its excellent. My webber BBQ has a good laminated cook time book too. They actually will survive getting some grease on them and can be washed. they are super useful. Note pad size too so you can hold it in 1 hand easily and color coded sections for quick ID



You know I wonder what would happen if you put screen protectors (gorilla glass) on well made cards to make 'hard glass cards'. The only problem would be if they fell off and shattered. Then that book would be really tough. I feel like someone could pretty easily do this if they have a laser etching machine.

[tautech]

A binder with clear film pouches is a necessity in any workshop. 

[coppercone2]

another tip is if you use the dremel tungsten sharpener then you should wrap teflon tape around the dremel thread to keep the dust out (if you use it contained)

after sharpening a dozen rods I had dust caked into that thread


Since I have the purge fixture, I finally think I can try to weld thin materials in the clamping mechanism. I always wanted to try doing that

[JimboJack]

FYI,

Tig welding the distance between the electrode and the surface should be about 1 to 1.5 the width of the electrode' be a good starting point, only time you need to watch is Alu as it tends to suck up drawn to the electrode. so you have to rise and fall with the puddle, Other than that this ensures proper heat control into the metal, end result you end up welding on higher current, faster welding and less distortion in the metal, espc when positional welding 3G->6G etc.


J.

[coppercone2]

Does anyone else feel less enthusiastic about the hobby with the advent of laser welders ?

It is something that bugs me. I heard realistically the problem is that the part fitup must be spectacular, and this is seldom a realistic condition.

I can't be the only one that notices this on youtube etc. They make you feel like your on a 486 in the pentium days.


Regardless about the realities, it does feel like the hobby lost respect from common joes to some degree because of lasers. Small issue, but its nice to have some thing to talk about that they don't hear as "take me to your leader" but are also cool. Its not that far out, but its also I think in the mind of the general public less cool... and it seems to start to get associated with 'hicks' when its a commoner process. oh well. I think tig was actually "sick" about 15 years ago, now its maybe on fairly cool. But it does open up the interesting funny scenario where the guy that wants the best of everything got his motorcycle trailer laser welded, and say it falls apart on the highway because its so hard to apply.... aka hillarious pop-sci engineering specifications for custom work by rich people that try to peacock with technology.

Currently the king for this type of scenario is carbon fiber, which is used solely for the cool factor in many applications, i.e. corroded carbon fiber expensive shit, or ritzy carbon fiber brackets, panels, etc but laser welding is bound to get some points here eventually when it proliferates a bit more. Historically I think lost diamonds that are mounted weak are the leader.... nothing like figuring out you lost 20k because a hair thin piece of metal bent out of the way.

Another small contender currently is exotic powder metallurgy steels for knives and tools. The yield of the materials is... semiconductor industrytype... meaning there are ALOT of defects that manufacturers don't want you to find. I have been following some powder metal steel stuff on youtube and it looks like there is a fair bit of defect-ridden knives that are being sold by reputable manufacturers, and conflict between manufacturers and steel producers (seems shady). You might wanna stick to the standard materials if you don't want to be running around with just a hilt. Even former quality manufacturers like leatherman are getting hit with this problem, i.e. premium multitool knives out of magnacut breaking on peoples "arc" multitools.


But another project anyway for welding is I wanna setup a argon curtain for my spot welder (super capacitor) that I built, since i have the dual flow regulator WITH a hose barb on it (victor). I wonder if you can get those spot welds to look dreamier. Due to the nature of the process, I think it will be a soldering job, because there is no need for a robust diffuser.

[tautech]

Does anyone else feel less enthusiastic about the hobby with the advent of laser welders ?

Only suitable in production environments.

Even production won't teach you all the skills needed for maintenance repair, only the greybeards and the school of hard knocks and experience can do that.

[JimboJack]

Lazzzers maybe ok with some exotic metal or putting a root pass down on perfect butt or G welds joints or to enhance cold welds in outer space , but industrial (Chemical, aircraft, Defence, shipping build), it always going to be the cheapest and fastest option to meet requirements. Sometimes you do a tig root pass than put success layers with stick , or stick then MIG layers afte capping it.

you can braze with TIG as well I like it , you need a peddle for that bit like ALU to control heat, silicon copper bronze filler rods, look good on SS tubing ie push bikes or motor bikes,

[Mechatrommer]

Does anyone else feel less enthusiastic about the hobby with the advent of laser welders ?
It is something that bugs me. I heard realistically the problem is that the part fitup must be spectacular, and this is seldom a realistic condition.
I can't be the only one that notices this on youtube etc. They make you feel like your on a 486 in the pentium days.

keep watching youtubes and do less work... as of us, we do whatever we can humanly possible to make what we want to make to works.. even if we have to use stick and stone. not a thing to discuss in sosmed like this...