Confessions of a TIG Noob

The universe smiled on me at the last Everlast contest, and holy cow I won- who'da thunk it. I always enter this kind of thing totally expecting to never win, but here I am the proud owner of a 210 EXT. I'm mortified to admit it took me til today to just bloody make the time to weld with it. I should preface this by saying I've never even *held* a TIG torch before today, as the photo will show, but let me tell you I am completely jazzed. Can't get over it- the machine is just amazing. I'm totally psyched with this machine and the possibilities it is opening up. Thanks again, Everlast!

If you're thinking about a TIG machine but on the fence or intimidated by it, give it a go!

I realize these welds are nothing to write home about (but I may anyway). Mild steel, 2% lanthanated 3/32" tungsten, about 110 amps (I was experimenting), 7 LPM argon.

Attachment 8618

Congrats, and welcome to the world of TIG. Doesn't look bad for a first go. One thing, TIG is not tolerant of rust, mill scale, dirt, etc. like MIG and stick, so grind your metal clean and things will go a lot better for you.

Good start... clean the mill scale off before tig welding. Time to update your sig with the new machine.

@Now@ I understand about mill scale and how clean surfaces must be. I got after it with a cup brush but clearly that wasn't enough, and explains why the edges of the puddle were sparkling.

Stoked for TIG, now, and very in touch with Undercut's "break it so i can weld it back together" tagline!

Just keep on practicing on mild steel you will get more comfortable at mild steel and then try some stainless its real close to welding mild steel. Aluminum will be a lot of fun and with the different settings on the 210EXT and low amps on AC it opens up a lot of Aluminum welding applications.

Will do, definitely, Monday I'm off to visit scrap yards to find practice pieces. The steel supplier closest to me lets their drops go for cheap but they're a drive to get to.

Drops will be easier to clean up in most cases and give nice straight line for the butts and all. Has a little more cost, but better to start out with. And a stainless steel brush with a BIG A on it.

True, and I'll be more likely to find a large-ish plate for a welding table surface. In my mind's eye I envision finding the perfect piece of clean plate for a welding table at a scrap yard, which realisitically falls into the "Yeah, right, like that'll ever happen" category of expectations.

I still have the very first piece of material I TIG welded. I figured it would be a nice keepsake one day when I get older and it really is. I have it easily view able in the garage where I can see it all the time. My first TIG experience was on 3/16 aluminium plate and most of my general "practice" was on some assortment of aluminium.

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Originally Posted by DaveO

Will do, definitely, Monday I'm off to visit scrap yards to find practice pieces. The steel supplier closest to me lets their drops go for cheap but they're a drive to get to.

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I went to a local fab shop and told them I'm teaching myself to tig weld and would like to buy some scrap to practice on. The guy took me to a plastic barrel full of scrap aluminum and gave me all I wanted for free. I've been back two more times since and they tell me to take what I want every time.
This is some of what I have left. Attachment 8629

That's very generous of them. There's not a lot of fab shops in my immediate area, I'll have to look in the right places, I guess see if I can make that kind of connection. Do you ever bring them a box of Krispy Kremes, or something?

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Originally Posted by DaveO

That's very generous of them. There's not a lot of fab shops in my immediate area, I'll have to look in the right places, I guess see if I can make that kind of connection. Do you ever bring them a box of Krispy Kremes, or something?

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I just happened to stop in there one day a few years back needing a piece of aluminum to make a computer case panel from. The guy got the piece I needed, sheared it to size and said the price was $4, I gave him $10. I went back a couple more times over the next two years to buy similar pieces and the guy would give me a low price every time... then we started the scrap aluminum thing. They're just nice people.