Looking for advice on getting started with a 200DX

My 200DX showed up this week (thanks to Oleg for the discount coupon from one of the past contests). It's my Christmas present from my wife. But, I'm not allowed to play with it until after Christmas. :(

I probably won't have a lot of time to start learning TIG for a little while, so I'm looking for some advice on what to get do a general checkout on the unit and some very basic learning. Like, what kind of rod should I get for steel, and do I need anything special if I'm doing sheet?

I do have all the basic MIG stuff, and just got have a new Argon bottle, but other than the DX, nothing for TIG. I'd like to order some basics so that I can play a little over the Christmas/New Years holiday.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks

To keep it basic some 3/32 Lanthanated tungsten, Some 3/32 Mild Steel Filler Rod ER70S2, For Aluminum 4043 3/32 Filler. Some 3/32 Collets and Collet Bodies , and some 5,6,7 Nozzles. A pound of each rod will last a while.
Welding City or Riverweld on Nozzles Collets Collet Bodies, Ebay or your local Welding Supply for Filler rod.

Find some 1/8" and 1/4" mild steel for practicing and the same size in aluminum.

+1 for WeldingCity.com- they are quick shippers and have reasonable prices for tungsten as well as the collets and bodies that cbmkr mentions. While you're waiting for Christmas to arrive there's the WeldingTipsandTricks.com videos, which will tell you about TIG settings, for instance.

I am far from being expert but I have done what CB and Dave mentioned above. Weldingcity also have gas lense if you ever want to go that route. I like the gas lense because you can have tip stick out a little longer and will help with seeing the puddle easier. I dont think I will ever go back to the standard set, maybe only use them as backups.

I'd go with 3/32 collets and bodies as well as a gas lens setup for the 3/32. Although I do have 1/16 setup as well, I really don't see the need to use 1/16 on pretty much anything. You also don't need to use the "proper" sized collet holder. Just use a 3/32 body and use smaller collets if you want to try a smaller tungsten.

Another +1 for welding city. If you think you will do any stainless, you might want to pick up a pound of their rods (308, 309, and/or 316). They have the best price on stainless rods I have seen.

Here's a reference from Miller-
www.millerwelds.com/pdf/gtawbook.pdf

It's got a discussion of waveforms, and gives some explanation of the "why"s, as well as the "how"s.

I appreciate all the feedback. But, I'm still at the "totally overwhelmed by TIG" stage.

I haven't started looking at Welding Tips and Tricks yet due to time. I hope to do that over Christmas, but I'm trying to line everything up so I'm ready to start practicing once I start watching the videos.

From the viewpoint of getting the initial supplies, I understand the recommendations on the filler rod, collets, collet bodies and nozzels. I'm not so sure about the electrodes.

I've broken out my good welding book and read up on the different electrodes.

I looked on WeldingCity and tound that they had 1.5% and 2% Lanthanated electrodes. My book says that Lanthanated is used with DC and that it's "Gold" or "Black", but welding city lists it as "Blue".

So - a bunch of specific questions on electrodes:
1. So what should I go for the 1.5% or the 2%?
2. Can the blue be used with A/C or D/C?
3. I want to do mostly thinner sheet steel (more artsy stuff), should I use 1/16" or is it better to learn on bigger stuff and use 3/32?
3. Do I need to buy something to sharpen the electrode?
4. I got the consumables started pack with the torch. Anybody know what size the collets are?

One other question. Is a "gas lens" the same thing as a "cup nozzle".

Thanks

I use 2% Lan for everything It is light blue.
I sharpen all of the tungsten on my bench grinder. Some say you can't, but it works just fine. Welds may not pass a radiograph, but if I needed them to be that good, I wouldn't be doing them myself...
I have 3/32, 1/16, and .040" tungsten. I really haven't run in to a situation where 3/32 wouldn't work just find. I have used the smaller ones, but never really saw a benefit in them. They are cheaper though. I have Diamond Ground's ebay offering.
The gas lens requires a different collet holder and different cups. They are much larger at teh base to accommodate the larger, screened diffuser.

Of course you can grind on a bench grider...That's all that they had for years. Yes, they will pass a radiological test. If it is cleaned and maintained, there is no reason it should not. Whoever says it won't has never been in the real world.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sportbike

I use 2% Lan for everything It is light blue.
I sharpen all of the tungsten on my bench grinder. Some say you can't, but it works just fine. Welds may not pass a radiograph, but if I needed them to be that good, I wouldn't be doing them myself...
I have 3/32, 1/16, and .040" tungsten. I really haven't run in to a situation where 3/32 wouldn't work just find. I have used the smaller ones, but never really saw a benefit in them. They are cheaper though. I have Diamond Ground's ebay offering.
The gas lens requires a different collet holder and different cups. They are much larger at teh base to accommodate the larger, screened diffuser.

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So, a "gas lens" is different than a "cup nozzle"?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by performance

Of course you can grind on a bench grider...That's all that they had for years. Yes, they will pass a radiological test. If it is cleaned and maintained, there is no reason it should not. Whoever says it won't has never been in the real world.

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Does it need to be a wheel dedicated to tungsten or can I use the wheel that I use on steel and aluminium?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EmptyNester

Does it need to be a wheel dedicated to tungsten or can I use the wheel that I use on steel and aluminium?

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I use the same for everything. This is what I was referring to wrt possible difficulties in passing some welds. If there is other material on the wheel or the base metal is not properly cleaned, welds that require varying levels of inspection may not pass. 99% of the welding you will encounter around the house will be fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EmptyNester

So, a "gas lens" is different than a "cup nozzle"?

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Yes, the gas lens is the collet holder, the cup nozzle, usually just refered to as the cup, is the pink piece that coes on the end. The gas lens requires a different cup than the standard collet holder.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EmptyNester

still at the "totally overwhelmed by TIG" stage.

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I hear ya- I'm just getting past this myself. Remember, though, you're the guy who turned a few trips to the Home Depot into a hovercraft- you can do this. I can't give advice- not good enough- but I can share my experience: I knew I wanted to start with steel, so I knew I could disregard all the AC settings on the machine. I set the machine to 2T (press the torch switch to establish the arc, release the switch to stop the arc) with no pulse, no pedal, just as plain jane generic as it could get, and started welding. This de-mystified it for me. I still need lots of practice but this tactic got me over the intimidation.

HI Empty
Here is a kit for gas lens with a selection of tungsten electrode sizes.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SR-PTA-DB-WP...item1e6bb59be4
AS you can see the cups, white seals and collect holders are different but fit the torches in the same way the normal ones do. You just need to know which torch number group you have this one is for any 17,18,& 26 torches. There may be other kits with single sizes on Ebay.

have fun
Tom

Could just contact these guys and have them eliminate the 1/8" stuff and add more in the 3/32 and 1/16th. I've never dealt with them but you'd have plenty to experiment with.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/51-piece-TIG...item2c66ef6ae6

Here is a chart of consumables. You should have a WP-26 air cooled torch with yours.

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/512...tiononebay.png

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EmptyNester

I looked on WeldingCity and tound that they had 1.5% and 2% Lanthanated electrodes. My book says that Lanthanated is used with DC and that it's "Gold" or "Black", but welding city lists it as "Blue".

So - a bunch of specific questions on electrodes:
1. So what should I go for the 1.5% or the 2%?
2. Can the blue be used with A/C or D/C?
3. I want to do mostly thinner sheet steel (more artsy stuff), should I use 1/16" or is it better to learn on bigger stuff and use 3/32?
3. Do I need to buy something to sharpen the electrode?
4. I got the consumables started pack with the torch. Anybody know what size the collets are?

One other question. Is a "gas lens" the same thing as a "cup nozzle".

Thanks

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1.5 lanthanated is gold
2% lanthanated is sky blue (there is also a dark blue for something I can't remember)

Beware of older welding books that do not deal specifically with inverters. If they do not specify, you can bet that are talking about transformer machines.

Have a look here for a nice test of all the various popular tungstens and the current capacity.

http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/...odes-gtaw.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpanERwagaU

1. Basically you can do just about everything with 2% thoriated or 2% lanthanated, with an inverter. No real need to buy all the different kinds.
2. Yes, works fine and is probably the best all around electrode.
3. 3/32" will work for just about everything, and you can change how you grind it for thinner materials, but if you really do just thin stuff, the 1/16 will work fine for you and is my favorite for sheet metal.
4. It looks like everyone gets something different. The should be marked, but probably in mm.

Nope. A cup or nozzle or gas nozzle is the ceramic cup that screws on the end. A gas lens replaces the collet body and has diffusion screens for the gas to flow through. This straightens the gas flow. It is larger in diameter and requires special size cups to match.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sportbike

Could just contact these guys and have them eliminate the 1/8" stuff and add more in the 3/32 and 1/16th. I've never dealt with them but you'd have plenty to experiment with.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/51-piece-TIG...item2c66ef6ae6

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Nice blurry pics there. For a moment I thought I didn't have my glasses on.

For sharpening the electrodes I would recommend chem sharp. It is cheap and works well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321001600815

I got mine for $9 + Shipping. They turned down 8.25... might want to make an offer at $8.50?

As for the tungsten, I also use 2% lan for AC and DC. Works great. I would say get 1/16 and 3/32. That will cover 99% of what you will probably need.

Thanks for all the help.

I have everything on order (electrodes, consumables kit w/ gas lens, filler rod).

After watching the video and doing some reading - I'm being to feel dangerous :D

If nothing goes wrong at work, I hope to take vacation over Christmas and dive in head-first.