Pre purchase questions (TIG welding)

[RoatanBill]

I know how much CO2 I use when MIG welding. I'd like to know how the TIG process compares to MIG in gas consumption as I need to purchase a tank and want to know what size to get.
For you MIG & TIG welders out there, can you give me some idea about how gas consumptive TIG (argon) is compared to the same job done with a MIG (CO2)?

I do most of my welding outdoors. My "shop" is a 20' freight container with limited room. I know how sensitive MIG is to a slight wind. How does TIG compare; more forgiving, less forgiving?

I've never welded anything seated. How important do you rate the foot pedal as opposed to a torch switch?

How realistic are the steel and aluminum min/max figures quoted by Everlast? I've watched YouTube videos where I was surprised at how little power was needed and others where how much power was used to do a specific weld. The spread is confusing me.

I have no access to TIG expertise or supplies where I live (Roatan island). I've scanned Amazon's books for TIG education and couldn't find much. Can anyone recommend books or other educational materials (aside from YouTube) I might want to consider?

What are the odds that I'm going to like the torch(es) supplied with an Everlast TIG welder? Stated differently, how many of you have purchased after market torches, and specifically which ones, from whom, and with what options?

[zoama]

Weldingtipsand tricks on youtube is the best free source you'll find and Jody Collier is the best teacher I've seen. https://www.youtube.com/user/welding...icks/playlists This is where I learned to weld other than just doing it.
Welcome to the forum. Your island looks beautiful.

[rick9345]

Tig likes draft free environment.Call Everlast to get torch and pedal of choice with welder package. CK flex head are my choices. Think water cooled for amperages/duty time above 150 amps(1/4" alum). Communicate with LUGWELD or Mark to get package suited to your needs.
They are Everlast primaries.
Welcome to a new adventure.

[performance]

TIG does not favor drafts at all. Standard TIG is typically more sensitive to air disturbance than MIG. Gas consumption is dependent upon size of nozzle etc. It's a little less for me than MIG, but not more than about 15% or so. A gas lens kit can reduce your demand for gas further. It will also extend your ability to weld in slightly disturbed air.

As far as a basic manual for TIG, they are few and far between. But a good text/manual on welding that many colleges use is this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/111...QEAF97X4Z39NY6

I'd get this and read through it...It will give you exercises even to try to improve your welding.

[RoatanBill]

I was under the impression that the torch provided was an unalterable package deal depending on the welder, and that a different torch was in addition to the default not a substitute. Is that the case or can I specify a CK and just pay the difference? Same with the foot pedal - can I specify what I want to substitute for the default?

[Rambozo]

I was under the impression that the torch provided was an unalterable package deal depending on the welder, and that a different torch was in addition to the default not a substitute. Is that the case or can I specify a CK and just pay the difference? Same with the foot pedal - can I specify what I want to substitute for the default?

You would have to call sales for that info. Last I heard they were working towards that direction.

I guess you can check with some Miami welding supply shops about owner tanks. They often like to lease, but that wouldn't really work for you. I haven't see much from him lately, but there is a forum member here called fdcmiami that runs a welding business there, and can probably give you the names of some good shops.

[performance]

Check with Florida Gas for cylinders. These guys are super to work with and have sold a lot of Everlast equipment in the past. They do a lot of central/south American work exporting via ship and are in Miami area. Tell them I sent you. (Mark from Everlast)

http://floridagaswelding.net/category/products/

[Rambozo]

TIG is a slower process than MIG so for the same inches of weld I go through more Argon than C25 even though the MIG runs at a slightly higher flow rate. Net take away is depending on how much you weld, get the biggest bottle you feel like hauling around. You'll save money in the long run.

TIG and MIG about the same as far as wind, they don't tolerate any. Same tricks apply, cardboard wind blocks, use your body and or hands to shield the weld area, etc. At least with MIG you can swap over to FCAW for the outside stuff, not an option for TIG.

Depends on what you are welding and how much experience you have. For learning the pedal can really help, as you don't have to stop and make changes to the machine settings all the time. Once you know how much power you need for the welds you are doing, the torch switch is fine. It also depends on what you are welding. Well fitting joints on fresh clean material in the standard joints, you can pretty much run the same power for the whole weld. However, doing build up or repairs of damaged items, badly fitted joints, or material that varies in thickness from things like rust, the pedal will be your best friend. Once you have more experience, you can use technique to allow you to use the torch switch for more difficult welds. There are also ways to employ the up/down slope functions to let you have more control over amperage by going into and out of the slopes during the weld, no pedal required. TIG can be a lot more precise than other processes. You can lay down a 1/16" wide bead if you want. I don't think I could do that without sitting down and having an ideal place to prop my torch arm and hand. It all depends on the kind of work you are doing or would like to do.

There are so many variables, that's why the amp ranges for TIG are huge. Rule of thumb is 1 amp per .001" of material up to about 150 amps for steel and 250 amps for aluminum. After that you usually do multi pass welds for thicker materials (there are exceptions). As your travel speeds go up, so will the amps. With the pedal you can change on the fly, so you will quickly figure out what works best for that job.

As was mentioned before WeldingTipsAndTricks has about the best instructional videos. Another resource is Lincoln Electric videos. Many are sales pitches, but mixed in are some good instructional ones, too.

That is a personal preference thing. Everlast has a few different torches and they are not that bad. The cables are a little stiff, but I've use far worse. Some people routinely wrap the lead around their arm so the cable doesn't pull on the torch anyway. The euro type torch handle is not my favorite because of how I'm used to holding the torch. I also see plenty of pipe welders that hold the torch by the handle for walking the cup where the euro handle would be fine. The switch on that style is nice for sure. One thing that you might want/need that will drive a new torch purchase is a longer lead. The stock 12 footer can be real limiting for off the bench type work. I would say start with the included one and see how it goes.

[RoatanBill]

Thanks for the information.
I've only found one place (cyberweld) that sells argon tanks and the largest they have is an 80. They sell it filled so I could import a tank ready to use, but I'd prefer a larger one. How would I go about finding other sources of tanks, preferably filled? We ship out of Miami to the island.
I'd certainly practice with the foot pedal, but most of what I've done isn't repetitive production welding. I weld for a minute and then fit the next part to weld some more. Rarely can I jig up something and then weld for a longer time. I don't have the room or the types of projects amenable to that scenario.
The "welding table" I built is nothing but an angle iron frame within which I strategically lay 1" square stock and clamp it down as necessary to support whatever it is I want to build. Most of what I've built I can almost lift, so my table isn't substantial or billiard table flat or level. I built that table higher than normal so I wouldn't have to bend over a lot. Now, considering TIG, the height makes sitting at the table to reach a foot pedal an obstacle. It's also inside a steel shipping container where ambient temperature is 95 to 110 degrees. That's why I do most of my work outside where the temperature is only 85 to 95 year round.
Your comment about the 12ft cable length has me thinking. I didn't want a long length because I figured I'd just be tripping over the excess most of the time. My current cart is on 10" tires to roll over grass and pebbles. I'd build another one for a TIG set up, again with large tires.