New Thread, same topic, my CAREER is on the line, please help ON TOPIC.

[fdcmiami]

i've got the flu, that's why my welding sucks? guy, here is my bit of advice to you since when money is on the line the direction of travel will often change. you can't weld, maybe someday but not yet and not well enough to provide a potential customer with an example of beautiful welds. i have been asked on occasion to do some aluminum fabrication or repair on anodized aluminum tubing, i am a good aluminum welder but i have never been good at anodized welding, i have not done enough of it to become proficient. i can muddle through but that's it. so, the solution? i hire someone that can, or i pass on the job.

if you have the opportunity to secure a large job and make some money you had better give up the idea of doing it yourself. swallow your pride and hire someone to do the welding for you.

[performance]

i've got the flu, that's why my welding sucks? guy, here is my bit of advice to you since when money is on the line the direction of travel will often change. you can't weld, maybe someday but not yet and not well enough to provide a potential customer with an example of beautiful welds. i have been asked on occasion to do some aluminum fabrication or repair on anodized aluminum tubing. i am a good aluminum welder but i have never been good at anodized welding. i can muddle through but that's it. so, the solution? i hire someone that can, or i pass on the job.

if you have the opportunity to secure a large job and make some money you had better give up the idea of doing it yourself. swallow your pride and hire someone to do the welding for you.

I think that is beside the point on this. He is wanting to get it figured out. Accepting no is not an option for him. It's a hurdle, that can be cleared.

Going back over your original thread hooda, I am wondering if there was any previous powder coating on the receiver? Also have you ground front, back, and edge all sides? And also, I'd say the max amps you were using was about twice what you needed. The bubbling can be cause from too much heat. If it's 1/8 or 1/4 you are working with, don't try to do this without serious edge beveling, and then drop max pedal down to about 125 amps or so. Make a second pass if you need to. I will tell you that if you are using 3/32 T at this 200 amp on our inverters, it is too much. Drop down to a 5 with 3/32 and 5-6lpm as well. Sometimes more is not better in this case.

[performance]

Hoodas been around awhile. Its not his first rodeo. A little rusty maybe. But from helping customers, everyday, I have seen welds go from that to near perfection in a few days. Every body's learning curve is different. Not everyone can be the best welder in the world, but can gain some level of competence. Being in and out of the saddle sometimes is the hardest thing, because your brain is stuck in one gear and your skills in another.

But advancing your skills and making more money is what its about. Our forum is full of guys that started someplace and worked their skill set way up, on the job so to speak. Giving up because you can't or experience difficulty, is not a money maker. Persistence is. Edison was quoted to say something roughly like, he failed several thousand times making a light bulb, and learned several thousand way how NOT to make one. Giving up here is really a moot point...and goes against what made this country great in philosophy.

[DaveO]

Yikes! Hooda, look after yourself! The forum's clocks seem to say you posted that at 0300, but if you're sick get some sleep! If your head is humming so bad that you can't hear, take a break, who knows what else you're missing!

[everlastsupport]

Come on guys, he asked to stay on topic.

I think the OP will need more torch time, but I agree with Mark on something in the gas maybe. Too hot "generally" ends up on the floor.

Can you tell us the type metal, thickness and type filler rod. Would be easier to start there probably. Assuming from the first post it is mild steel? Are you using the 185 or the 250?

[67cudafb]

Hooda you need to take some of the coments from these guys with a grain of salt I am sure that when they started there welds looked as bad as mine and yours there is quite a learning curve to tig welding thats for sure getting right settings and gas flow what size tungsten and filler rod its endless but I do think this can be learned most members here are willing to share there knowledge and advice so hang tuff you may find someone that knows the in's and outs of tig in your area and pay them for a couple hours of there time or a case or two of beer to do a little coaching might be the ticket hang tuff brother things will get better if you are determine to and keep trying good luck

[everlastsupport]

Jake98, that was funny, too bad you deleted it. Would have maybe brought a little humor to this thread.

Hooda, if you can leave all the details as the pictures are not clear enough for anyone to go from, many here will give you parameters to get you in the ballpark.

[performance]

Hooda, a smaller cup may help you. More often than not, I have guys who make the mistake of going up a cup size (ok insert joke here), and increase gas flow, when they needed to drop a size, and increase the density of the flow. Try out a 5 on that weldment. Set it for 5 on the gauge. I find, especially with our torches, going up a size, will increase turbulence. Use a 6 if you are using a 1/8" tungsten. Stick out should be less than 1/4". A key to understanding what is going on is a full look at your tungsten tip. If you can't clear it up or have time, take a picture of it after you have used it, in and out of the collet holder, 1st in the position and length it was used to weld.

[jakeru]

Hooda - I really think this is something with your equipment setup, or your process. Not so easy to identify quickly or easily, but once you figure it out and fix it, you won't be looking back.

One question: Is your tungsten getting contaminated? I'm talking about the portion that is especially up by the collet body, away from the tip. If that is getting contaminated, you almost certainly have a problem with contaminated shielding gas. If that's the case, it doesn't necessarily mean the bottle of gas is bad (although it could be), it could mean that you have a loose connection, or your gas lead is introducing contamination into the gas (especially worth bringing up, since you welded at high amps without usign the cooler recently... PVC vapors into argon do not make for an inert shielding gas.) Anyhow, the way I'd quickly suggest diagnosing this: find a clean piece of aluminum. (with machine in AC, and maybe AC balance of 20% EP, and torch pointing straight into the flat piece) Make an arc, with enough heat to make a puddle. Verify that the puddle is perfectly "shiny chome" looking under the arc. No "junk" actively moving/floating in the middle of the puddle. Whole puddle clean, and shiny, nothing floating in it. When you stop, there should be no black flecks in the solidified puddle, it should have a pretty smooth texture.

If your test equipment passes that test (aluminum puddle is clean), then it's time to focus on either your steel materials as introducing the contamination, or your filler rod introducing it. You can probably guess the next step: see if you can reproduce the problem just welding (or making a deep puddle in) the base material, with no filler rod added. You just use the process of elimination to narrow it down.

If your equipment does not pass the "clean aluminum puddle" test, then you have to figure out where the contamination is coming from. One thing you can try, isyour other machine (the 185Micro) on the aluminum. If you have a different gas bottle, that could be good to try also.

One other thing you can try: test for leaks in the gas lines by reducing tungsten stickout so it's behind the cup, tightening the backcap, then press your thumb over the cup outlet tightly (so it seals it), and tap the foot pedal (make it a real quick tap though, so you don't get "zapped" by the high frequency), and after the solenoid shuts off, keep your thumb pressed down, a few seconds, then release and make sure pressure is holding in your inert gas supply system. If pressure is not holding, listen for any leaks in your torch lines, fittings, etc. Try your other machine and torch (185Micro).

If you have another inert gas bottle, it might be good time to try swapping that too. Sometimes gas bottles have contamination in them. Sometimes when you get to the bottom of a bottle, the pressure and your flowrate drops. I have experienced the gas on a bottle "going bad" as it nears emptiness before also.

Just giving you some food for thought... ideas to try. Hope you can get it figured out soon!

[redbeard]

One other thing you can try: test for leaks in the gas lines by reducing tungsten stickout so it's behind the cup, tightening the backcap, then press your thumb over the cup outlet tightly (so it seals it), and tap the foot pedal (make it a real quick tap though, so you don't get "zapped" by the high frequency)

Or, switch it to lift start (if equipped) or use a little piece of inner tube against a block of wood for a seal to avoid those pesky electrons.

[DVA]

I do not know why all the notes have been erased. The comments are light compared to what you would receive in the field if you showed up for a job and everyone found out you were a beginner. My work passes less than 70 % of welders, many with 20+ years pipe welding all over the country. Here are a few pictures I took in the shop of a hot tap mockup.

Hooda, I suggest you find someone who knows what they are doing and they can help you with the proper settings and techniques. With some practice you will become more consistent but it will take a lot of hood time. I attached the pictures to show the type of consistency that is typical of a professional welder.

[zoama]

I do not know why all the notes have been erased. The comments are light compared to what you would receive in the field if you showed up for a job and everyone found out you were a beginner. My work passes less than 70 % of welders, many with 20+ years pipe welding all over the country. Here are a few pictures I took in the shop of a hot tap mockup.

Hooda, I suggest you find someone who knows what they are doing and they can help you with the proper settings and techniques. With some practice you will become more consistent but it will take a lot of hood time. I attached the pictures to show the type of consistency that is typical of a professional welder.

That's some awesome welding. I don't think I'll ever be that consistent.

[sportbike]

115 amps, 3/32 tungsten, 1/16" filler. I'd leave pulse off. Keep the heat a little biased to the long tube side rather than teh end of tube side.

[JBnID]

The first TIG job I had was welding together 2x2x1/8 box tube into tables. The tee joints are easy to do by dragging the cup and laying the filler in the joint. A slight back and forth will stack the little bit of extra wire it takes to complete the joint. I STRONGLY recommend the foot pedal at least for practice so you know exactly where it operates right, then you can set upslope and downslope and use a switch when doing so many of one thing. Everything you'll be doing is stringer beads unless your saw is crooked and you have to do some filling. The 'lay wire' technique is perfect for those tee joints and short flats.
I can tell you from experience, build GOOD fixtures so the table is put together, with braces, as a unit. Otherwise something will pull out of square in spite of all you do!

With hundreds to do (I only had half a dozen and was a machinist most of the time) I'd investigate a robot line. I have a cheap Hobard Porta Tig here if you need it.

[hooda]

I do not know why all the notes have been erased. The comments are light compared to what you would receive in the field if you showed up for a job and everyone found out you were a beginner. My work passes less than 70 % of welders, many with 20+ years pipe welding all over the country. Here are a few pictures I took in the shop of a hot tap mockup.

Hooda, I suggest you find someone who knows what they are doing and they can help you with the proper settings and techniques. With some practice you will become more consistent but it will take a lot of hood time. I attached the pictures to show the type of consistency that is typical of a professional welder.

I will start off by saying that the welds in this post are something I have set my sights on being able to produce. They are beautiful. I know that I am literally YEARS away from having the experience and hence the ability to do welding to that level. But in saying that, I also never claimed to have that kind of ability in the first place. Do I think I have the TALENT to learn, and the dedication to practice until I'm that good? Abso-freaking-lutely! You know, I took an unplanned welding test a couple months back as the result of dropping off a resume and explaining to the guy where I was, experience wise. He didn't get the job that he would have needed me for, and I dropped my pursuit of the job. I ran into him last week at the local steel supplier, and he told me to keep in touch, and if things pick up, he'd still be interested in putting me on. We both realize that it would be an ENTRY level position, but it showed me that a guy who does food and pharm. grade welding has enough belief that I'm TEACHABLE to keep me on his list.

The way that some members chose to treat my call for help was (obviously) not the direction that the moderators want the forum to go. Most of the members that I talk to off-forum agree that the "look at the fat kid" mentality is childish, mean-spirited, and does absolutely nothing to advance one of the main agendas of this forum, which is to HELP fellow members in need. I've been told by several members on just this thread that I have no ability, that I can't weld, that I should re-think my career plans, and that I'm wasting my time. And the people that put these comments out offered absolutely nothing constructive as far as a solution to my problem. If I wanted to really be put in the shark tank, I would have put those pics up on that other welding website, then I would have expected to be ripped to shreds. Luckily for me, there were some decent members that offered pointers on what to try, and I was able to muddle my way through a bunch of crap that I had produced, and salvage it enough to be usable, (and thankfully for my own ego, not too visible). If I could actually afford it, I would go to a formal welding school, like hobart or lincoln. But at this point, it's not even a DREAM of being possible. Lacking that, all I can do is read, study, practice, repeat. Over and over until I actually get better. I have made a choice, and the plan has not changed, just the time table.

I have 2 questions as long as I'm at it. 1. What would be the setup to make welds like those in the pics (Tungsten, amps, cfh, etc)? and 2. I noticed that in your sig, you have a Evolution Rage2. What's your opinion of it? Do you recommend it for cutting 1/8" wall steel tubing? Thanks.

[performance]

DVA,
I did not remove the comments...But while the topic has been brought up...

This is NOT welding web or some other forum where that is a free for all. Nor, is it the "job site". Why should we lower our standards to that? We have a Broad range of customers with a broad range of capabilities. Just because someone thinks another's welds aren't up to par, is no reason to start taunting them. It's against OUR policies on the forum. Any bullying shouldn't be tolerated. We have men, women, and even several youngsters on the forum...Several people have expressed their appreciation for our keeping this forum fairly genteel and civil for the most part. A little snippiness is tolerated as we all have bad days and words don't come out right. But persistent and constant hate filled attacks against someone is not warranted here. We have a legal responsibilty as well, if we see it going on and do nothing about it, as it goes toward defamation of characther. The offensive posters are opening themselves up to legal action as well if an offended party chooses. If we can't get along, then someone has to start by editing the offensive posts out of the conversation, then if it persists, put them in time out for a while, hopefully not a permanent one.

I agree, worksite ribbing is rough sometimes, but usually good natured. If it isn't those things are usually settled with someone loosing their cool. But again, this is not the jobsite, and the rules there don't apply here. We are not talking about editing negative comments about Everlast, unless someone just starts spouting hate, and making it personal. Legitimate complaints and grievances are welcome, as long as it is civil. But the disrespect shown Hooda who came with his hat in his hand in his hand asking for advice is a pet peeve of mine, and others behind the site and on the forum. It boils down to: IF you can't say something nice, just don't say it. Did we all grow up and forget our raising and manners? Or did we not have any at all?

[KSmith]

Hooda,
I have never used a Rage chopsaw. I thought about a chopsaw for awhile, but I was not excited about the sparks working in the space of a two car garage. I ended up purchasing a harbor freight 4x6 horizontal/vertical bandsaw. It was under 200 dollars with a coupon. I picked it up myself at the store, so I could see the box had not been opened or damaged. I made a good stand for it right away, and got a good Irwin bimetal blade. A bit of setup adjustment, and it cuts within a few thousands true. You can set it up for up to 60 degree cuts. Depending on the size of your stock you want to cut, it is a great budget saw for 1/8" wall tube, thick stuff, flat stock, whatever. I have cut everything with it, quietly, accurately. Also, there is a 4x6" bandsaw forum on yahoo, that has lots of good advice for this type of saw.

ken

[SeanMurphy265]

It almost looks like the AC balance is turned more toward AC too much electrode positive dialed in. One thing about tig welding you can have one dial turned the wrong way, and go from zero to hero!

I will say tig welding with the power arc 140st has helped me out a bunch. Sometimes less is more.


I will say something for Hood a. It takes a man to ask for help. When I call support I always check to see if I made a mistake first. I have watched too many people raise hell and blame a company for their mistake. Sometimes you got to lay your pride down and ask for some help.