Bling Bling TIG work :)

[W+T]

Not that good but i am getting there with my Tig welding, been practicing again for a few hours. These will be my bow and hand rails, so 3mm feet and 1.6mm tube, not easy with the different thickness. I keep blowing holes in the tube but i manage to fill them.

 

I pickled them and a quick buff on the grinder/buffer.

 

 

 

The hard area is near the edges as you will see in the last pic, oh and keeping a steady hand. I use a block of 3x2 timber to rest on but but its the fingers and cramp.

 

Practice makes perfect

 

just though i should show my efforts, as chuffed myself

[Rob-M]

Looks like you made the right decision, welding instead of running idiots around.

[W+T]

Looks like you made the right decision, welding instead of running idiots around.

 

 

lol kida, so shocked in two ways today, that and this

[gazza]

When you get to the edges pulse the switch on the torch, let It die for a second then press the switch again, repeat as needed - it will reduce the current without having to fiddle with the set - you won't loose the arc so no need to worry about that.

Ram plenty of filler rod in at the same time too.

 

Thick to thin you need to aim the tungsten more at the 3mm plate - your tilt angle needs to be more like 50° than the normal 45° for a fillet weld of same thickness material.

 

If you start to see the pool run away just before a hole forms let go of the switch and shovel filler in like mad, it helps quench the molten metal, with practice you can avoid it blowing.

 

You doing fine though mate, keep it up

 

[FadeToScarlet]

I looked at doing a welding course at my local college, as it's a useful skill.

 

1300 for an eleven week course!!!! May well be the "buy a cheap genset from EBay and watch YouTube" route....

[W+T]

Thanks gazza, iwill give it a go today, a lot is down to my angle i think. NOt much good at multi tasking, and here i need to keep an angle/watching a pool/not shake/use a filler rod.....and breath all at the same time. Mig is easier just aim and shoot lol. Not a satisifying though.

 

I have lots of bits to make and looking forward to it. no shiny boat brigade though, just enough:).

 

 

I looked at doing a welding course at my local college, as it's a useful skill.

1300 for an eleven week course!!!! May well be the "buy a cheap genset from EBay and watch YouTube" route....

 

 

By eck, is that what they cost, hope that is to coded spec?

 

I always self teach, can be harder but i believe on lots of things you learn better and more on the journey..

[gazza]

are you sitting down when you do your welding? being comfortable makes a huge difference.

 

I know what you mean about breathing, I gave my mates lad a couple of lessons, I thought he was going to go blue in the face if he didn't start breathing soon!!!! Again, steady controlled breathing helps with the shakes, as does giving the Bow a miss prior to welding, you should see some of the crap i have turned out on a Monday morning after a heavy weekend on the juice

[gazza]

I looked at doing a welding course at my local college, as it's a useful skill.

 

1300 for an eleven week course!!!! May well be the "buy a cheap genset from EBay and watch YouTube" route....

 

get yourself over to Northampton College,

 

C&G Level 1 £321

C&G Level 2 £577

 

They used to let you do all types on one fee ie - sign on for MMA, rip through that if you are good enough and do TIG and MAG extra during the duration of your course.

 

https://www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk/courses/fabrication-and-welding/402-level-2/1599-level-2-award-in-welding-skills-manual-metal-arc-welding.html

 

The adult funding got pulled years ago for 24+

[W+T]

i got a proper welders chair the other week Gazza, well it is now, had to cut the legs down as it was way to high. i have a very comfy set up, as said just struggle with my fingers and rist, shakes and cramp.

I am good at holding y breath, i do most the time when i have eye surgery lol.

 

Anyway todays attempts, i got the tungsten closer so a smaller nice weld when i got the run going. Still with 1.6 tunsten, 1.2mm filler and 60amps with 1.5 pre and 4.5 post.

 

chuffed even more now. Still need to sort the spill on the edge. one step at a time

 

 

 

 

[gazza]

you could get a bit more filler in, will help with the slight undercut at the toes of the weld.

 

you'll soon be able to weld two sheets of the News of the World together

[W+T]

you could get a bit more filler in, will help with the slight undercut at the toes of the weld.

 

you'll soon be able to weld two sheets of the News of the World together

 

 

lol, i read Viz, but would need a good clean up first, bit grubby lol. ( not read it in years really )

 

Forgot to mention i didnt use much filler on these welds, it flowed nice and i didnt want to mess it up, just a bit to start.

[gazza]

 

 

lol, i read Viz, but would need a good clean up first, bit grubby lol. ( not read it in years really )

 

Forgot to mention i didnt use much filler on these welds, it flowed nice and i didnt want to mess it up, just a bit to start.

I'm gonna go proper boring.

 

Using no filler is known as Autogenous fusion - it is the fusion of base metals only - it works ok with some joints - particular thin butts where a lip has been folded and used to aid the joint fit up.

 

Homogenous fusion is when you use a filler similar to the base metal such as 316l wire for 316 tube. It's a must on most joints to avoid underfill on a butt joint and undercut on a fillet.

 

One thing is for sure, you won't bust those welds come what may

As for the news of the world bit, my lecturer used to say you can call yourself a welder when you can weld two sheets together.

 

I'm still learning...

[RLWP]

 

 

Forgot to mention i didnt use much filler on these welds, it flowed nice and i didnt want to mess it up, just a bit to start.

 

Now, in my eyes you did mess it up. By not feeding in enough filler you've thinned the wall of the tubes. The weld won't break, the tube will just above it

 

Use more filler and make some nice fillets

 

Richard

[gazza]

 

Now, in my eyes you did mess it up. By not feeding in enough filler you've thinned the wall of the tubes. The weld won't break, the tube will just above it

 

Use more filler and make some nice fillets

 

Richard

You'd need to give it a humongous whack to make it fail. Highly unlikely situation to ever occur.

 

You are right that a bit of filler is desirable though

[RLWP]

You'd need to give it a humongous whack to make it fail. Highly unlikely situation to ever occur.

 

You are right that a bit of filler is desirable though

 

And how thick is the tube? He's made a pretty deep scallop in it

 

Which is a shame, because the welding is actually very neat - just a bit mean with the filler

 

Richard

[gazza]

 

And how thick is the tube? He's made a pretty deep scallop in it

 

Which is a shame, because the welding is actually very neat - just a bit mean with the filler

 

Richard

It's OK, he's on test pieces at the moment.

[W+T]

Morning chaps, i was trying the Autogenous fusion method for practice, i have been told that if you can do this then it is a good way to practice the skill of welding with no filler at first then when you come to fill it is easier. You get to know whats going on with the weld. As Gazza said, these are just practice.

I believe the scallops are bad in places as to much heat/not quick enough, and the tungsten is to far from the pool. The second pics are better as i have managed to get that bit closer, just no filler. So next job is to keep steady even runs and fill. todays task

 

Oh yes Richard, the foot is 3mm and the tube is 1.6mm.

 

I will get there