Tips for Overhead Tig Welding:

Following are the major pointers for learn how to tig welds overhead using the walk the cup method...

1. Enlarge the electrode far sufficient to have the correct torch angle.

2. Maintain the electrode sharp and if it gets crapped up, sharpen it or exchange to a sharp one.

3. A flex head welding torch assists for getting the torch body far sufficient away from the hot metal.

4. Maintain a tight arc...concerning same as electrode diameter used or tighter.

5. For welds on thicker metal, use several passes.

6. The lay wire method is popular, but dipping the rod is better for ensuring diffusion in the root pass.

7. If you dip, maintain the hot tip of the rod shielded with the argon as of the tig cup.

8. A gas lens works extremely well but is not forever essential.

TIG welding torches:

There are lots of different models of TIG welding torches and if you get the incorrect one, it’s similar to buying shoes that don't fit...painful. So which TIG welding torch do you want? First of all, you need to come to a decision whether to go with air cooled or water cooled.

If you are a hobbyist welder, air cooled is the method to go. Why? For one thing, water coolers cost minimum $450 and air cooled TIG welding torches don’t need a water cooler. That's why.

Once you choose between an air cooled vs. water cooled torch, then you still contain some choices to make. Like whether to get a large TIG torch or a little one, a TIG welding torch with a gas valve built in or not including, a flex head vs. a rigid head, a 12 foot vs. or a 25 foot torch, etc.

Here is a list of proposals to guide you to buying the right TIG torch for your position:

• If you want portability, a 26 foot torch is the way to go.
• For portable circumstances that need fairly high amperage similar to aluminum TIG welding, the large style air cooled torches similar to a number 18 or 26 are in order.
• For little precise and low amperage circumstances, a little gas cooled torch like a WP serious works great.
• If you can afford it, a coolant re-circulator like an Everlast Cool mate opens up your choices and lets you use attractive much any TIG welding torch you want.

Why TIG Welding Is So Popular:

TIG welding is a very accurate process that gives extremely clean welds with no splash and small amount of smoke. This makes it extremely beautiful for highly cosmetic applications, such as automotive, sculpture, experimental aircraft, and home-hobbyist jobs.

TIG welder is normally used in applications that have thin-gauge parts of stainless steel, chrome-moly tubing or lighter metals such as aluminum, and copper alloys. These thinner resources need exact heat control to prevent warping or burn-through of the foundation metal.

TIG welder machines efficiently function at the lower amperages that are wanted to give that control.

TIG Welding Overview:

TIG welding is a successful way to weld slim pieces of stainless steel and light metals such as aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloys. TIG welding is hard to master and needs knowledge and concentration to detail. This kind of welding is a smaller amount of a fire hazard than other kinds of welding and is helpful if you want to weld a structure indoors or want a extremely exact weld. Some of the places that TIG welding would be used indoors are in restaurant and study labs. Occasionally tools such as vent hoods and stainless steel tables are set and want to be welded where they are seated. Schrempf Welding offers both mobile and in shop TIG Welding based on the particulars of the individual plan.

Tips for TIG Welding:

Anybody who has worked by TIG Welders and automatic and orbital TIG systems, knows the TIG weld quality is highly needy on retain the shape and excellence of the tungsten tip. Weld begin data is dangerous with automatic TIG welding applications. Tungsten life is better with a begin ramp up from a low current begin point then ramp to the operating power.
The PowerTig 315DX power source is shown above. This is one of the most excellent, cheap, Adjustable weld parameters for 2t/4t operation. Connect to clean power generator for "go anywhere" capabilities. Easy to connect torch and accessories allow quick setup. The equipment delivers reliable, controlled weld results and the company that provides the gear provides brilliant gear product support.

For automatic TIG welds with AVC controls or high-quality tungsten to work height control, with the use of right tungsten dimension and weld parameters, both a tungsten point and a tungsten with a little flat spot with a 20 to 30 degree angle be supposed to be able to obtain the tungsten through at least a high duty 6 to 8 hours of arc on time with no tungsten regrind or modify.

How to Improve TIG Welding Efficiency:

By its very nature, TIG welding is a comparatively slow process. But it is too a very adaptable one. In fact, it can be used to weld many materials than any other welding process, even exotic and heavier alloyed metals. It is too ideal for slim resources, as it generates a low heat input to prevent burn-through. Plus, no matter the application, when completed correctly TIG welding can give very high weld excellence.

Achieving such positive results, though, isn’t forever easy-it as much a matter of training and do as it is easy patience. Luckily, arming yourself with few tips along the way can help you very much get better the competence of the process. After all, you don’t want an already slow welding process to turn into slower!

Top Five Tips for Improving TIG Welding Efficiency:

>> Invert the Process

>> Stay Cool and Flexible

>> Cover Yourself

>> Less Can Be More

>> Get to the Point

Final Tips:
Keep in mind, no welding process is perfect. Still, with a few know how and a bit of practice, it can become additional efficient-even if you are using a comparatively slow process similar to TIG welding. The key is to create sound decisions about your gear selection and take care with the size of the welds you are completing. Ultimately, taking that little bit of time upfront can save you time and money in the long run.

An overview on types of welding

Welding industry has developed a lot and many welding techniques are followed and new welding machines have been introduced. There are different types of welding process and each one has its own merits and demerits. Arc welding is a welding technique that uses a welding power supply and creates electric arc between electrode and base materials and Forge welding is a process that joins metal by heating them to high temperature. Tig welding uses tungsten electrode to produce the weld and it is the other name for gas tungsten metal arc welding and it is used to weld thin sections of stainless steel and non ferrous metals. Mig welding is an automatic arc welding process preferred for its versatility and speed and weld aluminum and non ferrous materials. Spot welding is a process in which metal surfaces are joined by the heat obtained from resistance of current flow. Gas welding is also called as oxy-fuel welding and use gases to weld and cut metals. Stick welding or shielded metal arc welding is a manual arc welding process that uses consumable electrodes. Plasma arc welding uses plasma gas and has narrow penetration with greater energy concentration.

TIG Welding:

TIG welders are intended for the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding method (GTAW), which is usually referred to as the Tungsten Inert Gas method (TIG welding). The TIG method derives the warmth for welding as of an electric arc recognized among a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the division to be welded. Filler metal, if used, is physically provided for into the weld puddle at what time TIG welding.

The TIG welding method requires an air- or water-cooled torch to hold the tungsten electrode and is linked to the TIG welder. The TIG welding method also requires an outside defensive gas, characteristically argon, helium, or a combination of the two to defend the melt metal and electrode from impressive contagion.

High excellence welds can be created by TIG welders. The TIG welding method too has all places welding ability and is brilliant on extremely thin equipment. In addition, a TIG welder makes welds that contain exceptional look and clean-up is quick and simple as there is no slag and fundamentally no splash.

Tig Welding Corner Joint

A corner joint consists of welding one piece of metal at a right angle to the edge of a second piece, thereby forming a corner. On light material up the 1/8” in thickness, no filler rod is required for a corner joint. With heavier metal the use of a filler rod is advisable. If the metal exceeds 1/4”, one of the two pieces of the joint should be beveled as in a single-V joint.

Welding Procedure

Assembling the Torch
Select the proper diameter electrode by consulting this document’s Appendix. It is necessary to properly prepare the electrode tip in order to get a good weld. If DC welding is to be performed, the tip must be sharpened much like a pencil. The easiest way to do this is to use the band-sanders in the foundry. Turn on the sander, hold the electrode at about a 20° angle to the sander face, and rotate the electrode until a sharp point is formed. If AC welding is to be performed, a rounded, conical tip is necessary. In order to properly shape an electrode for AC welding, first sharpen it as one would for DC welding. The second half of the AC electrode preparation will be discussed later, after the rest of the equipment is up and running.

Select a collet that is the same size as your electrode. The collets are often not in their proper bins, so double-check to see that it slides snugly around the electrode. Pick a cup with an appropriate orifice diameter to match the electrode (see Appendix). Screw the lens into the back of the torch, and then the cup over the lens from the front. Slide the collet around the electrode and slip the electrode through the lens and out the front of the torch. Then screw the electrode cap onto the back of the torch, thereby, covering the back of the electrode and locking it into place. The electrode should protrude between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch out of the front of the torch. If it sticks too far out, loosen the cap and adjust it until it is in the appropriate position.

Grounding the Workpiece

One must make sure that electricity can properly flow out of the workpiece to ground. First, securely clamp the grounding cable to the welding table. Second, fixture the workpiece in a manner so that there is direct contact between the workpiece and the table.

Turning on the Equipment


First of all, check to see that the cooling water valve to the right of the welding machine is fully open (it should always be left open for safety’s sake). Then flip the main switch on the front of the welding machine to the ON position. Next, open the regulator valve on the top of the argon tank. It is a "double seating" valve which must opened all the way in order to properly seal.

It is usually a good idea to check that both the argon and the water are flowing properly. In order to do this, hold the torch in one hand so that it is not in contact with any metal and press down on the foot controller. This should start both the argon and the water flow. On the 300, you can look out the window behind the machine to see that the water is exiting the machine through the disposal tube. Check the flow meter on the argon regulator to see that the argon is flowing at the proper level. (See Appendix for suggested flow rates) Adjust the flow meter if necessary.

Joint Preparation

Proper cleaning of the metal can be essential in producing a solid joint. This is especially true with aluminum, where the pieces to be welded should always be scrubbed clean of all corrosion and dirt. Steel can usually be left as is, unless the pieces are extremely corroded.

Fixture the pieces to be welded in a fashion that allows for proper current flow between the workpiece and the table. Pieces usually do not have to be clamped together, but they should be well supported.

Protection


The arc produced in TIG welding gives off very dangerous UV radiation. Even if one is to catch only a slight glimpse of the arc with the naked eye, one can expect to have a headache the next day. It is the responsibility of the welder to look after his/her own safety and the safety of others.

First, always set up the orange screens around the two edges of the welding table that face the rest of the room. These are crucial in protecting others. Next be sure that there is no exposed skin on the body of the welder. Wear the TIG welding gloves to protect one's hands and be sure that one is wearing only natural fabrics, since synthetics could melt if exposed to sparks from the welding. It is also a good idea to wear either a turtle neck or a shirt with the neck buttoned in order to be sure that one's neck is not exposed. Any unprotected skin can receive a nasty sunburn from overexposure.

Next, put on an arc-welding helmet. Keep it in the upright position on your head until you actually weld. The one with the large smoked glass plate in the front provides a better field of vision than the others with smaller plates. The darkness of the glass is rated from 1 to 15. Be sure that the glass in your helmet is 11 or over.

Preparing to Weld

Sit at the welding table with your properly fixtured workpiece in front of you. Place the foot controller in front of your chair so that you can comfortably control it with your foot. Hold the properly assembled torch in the hand that you write with. Grasp it about half way along the shaft that connects to the hoses in the same manner as you would grip a pencil. Hold a piece of filler rod in your other hand if you intend to use it.

Starting the Arc

Since the welding machine features a high frequency start current, it is not necessary to make contact with the workpiece in order to start the arc. So place the torch at the point where you wish to begin the weld about with the tip of the electrode about 1/8” off the workpiece. Then lower the visor on the welding helmet. You will not be able to see anything until the arc has started. Call out “welding” so that everyone else in the room knows to avoid looking at the arc. Press down nearly all the way on the foot switch and the arc should start. If it does not start (because you are too far away) slowly bring the electrode tip closer to the workpiece until the arc forms. Do not make contact with the workpiece as this can melt the electrode! The light of the arc should illuminate as small area around the torch so that you can see.

A common problem is to have the torch stray away from the intended starting position when the visor is lowered. A good trick in avoiding this is to actually touch the electrode to the intended starting point on the workpiece before lowering the visor. This will usually anchor the electrode enough so that it will not move when the visor is lowered. Then, bring the electrode slightly off the workpiece but keep it within 1/8” so that the arc will still start. Then press down on the foot controller to start the arc.

Source: http://www.stanford.edu/group/prl/documents/html/TIGweld.htm

Arc Welding and Related Methods

Learn TIG Welding

Rule Of Thumb Fillet Weld Sizes

Resistance Spot Welding

Welding Underwater

Welding Robot

Personal Protection While Welding

It is necessary that the worker and helpers be properly clothed and protected because of the heat, ultra-violet rays, and sparks, produced by the arc welder. For body protection a pair of fire retardant long sleeved coveralls without manacles is a good choice. Always avoid clothing with tears, snags, rips, or worn spots as these are effortlessly ignited by sparks. The sleeves and collars should be kept buttoned. The hands should be confined with leather gauntlet gloves. A pair o high top leather shoes, rather safety shoes, is good defense for the feet. If low shoes are worn the ankles should be protected by fire opposed to leggings. Eyes should be protected by translucent spectacles if the person wears recommendation glasses or safety glasses if not. A welding helmet or hand shield with filter plate and cover plate is mandatory for eye defense from the harmful rays of the arc. The filter plate should be at least shade for common welding up to 200 amps. However, certain operations such as carbon-arc welding and higher current welding operations need darker shades. Never use a helmet if the riddle plate or cover lens is cracked or broken. A flame-proof skull cap to protect the hair and head as well as hearing shield in noisy situations is recommended.

Plastic throwaway cigarette lighters are very dangerous around heat and fire. It is very imperative that they not be carried in the pockets while welding. Always provide protection to bystanders or other workers by welding inside a appropriately screened area, if possible. If powerless to work inside a screened area then protection to others should be provided by a transferable screen or shield, or by their wearing anti-flash goggles

MIG Aluminum Welding

Various Types of Welding

Shielded Metal Arc Welding


Shielded Metal Arc Welding is the most common method of joining metals. “Stick” welding as it is commonly referred, is an arc welding process with the arc between a covered electrode and the weld pool. SMAW uses shielding from the decomposition of the electrode covering, and filler metal from the electrode. Using the SMAW process the welder can rapidly make high quality welds on various types of metals with varying thicknesses in all positions with excellent uniformity.

Gas Metal Arc Welding


Also known as “Mig” welding, this process, because it uses an arc between a continuous filler wire and the weld pool, is extremely fast and economical. GMAW is often used to do production work due to its speed, versatility, and ease of use. The process is used with shielding from an externally supplied gas and is used to weld on a variety of metal thicknesses from thin-gauge metal to heavy plate metal in any position.

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding


Gas Tungsten Arc Welding – Often referred to as “Tig” welding, can be used on almost any metal. An arc between a non-consumable electrode (tungsten) and the weld pool produces high quality welds that require little or no post weld finishing. This process uses a shielding gas to protect the weld pool.

Flux Core Arc Welding



Flux Cored Arc Welding – The flux cored arc welding process is similar to the GMAW process and uses the same type of equipment as GMAW. FCAW also uses an arc between a continuous filler wire and the weld pool. This process is used with shielding gas from a flux contained within the tubular electrode, and can also use an externally supplied gas (dual shield wire).

Air Carbon Arc Gouging

Settings for TIG Welding Stainless Steel

In the TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding process, an essentially non-consumable tungsten electrode is used to provide an electric arc for welding. A sheath of inert gas surrounds the electrode, the arc, and the area to be welded. This gas shielding process prevents any oxidization of the weld and allows for the production of neat, clean welds.