How did you learn to TIG weld?
 

I have to learn basic TIG welding to convert my modlular bolted together anodizing jigs to one piece jigs. I have a good Miller machine. Is this something I can learn with YT or should I take classes or see if I can find someone on CL or local welding supply shop to teach me.

With YT and other sources you can learn TIG on your own.. I knew how to stick weld and MIG prior to learning TIG....

For Aluminum learn how to form the tip of the electrode. Prepare to make a lot of scrap.... Or have a lot of scrap to practice on

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Before you even start doing the dance with the filler, learn how to set up the machine... just strike arcs and make weld puddle... observe the behavior of the arc..

I was fortunate to work with somebody that was quite good and he gave me instruction, he did welding for the nuke industry for a while.

What material are you welding stainless or titanium? I think you will do well with some YT video and some reading to understand what you are looking for while welding. Just keep the tungsten out of the puddle.

I taught myself to tig weld after first teaching myself to weld with torches while building an airplane out of 4130 thin wall steel tubing. It ain't rocket science. Just practice on scraps after googling how to roughly set up the machine. Steel and stainless steel are easy to learn.... Thin aluminium is a bit more challenging. Practice until you get results you are looking for

The thing about TIG is you are an expert by the time you have finished :(

Thanks guys, it looks like YT and a lot of practice. I am welding aluminum jigs bolted together (Al hardware) for anodizing 911 door frames, etc. Huge time waste taking them apart to strip then and then putting them together after every run.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1697411517.jpg


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1000 gallons of sulphuric acid

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Do you have any practice pcs of aluminium sitting around same thickness as the parts you are welding and some filler rod? What model tig do you have? Does it have foot pedal control? What torch is on it? Pics will help

It really helps to take a class. Even an online class as long as it starts at the beginning. That's where YT fails. All over the place.

I have a ton of scrap bar from making the jigs so I'd be learning/practicing on the same Al as what I made the jigs from.

I'll let you know tomorrow on the Miller, I bought it from a friend.

Did it come with a bottle of argon?

Yes, one about half the size of my MIG one.

I just send it off to my son, who has a $16k pulse tig machine. He can do all metals with it, so its just easier for me to have him do it. So I sold my cheap tig welder I had. My son says I mig weld better than most, and it looks like I tig welded everything. I guess doing a lot of fabrication for a lot of years helps a bunch.

Do you know if he was using the welder for aluminium? Just checking because many smaller tig welders are DC output only.

He did use it for Al. He actually used it very little. It's pretty much brand new, but he got it 5 years ago I think.

In grade 9 or 10 in high school on a Miller Syncrowave like this.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1697416065.jpg

Then when I worked for Cominco, there were 3 of us there that were allowed to weld Titanium.

Then my first job as an engineer out of university, on the first day, one of the managers came to me and said, ‘You said you could TIG weld on your resume, can you take a look at something for me?” I spent the next 2 days welding together the balance of plant manifolds for an early solid oxide fuel cell system. The welder was just like the Syncrowave I first learned on…

I needed a railing for the deck, 50' of 2" 316s/s tube and a bunch of s/s elbows and some s/s laser cuts and a couple of days of welding, easy.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1697419980.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1697419980.jpg

That is gorgeous design and execution, love it!

Here is the welder, it's a Diversion 165. foot pedal and a lot of supplies came with it.

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Thanks, with some practice pretty easy to weld items like that. That welder does look new, it should do what you need quite well. Do you have a location away from anything flammable with an outlet to plug it into 230V 30/35A? I did a quick look and from what I can tell the high frequency switch is part of the AC/DC main switch circuit, for aluminium the HF runs constantly and only used to start for DC. Do some reading on the dangers of HF just so you are aware. Did you get tig gloves and a helmet? What tungsten electrodes did you get, a green coloured end is the one usually used with AC for aluminium, there are other electrodes also available for AC.

Good to hear, thank you. My shop has 208V single phase but I run the compressor on a 230V transformer, I think the breaker is 50A. I will plug it into that and use the Cerakote paint room for welding. Good lighting, nothing to catch on fire.

Hope to get it set up this weekend.