Welding - Stick, TIG and MIG - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 04:03:29 am
content: Catch all ramble of sticking metal together by electrical means. Can likely include Spot or Laser Welding too or whatever process you like apart from maybe Gas Torch which deserves its own thread.Youtube Resourceshttps://www.youtube.com/c/weldHAGOJIBI/videosSome excellent TIG based content the Auto translate to English works well and the with the teaching style doesn't matter that much anyway.https://www.youtube.com/c/Welddotcom/videosSome of their older content in particular on MIG, Stick and TIG is excellent in particular Bob Moffats. Recently it is patchy.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHNlp0SkVEuVVHNtAuRH8UAsppeaking of which I hope Bob gets this off the groundhttps://www.youtube.com/c/WeldTubeHouston/videosMore Pipe and heavy industry focus but worth a look.https://www.youtube.com/c/PacificArcTigWelding/videosTIG focused content well worth a look.https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFabricatorSeries/videosLoads of varied content but Car mods/repairs and roll frames feature.https://www.youtube.com/c/weldingtipsandtricks/videosCan be a bit Infomercial style in parts but way more high quality advice within so look past that.Plenty of others including some generalist Metalwork ones so add them below and I can tweak this.Internet Resourceshttps://www.esabna.com/us/en/support/tools/index.cfmLots of good apps, calculators and more on ESAB's site.https://www.millerwelds.com/resourcesMillers Resource page and guidesForums on Welding and or Fabricationhttps://weldingweb.com/vbb/Large and active Welding Forumhttps://www.weld.com/Forum and Resources to go with the YouTube content

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 04:04:34 am
content: place holder

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2021, 04:24:13 am
content: Couple of projects I am cutting out and prepping for welding.Which will be first the Cart or the Table is still abut I am leaning toward the table top then its base then the cart.The Cart is based on a small steel filing cabinet I scrounged for $25 and 30x30x2mm Frame for the rest. The steel arrived last week so I can start chopping it up soon. The 'spare' spot on top is aspirational for the Plasma cutter I don't own yetThe Table in particular this table is a complete luxury item but I decided to do it properly and make the fabrication of square and accurate bits easier. 5mm Interlocking Pickled and Oiled table (certiflat style but not really) and 8mm 304 Stainless fixtures so I can swap them between my woodworking fixture table with a quick wipe. Righthand extension is a Vice mount. Same 30x30 frame and steel pegboard panels for storage of fixtures and clamps. I haven't had the cutting extension made yet and am still tweaking it to fold down.Already done a bunch of prep on the waterjet cut bits with all the holes being reamed to 20mm and a light chamfer on both sides. 20mm is to keep compatibility with my woodworking gear but 5/8" is far more common if you are making one and has more existing clamps available. Really at a clean and prep stage for the table to get rid of a little flash rusting from the waterjet.

author: Alti
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2021, 08:45:55 pm
content: Quote from: beanflying on November 01, 2021, 04:24:13 amJust out of curiosity - how did you specify the tolerances when placing order for fixtures? I mean, you want to receive those with holes that are smaller than 20mm.So did you specify 20mm holes in dxf file and they know this is supposed to be reamed to 20mm afterwards so they cut the holes tad smaller?Or rather, did you specify lets say 19.8mm knowing based on their data, that this waterjet follows dxf centerline and has a cone that blasts 0.2mm of material(0.1+0.1) on exit, and has 0.1mm positioning tolerance on top of that? I mean, this is not a super precise machinery but how did you deal with tolerances?

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2021, 11:25:47 pm
content: I supplied a slightly tapered plug (19.98-20.02mm) to the Waterjet company so he could cut a few sample holes prior and check his software kerf correction as I wanted a fairly high tolerance. When I went to see him initially he had a sampler of holes we looked at prior to finalizing the design. I did consider going to a Laser Cutter but this guy was more local and seemed up for the challenge.For the Table parts I tweaked the holes to 20.1mm so the reamer was more of a cleanup for the small nubbin left by the cut process. There is still a slightly detectable bump so I could go in with a small drum or file but it can be done after if needed but filing a few hundred holes has little attraction.In the case of the fixture and angle plate bits in Stainless they were cut at a tight 20mm and he tweaked the software kerf allowance for me to take them just under, generally from the ones I sampled they were running close to 19.95 +- a few and I know he fitted a brand new nozzle for this run so what the reamer was doing was minimal.With the tabs and slots I put a 0.2mm clearance into the widths in CAD (-0.1mm either side on the tabs) and set the width of material to 5 and 8mm respectively knowing the metal was 0.2mm'ish under thickness. This is touchy feely more than precise engineering but the bits slide together and have a slight level of wiggle room to adjust and clamp before welding. I do this on my small Laser cutter with tab and slot boxes so I have a bit of practice.So between the slight fit allowance of the table to fixture bits I will easily be able to hold sub 0.5mm across it without any real stress or checking. The reality of welding anything is it pushes and distorts as you go but the more square and accurate you start the closer you finish.EditLast of the Table base bits arrived in the form of Leveling CasterseBay auction: #373720715093Stash of M20x40 Hex headed screws and half nuts in 304 Stainless which against Black Steel was not that much more expensive.Reason for the half nuts was partly cost but also the 40mm length will get me full engagement through 18-19mm of timber and a fixture for use on my timber tables. Somewhat unsurprisingly I lack the 17mm AF Hex Key so just one more thing to add to the list.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2021, 05:23:04 am
content: This topic just brought back a memory of frustration......A few months ago I walked into the tool shop of my local Bunnings to see someone buying a highly marked down MIG/TIG/Stick welder for $200. I asked the guy there (pointing to the one being purchased) if they had any more and he said they had 3 that were sitting around for ages and finally made the decision to just clear them out ... and that was the last one. Normal price was in the $400-$500 range and while not the best you could get, it certainly comfortably covered anything I could envisage.Now, whenever I go in, I ask ... but have not found anything close ever since.

author: totalnoob
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2021, 01:47:08 pm
content: Under your "resources" you might want to add weldingweb.com which has a mix of pro and amateur welders who can answer questions and provide advice.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2021, 02:02:50 am
content: AddedTodays thought and sketching over a coffee. Most of the youtubers and even manufacturers get the base of their clamp designs wrong for the thinner (under say 1/4") fixture tables and try and use the hole sides to jamb a round peg in at an angle to hold down. The issue with this is you will deform and or stretch the hole and this will lead to it being useless for positional holding in short order.So Pinching an idea from Fireball Tools and a quick and dirty model in Fusion to work out some clearances on the 20mm hole. The frames of these cheapy Clamps is about 3/16" or 5mm so plenty of meat in them to weld and there is enough material from the cut off section to make the other two plates from. ** Take the plating off where you are going to weld if you like your lungs.Same principle will apply to chopped G or F clamps as the force from the clamp is more rotational rather than a lift against it.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 29, 2021, 01:11:43 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on November 07, 2021, 05:23:04 ammy mma/mig/tig arrived yesterday, its local brand for about $200+ rated 200A+ or whatever.. nowadays abundant of them can be had from china as cheap as $100 3 in 1 mma/mig (gasless)/tig but i dont want to be too cheap so i picked the one that can support gas mig.. it took me this long because of fear and frustration factor (solid state tech are not as durable as the dinasour age thick transformer type, and my bad experience with mig expecting it to behave like a stick welding, my bad actually) so i've been living with dinasour age transformer for 20+ years. recently i had a fucked up moment with filleted metal that i tried to assemble with the old machine, and electric bill skyrocketed for no good reason, that forced me to open my option to solid state igbt tech. i can see the one that i bought, has neat tricks like VRD, Arc Force, Hot Start, 2T/4T. so from the outside it seems to be an interesting machine with tech that i missed for years compared to the single mode fat heavy assed dinasour transformer.. hopefully the extra $100 tag compared to the cheapest hunglow is a worthy buy. lets see how many years (or months?) of gut it can has. finger crossed. ps: my tig torch,w accs are on their way, the struggle is actually on trying to find Argon/CO2 tank supplier near my secluded area here.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2021, 03:30:16 pm
content: you forgot acetylenehttps://www.youtube.com/user/897473Gas brazing is a wonderful technique. yes he is a artist but its extremely useful for physics objects. There are alot of things that naturally you would want to weld, but brazing is strong enough and easier to apply and makes for a quicker project... so its a worthwhile technique.. plus its extremely cost effective, especially if you want to stay brand-name with your welding purchases...

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2021, 05:02:03 am
content: Quote from: beanflying on November 01, 2021, 04:03:29 amNo I didn't I suggested it deserves and needs its own as it is every bit as diverse and specialized as Electric welding.

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2021, 06:19:28 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on November 07, 2021, 05:23:04 amI was in Bunnings a few weeks ago and saw a 140A stick welder for $99. I'd been wanting to try welding for a while and had seen someones YT video on one they bought (from Bunnings) for $50. It was on clearance and I just said that I'd seen some video on YT where it was $50 can I buy it for $50 too. They said yes. It was a Bossweld mini-arc 140. I'm hoping if you buy it from Bunnings it will at least meet the specs on the box.I saw a few videos on YT tearing down cheap welders bought on Ebay and something I did notice was this one had two big input caps instead of just one. One clearly had space on the PCB for two but one was unpopulated. And internally the Bossweld one had copper bussbars where the Ebay cheapies had aluminium (if that). Don't know if it makes a huge difference but it is clearly cheaping out.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2021, 07:05:32 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on December 18, 2021, 06:19:28 amMate. Do yourself a favour and find a local men's shed. Identify the resident hermit there and they will get you going with technique and tool advice.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2022, 04:22:26 am
content: Bumpity Bump - sort of.Janky jigging today but it got the job done. TIG 50 amps no filler on a Hydraulic jack screw that go sheared off. Part of a rebuild on my Lifting table and it will be attached with the flex drive used on part of the jig. The Hex was just a cut down spare nut driver and I will run a die back up over the weld to tidy the thread area.Magnetic pointer/earth is a great thing to add to your collection too.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2022, 02:44:51 am
content: Bob is back with nearly a dozen videos in the last month. Good mix of factory tours and welding info presented in his cruisy style.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2022, 08:44:33 am
content: I am WEAK and it was just on $500 AUD because of some loyalty points I had and because it was Boxing Day it got me another $100 in vouchers...... Got a trailer to rebuild this year and a little work down the yard so Gasless MIG is faster/sensible over TIG outside and WAY WAY better than my stick welding skills are likely to ever get back to.At least that was 'part' of the justification160A Mig/Stick box with all the modern easy set point and shoot but can be over ridden and will run Gasless or Gas, Steel, Stainless or Aluminium.

author: Alti
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2022, 12:58:03 pm
content: Quote from: beanflying on December 26, 2022, 08:44:33 amI have never heard about 15% duty cycle rating. Usually these ratings were given in 35% and 100% ED at 10 minutes.QuoteQuote

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2022, 01:19:10 pm
content: I had a talk to the product guys at a recent trade show and theirs is 1 1/2 minutes to 10 off so it is a generous 15% I guess. The reality is most of what I will be doing with it will be 2-3mm wall tubing so you don't need 160A regardless. If you are welding 25 to even 50mm SHS I doubt you could weld much over that duty cycle unless you have a heap of tube fixtured ready to go.Different story if you are trying to weld 6-10mm plate or continual root and filler passes but then this is not the welder you buy either. This is also not a BS evilbay duty cycle either requiring 200% efficiencyit runs on a 10A 240V socket.The other attractive thing to me in part is it will run off the Generator I own while the TIG I got a year or so back will not and a larger MIG would be in the same boat. Even if I wound the TIG back it is worth a lot more $ if I fried before you get to the issues of Gas outdoors.

author: matskatsaba
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2023, 04:39:07 pm
content: Quote from: Alti on December 26, 2022, 12:58:03 pmThey exist. I have a MIG with 15% duty cycle too. It was VERY cheap.At least not that cheap to base it off of Amps, since afaik that's pretty much constant in MIG mode (around 60 amps on mine).It's an export so the 15% duty cycle at 24V can't be taken too seriously either. Well, at least it still works, only keeping this particular one to lend.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2023, 04:24:42 am
content: what electrodes do people use and what did you learn with?I went with 3/32. I got lanthinated, ceriated (only 1), zircronated and the LaYZr ones, along with the dremel mounted sharpener with the diamond stone so I can do grinding near a vacuum cleaner.I am just practicing laying beads right now. I seem to contaminate it alot. It seems that the 2% lanthinated one is the most durable. From what I gather the Zirconated one might be best for aluminum and the lanthium/zircron/yttrium one might be the best for ferrous metal, if you know what you are doing.. but in general it seems that the lanthinted one gives me better results for everything. The cerinated one seems to have great reviews but I found the one I have seems to give me the hardest time.They seem like a minor factor until you get proficient with the hand work.And I did find an interesting one, Yttriated tungsten, which seems new and rather undocumented, but I feel like it will probobly only be a minor difference.I tried to make a torch holder basket out of the stainless filler rod by welding a big one with a small one for a first project but my stainless substrate was thinner then the rod so it turned out to be a hard weld, I managed to tack one on in like 6 places but the second one got melted so I decided to just practice running beads on the rest of the sheet metal. Right now I am only working on a 1/4 inch flat bar (3 inch by 3 feet) laying on the welding table loose with the clamp on the work piece, waiting for more metal for the table top.I also experimented with solar flux B, I mixed a bit of it in a bottle cap with anhydrous isopropyl alcohol, brushed it on the bottom of the work piece with a acid brush, and it greatly improved the surface quality on the underside of the piece of stainless sheet (the weld area was floating in the air), when I started to run beads on the parts without it, there was alot of 'sugaring' on the bottom.The foot pedal control is very confusing (i prefer the O/A torch 'distance' heat control method), but it does allow me to get less of a messed up bead on the edge of the metal if I reduce power on the last bit.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2023, 05:56:33 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on June 23, 2023, 04:24:42 amWhat a good question. I'll have to ask my guru.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2023, 06:16:45 am
content: the other tip I have is for fixturing small parts you can use cleco parallel jaw clips, so long you have enough thermal isolation not to melt it with the tack weld. They are zinc but it seems not to be above warm but handleable after a tack joint a inch away.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2023, 06:17:18 am
content: attempted to butt weld some 1/16 stainless plates at 50 amps with a 1/16th electrode on top of a 1/4 inch copper plate.High distortion occurs, I am not sure if its possible to weld it without high distortion. The best video I see has some guy working at similar power levels with a hammer. The other videos show the plates being welded in a heavy fixture. Needs to be banged out even after tack welding. I see the 'test' for this thickness for certification involves working in a fixture that clamps the material within a centimeter of the weld bead on the whole surface ( chill bars ).Honestly, I would say its not that much better then O/A. At least, it won't make distortion magically disappear. Less hammer work but you will still be hammering unless you put very tight fixturing (the plates that look like side cutters up close). It's nicer in every regard but its not a magic bullet if anyone was curious. I don't mean that the process is not faster, easier, less work, etc.. just it won't make all the problems magically go away. The fixture is still critical IMO.There are pulse processes that look very interesting (the cold welding thing), which is unique, but this is just my view so far on conventional bead laying for say making a box.You might say it goes from a unmanageable amount of post work to a manageable amount of post work. I do have a good feeling about the 1/8 inch plate, but its rather beefy for my applications.I thought about trying the method of using a much higher current with a pulse per push to see how that turns out, letting it cool in between.i.e. don't skip on the welding table and fixturing to splurge on a nice welder, it wont save you there lol.I want to get those heavy ass chill bar clamps and compare the tig to O/A weld. That would be very interesting.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2023, 10:08:16 am
content: does anyone have any nice welding clamps or fixtures they made?I got an idea to make chill bars. I got a aluminum block, a big one. I see chill blocks are like 900$+I thought it might be pretty simple to setup some stops on the table saw, then cut a T - shaped groove in the middle of the block. So long the stops are proper (magnetic switches), I think the saw should be able to widdle out a T shaped slot.Then, I would put end plates on both sides of the brick with the T in it (glue or screws) to seal it up without the need for any milling machine.For the gas diffuser I thought to get two brass tubes of the correct thickness for the bottom of the T slot. Solder them together like a double barrel shotgun and then cut the top tube in half, so it makes a U on top of a O. Then drill holes down the middle of the U (cut pipe) to make a gas diffuser that has nice rounded walls. Then just stuff it into the hole, throw in a segment of drilled copper on top to cover it up, and maybe stuff a rolled up tube made of out screen material under the copper to act as more of a diffuser.I see alot of people make this but I ain't see one with plates on the end, so that means you can use a saw to cut the whole thing. The thermal conductivity and stiffness increase from having machined side walls instead of just putting plates on the sides is bull shit IMO.What I am saying is that if you just put walls on the sides made out of plates it gets rid of alot of complex milling.The only hard part would be to cut slots on the top steel pieces to hide the screw heads, and the small slot in the middle of the copper bar. the slot in the copper bar I could do on my tiny milling machine though. But other then that so long you have a block of aluminum I don't see the exact need for a mill. Lots of grinding to bevel the plates though. I got a aluminum block, a steel flat bar (5/8 x 2.5) and copper bus bar and even brass tubes. I could try a angle gouge on the top plates to rough it in before precision angle grinding.But shit, is almost free for me if I do it this way. I wonder how the saw stands up to a aluminum block. If you only do a mm at a time I think it will hold.and maybe make a copper epoxy cement by mixing copper powder with epoxy to anchor the tube into place and increase thermal mass, but idk if you want the tube coupled to the block because the gas is coolant and it would be cooling the block but it would be emerging hot on the weld vs not cooling the block as much and directly cooling the weld.a regular slot and a copper plate to cover the whole surface would work. there is no need unless you are trying to save copper. i cant think of a reason.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2023, 01:06:38 am
content: I cut a groove in the big brick with a table saw (1 hour work) and cut the side panels and the two top clamps (aluminum, anodized, 5/16), and ordered a copper 3/8 plate to put on top of it.The only problem I did not figure out yet is how to make slots in the top jaws, unfortunately it looks like I need to use a router here, if I want recessed bolts, or drill and file for strait slots.I will probobly file out a oval and then route a recess for the bolt heads at a later time maybe.

author: JohnG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2023, 03:12:46 pm
content: This made my day!John

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2023, 05:00:09 am
content: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vGVwzw5sC3Qmusician makes more then a welder

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2023, 05:16:31 am
content: https://youtube.com/shorts/FTYsnpsxcVI?feature=shareI KNEW IT HAD A USE IN THE WELD SHOP

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2023, 05:36:58 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on July 07, 2023, 05:16:31 amSome of us wonder what it's like to be able to weld stuff on a bench. For once.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2023, 05:50:52 am
content: lol what you want is zero gravityI guess all the paying jobs are in a dirt hole under a pipe? easiest transition ever to or from the armed forces. fox hole ready, and it rains fire either way

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2023, 05:55:10 am
content: I kind of wonder if there is some old backwood southern car mechanic practice where you dig a reinforced trench under a car so you don't need a liftfor the stupid, don't do this, it does not take much of a hole to kill you and shoring is hard

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2023, 06:09:17 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on July 07, 2023, 05:55:10 amWe ummed and ahhed about putting in a service pit, decided that a hoist is the go. They are quite cheap nowadays, just don't cheap out on the concrete footing.

author: DarkMode
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2023, 08:10:12 am
content: I thought Men's sheds had an age requirement?As in "your too young to be in here Sonny"

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2023, 08:53:49 am
content: Quote from: DarkMode on July 07, 2023, 08:10:12 amWhat?What happened?

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 01:07:12 am
content: I think the micrometer video caused some discontent

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 06:05:29 am
content: you can put slots and cut tellurium copper fine on a good carbide saw on a table saw, I am almost done with my back purge fixture. I got a 3/8 inch TeCu plate that mounts on top of the 8x4x3 aluminum block that has the slot cut into it. I cut aluminum panels for the side walls and I will put a side wall on the slotted TeCu plate so the gas does not escape from the side (will screw a filed copper block in the ends of the groove). Got a 150 mesh stainless mesh to act as a gas diffuser inside of the aluminum and 3/16 inch holes in the copper plate to pass gas through and something like a 3/16 groove in the copper plate, held together with stainless bolts and I plan to put thermal grease between the plate and the block. Only hard part is filing the bottom of the grooves flat because its a little jagged as careful as you are with the saw, pain in the ass, but flatness is not critical, I just don't want roughness.If you free hand the block on a bound saw area then you can probobly smooth out the bottom but I just did back and forth slide passes I would rather just use the file for a few hours then fuck around with the saw that much... kinda feel like that might be pushing your luck for some reason. I keep the block im slotting flush up against the guide every pass and advance it a little bit each pass. Never lift it up just move it forward and back and only take like 1/16 of an inch deep each time. Takes a while and probobly hell on the saw but its not hogging IMO, easier then kneeding a pizza

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2023, 05:52:13 am
content: I managed to get all the gauges for weld inspection from GAL. Everything besides the pipe pit gauge.I think it will be nice to have test equipment to use with welds other then a wildarizer.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2023, 07:35:07 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on June 23, 2023, 04:24:42 amTypically you set the welder for the current required to make nice welds and only use the treadle when starting so to blast some heat in so to get to welding heat faster which also saves on Argon.Quote from: coppercone2 on July 04, 2023, 06:17:18 amTechnique is everything.For thin plate you needs lots of short stitch beads before even considering runs of any length.Aim to keep heat build up as low as possible by shifting to another part of the seam and then come back once heat has dissipated.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2023, 08:58:18 pm
content: well my back purge thing is almost finished I will try it with that, its not pleasant to weld with the sugaring on the other side anyway. I think that fixture is supposed to allow you to practice faster, other then being mandated for some test.Just need to get my 3/8-24 bolts because I bought 3/8-16 bolts by accident after tapping it to 24. and the gas diffuser needs a flange so it does not leak out the side

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2023, 08:59:42 pm
content: I want like a thermal cam eye patch things like the colonial marines thermal imager so I know when it cools down and when its over heating lolthey need a welding helmet with a Ti in it

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2023, 12:09:57 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on July 08, 2023, 01:07:12 amthis one?https://youtube.com/shorts/McNjXzCwf-oor this one?https://youtube.com/shorts/crtdwenwik8

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2023, 02:40:42 am
content: https://youtube.com/shorts/3dRZPnH_Uhg?feature=shareI wonder if those micrometers almost ruined a contract or something, its a vendetta at this point

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 15, 2023, 10:34:48 pm
content: if anyone is curious about weld gauges, I recommend you buy GAL.I got 1 gauge by riverweld, and its a POS. The hi-lo gauge is like a caliper but it runs like they made a casting for a caliper body. The GAL gauges all run smooth as butter after a cleaning even though they are probobly ancient. Its all stainless steel so I used ultrasonic and then gentle lubrication with silicone oil.The riverweld is so unpleasant to use I bought a GAL gauge to replace it.And I tried to stone the body of the gauge, but the problem is the caliper body/block thing. Its very rough inside. Sounds like a chalk board when you use it, even with ultrasonic clenaer and silicone oil and stoning as many surfaces are possible. It might be fixable with lapping compound on some kind of special lap to polish the interior square bore but I am just not going to go there. If I know one thing its don't skimp on test equipment for any trade .Or maybe a fine diamond file could do it but it would be hard to hold it true IMO. And the edges of the sliding parts of the caliper are not ground true, they ground it so there are like dots every 0.5cm that are sort of flat. It's not even the quality of fowler (which is inferior to mitutoyo and starrett usually). Someone must be standing over the grinder making sure they don't actually do enough passes to make a true flat.At first I thought it was some kind of feature to work better with welding grit and stuff, but the damn mechanism is too poor. Thats why they cost 20% of the GAL gauges.But then again you can't even get a decent metal rule from the cheap asses that make the cheap measurement tools.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 03:50:07 am
content: made the welding diffuser screen for inside of the block. I bent a 1/16th stainless rod into a rectangle, did a poor weld to join it, and for it into the cavity. I was off by 1mm but its nothing that a bit of silicone sealant wont seal, and I need to fix it into place anyway, so a microbead of silicone wont hurt anything, and I managed to destroy the replacement I made. I don't see how you could get a good seal to a bent rectangle wire structure and a slot without silicone anyway. It would need to be well machined to direct all the gas properly.To weld the 150 mesh screen on, use a spot welder set to 5J or so. I put maybe 100 welds to join the stainless steel mesh rectangle to the rectangle made out of wire, then go over it with scissors to trim it down, then run over it with a diamond file to get any errant threads and cut them off again.I dropped mine on top of the gas diffuser support structures.The hard part is bending the stainless rod, I was never good at bending thin stuff precisely.To weld the stainless mesh to a irregular surface, put a flat piece of aluminum on it at first and expose the first weld area. Tack it in a few places and its stiff enough to go manually. I am surprised how easy that part was, as usual, bending is the hard part.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 06:08:54 am
content: i put the copper plate on with arctic mx5, and used alunox for the bolts that hold it down and silicone dielectric under the flatheads. There was a bit of seepage into the groove but I used a long implement to scrape the thermal grease that got squeezed into the middle from the side. I guess gluing it in was maybe ill thoguht out since its difficult to clean the screen, but I can use a small bottle brush to scrub it. When it gets too soiled from splatter I can just pull it out and put a new on in I guess that fits better.Kinda wondering if it will start leaking thermal grease into the diffuser once it gets hot but whatever.First time it gets hot I will pop the sides off and check the groove. Probobly good enough though.I will check the impedance after it sat for a while, if anything I will tap a thread into the copper top plate for a ground connection.A better one would have a grease catcher milled into it that would collect speepage maybe.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 08:43:57 am
content: if you want to log everything what you did and mistakes, please make your own thread. dont hijack this one.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 05:39:26 am
content: woop woopgrave yard policethe engineering details of you trying to purchase a gas tank are fascinating

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 06:00:19 am
content: the thread/forum is dead, I posted technical engineering details in every post, and you show up complaining that someone is basically leaving papers on an abandoned island with 5 / posts a week if that.and its gonna stay dead because no one is going to be buying expensive tools and materials during a recession.

author: armandine2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 09:20:48 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on July 20, 2023, 06:00:19 amToday in Lidl - Parkside welding eqpt in the aisle.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 09:45:39 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on July 20, 2023, 06:00:19 amAs I started this thread more or less as a 'resource' list one I fully expected it to be fairly static and like other similar ones throughout the forum just get updated in the first couple of posts as needed.If you have a project then it is much better to start a thread rather than get it lost in here overt time as it will search better. Some of the WORST threads to find content here are the ongoing rambles making the content largely useless to even attempt to search through later.Either way your choice to put content here to be lost or start a thread having the first posts pop back up in the list is a good thing but that is a poor reason to post content for contents sake.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2024, 01:11:57 am
content: 1 year no posts. I finally reupped my argon

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2024, 01:26:23 am
content: I replaced all the dodgy clamps on my welders with Tweco clamps. I wanna see how that old lincoln electric mig welder does with a tweco solid copper ground clamp and a flow type regulator instead of the cheap pressure gauge. The copper strap was beyond corroded

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2024, 03:03:33 am
content: Lol I hooked up my purge plate finally with the copper top with argon, it seems to work OK but with how much noise the miller dynasty makes it keeps making me think I have a gas leak.I think you really need to crank it, but it did get rid of the sugaring on the back of a stainless piece that I tried to run a bead on. This equipment takes some getting used to after a year, itsfreakyI forgot how noisy all this stuff is.. I think I gotta set up a over powered arc welder to blast some holes in some plate so it stops spooking me every time it sparks LOLIt feels like you finally got some game to stop crashing and it loads into the first level LOL

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2024, 05:31:37 am
content: Time with a MIG helps reduce TIG arc/spark sensitivity but being properly comfortable and wearing good PPE also helps settle the operator to perform good work.My first MIG time was some years after I'd been introduced to TIG and many since Oxy/Acet and arc stick welding both learnt in my early teens.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2024, 09:56:37 am
content: Sorry, I don't see the issue with TIG noise. The change from frying to low sizzle helps me know when penetration is complete using a backing/purge plate. It's a little different with MIG, but still sound helps.I can't tell whether CC2 is complaining about that arc noise or noise from the welding supply. The only sound from my TIG is the fan and a few solenoid valves. The Linde MIG has a little added sound from the wire-feed motor. It's certainly not loud and confirms its running.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2024, 08:38:39 pm
content: in AC mode this thing sounds like its malfunctioning. Everyone says the miller dynasty is noisy. It sounds very similar to gas leak.The pro is that on DC its quieter, the arc is nearly silent.Have you tried the miniaturized inverter welders? It seems to be luck of the draw, or perhaps people with more sensitive ears complain more.There is a cacophony of coils making modulated whines in itIt literally sounds like some scifi alien artifact prop. Very much like a plasma globe.. thats doing things. Actually if you put a person hiding in a cardboard box poking around a plasma globe, I would believe you if you told me that its a inverter welder.Silicone tubing is noisy too, I am almost certain the heavy 'welding' gas tube for argon is much quieter. I hooked up my purge block to a silicone hose for convenience not realizing how loud it is, I actually went to get soapy water to check for leaks before I realized the noise stopped if I plugged the tubing

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2024, 08:43:00 pm
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on August 09, 2024, 08:38:39 pmIs the HF start running continually ?

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2024, 08:43:41 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on August 09, 2024, 08:43:00 pmNah that makes a different noise. I have it on foot pedal control and it does work. I am almost certain its the switching supplies. I very much wish they put some regular iron transformers in it instead of making creative circuits (i.e. power the IGBT driver from a flyback)

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2024, 09:09:43 pm
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on August 09, 2024, 08:43:41 pmYeah well modern stuff is normally more reliable.Even a mates old Hobart 300 blew its control bipolars and while it is a nice welder its HF would take out all radios within 50m. Scary excessive EMI !

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2024, 09:16:09 pm
content: I did get a extra thick grounding wire for it with a big copper clamp that is way thicker then people use to hopefully reduce EMII probobly should get shorter length cables to just work where I normally work to keep the connections tighter, because I noticed I have a 20 foot cable and I am 5 feet from the machine, usually. Every one of these little improvements is so expensive though.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2024, 10:22:42 pm
content: Just the 'right length' welding cables for every job is just an illusion.With multiple welders swapping them around can be useful but IMO the longer the better, especially when working on big maintenance/repair jobs.However with long MIG cables, the need to keep feed wire and liners very clean but a pull handpiece can help to reduce/hide any dirty and sticky liner problems.The old foam earplug trick with feed wire passing through it just before the MIG lead does help extend liner life.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 12:33:07 am
content: does anyone have a printable chart (that I can laminate) to show the basics of TIG setup ?Like electrode diameters, composition choice (work function), current, metal thickness, metal type, rod type, flow rate/cup ratio, balance stuff, etcI was thinking of putting it together but I thought there might be a handy chart.

author: Zeyneb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 01:04:40 am
content: A chart that has all of this on one page might be a bit too much. What I use for a similar purpose is a technical guide from a company called CK Worldwide. It is quite a prestigious company with a broad range of advanced TIG welding products.The technical guide is a free download from this location:https://www.ckworldwide.com/service-and-support/manuals-and-guidesThere find the TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR TIG WELDING download.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 01:11:33 am
content: Quote from: Zeyneb on August 10, 2024, 01:04:40 amDownloaded and excellent.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 01:15:42 am
content: ok yeah a binder will doRealistically it should be etched into titanium sheetThe booklet for OA welding that Henrob gives is good for acetylene welding, I need something similar for TIG, but the quality of the paper is attrocious, especially when you are dealing with dirty shop shitI think screen shots of youtube videos showing bad welds etc could be added to the TIG PDF for trouble shooting reasons. If you do it infrequently there is like no way to remember everythingIf it was made out of metal you could throw it in the sink to wash it from grits. Maybe a good laminate but I can dream. I wanna be able to dunk it in a bucket of soap lol.A really good book would have a actuation leaver that seperates all the pages out like a fold out "japanese fan" so you can leave it to dry off. Or a motorized rolodex that spin dries. I feel like that would exist if not for the world war, the 1920's noir would just go ongal-gage had the right idea for implementing computers.I have like a hard core really well laminated sous-vide book for my cooker I hang on the fridge. Other then the rather conservative numbers for duration, its excellent. My webber BBQ has a good laminated cook time book too. They actually will survive getting some grease on them and can be washed. they are super useful. Note pad size too so you can hold it in 1 hand easily and color coded sections for quick IDYou know I wonder what would happen if you put screen protectors (gorilla glass) on well made cards to make 'hard glass cards'. The only problem would be if they fell off and shattered. Then that book would be really tough. I feel like someone could pretty easily do this if they have a laser etching machine.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 01:38:36 am
content: A binder with clear film pouches is a necessity in any workshop.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 02:22:37 am
content: another tip is if you use the dremel tungsten sharpener then you should wrap teflon tape around the dremel thread to keep the dust out (if you use it contained)after sharpening a dozen rods I had dust caked into that threadSince I have the purge fixture, I finally think I can try to weld thin materials in the clamping mechanism. I always wanted to try doing that

author: JimboJack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 02:32:20 am
content: FYI,Tig welding the distance between the electrode and the surface should be about 1 to 1.5 the width of the electrode' be a good starting point, only time you need to watch is Alu as it tends to suck up drawn to the electrode. so you have to rise and fall with the puddle, Other than that this ensures proper heat control into the metal, end result you end up welding on higher current, faster welding and less distortion in the metal, espc when positional welding 3G->6G etc.J.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 03:20:51 am
content: Does anyone else feel less enthusiastic about the hobby with the advent of laser welders ?It is something that bugs me. I heard realistically the problem is that the part fitup must be spectacular, and this is seldom a realistic condition.I can't be the only one that notices this on youtube etc. They make you feel like your on a 486 in the pentium days.Regardless about the realities, it does feel like the hobby lost respect from common joes to some degree because of lasers. Small issue, but its nice to have some thing to talk about that they don't hear as "take me to your leader" but are also cool. Its not that far out, but its also I think in the mind of the general public less cool... and it seems to start to get associated with 'hicks' when its a commoner process. oh well. I think tig was actually "sick" about 15 years ago, now its maybe on fairly cool. But it does open up the interesting funny scenario where the guy that wants the best of everything got his motorcycle trailer laser welded, and say it falls apart on the highway because its so hard to apply.... aka hillarious pop-sci engineering specifications for custom work by rich people that try to peacock with technology.Currently the king for this type of scenario is carbon fiber, which is used solely for the cool factor in many applications, i.e. corroded carbon fiber expensive shit, or ritzy carbon fiber brackets, panels, etc but laser welding is bound to get some points here eventually when it proliferates a bit more. Historically I think lost diamonds that are mounted weak are the leader.... nothing like figuring out you lost 20k because a hair thin piece of metal bent out of the way.Another small contender currently is exotic powder metallurgy steels for knives and tools. The yield of the materials is... semiconductor industrytype... meaning there are ALOT of defects that manufacturers don't want you to find. I have been following some powder metal steel stuff on youtube and it looks like there is a fair bit of defect-ridden knives that are being sold by reputable manufacturers, and conflict between manufacturers and steel producers (seems shady). You might wanna stick to the standard materials if you don't want to be running around with just a hilt. Even former quality manufacturers like leatherman are getting hit with this problem, i.e. premium multitool knives out of magnacut breaking on peoples "arc" multitools.But another project anyway for welding is I wanna setup a argon curtain for my spot welder (super capacitor) that I built, since i have the dual flow regulator WITH a hose barb on it (victor). I wonder if you can get those spot welds to look dreamier. Due to the nature of the process, I think it will be a soldering job, because there is no need for a robust diffuser.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 07:07:15 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on August 10, 2024, 03:20:51 amOnly suitable in production environments.Even production won't teach you all the skills needed for maintenance repair, only the greybeards and the school of hard knocks and experience can do that.

author: JimboJack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 08:05:10 am
content: Lazzzers maybe ok with some exotic metal or putting a root pass down on perfect butt or G welds joints or to enhance cold welds in outer space , but industrial (Chemical, aircraft, Defence, shipping build), it always going to be the cheapest and fastest option to meet requirements. Sometimes you do a tig root pass than put success layers with stick , or stick then MIG layers afte capping it.you can braze with TIG as well I like it , you need a peddle for that bit like ALU to control heat, silicon copper bronze filler rods, look good on SS tubing ie push bikes or motor bikes,

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 12:02:39 pm
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on August 10, 2024, 03:20:51 amkeep watching youtubes and do less work... as of us, we do whatever we can humanly possible to make what we want to make to works.. even if we have to use stick and stone. not a thing to discuss in sosmed like this...

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2024, 04:25:29 pm
content: never under estimate looking cool, there is a reason people buy 20k suits and expensive carsbut the chassis of the laser welder leaves something to be desired LOL. you can put a tea cloth on top of that and it still looks badits kind of like a hand model. you don't know that its attached to big bertha

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2024, 12:48:52 am
content: Quote from: JimboJack on August 10, 2024, 02:32:20 amYou know, I don't have much experiance yet because last year it was basically fixing the machine and table. Today I kept wondering what the fuck kind of swiss robot hands people have for this, because I thought the rule was 3x ROD DIAMETER sitck out maximum for my gas lens. I really was trying to weld like that. I see they say its the diameter of the cup.I got the rules mixed up and made it impossible for myself. The arc distance is rod diameter ratio and the stickout is gas lens ratio. I thought both were related to the rod diameter and I was wondering how the fuck people maintain that kind of clearance... 🤨 it is like playing operation with a lighting bolt. When I contaminated the second rod I thought I gotta sit down and hit the books for a bit LOLBut I did witness how the Aluminum gets sucked up on the electrode. Wow... I don't think its even wicking, it like shoots up on there. I guess some kind of electrochemical migration. It almost feels like it teleports. One instance later there is like a big blob of aluminum. And it does not just bulb on the tip, it bulbs above the tip. I think its getting stripped from the tip so its kinda like feeding contamination steadily into the arc from the molten droplet of aluminum right above the grind area.I think I am just going to buy 1/8 and 1/16 regular steel coupons in a large amount and practice on that because I am going no where here. I just get stress from looking at alumimum plates not sticking together/molten material not sticking together. I have seen it happen so many times where they do not fuse that I get agitation just thinking about aluminum that is butted together. lmfao.I am surprised the person that had to invent this process did not hang themselves. I am thinking they had to be a very non standard person. I got used to seeing solder not behaving like this and when i see this behavior from the molten metal it makes me feel extremely agitated. I can imagine that the person that invented aluminum welding could take a dagger in the back while drinking their tea and say something along the lines of "there might be a mosquito in the room sir"and maybe I can try tig brazing if I get just steel coupon instead of trying to do this crazy shit

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2024, 09:37:33 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on August 12, 2024, 12:48:52 amThat sounds reasonable. RTFM first.QuoteThe people who developed TIG and particularly its use for aluminum were just ordinary smart people at Northrop (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_tungsten_arc_welding#:~:text=In%20early%201940s%20Northrop%20Aircraft,torch%20design%20was%20patented%20byThey were careful and skillful. Today, TIG (and MIG ) for aluminum is done by thousands.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2024, 04:44:32 pm
content: And my experiments were on a big copper chill plate and the clamps that are aluminum so don’t think fixturing might make it too easy if you are looking for hacksWhat I am curious about is if there was hcl was added to the welding gas. The interesting thing is that it might react with the aluminum oxide to make aluminum chloride which would sublime off the weld despite being corrosive. Obviously impossible to implement with regular equipment (remake in tantalum or something) but I wonder if we will ever see that kind of technology . I know the ac balance cleans but I bet there is something else that can be done

author: JimboJack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2024, 11:33:32 pm
content: From school you need at least 1/4" or 6mm rolled bar stock to practice min for TIG welding for If you too thin metal it hard to learn at first , root pass 1st, hot pass 2nd, layers..... then cappingand GASmany tanksget one that can deliver swap gasits why welding school can be cheaper as they just rent the bottles,. some schools allow you to just hire the bays,you might find a traditional old school non sensor flip up welding mask works better as the sensor does not glare, with a clip on welding hood out back and if you have time make a custom front leather bib stops all external light entering and you see the weld puddle really well, not effect by sensors getting blocked, and turning off,J.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2024, 01:20:55 am
content: I thought about that too, I swore the mask was being a little funny because I had to change the batteries from last year but it almost seems like it improved in performance I chalked it up to old coin cells (I believe that they can get a bit of passivization or something on the electrodes inside of the cell that give them ESR and funny behavior after long disuse)... coin cells are funny.. they are pressure sensitive too (mechanical). The one in the mask were dead and my 2450 are old.it annoyed me twice or trice and it felt like it was not responding properly but then it seemed to behave OK. I wish they put 2x AAA there instead of coinsI think the old unused cell gets formed a bit when its left in a holder and the performance improves because of the slight clamping of the spring contacts. They change behavior in general when you put pressure on them. We don't see it as EE for memory backup devices because they don't really spike too much, but low power gadgets use the cells differently, they often spike a high current (in the miliamps). My car remote was also acting funny when I swapped cells out because of a low battery alarm. Just testing it with the DMM does not tell you that much about how it will perform when its pulse loaded. Sometimes they have a preposterously high ESR for a while, intermittantly after long periods of sitting.At least they should put a nice contact on it, instead of these little bubble gum wrapper clamps, but then you need a tool to remove it and consumers are too dumb, so you end up with a tiny little paper thin contact that just assumes the cell is perfect. Its most reliable with a heavy leaf spring, like a keystone holder, which is 2x the size of the battery LOLit neeeds thishttps://www.rapidonline.com/keystone-1025-24mm-coin-cell-holder-for-1-x-2450-or-2-x-2430-18-3626

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2024, 03:26:30 am
content: alright I got many steel coupons and some 1/4 inch aluminum ones too.Wow I hate buying that, I have always been super frugal with my metal where every scrap can be processed and stored for brackets and shit, the idea of wasting thick metal is horrible, but I looked at the cost for a welding class lolI thought about doing it myself but I don't think I will be focusing on welding if I am processing plasma cut stuff, and I noticed that flat bar never really came in beautiful, the coupons are like sealed and come out looking good... steel processing is dirty work. I know if I buy flat bars its going to come with a big ass stain in the middle between them, sharp edges, etcI have the 3/32 zirconated tungsten for aluminum, when I did my piece it seemed to work better when it finally kinda melted into a ball shape. I notized the LAYZR tungsten does not ball up as much as the zirconium one. 1/8 aluminum worked better then 1/16 but I will just try the steel for nowI swear its like going through the looking glass1) sharper tip means less penetration2) longer distance from tip means more heat and melting (constant current)3) thinner materials and lower power levels are harder to accomplishAlso in todays try with 1/8 aluminum, I got it molten, and stuck together, and the bottom is molten, but it looks like it has a seam. Like the middle of the two plates there is still a seam like a couch cushion. I need to see if that happens with the argon block. I guess you can say it looks like weird butt cheeks. It also looks like it has pepper on the top. I think that means the cleaner is too high, it mostly went away when I set from 75 to 65 but i dipped the rod and called it a night

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2024, 06:39:52 am
content: Quote from: JimboJack on August 12, 2024, 11:33:32 pmI had suspected the same thing earlier, then with the complete solar eclipse we had, I tried both helmets. The old school was clearer. Reflections in the auto dimming helmet gave double images. For structural and MIG, I will probably continue to use the auto dimming. For TIG and detailed work, I will go back to my old school.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2024, 04:43:03 pm
content: I think the one I have is not dark enough. When set to 120a it seemed too bright when set to 11I tried cheap and expensive eclipse glasses and the cheap ones were brighter and did not have a mirror like coating, while the higher quality ones attenuated more light and had a metallic finish,they were less clear however… for the eclipse. They both had the same rating but looked substantially different . I did not think there would be so much difference from just paper glasses lol

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2024, 01:33:41 am
content: Lol I found my 3/16 Al coupons and i feel a new hope for humanity etc. I actually stuck two plates together with a weld bead close to that of a bad acetylene weld.The 3/32 zirconated tungsten starts to freaking melt pretty bad (it looks like a BB after a while) and the weld either has pepper on it with high cleaning or looks like it has the middle blown out of it with small bombs on low cleaning. Machine is set to 140A so maybe its a bit high for that one, at 140Hz ... actually I am probobly holding it too far and the extra heat is doing itI actually have a small amount of time to think with this materials thickness and can feed the rod in to make something that at least has the shape of a weld bead. Its kinda freakyI noticed these god damn coupons have like a aluminum oxide inclusion on the side, I had to remove quite a bit of the edge to get it shiny. this weld looks like it might hold for a little while to some damage. I will have to resharpen 4 contaminated tungstens for 8 inches of weld bead and the gas screen looks like it was in a smoker lolThere seems to be mad undocumented shit relating to balance , argon flow, shield type (I think the standard tip instead of gas lens might cool the tungsten more ? or less? who knows) and tungsten ampacity. I bought some 1/8 tungstens just incase, its really bugging me. I have a feeling people are unsure and they don't wanna do a cheap experiment. I wanna see what it does anyway. I am interested in the work function and its effects whatever it might be. I got zirconium and LaZYr types for 1/8. I can do my own experiments that I was interested in. I wanted to do experiments on like highly polished materials and arc starting for research irrelevant to manufacturing (plasma science), possibly still something wiht langmuir probe. Feels like its fucking around with a rocket engine nozzle or something, crazy how much heat is in that little rod. I got the little tub of chemical sharpener too, I am interested in what the surface finish looks like of the rod compared to grinding, it is like high temperature chemical polishing, fascinating in its own rightlmfao, and much like a cast away, I realized now how agressive that TIG light is. For sticks and wires I always was pretty well armored because it spews so much garbage, with this one I had some bare skin showing because its tame and wow I got mild roasting from doing only a little bit of welding. I did not notice anything before from doing sheet metal but when the amps went up the skin can't take it anymore. I thought I would be safe to at least like 180 amps for short exposures to small amounts of flesh.like a bikini line for your gloves.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2024, 09:06:37 am
content: Nice selfie.Oops, maybe not. Seems to be copyrighted:https://www.sebald.com/2020/05/23/iiiich-habe-feuer-gemacht/

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2024, 02:12:53 am
content: chem sharp is interesting.You simply heat it with a torch and submerge it in a salt bucket and it starts reacting (glowing orange) and if you keep poking it it comes out really sharp, but you can make a rounded thing too. The surface finish is pretty niceAbsolutely wear gloves and goggles because it spits out little molten salt balls like a road flare (to a much lesser extent) that sting a littleYou don't get a nice machined taper but its a electron emitter so that might not be important. A small blow torch is enough to heat it up.If you dip a ground tip in there, it kinda smooths it out a little bit, but it can cause some minor scaring of the rod above it..I got them very clean looking after I washed it, used a dremel brillo (600 grit) and then washed it again. Perhaps its an alternative to flattening the ground tip if your good with it if you want a ground tip. If you just use chem sharp the brillo is not necessary, I just had my diamond grind a bit too fast so there was some discoloration on some of the rods that I just sharpened mechanically, so I decided to buff all of them.That diamond disk wears out pretty fast on a 1/8 electrode, so the chem sharp has some real potential there, because its less of a pain in the ass.Certainly the most satisfying sharpening method I have ever seen. the more you poke the sharper it gets.Does anyone know about exotic tig electrodes? I found that there is yttrium, La, Ce, Zr and Th and mixtures of them. But there must be more. Dysprosium, Strontium, Hafnium, Holmium, Pr, Niobium, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er, Tm, Yb. ... the electrode is more interesting then the welding machine to me

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2024, 02:16:23 am
content: wow I did my first weld joint that looks like you can fool someone with it on 3/16 normal steel. I tried the first pass at 140A and it looked pretty OK but it did not penetrate, so I played around on the plate and did the other side with 190A. This did melt the tip of the LaZYr 3/32 tungsten rod into a ... explodey thingy (like cracked up, like a old tree stump) ... so I think you need 1/8 for this current. I start to see it looks fucked up under the arc, like its cracked wood.Hard to stomache buying such thick metal for practice but wow I don't feel like punching a hole in the wallI think I need a 1/8 filler rod for this thick ness too, because the 1/16 was too hectic , I just don't have it yet.I did dip the rod in the other side towards the end because I was getting tired, I don't see like immediate catastrophic effects from dipping the tungsten in the pool of steel. With aluminum it goes brezerkI did notice something strange too, I got a herbal odor when it was at 190 amps. Like kitchen herbs. I wonder if its something in the plastic helmet? I am thinking the intense light makes something decompose.I need higher quality coupons too, because these have like oxide on the side, you can file it for a while and there is still like a river of oxide on the side cut. It pisses me off. I bought it so I don't need the grinder but I need a grinder

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2024, 10:51:01 am
content: 1) Pictures would help others to give advice.2) Current ratings for electrodes are readily available. Generally, ranges are given. For 190A, you probably want 3/32" or 1/8".3) Penetration is a combination of technique and current. That applies to all methods of welding. I was taught to go by sight and sound during welding once in the ballpark for current. Surface appearance can be very misleading. It is said that the person doing the welding is the best judge of weld quality. You also need to consider the heat affected zone.

author: JimboJack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2024, 01:35:58 am
content: like to know1. What material you are welding ?2. Type of weld ? is is Butt, Fillet, Groove ?3. What welding process ? STICk, MIG, TIG ?J.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2024, 02:21:59 am
content: I got a big shoe box of steel coupons that I need to practice more on with tigright now, with the thicker metal, I am at the point where I can actually follow guides/tutorials on how to improve my technique. With the thinner metal it was failing so fast and hard that it was just leaving me confused.what I am saying is that going to that 3/16 inch mild steel is like finally seeing daylight in a tunnel, trying to learn anything on thin metal was basically uselessmy recommendation to anyone is to heed thewarningabout not trying to learn with thin metals,its not productive, and you get confused about what the problem might be because it happens too fast and its too unstable etc

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2024, 04:36:44 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on August 22, 2024, 02:21:59 amDo you have a treadle ?They are very useful with TIG where the max current setting you make on the base unit and the treadle allows you to constantly vary the amperage up to the max you have set.Materials that have any significant mass need be preheated with higher current then back off some with the treadle to maintain weld pool control.Dead easy once you get the hang of it.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2024, 04:40:44 am
content: I do have that but I find its like learning to drive a car for the first time, and having a concrete shoeits really similar to the things you see in a typical 'drivers ed' gagthe thick metal makes it like having a car that takes 10 seconds to get to 15mph , instead of a hover bike with rocket engines. every time you blow a hole in the metal its like going through a garage door. every warped coupon is a trash can hit and touching the tungsten is like hitting the curbI know what I am thinking about, its a land speeder vs a garbage truck

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2024, 05:37:01 am
content: Learn to use the treadle !With little experience you get to know/estimate the current required, then set the unit for a bit more then feather the treadle for best pool control.45 years ago I learnt to do this and you can too !

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2024, 05:56:53 am
content: I am using it, it helps with not melting the ends, but its not a magic solution by any means. thats the land speeder throttleslowly back out of the garage, drive around the street without hitting the curb, go back into garageand feeding the puddle is just as simple as buying macdonalds from a van while going down the highway at 60, from the puddles point of view. or just simple mid air refueling

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2024, 07:30:16 am
content: When using TIG and to keep costs down weld/gas time should be managed and this is where the treadle combined with max settings helps immensely.Pour the curry in until the subject is up to heat then back way off for precise and low heat weld/fill.Or just hit it hard with MIG or arc....if skill is sufficient.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2024, 09:25:31 am
content: It agree with tautech. Learn to use the foot control. I have used it since the very start and can't remember a time using TIG without it. TIG is not like stick or MIG.

author: JimboJack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2024, 11:20:07 pm
content: No need to use a pedel unless your welding aluthis the settings for welding steel 6mm steel coupons with a bevel when required,on G(root pass) (hot pass) , (many passes/capping)4F (90,120,130)2G (90,130,140) -3.2mm gap3G (90,130,140) -3.2mm gap2F (95,130,140)

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2024, 06:59:40 am
content: what is GI am waiting to get my sleeves because I got bad sun burn the last time I was trying, I hate long sleeves shirt so I thought maybe the sleeves might work, so I don't need to keep smearing myself with linen oilI think this thread is a good place to put high quality welding tutorials. I thought this is excellent for acetylene. Easy to find little tidbits, but this one is a 'full feature' with... production standards related to a organization ? This one as a "golf commentator" style to itAnyone got a similar one for different welding processes in that style? worked my brain off to get that tig welder working and I don't wanna go back to trying to deal with fire unless I Have a good reason.. but that video was still fascinating to watch

author: JimboJack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2024, 11:36:43 am
content: G - Groove , bevel is required between two metal pieces number is position, 2G,3G,4G,5G,6GTIG you don't have a face on the bevel, only Stick has a landing face.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2024, 11:58:55 am
content: @coppercone2Can you do oxy-acetylene welding? Until I got my TIG set in circa 1982, the only welding I had done was with gas. I needed to construct a large (18' high x 50' wide) steel frame for a door using mostly 2" square steel tubing. The local welding supply dealer let me try both TIG and MIG. I settled on the TIG as it felt almost the same as gas welding, but was quicker with less heating. As a small correction to my previous post, I did the whole door without a pedal for control. Once that was completed, and I was working inside and usually at a table, I always use the foot control. There is a control that fits on the torch handle for the same purpose, but I don't use that.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2024, 03:35:02 am
content: I can make things stick together with some holes depending on the thickness with gasDoes anyone know about welding standards relating to sheet metal? I.e. with a V_WAC gage.. to measure the filet height.I see some general rules of thumb for thicker material like "no more then 3mm" but i thought something exists for thin materials welds, like for aerospace.are there formulas for these welds? or tables relating to gauges and metal type, for thin metals?Most of the information is for filling triangles

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2024, 05:37:45 am
content: Theory is fine and gives guidance however nothing can replace practice and experience.Everything is directly related to preparation, weld pool control, welder/heat settings and technique used, be it Arc, gas, TIG or MIG.Every job is different........... whether it's sweating something together with brass, or a large repair job with the same, welding 1mm plate with gas, TIG or MIG or multiple 20mm wide passes with 250+A MIG or arc in heavy repair/construction jobs.Prep, weld pool control and technique always dominate what can be achieved.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2024, 06:20:21 am
content: well ha ha fucking ha it does not matter because something broke again and there is a relay clicking in the main board of the dynastyI tired percusive maintence by smacking it with an aluminum block before I decided to take it apart again.I am just gonna pretend for now that the relay might be bad and not flowing current and that the machine is trying to clear itI am nasoues thinking about removing that main board, soldering around the conformal coating to replace a part thats probobly fine and its probobly some issue in a over priced daughter card that some fucking shylock ebay piece of shit is selling for 500000 dollarsi want to roll this stupid fucking box down the big hillthe inside of that machine makes me fucking physically illmaybe the relay coil is damaged. Wow would that be a fucking relief instead of having to think about power converters. yeah it tries to switch on, it clicks but it draws too much current and it current limits on the power supply and turns off . yeah maybe i can get to sleep tonight if i think thats trueor maybe the contact is bad and it got stressed welding at 190.it surely cant be the board I replaced last year for extortion costI suppose I can finally sweep the floor, play with plating and do ceramic PCB experiments while I wait for the welder to not be repaired by the 5th avenue priced relay from my least favorite shop, then wait another month before I figure out which over priced card to gamble with.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2024, 10:38:49 am
content: I would give a pound of flesh for you to describe the problem rather than dish expletive salad.Are you referring to a gas valve not working? Why do you think the main board needs resoldering?

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2024, 04:55:43 pm
content: I am a victim of sabotage, when I opened it up and turned it sideways a small burnt beetle appeared on my welding table.I put so much fucking effort into making this repair good. Most of the components were replaced 1 by 1. I redid all the coatings, spent ages cleaning every bit of old conformal coating, retouched all the solder joints, polished all the connectors, greased everything.RIght now it looks like that 18V diode got smoked, again.I knew I should have kept working on that project to put screens on the god damn machineYou know it must have taken me like 200+ hours of thinking and working about it to get it to this point. Maybe more.Its because this machine sounds like a god damn bug when it runs, I bet their attracted to the whineThis is what I mean, it feels like everyone is god damn delusional thinking that a open PCB can possibly function in a workshop or out doors because of the magic of xenomorph drool. It needs sealed enclosures for each board and RF style shield heat sinks or a filtered chassis.Its all bullshit, its going to get aluminum, zinc and other non ferrous dust in there. its going to react with crap in the air and humidity to make hydroxides or whatever, those slime crystals, then their gonna corrode their way through coatings, or a bug is just gonna beat its way through. And thats the sugar coated version, I am sure even worse things happen when you start getting flouride flux dust, and stick rod flux in there. If a particle of aluminum meets a particle of iron it will probobly corrode after getting lightly lodged in the coating and then make a gap when the corrosion crystal starts to expand and it will tear through any magic snake oil coating the board people promised to try to get money from the enclosure peoples budgetits a shame too the beetle looks kind of cute I doubt I would have killed it if I saw it. insidious bastardyou know how much I hate corrosion, I am just glad I got away from heaving after listening to peoples bullshit about chromate conversion coating and plating magic properties, then having to bag parts that looked like they came out of a quartz mine. strait faced liars. no you did it wrong because we had to cut it open on a milling machine and clean it up with a chisel. they just wanna sell you on aluminum and drive you insane with tales of ionsI wonder if those bugs are plotting against me. Was this just a scout or saboteur. Maybe mud wasps will seize the fan next.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2024, 09:40:55 pm
content: I found a grandslam paper about microwave welding finally, it was on my mind for a long timehttp://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2946&context=theses

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2025, 10:25:50 am
content: finally someone with a ounce of credibility tries those laser welders in those videos that make you feel like you should get in your grave already because its past your time. It was always a company or some rather suspicious looking reviewer before this vid. If you don't know I think that this guy is certified, has a popular public facing business and actually does some work on high performance things (fabrication and repair) that are difficult and not just slap chop.