Welding thin stainless

[Matrixx]

Hi,
After finally getting my machine working, I had my fist go at tig welding, unfortunately the scrap metal I got off Ebay was nearly all very thin pieces 1mm or less, I'm using a 1.6mm gold Tungsten , is this to big? as I am blowing holes in it, its like welding butter. I'm using a foot pedal (first time as well)

 

[matt1978]

If this is your first time welding, you have set yourself an almost impossible task.

1.0mm Sheet stainless is about as hard as it gets especially for beginners, save your sanity and invest in some thicker material, 3mm minium to practise laying beads before moving onto other joints

 

[Fazerruss]

Hi,
After finally getting my machine working, I had my fist go at tig welding, unfortunately the scrap metal I got off Ebay was nearly all very thin pieces 1mm or less, I'm using a 1.6mm gold Tungsten , is this to big? as I am blowing holes in it, its like welding butter. I'm using a foot pedal (first time as well)

I'm based in York, if you are stuck I can give you some scrap steel off cuts to practice on.

 

[Matrixx]

I’m glad you say it’s difficult, I’ve got some steel scraps that went ok, I tried aluminium but that didn’t work at all , tried stainless but just making a mess. But only bought 1.6 and 2.4mm tungsten. I spent more time regrinding the tips than welding. But I knew it would be tricky.

 

[FergalFarty]

I'm new to welding as well and have to agree with all of the above. I'm currently struggling with my first stainless welds at the moment and mine is 2mm thick.

You can get mild steel offcuts off ebay for less than £1 per Kg if you look. I got 28Kg of 5mm pieces for less than £30 inc P&P. Ideal for practising on.

Also, forget about the pedal to start with. TIG is hard enough as it is with torch angle, arc length, current, travel speed, filler etc to worry about.

Fergal

 

[FergalFarty]

I've only done a little bit of aluminium and the things I learned are that it has to be spotlessly clean and having a pedal helps a lot. I found that you need to hit it with full amps until you get a weld pool formed then back off just enough to keep it molten without burning through and proceed with the weld.

You say you did not have any luck with aluminium. You did remember to switch your machine to AC right?

I used to have to grind my tungstens after almost every weld. The quickest way to do it is to chuck it up in a cordless drill and run it against a belt sander or grinding wheel.

 

[Matrixx]

Hi Fergal,
After I realised I had my leads the wrong way round , moving from mig to tig !
Had it on AC but didn’t know to set the cleaning setting it just has cleaning area %. I managed to get a pool but had to put full power into it. But it was making a lot of noise, and the arc was all over the place. And it would take about 5 seconds to strike up the ark. I think my welding bench needs cleaning to get a good earth. I left it there , to do some more research.
I didn’t use the pedal at first, but found trying to keep on the button and move was straining my wrist.

 

[FergalFarty]

I found it does take longer to get an arc going on aluminium and the arc is noisier and is not as focused as with DC. I think that's just a function of the AC current. For some really good aluminium TIG welding videos search for 6061.com on Youtube.

My welder doesn't have a current pedal but it does have a button on the torch which I find awkward sometimes, so I wired up a foot switch as well so that I can use either to start the arc.

 

[cianh91]

Hi Fergal,
After I realised I had my leads the wrong way round , moving from mig to tig !
Had it on AC but didn’t know to set the cleaning setting it just has cleaning area %. I managed to get a pool but had to put full power into it. But it was making a lot of noise, and the arc was all over the place. And it would take about 5 seconds to strike up the ark. I think my welding bench needs cleaning to get a good earth. I left it there , to do some more research.
I didn’t use the pedal at first, but found trying to keep on the button and move was straining my wrist.

Don’t bother with the pedal at first is my advice I’m 14 year welding and pedal is never used for stainless unless it’s a quick tack and too lazy to change..
I’m guessing your machine has 2t and 4t try 4t you won’t need to hold button ..
As regards tungsten thickness you can weld 1mm with a 3.2tungsten if it’s prepares properly ..
Are you fusing or using a filler rod if so what thickness filler rod I find the filler rod thickness a bigger issue on thin material ..

 

[Matrixx]

I was using 1.6 tungsten and 1.6 filler.

 

[matt1978]

The Tungsten dia is fine but it’s the filler wire you will struggle with, the amps required to melt the filler will be way too much for the parent material.

Get some thicker material and you’ll start making progress

 

[cianh91]

as said above you are jumping into the deep end on 1 mm but get some 2or3mm stainless and get your practice holding a puddle and feeding your filler rod .
make sure your tungsten is sharpened properly(theirs some really good videos on sharpening tungsten's on youtube)
a bottle of acetone is a cheap but great investment wipe your material and filler rod down using acetone you would be suprised how dirty a new filler rod is .
if it was me id get used to stainless first before moving onto alu as its simpler to learn the basics on and holding a steady arc is your main objective dont panic if it doesnt work straight away iv seen lads pick it up in 2minutes and lads take months to get any standard of weld but patience and practice is worth it

 

[Richard.]

Don’t be jumping on to aluminium and thin stainless
Both are difficult things to weld when starting out and quite expensive to be blowing holes through
You want some 2-4mm steel flat bar
Grind it up nice and bright.
Grind a 1.6 tungsten up with a taper 2 times longer than the diameter
Work on around 30 amps per 1mm gage thickness 1mm filler covers you well up to 50amps go up a size every 40 amps to be in the ball park. So 50-90 1.2. 90-130 1.6. 130-170 2.0. 170-210 2.4 etc.

 

[dab4318]

I have never seen the need to use a pedal on mild or stainless steel either.

 

[Matrixx]

I think for now I will disconnect the adjustable current part of the pedal and just use the start switch (2T) there are two leads on the Jasic foot pedal.

and I have ordered some 1mm tungsten's and 1mm filler rod ( I did notice the 1.6 filler sticking in the pool).

 

[Richard.]

1mm tungsten's

You don’t need these imo. 1.6 will cover everything. I’d only buy 1mm if I spent my life welding razor blades together.

 

[Matrixx]

You don’t need these imo. 1.6 will cover everything. I’d only buy 1mm if I spent my life welding razor blades together.

Would you say that for thin Stainless? (after I have got the hang of mild steel)

 

[Richard.]

Would you say that for thin Stainless? (after I have got the hang of mild steel)

I don’t use them.

 

[-Matt-]

Where I work we used to have two massive Union Carbide machines, huge they were, run all day and they were on a pedal. Used to use them for pretty much anything, from 10mm ali (with preheat from oxyacet) all the way down to 1mm stainless. One died, and then the other and we've two Parweld machines now but the pedal is far too sensitive so thats been left to one side.
I set the machine about 30-35A for 20g (.9ish) and about 42 for 1.2mm (something we use alot) and wind it up to between 50-55A for 1.5 (another common staple). Those are with a 1.6mm tungsten (red -thoriated.... or however you spell it) and swap to a 2.4tungsten for 3mm and up (never more than about 5mm S/S really)
Got 1.6mm 316L filler for most stuff but do have some thin 1mm (I think) for lighter stuff.

On ali we use 2.4mm tungsten with the white tip although I have used the red 1.6 on thinner stuff.

Since you're in York, as I am, could have given you loads of bit of stuff to practice on!

 

[Matrixx]

Hi Matt,
I’m always on the lookout for scrap to practice on. Let me know if you can get me some . I don’t mind paying for it.