I TIGed

[Downwindtracker2]

Good Morning, I sure others have done it as well, chuckle. But it was my first aluminum part welded by TIG. I'm pretty pleased with myself, another skill learned , certainly not mastered, though. I didn't get that stack of dimes, but it looks like someday I could. The welder was KMS Magnum Wave 200. I'll pass on some lessons I learned the hard way. There must a few hundred YouTube videos on how to TIG weld aluminum, but the easiest to understand were the Miller series . The light went on. They were short too, I stayed awake. But when it came to AC balance, the Miller uses exactly the opposite setting to this Chinese welder.. I got a lot of practice grinding the tungsten until I twigged. This brings me to another point, the owners manual is pathetic, they sure saved a lot of paper. It's better if you print off the one for the ESAB 186i. They are not the same machines, but are very very similar . They should be, they are both made in the Shanghai. I used the optional foot pedal and I set up the torch with a gas lens. Both highly recommended. This comes under if an old Phart like me can do it anyone can.

 

[CalgaryPT]

Good for you. Mastery is overrated. I love to TIG and admit the machine I have is overkill for me.

I started out as a technical writer so appreciate your comments on documentation. Not to sound prejudiced, but the reality is that in the world of international trade has resulted in poor documentation everywhere. But even before ESL concerns, it was easy to find great (BAD) examples of poor documentation. I used to collect these when I was younger, but it took up too much space. My favourite was a owner's manuals from an early Model T Ford. I still remember it. It was the page that showed "Petrol Filling Instructions."

There were a series of steps that started with:

1) Remove petrol cap
2) Detach gas hose
3) ....
4) ....

Until it got down to the last step that said, "Note: Before performing the above steps, extinguish all smoking materials."

I bet people cursed all the way to the Burn Ward.

Best of luck with your TIG'ng.

 

[Everett]

I'm in the same boat as you, Downwindtracker2. When I was setting up my current shop I opted for TIG for a few reasons, including being able to do aluminum with AC, but also because it's a clean process with no spatter (if done right, anyway). My garage is attached and so spatter is not a happy thing. I'll be honest, my TIG welds are not pretty. More used to stick and MIG, and even using a torch than TIG, and my tungsten takes a swim on a regular basis as I shake. Another thing I need to kick is the habit of weave beading all the time, when often all that is needed is a forward-backward motion with the torch, alternatingly dipping the rod. Had too many beads with undercut and I think that's most likely why.
However, no matter how many TIG joints I see made by people on YouTube, I'm still mesmerized by the process and will continue to aspire to competence in it someday. Never tried the KMS machine, but they seemed decent enough looking at them.

 

[Downwindtracker2]

I can't recommend Miller's vids enough . Four of them, a little over 5 minutes each. I weave bead too, a necessary trick with some rods and that circular motion was how I was taught to gas weld. Quickly I noticed that like gas welding the filler rod will shape the puddle. WOW

I had a MIG with a spool gun and a Argon tank for aluminum. I had a hard time welding thin stuff with it. About 1/8 was about as dainty as I could go. But I was really looking for something to stick weld. I wanted to weld some stainless and that takes Tri-mix, another tank, on a MIG. I had some SS 316 rod ,so I was looking for a cheap stick machine. When KMS started bringing these welders in they were selling them almost at cost., $999 for a bare machine. Idea being to flip a bunch to pay for their order. It does make a nice little DC stick welder, 3/32 7014 is well behaved splatter wise. . I weld in my garage too.

The specs are the same as the ESAB186i, 10-170 amps AC, too high to weld beer cans and tops out at 1/4" aluminum .