Which TIG Welder

[Warthog]

This is one thing where practice makes perfect. A few tips:

 

Tks Morordin...

 

1. Always weld with a dry electrode if you are doing normal stick welding.

Mine is kept in airtight containers.. 

2. Don't be afraid to make contact and keep contact. It is those starts and stops when you get a fright when the arc forms that is the cause of bird crap (voeltjiekak as my teacher called it).

Yip, my father in law used to say "Don't skrik" for the arc...

3. The most difficult time to get an arc to form is with a new electrode. We used to grind the point square to get rid of the bare metal point sticking out.

Or bend it slightly...

4. If you overheat an electrode when it sticks, it is usually stuffed. Chuck it. Or find a way to cut it shorter without breaking the flux around the electrode.

I just chuck it. and then stomp on it. To release some frustration....

5. Get a good helmet. I woke up more times that I care to remember with the beach in my eyes.

In my 2nd year at RAU in 1981 we welded floats... 5/6 machines and 2 helmets... had arc-eyes for 10 days... so when I inherited my dad's old Russell's special box-welder, I got myself one of those fancy self-darkening moves...

 

Apart from my ss, best buy ever....

 

So i know a bit, and can weld, and have built few things like gates etc, but don't want to fork out the money (with a laaitie at NWU) on something that's going to be wasted with my limited knowledge and experience, 

[Schnoodle]

Warthog,if you have a straight forward Dc invertor you can do scratch start tig welding on stainless and mild steel. You only need ac/dc for aluminium.

Just another piece of advice, when you buy welding rods,look at the label and u will see a section which tells u what amps to weld at, underneath that it will say how many open circuit volts (ocv) you need to weld with those rods, most invertors only have a 57volt ocv and some rods require a 70volt ocv so you will also battle to start an arc. Some machines come out with an arc force knob which increases the ocv on time. Some machines are also equipped with an " anti-freeze" feature that will switch off automatically if the rod sticks to the plate.

[Schnoodle]

Anybody in the market for a Tig welder. got a guy wanting to sell a Miller syncrowave 351 for about R25K AC DC with tig torch and foot control. might need water cooler

[V12man]

Anybody in the market for a Tig welder. got a guy wanting to sell a Miller syncrowave 351 for about R25K AC DC with tig torch and foot control. might need water cooler

Isn't that a 380v machine?

[Schnoodle]

Isn't that a 380v machine?

.yes its a single phase 380v

[Kranswurm]

.yes its a single phase 380v

???

[mazambaan]

Mr Google says if its the LX its an industrial machine; US$5 000 odd new. This looks older though.

[Rocket-Boy]

.yes its a single phase 380v

Is there such a thing? 

[Schnoodle]

When they speak of single phase 380 they mean power is taken from 2 phases, eg L1 and L2. It is an industrial machine. It is possible to run it on 220 volt but it draws so much on 220v that all your neighbours would have to switch off their power in order for you to weld, in the United States they have 3phase 220v so it is easier for them.

[Paul H]

Hi guys

 

Little off topic but perhaps relevant. I have had 2 Thermamax 200A AC/DC welders as discussed in this thread. BOTH suffered the same problem eventually and that is that for some reason the argon solenoid valve remains open for ever. Switching the machine on and off repeatedly makes no difference. The first machine was the older manual knob type and the 2nd one a digital jobby. The supplier replaced the first one after much hassle and I'm now hoping to return the 2nd one for credit. Do any of the guys who used them had similar experiences?

 

Thanks

Paul

[dev null]

Hi guys

 

Little off topic but perhaps relevant. I have had 2 Thermamax 200A AC/DC welders as discussed in this thread. BOTH suffered the same problem eventually and that is that for some reason the argon solenoid valve remains open for ever. Switching the machine on and off repeatedly makes no difference. The first machine was the older manual knob type and the 2nd one a digital jobby. The supplier replaced the first one after much hassle and I'm now hoping to return the 2nd one for credit. Do any of the guys who used them had similar experiences?

 

Thanks

Paul

 

Not yet. Not holding my breath though. It is Chinese manufactured.

[BaGearA]

Figure this is A good place to ask 

 

I'm looking for a 15cm piece of reynolds 853 steel TUBE ( its slightly oval , just under and over 45mm when measuring around the tube )

 

I called Euro steel and got " we only do stainless steel and aluminium" 

 

Emailed Mercer bikes and busy sifting though google searches , hoping to find an offcut , cause if I go retail I'll probably have to buy A 1m piece and that'll probably hurt the wallet proper 

 

if any of you know where I can go look please post