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I've been learning TIG welding for an art project I'm working on, but am finding the welds I want to do now are pretty difficult for me: This is 3/8" square tube welded to 1/2" round tube. I machined round cut outs into the square tubes with a 1/2" end mill so it fits together nicely. I'm running the welder at 65 amps max and using a 1/16" electrode and 1/16" and the next size down filler rod. Any advice? This is just a test/practice piece, and it doesn't need to be structural or load bearing, just look nice (and not fall apart). I've got lots of extra material for practice and sometimes can get my welding instructor to review my work. Also, are there ways to affix pieces like this that aren't as serious as welding so I can work on other aspects of the project (fitment, motion)?
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Sep 5, 2018 17:02
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| # ¿ May 11, 2024 20:02 |
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:Do you want pretty actual welds or just pretty joints? If you don’t mind grinding you can make a giant mess of the weld then grind it until it looks pretty. I don’t have any experience with TIG but from my MIG/stick experience I’d say you should lower your amperage since you are blowing through your tube. Because it isn’t structural you don’t have to worry about getting great penetration or anything. In my experience, welding is absolutely something where practice makes perfect-it’s just teaching yourself the steadiness and muscle memory to make it all consistent. Both shapes are listed as 0.035" wall, though now that I measure it the round is a bit thinner (~0.0325) and square is about as listed. My main concern is not blowing through anywhere and actually not distorting the round at all, as I've got bushings that will go inside. I guess this means pretty welds. Luckily the steel was cheap (the cheapest part of the project actually!) so I will probably cut up a few dozen 1" segments and practice until I am satisfied. In the meantime I may try JB Weld for my first assembly tests. echomadman posted:Whats your wall thickness on the tube? you could probably turn down the amperage or back off on the pedal a bit if you're using one, it may also help to lay the filler wire in the gap and wash the arc over it, starting your heat on the wall of the round tube and working over to the edge of the square tube, i can see a few spots there where you ended up chasing the edge of the square tube as it melted away. Thanks for that link, I've had trouble tacking and will try that method out.
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Sep 6, 2018 06:42
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