Where can I find (MainlyTig) Mig Stick Welding for dumbies

Date 03-01-2008 05:31

You can get a basic book "Haynes Techbook Welding Manual" from Pep Boys or other auto parts stores. I don'tknow if this is the best one or not, but it is pretty easy to find, it is in with the auto repair manuals.

By Dave Winchell Date 03-08-2008 01:15

thanks

By motgar

Date 03-03-2008 13:29

Dave W.

Check Amazon, E-bay, or some local bookstores. Do a search for GTAW Handbooks, or manuals or just welding. Should bring up a lot of matches. If you are really interested in doing GTAW/TIG, check out this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Gas-Tungsten-Arc-Welding-Handbook/dp/1590705815/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204549531&sr=1-3

Used this book, back when I took classes. The only difference is it was published in 2000, not 2005. Not sure if there are any changes to it since then.

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 03-04-2008 10:41 Edited 03-04-2008 10:52

Dave

You posted a very good question about the gasses....I have been welding all my life and I do not know the technical explanation to it....but I bet it has already been covered more then once on this forum somewhere. You got to have a good co2 mix with steel and mig. I could be wrong here because its been a very long time but I think you can get away with a 98% argon mix on your stainless mig...aluminum too. Thats a lot cheaper then tri mix. If I am wrong on that ...no worries someone will correct it.

As far as your tig welding goes....I highly suggest you use the search feature up in the menu and search out threads with TIG or GTAW in the subject line. You will find enough info to keep you busy for quite a bit. TIG welding is very much like brazing in that you have separate heat sources and fillers. Its a little more complicated in that you have to choose the type and size of tungsten in relation to current/metal type, cup size, gas type and flow rate...and a very wide variety of filler metals. Look up filler charts on the major manufacture sites or post here for good answers. Basically your will be running your SS and Steels on DCEN or DC negative polarity....your aluminum will be run using A/C with the high frequency turned on continuous. Keep your tungstens sharp on steels, on aluminum you might try starting an arc (on a thick piece of steel or copper) DCEP or DC positive to melt the end of your tungsten into a little ball before welding your aluminum. The A/C + high frequency has a tendency to make your tungsten degrade so a sharp point won't work at the same amount of amperage. Aluminum is very different from tig welding steels...not harder just different. Aluminum does not have such a focused arc and you have less control over the width of your puddle....it does not glow like steel ....it turns chrome or like mercury when it liquefies. Also you will find your technique of adding filler will have to adjust in comparison to steels. Use the search function and do some experimenting...then post back with specific questions. You might be able to get some practice material from job/fabrication shops in your area either as freebies or for cheap purchase...everyone has plenty of good practice material in their scrap bins. I would definitely get some practice in before you tackle a hard to replace fender or body panel. A lot of us could write you a book on how to do it...but you will progress much faster with a bit of experimenting and then coming back with specific questions of why and how on technique. Oh and btw stick with 2% thoriated tungstens for now while you are learning...they are a bit cheaper and till you get experienced you won't notice enough difference with the others. You also might want to read up on tungsten as well as there are some health hazards associated with handling it.

Good luck man
Tommy

BTW. I admire anyone with the guts to go out and teach themselves something...I learned programming, car mechanics, playing guitar and several other things that way.

By Dave Winchell Date 03-08-2008 01:19

I too play guitar funky bluesy hard rock stuff.

By Dave Winchell Date 03-08-2008 01:16

thanks

By OBEWAN

Date 03-04-2008 20:55

If you want basic procedures and machine settings you could look for the Lincoln Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding. It was only $5 when I bought one in 1980. It should still be a bargain. You would have to check at the Lincoln Electric website.

By Dave Winchell Date 03-08-2008 01:16

thanks

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 03-05-2008 17:23

First of all "Weldcome' to the forum!!! ;)

Here's a link that will be helpful, and it's free:

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/improving-your-skills/tig/

Here's another link from Miller for future reference:

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/

Enjoy! Oh ,and don't forget to use the search function in this forum to look up discussions on GTAW/TIG topics. ;)

Respectfully,
Henry

By Dave Winchell Date 03-08-2008 01:14

Thanks To all for the info you all gave. Thanks for being understanding most of all too. I tried the tig and no luck very tough. Fist of all I think I made mistake # 1 by welding S/S (Trying) in A/C (stinger Positive) (negative to the tank). I think I just read D/C for SS and steel(positive to the stinger).
Is that true? I did get it to ark 3 times in a hour.... now that was fun. Lots of bad words.. LOL 1/4 beads at a time. No way to turn the heat down after it arced. It got it red hot then a big ball of SS sat at the end of the tip. No arc then back to the grinder. Oh the grinder is my friend LOL. So I took my 75/25/tank to Strate Welding used it for a deposit and I took a trimix bottle home. Got some 308 SS .030 wire from work and started to mig weld together my glycol holding tank for my homemade wood stove boiler. I was please at how it turned out not bad but not that great either. I then cut to holes in the tank... (send and return) and welded in SS 1" couplings. I then pressured it up and wow about 100 leaks LOL. The grinder is my best friend. I thought I had good penetration but I guess not. So I ground off my welds and tried the whipping technique but the weld was not wide enough and it still leaked. I ground down the weld again and did circles in a whipping motion now we got penetration and no leaks Yea ha. 2 sides down lots more to go. I found out why good welders / Good welding jobs cost so much. If you want it done right and a good job call the pros. Well I have to go Snow blow getting 15" between tonight and tomorrow so I have to keep up.
Thanks Again everybody
Dave The metal Butcher

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 03-08-2008 02:44 Edited 03-08-2008 02:52

Dave, Let me clarify polarity settings for you:

DCEN that means DC electrode negative...your torch is negative your work is positive.

DCEP that means DC electrode positive....your torch is positive your work is negative.

A/C means the current reverses at a cyclic rate....your electrode will be positive one moment ...then ramping down to become negative the next. With squarewave machines or inverters this cycle is a little different and much more controllable.

For your steels and SS work with tig you need to be on DCEN....this is often referred to by welders as DC straight polarity.

A WARNING: your glycol boiler is considered a pressurized vessel......pressure vessels of any type have very specific laws, construction and welding codes in place. The primary reason being for those laws and codes is pressure vessels KILL people when they are constructed, repaired, or modified incorrectly. I am not gonna sit here and lecture you about your endeavor.....you need to have engineered prints by a certified source to build anything over 15 psi or so.....any boiler will be far capable of exceeding that pressure. There are also inspection requirements in place for such structures.....does that mean my Grandpa did not build a workable still by himself .....hell no. But it does mean you are working on dangerous as hell pieces of equipment.....unsatisfactory welding could have the potential to kill you or someone else. If you are not 100% on your welding/engineering skills you need to walk away. BTW. Pressure welders in the Navy inform me they look for leaks with a broom handle....the high pressure steam will cut it in two pieces. I can tell you from experience that steam burns are the worst....mainly because they are instantaneous....you get cooked much faster then you can move out of the way.

You play the same kind of music that gets me going....blues based rock.....i am teaching one of my girls the different blues scales and hope to get a session/jam in with her tonite

Tommy

you guys might consider my post over the top....but this is the internet and I have NO idea what this guy is really trying to build....but I know at this point I am scared for his sake.

By Dave Winchell Date 03-09-2008 03:15

I have done a lot of research and Id like a open system to avoid this pressure you guys are talking about. I do have a air scoop to plead any air out. I have a expansion tank to help with pressure. I also have a pressure release valve but it is at 30 PSI and I'm not sure I like it that high. Another thing is that in a closed loop system I need a water source and automatic fill valve to keep it full at all times. Well I have no water in my garage. So I can use a gravity automatic valve with a tank with 25% of the total capacity in the system but 1 small problem the valve is almost $500 and I really cant spend that much on a valve. Maybe I can gravity feed the system manually while circulating when the system is cold every coulpe of times used or every time before use. So a open loop might be my best safest way. (like a tractor flap) I also could have my brother weld this storage tank he is a very good welder. He welded ships for years and has a lot of good skills. That takes away from me learning though but like you all say.... Safety first.
I really love all the input you all give because one can not think of everything and different views are good too.

Back to my tig problems
you said
For your steels and SS work with tig you need to be on DCEN....this is often referred to by welders as DC straight polarity.
DCEN that means DC electrode negative...your torch is negative your work is positive.

I had it positive to torch and negitive to work on A/C mode not D/C
Sounds like that was problem # 1

I use Sonar 7 for recording sonds works great. Good luck with your girl and pass it on.
Dave

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 03-08-2008 05:42

Dave, in keeping with Tommy's cautions about the " pressure vessel" I would suggest that You use an open system rather than a closed system with an expansion tank. This way there is no posibility of building pressure that might make Your tank a baloon, or worse. This is how I rigged the glycol side of My solar water heater.

By Dave Winchell Date 03-09-2008 03:27

Do you think a air scoop is still need to bleed the system and I guess that the blow off could go back then too. My brother in law went to school for A/C and heating Engineer and he knows a lot but the wood stove thing is the worry because they didn't learn anything about this. Back yard rigging 101 ..LOL....He said a closed loop would work fine. I still need to look into the air input fan like a real outside wood boiler so that the fan will shut off the air to the fire when it gets to a certain temp. I really want to use wood because I can get al the pallets I need and its free. Unlike my oil guzzling low boy. Big money..
Thanks For the Info
Dave

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 03-09-2008 05:36 Edited 03-09-2008 05:39

I like to use an air scoop on any hydronic system, because the sooner You get the air out of the liquid stream the better as far as circulation air lock problems go. The automatic vent could be eliminated by a standpipe going higher than the highest point in the system.
An open system needs a vented expansion resivor mounted above the highest point in the system, the capacity depends on the total liquid volume. The one on My solar setup is a foot long section of 4"diameter PVC pipe with a loosely fitted cap, the bottom of which is at the same elevation as the highest point in the pipe run. It tees off the return pipe GOING DOWN A FOOT then into a return bend and up to the proper elevation. This prevents thermo syphoning, and the tank and it's contents remain cool.
If the firebox has a chimney there will be draft, so You may need to actually close the air intake to controll the fire. A guy I worked with built a wood fired boiler that had a 1,000 gallon insulated storage tank burried in His yard. He could fire the stove at maximum capacity, as the temperature of that much water [it was a fresh water system] doesn't change rapidly.
   As You probably know already, You are much better off burning wood vigorously than roasting it. If You burn a hot fire with secondary air entering above the fire, all the stuff that makes stack deposits [creosote] will be burned up.
   Pallets are a great source of wood, that is what the guy I mentioned used.
   The closed loop will work, and might be simpler if You have a multi story house, but even the low pressure of a closed system and the cyclical loading from temperature change requires carefull engineering of a tank for it to last.