Hi Guys,

I'm wondering if anyone here know's how to use a TIG welder? prefferably someone in brissy that would care to show me how to use mine...:cool:

thanks in advance.

think of tig welding as electric oxy cos that's effectively what it is
if you can oxy with filler rod then you will be able to adapt it to tig
g/l

Yep - basically the same thing.

Don't try and strike it by touching the item you are welding, most (all) of them have ignitors - dont touch the filler rod or weld item to the tip when it is hot either, you will contaminate it (and have to get a new one).

Not all tigs have high frequency and may have to scratch start... and if you contaminate the tip you only need to re-grid the tungsten electrode to a point, and your off welding again. the tungsten's last for a while.
Have you got GAS? and what are you welding? Mild steel? Stainless?
Argon will do everything but there are other options depending on metals. You inly need between 7-10ltrs per/min flow rate....
U need rods, preferable triple Dioxidised for mild steel,to remove Oxygen from the M/S.
and for stainless there are 2 main... 304sl and 316sl for the different tyes of stainless, There are more, but not going too far into it!
I dont think you going to be doing Alumminium?

Welding masks range from 9-13. i use shade 9 for anything upto 90amps, and roughly a shade higher every 30amps. All upto preference, i do alot of fine fiddly work so i need to see as much as possible with the heat as low as 10amps....

Need anything else just ask! cheers, Dan

Thanks for the replies guys,

Will be using it for Stainless only at this stage. we currently have a MIG welder just needed the TIG to weld the stainless.

but thanks for your response. Would u say its sort of like Soldering to a certain extent.

also, how important is it to set it up with the Argon Gas.. the Welder has it there but I don't have the bottle or anything at this stage was only going to get it if it was neccessary.

Thanks for the replies guys,

Will be using it for Stainless only at this stage. we currently have a MIG welder just needed the TIG to weld the stainless.

but thanks for your response. Would u say its sort of like Soldering to a certain extent.

also, how important is it to set it up with the Argon Gas.. the Welder has it there but I don't have the bottle or anything at this stage was only going to get it if it was neccessary.


Argon gas is the cooling for your tip. If you dont have the gas connected you will melt your tip instantly, then you have to regrind it preferably on a tool steel grinding disk. Ive found that if you grind the tip while holding it vertically it's a better weld due to the groves in the tungston tip facing the way your welding.

When you welding you need to do circular movements to while welding otherwise you weld will crack and fail.

Practice on scrap first and practice a lot, each metal is very different to tig. I tig copper alot and it's completly different from stainless.

As pervious posted you will be using a filler rod to add metal to the weld. What ever grade of stainless your using use that filler rod as you dont want dissimilar metals. But saying that depending on what your doing and the head raiting you might be able to braze the stainless together using 180 or 210 silver solder which are the heat raitings, 180deg or 210deg.

I have a feeling you'll be doing exhaust stainless? It's thin you wont need much current and you will need stainless rods.

I'm no expert at tig welding but that's my experiences. You might want to do a tafe course in it, you'll be an expert then.

Argon gas is the cooling for your tip. If you dont have the gas connected you will melt your tip instantly, then you have to regrind it preferably on a tool steel grinding disk. Ive found that if you grind the tip while holding it vertically it's a better weld due to the groves in the tungston tip facing the way your welding.

When you welding you need to do circular movements to while welding otherwise you weld will crack and fail.

But saying that depending on what your doing and the head raiting you might be able to braze the stainless together using 180 or 210 silver solder which are the heat raitings, 180deg or 210deg.

I have a feeling you'll be doing exhaust stainless? It's thin you wont need much current and you will need stainless rods.

I'm no expert at tig welding but that's my experiences. You might want to do a tafe course in it, you'll be an expert then.

The argon has nothing to do with cooling.... it creates a oxygen free atmosphere around the weld, no Oxygen, no burn.... Yes you do need it. no way around it. there are other gasses but not as good(dirty weld)

I have done my trade as a sheetmetal fabricator/engineer.

dont have to weave or do circular motion. Cracking mainly occurs when welding cast. the parent metal cools down faster than the weld causing it to crack down the side of the weld/weakest point. Pre heating with oxy/accet will help this. then it gets complicated with metal composition's and crap.

Dont silver solder the stainless, very weak join. best to use 316sl stainless rod and that will do both 304/316 types of S/S


Oh Sports, i think you need the tafe course aswell.:D

thanks for two totally opposite posts. if i put them together I get to where i started :bowrofl:

i don't plan on attempting to weld my exhaust however you have just given me idea's:badgrin:

its for My dad's boat, everything is stainless and when something brakes we have to take it all off and take it somewhere to get welded back together.. so decided to buy a TIG so we could then try to work out how to use it.