TIG welder for hobby use

[Graham376]

I "cut my teeth" on oxy-acetylene. With practice, there is not much that cannot be tackled with an oxy-fuel torch.

As an apprentice panel beater in the 60's (before I moved to mechanical) oxy acet was the norm, not only for welding but for shrinking and shaping damaged bits of panels and for melting lead filler.

 

[Ian_Rob]

Lift start TIG welders with pre and postflow and upslope and downslope welding current are very capable machines, a world apart from scratch start.

 

[RichardS]

[Content removed]

That seems like a rather generalised first post on a 2 year old thread ..... but welcome to the forum anyway.

Richard

 

[jameson4181]

MIG and TIG welding processes utilize bare electrodes. Though the material used by both electrodes is quite different in both processes. However, there is no flux-coated electrode has been employed among any of these two processes

 

[Graham376]

MIG and TIG welding processes utilize bare electrodes. Though the material used by both electrodes is quite different in both processes. However, there is no flux-coated electrode has been employed among any of these two processes

Not coated but flux cored MIG wire which does the same job has been around for many years.

 

[SpottyDog5]

Not coated but flux cored MIG wire which does the same job has been around for many years.

Flu cored Tig rod is available too. Useful if back purging isn't possible.

 

[Graham376]

Flu cored Tig rod is available too. Useful if back purging isn't possible.

How does it compare to using shield gas which is always a problem obtaining when out and about, every country seems to have their own tank & reg,
.

 

[PCUK]

Flu cored Tig rod is available too. Useful if back purging isn't possible.

How would that help with back purging?

 

[coopec]

I've got a couple of welders but if I want a decent weld I get my Son to do it for me. He swears by Inverter welders (As mentioned by DownWest?) He says they are cheap and easy to use.

Can you TIG weld with an inverter welder?




TIG welding can be done with an inverter welder either with or without filler wire, but when using sharpened tungsten wire, you should be careful that the tungsten doesn't stick. If it does, you'll have to stop and re=sharpen your tungsten to avoid contamination.
How to TIG Weld with an Inverter Welder | Welding Mastermind

 

[SpottyDog5]

How does it compare to using shield gas which is always a problem obtaining when out and about, every country seems to have their own tank & reg,
.

You still need to use a shielding gas

 

[SpottyDog5]

How would that help with back purging?

Not always easy to get to the back side of a welding to purge, perhaps in a closing weld on pipeline.
Details here : https://www.welding-alloys.com/uploads/pdf/brochures/en/wa-consumables/WAROD-brochure.pdf

 

[Graham376]

You still need to use a shielding gas

Don't see much point in using it then. I've used flux cored MIG before and drawback with that is the amount of slag created, compared to gas shield.

 

[DownWest]

Don't see much point in using it then. I've used flux cored MIG before and drawback with that is the amount of slag created, compared to gas shield.

And spatter...
.
Never heard of any serious TIG work without gas as the tungsten would oxidise very quickly.

Deleted bits, as realized I was repeating myself.

 

[SpottyDog5]

Don't see much point in using it then. I've used flux cored MIG before and drawback with that is the amount of slag created, compared to gas shield.

Many people get confused , a lot of flux cored wires are not gasless, the core gives benefits such as mechanicals, alloying or deposition.