Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
Body on frame.
Advice Needed: Dressing out welds (in depth)
- Thread starter Yotabldr
- Start date
Yotabldr
Promoted Users
Did some tig spot tests today so figured I'd snag a shot of this for you, being as my first reply probably left a lot for the imagination.
I run a dual flowmeter on my tank, so one controls flow to the torch, the other to my backpurge rig. For on/off I just manually toggle a small ball valve.
Backside results for both backpurged and non:
A crater can be seen clearly in the top sample, probably due to being exposed to atmosphere and/or the scale getting drawn into the molten pool. These were no hole, no filler rod, just two stacked .030" sheets and about a 2 second blast at 130 amps. Tungsten had about a .050" flat ground on end of a normal taper. Think this helps to fan out the puddle. Those 3 smaller spots in the upper right were done at 65 amps and fully pointed tungsten.
Curious to see results on real world epoxied panels but that'll have to wait until I get my hands on some epoxy.
Yotabldr
Promoted Users
^^ Be nice to be able to cut that 10 seconds down to around 3 or less.
I reckon you could fashion a long reach clamp for those far away from an edge or get a helper to buck the backside with a hunk of copper.
Definitely a gas saver though.
Kick myself in the but for not getting the spot timer option for my machine before they stopped making them.
Would have been perfect for this.
I reckon you could fashion a long reach clamp for those far away from an edge or get a helper to buck the backside with a hunk of copper.
Definitely a gas saver though.
Kick myself in the but for not getting the spot timer option for my machine before they stopped making them.
Would have been perfect for this.
Last edited:
Worn Out Welder
Promoted Users
It’s just a matter of trial and error to reduce time by increasing amperage.
But if it works then that’s all you need.
It does help to put an ever so small blunt end on the tungsten. It makes the focal point more defined than a needle point.
Back in the previous century I did some tedious work….but not now.
But if it works then that’s all you need.
It does help to put an ever so small blunt end on the tungsten. It makes the focal point more defined than a needle point.
Back in the previous century I did some tedious work….but not now.
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
Robert maybe I missed it....I'm assuming no hole in one of the panels? Thanks for the video. Good info I will try it out sometime.
And if it's not to much bother, do you have any pics of the finished welds? Hard to see it in your video.
metalman
Oldtimer
In that video he should have said "using a Tig torch instead of a resistance weld". He said "using a Tig torch as a resistance spot welder.
He did say the tungsten is recessed into his cup, correct there is an arc. The amps and time are dependent on metal thickness and should be tested beforehand. I have done that in the past and it does work, no ring for the cup and no copper but yes clamped tight. Nothing wrong with the ring and the pad on the vise grip, probably makes it easier to position and clamp in one shot.
He did say the tungsten is recessed into his cup, correct there is an arc. The amps and time are dependent on metal thickness and should be tested beforehand. I have done that in the past and it does work, no ring for the cup and no copper but yes clamped tight. Nothing wrong with the ring and the pad on the vise grip, probably makes it easier to position and clamp in one shot.
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
Oh. I didn't think it sounded like you but figured it was. Sorry.