Westermans have gathered a collection of tips to ensure you are happy at work with your TIG welder…….
•
Do prepare your weld surface for TIG welding – clean the weld joint thoroughly
•
Don’t TIG weld onto a dirty/impure surface – leave this for MIG and Stick!
•
Do prepare/dress your tungsten by grinding it to a point, similar to that of a pencil when finished
•
Don’t neglect your TIG welding torch!! Consider the angles you will be welding at and whether you will need air or water cooling
•
Do try to use a gas lens to help hold the tungsten in place, whilst creating the necessary electrical contact for sufficient current transfer. Shielding gas coverage is also improved as well as weld joint accessibility.
•
Don’t use too much torch gas when welding aluminium A/C
•
Do mix a little helium in with your argon when TIG welding aluminium, 50/50 if you are welding thick ally or magnesium.
•
Don’t fail to research your welding parameters, amperage varies for different tungsten sizes!
•
Do use an inverter power source to convert AC to DC and back again at a very high rate, resulting in a smooth arc.
•
Don’t subject your weld to windy conditions, this will lead to loss of coverage of shielding gases causing pinholes and porosity in the weld.
•
Do consider adding a foot pedal to control heat increasing/decreasing the weld puddle.
•
Don’t weld without your safety equipment!! Gloves, helmets, safety clothing and weld fume extraction where possible.
•
Do weld a huge variety of materials and make the most of your TIG welder!
•
Don’t over-do it! Over-welding a joint and overcompensating leads to increased welding time, wasting shielding gases and filler metal. Ensure you are efficient in your preparations.
