Tig Welding

[Bandit]

I am interested in purchasing a welder and welding my own frame. I am pretty innovative and taken on many new challenges and am interested in learning to Tig Weld. Is there any advantage or disadvantage to Tig Welding my frame?
Can anyone recommend a good quality Tig Welder at a reasonable price for the hobbyist?
Thanks!

[Nitetimes]

Aside from the fact that TIG welding takes a lot more practice than MIG welding I can't see any real disadvantages. But if you are looking for a general purpose welder I would go with a small 220v MIG welder.

[asianflava]

TIG is a superior weld there aren't many drawbacks weld wise. The only drawbacks I can think of are, the machines cost more and it is a steeper learning curve.

[angib]

TIG is a superior weld there aren't many drawbacks weld wise. The only drawbacks I can think of are, the machines cost more and it is a steeper learning curve.

TIG is for experts - for example, I've never met a TIG welder who hadn't been a competent gas welder beforehand.

I tried to learn TIG for aluminium - I would rate the learning curve as vertical, not just steep.

But on grinding clean the tip of the TIG electrode that had been contaminated by touching the weld pool - now that is something that I learnt to do real well....

Andrew

[kiltedhiker]

I have to agree.
If you get the chance to learn TIG, take it.
But just jumping on a project with it would be the definition of Frustration.
A good MIG or Flux core will work great.
Besides its going to take you 5 time longer to weld it TIG.

[McTeardrops]

Bandit

I've taken quite a few welding courses at high schools and jc's. They are a fantastic value for the money, and give you access and experience with a wide variety of equiptment. I built a twenty foot car hauler as a class project, a TD should be no problem. The instructors have seen it all, and generally are very receptive to something new.

TIG is the most "natural" process, and was the easiest for me to learn, the equipment is still not cheap though. MIG welds are easy to apply, but the hard part is getting the heat and penetration right: Any instructor will be able to show you a handful of beautiful appearing beads, that have no connection to the parent metals!

I've participated in the "speed" arguement many times. If you're talking pounds of weld deposited per hour, MIG wins hands down, but that's not the way we're likely to weld. We're welding thin guage materials, an inch at a time, and skipping all around the frame to avoid distortion. With 95% of the time spent in preparation and movement, how much influence does the process have? I control feed rate and heat with a hand and foot, how long does it take to walk over to change the settings on the MIG machine?

Bottom line: Take a course, get hands-on with a variety of equipment, and make a purchase decision based on the materials you will be using, and how much use you will really get out of the equipment.

[mbader]

I tried TIG welding my frame but it didn't work out for me.
I was doing it outdoors and the slighest breeze blows away the gas and the weld is bad.
In the end I just stick welded it.

[bledsoe3]

I would have loved to TIG weld my frame. But I could buy a 110V MIG for less than $200 so I went that way. I do a lot more grinding on the welds when I use a MIG than a TIG.

[Steve_Cox]

If money isn't a consideration. A Tig would be a fun toy, and would do a great job. Plan on spending lots of money on gun parts etc while you are learning and plan to practice often to keep the skills once you learn. I've done repair welding, all my adult life, and it might be months sometimes years between jobs. When it came time to build my TD trailer I got myself a Lincoln 225 AC stick welder used, because i knew with a few passes I'd have my skills back. I dreamed of Tigs, but reality was, for the type of jobs I will do, the used crackerbox welder was what I needed. But that was just me planning to make a few teardrop frames, trailer hitches and that kind of stuff.

Steve

[asianflava]

I tried to learn TIG for aluminium - I would rate the learning curve as vertical, not just steep.

You've got that right! As soon as you think you are doing OK, blam! you blow a hole thru the aluminum. You don't get a warning because it doesn't turn red like steel. I took a welding class many years ago, we started with gas welding then TIG welding aluminum. We didn't have too much hands-on time on the TIG machines because there were only 2 machines for the whole class.

Hey Lenny, Why don't you post some pics of your frame. It is the nicest welding work I've seen. I was looking for the pics but the address has changed and we just get a broken link.

[angib]

Just to show what can be done, Dougie, the guy who was trying to teach me TIG on aluminium, had made a football that the lads in the shipyard welding shop sometimes used at break times - 16 gauge aluminium sheet, made from four petals that had been formed in what we called a ball roller (I think most people say 'English wheel') and butt welded, yes butt welded, together.

To be fair, Dougie had done the welds for the illustrations of three welding books, so he wasn't a novice!

Andrew

[GeorgeTelford]

For some like Lenny and me Tig is a natural process, for most people Tig is an exercise in frustration, I can teach virtually anyone to mig weld in a few hours, tig is completely different, welding aluminium or Stainless steel its tig every time, for mild steel Tig is a waste of time Mig it.

I employed a total star of tig welding, I was surprised to see several other experienced Tig welders crowd round my guy when he was testing a new set, one said to me he is amazing to watch I had not really considered it before but he can free hand any angle backwards or forwards and do a full long run, in one pass.

God of tig welding that he his he would never use tig for mild steel, takes far too long and as no advantage

[cracker39]

...I can teach virtually anyone to mig weld in a few hours...

I hope learning to stick weld is that easy. In a week, my son-in-law will be over to weld my chassis for me. He has two helmets, and I hope to learn how to do it myself. I can't stand having to have work done when I can learn to do it. I just like to do it myself.

[McTeardrops]

The point I was trying to make, was that the more sophisticated the tool, the easier it is to use. Take ripping a sheet of plywood for example. A real craftsman can get good results with a hand saw. I've seen expert working carpenters do a good job with a stringline and a circular saw. I produce, generally, square and straight cuts with my radial arm saw, but envy the effortless precision Norm Abrams get with those $$$ table saws on Sunday mornings.

I spent thirty years in plant construction. The best weldor I ever saw taught welding courses, nights, at a community college. He got a cover photo on Lincoln's magazine, of a razor blade he welded to an anchor, using a twenty-year-old buzzbox unit he picked up on the side of the road, one step ahead of the trash truck. He "consulted" at the local heavy equipment plant, charging an hours's fee to put a new hire off the street on the production line, MIG welding. It took him two quarters, eight hours a week, to turn me into a fairly adaquate stick welder. I learned what I know about MIG welding in an hour. After I bought my TIG machine, he turned me loose on a trailer frame after an hour of instruction and practice. But had to come out to my house to do a couple welds, with that ratty old buzzbox, that I found impossible with my shiney new Miller.

My machine will stick weld, but I never do, because none of my projects last long enough, or have enough welds, to bring back those skills. Just doing the tacks, with TIG is enough to get the feel back, and start stacking coins.

The higher dollar machines can be a substitute for skill and experience. It is as easy to lay down a bead with a MIG welder as it is with a caulk gun, but experience and judgement are required to set the right wire speed and amperage to get a quality joint. What you see isn't necessarily what you get.

[IndyTom]

I am so glad I found this thread tonight. I was going to ask about this subject too. I think I am going to end up building on a used boat trailer, but I will still need to weld some cross memebers to the frame. I have used a MIG/flux core welder as well as a stick welder, but both were a long time ago. If you were gonna buy just one, which would u buy, and why. I am looking for something to do some general light weight welding after this project is over as well.
I just want to say thank you for all the good advice I have already gotten here. I havent started my build, but I have "she who must be obeyed" in agreement that this will be a good thing. I just gotta find the stuff I need to get started.
Thanks