Knowing the tips and tricks when it comes to TIG welding can help you properly weld in a variety of circumstances. Proper techniques should be practiced in order to ensure that you learn the proper way to weld whether you are performing TIG welding, arc welding, mig welding or any other form of welding.
Fill the Filler Rod
Learn how to fill the filler rod with ease. Filling the filler rod is similar to learning to hold a pen or a pencil. Learning to hold a TIG torch is simple when you follow and apply these tips. Thin gloves are recommended when filling the filler rod. Thinner gloves provide more flexibility while also protecting your hand while TIG welding.
Rod Size Matters
Pay attention to the thickness of the rod. An important note to remember is that you should not use a rod that is thicker than the metal that you are melting. When welding thin metal use a thin rod, and use a thicker rod for thicker metal. When learning how to TIG weld make sure to use welding surface that is bigger in width. This gives you a larger and thicker space to work on and allows a slightly larger rod to be fed making feeding the rod easier.
Pay Attention to Balls on The Rod
Watch out for balls on tips of the rod. A ball on the end or the tip of your rod is a signal that you are not TIG welding the correct way. This can be caused by a wrong angle, wrong arc or the wrong rod size. All of these could be the cause or just one. Pinpointing the exact cause helps you remedy the problem immediately to reduce this problem.
Angle Matters
Consider your angle when TIG welding. Your angle should be approximately 10 degrees or less from the surface that you are welding. If the angle is too large the heat will not reach the rod properly resulting in the rod melting before securely adhering to the puddle.
Properly Clean Your Work Surface
Properly clean your surface prior to beginning welding. Other types of welding can be successful on dirtier surfaces, but TIG welding is not one of those. TIG welding works best on a critically clean surface, especially when you are dealing with aluminum. There are two methods to cleaning your surface before you begin welding. Chemical cleaning can help remove contaminants and a good old scrubbing helps remove dirt and debris. Either spray a chemical on and let it sit then wipe it off, or use the scrubbing technique to completely remove all contaminants and allow the surface to air dry completely before beginning work.
Control Your Foot
Control the foot pedal properly for a flawless finish. TIG welding is not a race to the finish line so you should control the foot pedal from start to finish. When you begin to trigger the arch you should have the foot pedal full on, but once the puddle forms the pedal should not be at full force. If the pedal is not properly controlled a burn through and other issues can occur. Each weld is different so there is no sure fire way to to perform a proper TIG weld, but practice will help you learn to control the foot pedal.
The last part of welding correctly is proper care for your equipment. Properly caring for your equipment can save you expensive welding repair costs in the future. Keeping your welding tools dry and protected from the elements can extend their life and keep them in proper working order. Properly cleaning your equipment after each use and on a regular basis discourages build up which could rust and corrode your equipment and cause it to function poorly. Properly care for your equipment before, during and after each use to ensure extended life and help avoid costly repairs.
