I sharpen a pack as soon as I get them, quick change and get the job done, grinding the tungstens at the end of the day is an indication of how many times I messed up - usually 3 or 5 or..;)
I disagree with the "one tungsten" rule. It's not like us noobs need the extra punishment to keep us from dipping it. In fact, from what I've seen from the people in my welding class, the opposite is true. Beginners tend to use too much arc, because they're frustrated with running to the grinder all the time, or they just keep welding, because it's too much of a hassle to regrind every time they dip. If you have a whole pack of sharp tungstens ready to go, you can practice with a nice short arc and get in a groove, without constantly being interrupted to go regrind after every mistake. In the event that you do dip it, you'll be less temped to cheat and keep going with a messed up electrode.
When I first got my everlast tig welder I bought a pack of tungsten and sharpened both ends on each one so that when I dipped I couple quick change twice as many times before I needed to regrind them all. It helped keep the frustration level low when learning.
Robert Ernest get some nail polish or paint marker and mark the middle of your tungsten. now that you've grinded off the identifying color it's easy to mix them up. just a little tip that has helped me. thought I'd pass it along.
nwimpney I agree with you totally. It's frustrating enough , when you're learning, to keep the tungsten angled right, the travel speed, The dip strategy, foot pedal...etc. For a newb, it's all very overwhelming. For me, If it ain't at least a little bit fun to learn, I get discouraged and frustrated. Why make it any harder on yourself.
The only reason some welding schools hand students one tungsten at a time is the cost adds up like crazy if they don't. (I ran a welding school toolroom.) I suggest doing what I did as a student and buy some tungsten so you'll have ready spares. As a student TIME WELDING is everything. Time prepping is important but booth time is what passes bend tests.
I just watched this video and went to your website. I'm excited about both! I love the metal art you create! I have a deep desire to create art and although I'm well versed with mig, and a self-taught oxy-acetylene welder, I purchased my first tig last week. I bought it so I can do art with it while I make vlog videos about it. I created my first on-camera piece called Rod Knocked and put it on my channel. I've never used a tig before now and I'm learning all about grinding my tungsten. lol I'm quickly improving in weld quality and decreasing in frequency of dipping the tip, which makes learning more enjoyable. Thank for posting this video. I'm looking forward to watching more of yours.
Agreed, when I first started TIG welding I kept destroying my tungsten and couldn't figure out why, because I was too focused on getting the weld done.. but little did I know I didn't even know how to keep the tungsten sharp haha.. You should learn to control the tungsten before actually learning to weld in TIG, IMO...
i am regular out in the woods and make a lot of miles this way, but as you said, welding -- dip it, walk, grind, walk, weld .- this walk of shame made me walk as much miles as on my outdoor tours. but it trains your behavior. And yes, I thought about moving the grinder onto my welding cart :) , but I did not. great video , thanks for sharing
I have stuck the tungsten several times. Regrinding it certainly is a punishment. First time I ever sharpened it I was full of happiness as I was just about to have a go on my new welder. Not anymore. Point taken though. Get better and don’t stick the tungsten. Is there like something with mini wheels which would fit beneath your hand to aid rolling and so keeping the torch real smooth?
Lots of good tips, especially concerning the AHP's points. The one thing I do slightly differently is run the drill slower when using the Harbor grinder; the thought being getting straighter parallel grinds to the point. Note; some days it is a trot-of-shame :-(
What do I do when I stick my newly sharpened tungsten in my finger? Those things go right through the gloves. ;-) Thanks for all your videos - esp your last one on safety. Glad you are still around!
I learned that when sharpening your tungsten on a bench grinder to glide across the surface of the wheel because when you keep it stationary and it starts to burrow like that its weakening the wheel making it more vulnerable to breaking and acting as shrapnel to your face.
I have a beginner question, whenever I dip my tungsten or touch the rod to the tungsten, I get a pretty good shock that goes from one hand to the next. This doesn't seem to happen to other people as much. I wear all the appropriate ppe and it's a brand new machine. Any ideas besides don't dip my tungsten?
Good question! Whenever possible ground to your work, not the table. If you are sweating and lean on the work or table if it is grounded you are more likely to get a shock. Just do whatever you can to not become part of the circuit.
New welder here. What is the best way (or only way perhaps) to start a TIG weld with a finger trigger. The user's manual for my Forney MP machine states, "Position the torch so that the tungsten electrode is in contact with the work piece at a 45 degree angle, press the torch trigger or the foot control and then lift the tungsten electrode away from the work piece." Sound reasonable?
Don't feel left out if you ever break the end off your tungsten... I'm in my welding class in high school and have already. Besides that I'm good at sharpening it
Is it ok to touch your tungsten to the work piece right before you initiate an arc? I got in a habit with Mig welding to touch the piece then backing off a bit so I’d know where I’m at. I started to do this with Tig then wondered if I am contaminating the tungsten by doing that?
One of the first Kevin videos I watched (of at least dozens)! Must have hundreds of yards of “walk of shame.” My Question- When I hit the tungsten with aluminum filler rod, it tends to coat 1/4-3/8” of tungsten. This leaves a lot to grind off! I’ve heard snapping off tungsten in vise or with pliers can put cracks in the tungsten. What ‘ya think?
Good question! Yes, if you snap off the end you can crack the tungsten. I find a good pair of wire cutters works better. Crimp the tungsten on both sides and then snap off.
Does the contamination from the dipped tungsten not get onto the grinder wheel? Wouldn’t that contaminate the rest of the tungsten you sharpen on that wheel?
@@KevincaronSculpture thanks for the reply. Didn’t expect it on a 6 year old video. That’s good to know. I’ve seen some people say the tungsten needs to go in the garbage after a dip
6 лет назад+1
I have a TIG inverter machine (super tig 200 from ntf). Is it true that sticking the tungsten will damage my welding machine? I have never heard about it before...
I stuck the tungsten and I heard my everlast machine make that grounding noise that my mig would make. I knew it couldn't be good for the machine! You gotta start some where though!
Okay Kevin I don't mean to bug you this much but that diamond will you discuss it in this video could you send me the link to that one cuz I could not find one that will fit that grinder I was just at Harbor Freight in this video
I stuck the tungsten to the metal on my first day and decided to pull it off. I didn’t think anything would happen but it created a huge flash. Any tips on how to never do this because I’m now worried about doing it again :/ do I hold the tungsten further away? Where do I turn the tig welder off? When I’m pulling away or do i turn off then pull away? Thanks!
When you stick the tungsten again remember to either take your foot off the pedal or click the finger switch to turn off the arc. If you are running a scratch start tig then yes, you will get a flash when you break it loose. If you have the machine close enough to reach the off switch that would stop the flash.
Ahhh thanks very much :) today was my 2nd day and it went well. The welds are getting better but I’m struggling to notice the ‘pool’ to dip the rod in when attempting to two pieces of steel at a 90 degree angle sometimes
My friend and I started tig welding tonight, do you have any tips on keeping a steady arc when tig welding exhaust tubing? I kept contaminating the tungsten because of the tubes shape.
I do a dry run before just to practice my movement. That and keeping the distance is about all I can offer. Good luck and practice, practice and more practice.
Hi Kevin Seems like the walk of shame could be me. Yes I do have a box of pre ground tungsten's so no grinding needed. Was a interesting time. The AHP welding machine with the stubby kit on it works very well. The grinder you use in very effective and a lot cheaper than a $500 grinder. thx
It looks like you have all the wheels mounted on 1 side is that right? And did you space them out some amount? Or have you just worn a deep groove in the 1 wheel?
How long would you say you've been using the same diamond wheels and how often do you use them? They seem cheap enough to replace but i'm curious how they're holding up for you.
Your wife is awesome. I dip it in average seven times a day, want that tight electrode distance. I dont know if its any difference between copper and aluminium but often it seem fine to continue welding and other times you just have to stop immediately and go grind the electrode. If you get stuck with the whole electrode and have to break it loose then its definitly game over. If you dont notice any difference and the arc dont get unstable and that green light goes away pretty much instantly, will it still have an effect on the welds strength then?
Yes when you stick the tungsten you are contaminating the weld and it will not pass an inspection. If you x-rayed the weld you would see the mess inside the weld. I find that aluminum is the worst for jumping on the tungsten. And my wife said Thank You!
So when my machine stop working I will have a good idea why, lol. I'm pretty good at dipping the tungsten. Lol, I currently sharpen 6 tungstens at a time and thats good enough for a couple of hours of practice.
ryan cler absolutely, 2% Thorium in the red ones, you should not do this inside and without protection, its a shame the most basic health precautions are ignored. Obviuosly you will hear most of this "experts" bragging nothing has happened to them. Well... its a matter of time. Wet grinding, dust control or use non thoriated tungsten.
@@KevincaronSculpture i actually do, two questions/ suggestions: what advantages of gas lens on tig welding and what situations it is possible to weld using tig without adding material. thanks for your help!
Hi Kevin, I've just recently found and subscribed to your channel... and as always this was a very informative video... I especially liked the tips on use of the drill and a dedicated small grinder/diamond wheel combo. Keep up the good work.
Could you show me how you get your weld puddle started and to say a 90 degree angle bisector angle iron welding flat plate and then another flat plate on its Edge makes a 90 degree angle I have a hard time getting my aluminum puddle started is there a trick to that
Always try to learn something new.. You never know when you will need it.. Not much use for me and my work but if you are working around computers or electronics it will come in handy.
Kevin Caron, Artist so doesn't scratch start tend to contaminate it right at the get go? is the problem with dipping your wick mainly due to the blunted tip or due to the metal residue left on the tip? if there's aluminum on the tip from dipping contact, wouldn't it burn away in short order?
Kevin Caron, Artist Kevin Caron, Artist so doesn't scratch start tend to contaminate it right at the get go? is the problem with dipping your wick mainly due to the blunted tip or due to the metal residue left on the tip? if there's aluminum on the tip from dipping contact, wouldn't it burn away in short order?
Kevin, can you please tell me what the description is of the diamond wheel or the part number that you bought for the HF grinder. I want to make sure i get the right parts. Thanks
i just bought a millermatic 215 so i guess I'm going to learn how to destroy tungsten before i ever learn tig welding. I'm an old man thats been mixing for years but tig, never. i ordered a big stock of tungsten lol. pretty sure I'm going to need it.
Kevin, that 3" HF mini grinder has a 1/2" arbor, correct? The diamond wheels you have mounted come with 1/4" arbor hole, correct? Did you just drill out the 1/4" to 1/2" to make them fit?
+insaynbcr What I use is a low cost 6" Harbor Freight grinder and add a 6 inch 600 Grit Quality Electroplated Diamond coated Flat Lap Disk wheel against the outside of the grinding wheel that I use for roughing the point shape. With electrode in a drill, for the whole process, run it against the lapping plate to put a mirror finish on point. 600 grit is really a bit fine I think 150-250 would be better. You can get 80 grit up to over 1500. The plates are stiff enough to use by themselves but you need a spacer to compensate for the wheel thickness. You could also put two grit sizes back to back for roughing and polishing. They have a 1/2" arbor hole made by Kent Blades. Cost me $13 each but last a long time.
Why? What, are you independently wealthy? Sure I'd love a Miller Dynasty! Have you looked at the price lately? But if I but that I cannot buy other stuff I'd like to have in my basement machine shop,
Kevin Caron, Artist actually I was directing the response to the guy above who asked "why all the low cost machines." See above comment. As if everyone can afford a Miller Dynasty or the like. BTW I enjoy your videos a lot Kevin, Thanks! I myself can only afford the AHP 200x (2016). Then again I have about $25,000 (and still counting) wrapped up in my basement machine shop, which is why I can't afford a better welder and I only weld about 5 - 8 jobs a year. Most all my shop time is machining on lathe, mill, shaper and what-have-you
Come on now, you got to give me a little more than that!! What machine? What settings? What are you doing and what is the machine doing or not doing? Or I can just do the whole tech support thing and start with "Did you take it out of the box?"
ya just out the box - and I am on "green" knowledge about TIG :-) I do not even have the argon gas yet just messing with it . any ways I can't create an arc , but when I torch the metal slightly its sticks.
STOP using the machine until you have argon for it. You WILL burn up the torch if you keep playing with it. Start by watching all my videos on RUclips. Or take a class. Also by grounding the tungsten to the metal you will stick it. You have to regrind the tungsten when you do this to get a clean smooth tungsten to weld with. Do not stick the tungsten to the metal.
I can wear out a pair of trainers walking from the workplace to the bloody grinder n back and as theyre 2% thoriated i should be showing up on fukoshimas offshore detectors when i fart....
I assume you use a dedicated grinding wheel one for aluminum, one for stainless, etc... Otherwise you're contaminating your tungsten when you grind it also 😉
Talk about a walk of shame, in your intro welding, you wave your filler rod around flamboyantly instead of leaving it in the gas shield as much as possible. The tip of your filler is hot (at it's melting point actually) and will oxidize when you wave it around outside the inert atmosphere.
Another tip that'll save you a ton of money and heart ache, buy yourselves some green and red Scotch-Brite pads. They polish tungsten like you wouldn't believe. Just wipe them down good afterwards and when you stick it again. You can simply pull the tungsten back out of the puddle and 9 out of 10 times you won't have any contamination because you have a polished surface! Initial polish has to be a diamond wheel, but you can sharpen a ⅛" tungsten by hand on one in ten minutes or less. I quit using my grinder early on in favor of quality grinds over quantity. If you stick it in aluminum and it doesn't draw up the tungsten, use the Scotch Brite to clean it off a few seconds. No reason to grind off good tungsten if it only needs a quick cleaning.
more often than not, when I stick my tungsten I make it part of the weld puddle. I've been tempted to leave it and make it a conversation piece of the part 😂
+Kevin Caron, Artist LOL. I haven't done the walk of shame for a while now. At least not since I got my new everlast welder after upgrading from my "learner" welder that I abused. I've dipped my tungsten plenty of times but never stuck it.
I don't get it. "Keep the distance of your Tungsten from the work" but scratch it on the work to get it started. I scratch it as gently and quickly as I can and it sticks to the work or melts the tip all the time. Worst thought out welding process in history.
+Kevin Caron, Artist yeah unless you have a awesome ground I can a test to that. I touched filler to tungsten and it felt like a really strong 9v battery through my arms...
Shaun Jay word. If your ground is good, and you have a barrier between you and the table/material eq. Welding jacket, gloves etc. Shouldn't get shocked.
Tungsten is a heavy metal, the shavings inhaled will provoke cancer. Use dedicated closed enclosure grinder and all shavings must be collected and recycled. When advising noobs pay attention to work safety as welding is putting their lives at risk. RUclips training is ok as long as they will get also a proper training and then they will see tips and tricks on youtube.
Kevin Caron, Artist ive never had such a huge blob it wouldn't fit in my collet idk i use 1/8 inch tungsten n never have had that big of a blob from dipping it or gettin it stuck
I sharpen a pack as soon as I get them, quick change and get the job done, grinding the tungstens at the end of the day is an indication of how many times I messed up - usually 3 or 5 or..;)
I disagree with the "one tungsten" rule.
It's not like us noobs need the extra punishment to keep us from dipping it. In fact, from what I've seen from the people in my welding class, the opposite is true. Beginners tend to use too much arc, because they're frustrated with running to the grinder all the time, or they just keep welding, because it's too much of a hassle to regrind every time they dip.
If you have a whole pack of sharp tungstens ready to go, you can practice with a nice short arc and get in a groove, without constantly being interrupted to go regrind after every mistake.
In the event that you do dip it, you'll be less temped to cheat and keep going with a messed up electrode.
I can see what you are saying.. All depends on how you work...
When I first got my everlast tig welder I bought a pack of tungsten and sharpened both ends on each one so that when I dipped I couple quick change twice as many times before I needed to regrind them all. It helped keep the frustration level low when learning.
Robert Ernest get some nail polish or paint marker and mark the middle of your tungsten. now that you've grinded off the identifying color it's easy to mix them up. just a little tip that has helped me. thought I'd pass it along.
nwimpney I agree with you totally. It's frustrating enough , when you're learning, to keep the tungsten angled right, the travel speed, The dip strategy, foot pedal...etc. For a newb, it's all very overwhelming. For me, If it ain't at least a little bit fun to learn, I get discouraged and frustrated. Why make it any harder on yourself.
The only reason some welding schools hand students one tungsten at a time is the cost adds up like crazy if they don't. (I ran a welding school toolroom.) I suggest doing what I did as a student and buy some tungsten so you'll have ready spares. As a student TIME WELDING is everything. Time prepping is important but booth time is what passes bend tests.
I'm in welding classes now. I'll soon be a master tungsten sharpener.
+dashizzler
LOL!
Know the feeling.
2 years later, and you made another lost youtuber watcher laugh. Haha!
@@grapeape1508 I’ve tried that, and I’ve yet to succeed .
I just watched this video and went to your website. I'm excited about both! I love the metal art you create! I have a deep desire to create art and although I'm well versed with mig, and a self-taught oxy-acetylene welder, I purchased my first tig last week. I bought it so I can do art with it while I make vlog videos about it. I created my first on-camera piece called Rod Knocked and put it on my channel. I've never used a tig before now and I'm learning all about grinding my tungsten. lol I'm quickly improving in weld quality and decreasing in frequency of dipping the tip, which makes learning more enjoyable. Thank for posting this video. I'm looking forward to watching more of yours.
Didn’t realize it did that much contamination, that’s for pointing that out. It never was discussed in my short welding class. 👍
Basically when you start tig welding , initially you try not to weld but just to avoid contaminating your tungsten.
Agreed, when I first started TIG welding I kept destroying my tungsten and couldn't figure out why, because I was too focused on getting the weld done.. but little did I know I didn't even know how to keep the tungsten sharp haha.. You should learn to control the tungsten before actually learning to weld in TIG, IMO...
i am regular out in the woods and make a lot of miles this way, but as you said, welding -- dip it, walk, grind, walk, weld .- this walk of shame made me walk as much miles as on my outdoor tours. but it trains your behavior. And yes, I thought about moving the grinder onto my welding cart :) , but I did not. great video , thanks for sharing
I really love me your approachable conversational style. Keep up the good stuff Kevin.
Thanks for watching Scott!
Good to have you on board!
I have stuck the tungsten several times. Regrinding it certainly is a punishment. First time I ever sharpened it I was full of happiness as I was just about to have a go on my new welder. Not anymore. Point taken though. Get better and don’t stick the tungsten.
Is there like something with mini wheels which would fit beneath your hand to aid rolling and so keeping the torch real smooth?
There are training wheels for the plasma cutter. You might be able to rig something up from that. Search for training wheels for plasma cutter.
Lots of good tips, especially concerning the AHP's points. The one thing I do slightly differently is run the drill slower when using the Harbor grinder; the thought being getting straighter parallel grinds to the point.
Note; some days it is a trot-of-shame :-(
Hate it when that happens!
Thanks for watching!
What do I do when I stick my newly sharpened tungsten in my finger? Those things go right through the gloves. ;-)
Thanks for all your videos - esp your last one on safety. Glad you are still around!
LOL! I think I said in tne video to blunt that thing!
I learned that when sharpening your tungsten on a bench grinder to glide across the surface of the wheel because when you keep it stationary and it starts to burrow like that its weakening the wheel making it more vulnerable to breaking and acting as shrapnel to your face.
Yes, totally agree!
Yes, it's my instructors pet peeve. Get one of them portable tungsten grinders, saves you a walk to the bench grinder and a lot of time
I have a beginner question, whenever I dip my tungsten or touch the rod to the tungsten, I get a pretty good shock that goes from one hand to the next. This doesn't seem to happen to other people as much. I wear all the appropriate ppe and it's a brand new machine. Any ideas besides don't dip my tungsten?
Good question! Whenever possible ground to your work, not the table. If you are sweating and lean on the work or table if it is grounded you are more likely to get a shock. Just do whatever you can to not become part of the circuit.
Well done Kevin, excellent advice for us novices. Thanks Much.
New welder here. What is the best way (or only way perhaps) to start a TIG weld with a finger trigger. The user's manual for my Forney MP machine states, "Position the torch so that the tungsten electrode is in contact with the work piece at a 45 degree angle, press the torch trigger or the foot control and then lift the tungsten electrode away from the work piece." Sound reasonable?
Correct! That is the right way for lift start.
That would be a lift start tig machine.
"The walk of shame." LOL Subscribed. ☺️
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
Don't feel left out if you ever break the end off your tungsten... I'm in my welding class in high school and have already. Besides that I'm good at sharpening it
Is it ok to touch your tungsten to the work piece right before you initiate an arc? I got in a habit with Mig welding to touch the piece then backing off a bit so I’d know where I’m at. I started to do this with Tig then wondered if I am contaminating the tungsten by doing that?
I do the same thing Dave. No problems that I have seen.
Nice tips. Especially like the use of the drill. Thanks.
One of the first Kevin videos I watched (of at least dozens)! Must have hundreds of yards of “walk of shame.”
My Question- When I hit the tungsten with aluminum filler rod, it tends to coat 1/4-3/8” of tungsten. This leaves a lot to grind off! I’ve heard snapping off tungsten in vise or with pliers can put cracks in the tungsten.
What ‘ya think?
Good question! Yes, if you snap off the end you can crack the tungsten. I find a good pair of wire cutters works better. Crimp the tungsten on both sides and then snap off.
Does the contamination from the dipped tungsten not get onto the grinder wheel? Wouldn’t that contaminate the rest of the tungsten you sharpen on that wheel?
Not really sure on this. I have never had a problem with it.
@@KevincaronSculpture thanks for the reply. Didn’t expect it on a 6 year old video. That’s good to know. I’ve seen some people say the tungsten needs to go in the garbage after a dip
I have a TIG inverter machine (super tig 200 from ntf). Is it true that sticking the tungsten will damage my welding machine? I have never heard about it before...
Yes, you can short out the board in the machine if you do it too often. When it happens you have to stop the arc asap!
Kevin Caron, Artist Ok. Thanks!
I stuck the tungsten and I heard my everlast machine make that grounding noise that my mig would make. I knew it couldn't be good for the machine! You gotta start some where though!
Yeah, the machines really don't like to be shorted out. More practice for sure! Thank you for watching and posting.
Do you have to turn the argon and machine off to change your tungsten ?
Nope, but be damn sure you don't touch the finger control when you have your bare hand on the tungsten! Been there, done that and boy does it smart!!
Okay Kevin I don't mean to bug you this much but that diamond will you discuss it in this video could you send me the link to that one cuz I could not find one that will fit that grinder I was just at Harbor Freight in this video
Hey I have the same harbor freight bench grinder as you just for tungsten's , Although I can't seem to find the diamond wheel
+Stephen Grinaker
On the wall over by the saw blades.
I stuck the tungsten to the metal on my first day and decided to pull it off. I didn’t think anything would happen but it created a huge flash. Any tips on how to never do this because I’m now worried about doing it again :/ do I hold the tungsten further away? Where do I turn the tig welder off? When I’m pulling away or do i turn off then pull away? Thanks!
When you stick the tungsten again remember to either take your foot off the pedal or click the finger switch to turn off the arc. If you are running a scratch start tig then yes, you will get a flash when you break it loose. If you have the machine close enough to reach the off switch that would stop the flash.
Ahhh thanks very much :) today was my 2nd day and it went well. The welds are getting better but I’m struggling to notice the ‘pool’ to dip the rod in when attempting to two pieces of steel at a 90 degree angle sometimes
My friend and I started tig welding tonight, do you have any tips on keeping a steady arc when tig welding exhaust tubing? I kept contaminating the tungsten because of the tubes shape.
I do a dry run before just to practice my movement. That and keeping the distance is about all I can offer. Good luck and practice, practice and more practice.
Can anyone post a link or a pic of the example of diamond wheel used to sharpen the tungsten
I used one of these for several years. From Harbor Freight Item number 69658
Hi Kevin
Seems like the walk of shame could be me. Yes I do have a box of pre ground tungsten's so no grinding needed. Was a interesting time. The AHP welding machine with the stubby kit on it works very well. The grinder you use in very effective and a lot cheaper than a $500 grinder.
thx
It looks like you have all the wheels mounted on 1 side is that right? And did you space them out some amount? Or have you just worn a deep groove in the 1 wheel?
I put the two wheels on one side to take up the space on the shaft. Had to drill out the hole in the wheels but works great.
How long would you say you've been using the same diamond wheels and how often do you use them? They seem cheap enough to replace but i'm curious how they're holding up for you.
I used that set for the couple of years I had the grinder. Had an open studio on day and a lady handed me cash and asked me to sign the grinder!
Your wife is awesome.
I dip it in average seven times a day, want that tight electrode distance. I dont know if its any difference between copper and aluminium but often it seem fine to continue welding and other times you just have to stop immediately and go grind the electrode. If you get stuck with the whole electrode and have to break it loose then its definitly game over. If you dont notice any difference and the arc dont get unstable and that green light goes away pretty much instantly, will it still have an effect on the welds strength then?
Yes when you stick the tungsten you are contaminating the weld and it will not pass an inspection. If you x-rayed the weld you would see the mess inside the weld. I find that aluminum is the worst for jumping on the tungsten. And my wife said Thank You!
Well done Kevin. I need to practice my TIG welding. Douglas.
So when my machine stop working I will have a good idea why, lol. I'm pretty good at dipping the tungsten. Lol, I currently sharpen 6 tungstens at a time and thats good enough for a couple of hours of practice.
Great tip!
Are you grinding the tungsten on the side portion of the wheel?
Look at the wheel, there is a flat wheel and right next to it is a pointed one. I am running on the flat side of the pointed wheel.
Great advice Kevin , ALWAYS Great Info on your channel............THANKS Dude !!!
Thanks for being on the other end Steve. Always nice to here from you.
should you wear a respirator? I have heard the dust is toxic.
ryan cler absolutely, 2% Thorium in the red ones, you should not do this inside and without protection, its a shame the most basic health precautions are ignored. Obviuosly you will hear most of this "experts" bragging nothing has happened to them. Well... its a matter of time. Wet grinding, dust control or use non thoriated tungsten.
I like the way you talk. got a new subscriber! cheers from Brazil!
Welcome aboard!! If you have any requests for videos I will try my best to make it happen.
@@KevincaronSculpture i actually do, two questions/ suggestions: what advantages of gas lens on tig welding and what situations it is possible to weld using tig without adding material. thanks for your help!
Hi Kevin, I've just recently found and subscribed to your channel... and as always this was a very informative video... I especially liked the tips on use of the drill and a dedicated small grinder/diamond wheel combo. Keep up the good work.
Could you show me how you get your weld puddle started and to say a 90 degree angle bisector angle iron welding flat plate and then another flat plate on its Edge makes a 90 degree angle I have a hard time getting my aluminum puddle started is there a trick to that
Yes, there is a trick to this.
It's called helmet time!
Practice, practice, and more practice!
Thanks for suggesting those gloves a while back *****. They are awesome!
What if you don't have the high frequency start, do you use a scratch start?
Scratch start or lift start depending on the machine...
I always use the HF start on my everlast welder but it has lift start too. Any advantages for me learning how to lift start?
Always try to learn something new.. You never know when you will need it.. Not much use for me and my work but if you are working around computers or electronics it will come in handy.
Kevin Caron, Artist
so doesn't scratch start tend to contaminate it right at the get go? is the problem with dipping your wick mainly due to the blunted tip or due to the metal residue left on the tip? if there's aluminum on the tip from dipping contact, wouldn't it burn away in short order?
Kevin Caron, Artist
Kevin Caron, Artist
so doesn't scratch start tend to contaminate it right at the get go? is the problem with dipping your wick mainly due to the blunted tip or due to the metal residue left on the tip? if there's aluminum on the tip from dipping contact, wouldn't it burn away in short order?
Kevin, can you please tell me what the description is of the diamond wheel or the part number that you bought for the HF grinder. I want to make sure i get the right parts. Thanks
look here,
www.harborfreight.com/large-diamond-rotary-grinding-wheel-set-4-pc-69658.html
thanks sooooo much Kevin
that fits this correct ?
www.harborfreight.com/3-inch-mini-tool-grinder-polisher-94071.html
i just bought a millermatic 215 so i guess I'm going to learn how to destroy tungsten before i ever learn tig welding. I'm an old man thats been mixing for years but tig, never. i ordered a big stock of tungsten lol. pretty sure I'm going to need it.
You will do great!
Just take your time and have fun.
thx for the tricks of sharpening all my tungs then switching them out so i dont have to spend my day grinding !! didnt know that trick
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I usually break the end of the tungsten off and regrind, after I scream and throw things across the shop.
LOL!
ColKorn1965
don't break the tungsten grind the blob off . breaking it causes it to crack and then your arc is all over the place
Maybe us tungsten breakers should meet up and do some austic screaming together like a bunch of feminazi snowflakes?
theravedaddy oh no you're contaminated by the internet
Kevin, that 3" HF mini grinder has a 1/2" arbor, correct? The diamond wheels you have mounted come with 1/4" arbor hole, correct? Did you just drill out the 1/4" to 1/2" to make them fit?
+insaynbcr Yes, you have to drill out the holes on the wheels.
+insaynbcr What I use is a low cost 6" Harbor Freight grinder and add a 6 inch 600 Grit Quality Electroplated Diamond coated Flat Lap Disk wheel against the outside of the grinding wheel that I use for roughing the point shape. With electrode in a drill, for the whole process, run it against the lapping plate to put a mirror finish on point. 600 grit is really a bit fine I think 150-250 would be better. You can get 80 grit up to over 1500. The plates are stiff enough to use by themselves but you need a spacer to compensate for the wheel thickness. You could also put two grit sizes back to back for roughing and polishing. They have a 1/2" arbor hole made by Kent Blades. Cost me $13 each but last a long time.
@@tomegun2 Thanks Old Fhart. This is great advice
Question , why all these off brand welding machines? Why not Lincoln or miller?
Because I represent AHP welders. I have a Miller syncrowave tig and a MillerMatic 251 but I just don't use them.
Why? What, are you independently wealthy? Sure I'd love a Miller Dynasty! Have you looked at the price lately? But if I but that I cannot buy other stuff I'd like to have in my basement machine shop,
No, I am not independently wealthy! I just have lots of machines to pick from and I like to use the newer machines..
Kevin Caron, Artist
actually I was directing the response to the guy above who asked "why all the low cost machines." See above comment. As if everyone can afford a Miller Dynasty or the like. BTW I enjoy your videos a lot Kevin, Thanks! I myself can only afford the AHP 200x (2016). Then again I have about $25,000 (and still counting) wrapped up in my basement machine shop, which is why I can't afford a better welder and I only weld about 5 - 8 jobs a year. Most all my shop time is machining on lathe, mill, shaper and what-have-you
my TIG welder , not creating an ARC even when am 1/16 cap. any ideas?
Come on now, you got to give me a little more than that!! What machine? What settings? What are you doing and what is the machine doing or not doing?
Or I can just do the whole tech support thing and start with "Did you take it out of the box?"
ya just out the box - and I am on "green" knowledge about TIG :-) I do not even have the argon gas yet just messing with it . any ways I can't create an arc , but when I torch the metal slightly its sticks.
STOP using the machine until you have argon for it. You WILL burn up the torch if you keep playing with it. Start by watching all my videos on RUclips. Or take a class. Also by grounding the tungsten to the metal you will stick it. You have to regrind the tungsten when you do this to get a clean smooth tungsten to weld with. Do not stick the tungsten to the metal.
I can wear out a pair of trainers walking from the workplace to the bloody grinder n back and as theyre 2% thoriated i should be showing up on fukoshimas offshore detectors when i fart....
Try a stick of E3 tungsten. Have had very good luck with it and it runs in both DC as well as AC. Works best with the inverter machines.
I keep two packs all the time sharpen. One pack for aluminum and the other for steel.
That works also!
I assume you use a dedicated grinding wheel one for aluminum, one for stainless, etc... Otherwise you're contaminating your tungsten when you grind it also 😉
No, just one diamond wheel. Seems to work for me.
Great advice and thank you for the video!!
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Yep...the walk of shame...learning all about it.
I still take a refresher course sometimes!
Talk about a walk of shame, in your intro welding, you wave your filler rod around flamboyantly instead of leaving it in the gas shield as much as possible. The tip of your filler is hot (at it's melting point actually) and will oxidize when you wave it around outside the inert atmosphere.
Thank you for watching and posting.
Another tip that'll save you a ton of money and heart ache, buy yourselves some green and red Scotch-Brite pads. They polish tungsten like you wouldn't believe. Just wipe them down good afterwards and when you stick it again. You can simply pull the tungsten back out of the puddle and 9 out of 10 times you won't have any contamination because you have a polished surface!
Initial polish has to be a diamond wheel, but you can sharpen a ⅛" tungsten by hand on one in ten minutes or less. I quit using my grinder early on in favor of quality grinds over quantity. If you stick it in aluminum and it doesn't draw up the tungsten, use the Scotch Brite to clean it off a few seconds. No reason to grind off good tungsten if it only needs a quick cleaning.
Great tips!
Thanks for posting.
more often than not, when I stick my tungsten I make it part of the weld puddle. I've been tempted to leave it and make it a conversation piece of the part 😂
OHHH a porcupine! What a great Idea!
Take that walk of shame....lol best line
The walk of shame😁😁 I have walked that walk quite a few times..
Beginners should keep 3-4 or more tungstens ready.
Thank you for sharing your opinion.
Weld sticker on toolbox, weld sticker on helmet, weld shirt.... whatcha tryin to say kevin? Lol.....
"We Enjoy Learning Daily" WELD!
Clean your aluminum helps a lot!!!
Thanks for the video
Thanks for watching!
Hey Kevin.. can I hang my head and shuffle my feet and mutter to myself as I'm walking to the grinder ?
not2fast4u2c You bet! that's what I do! Just can't have the camera running when I get to muttering!!
+Kevin Caron, Artist LOL. I haven't done the walk of shame for a while now. At least not since I got my new everlast welder after upgrading from my "learner" welder that I abused. I've dipped my tungsten plenty of times but never stuck it.
thank you so much for the tips :D
Thank you for watching!
Thank you
You're welcome
Walk of shame hahahahahahaha.Thank you Kevin for info .
I don't get it. "Keep the distance of your Tungsten from the work" but scratch it on the work to get it started. I scratch it as gently and quickly as I can and it sticks to the work or melts the tip all the time. Worst thought out welding process in history.
Once you get the hang of it, it's not the hard. Just need more practice
!
Your alright. Not sure why I watch, I don’t even weld.
Thanks, I try.
ya but its so hot to handle. so i use 2 while 1 cools off lol
True, but I also use pliers to hold it. And with the water cooler it runs much colder as well. Thanks for posting!
My issue was touching the tungsten with the filler metal..
+Shaun Jay
After the first couple of shocks you get out of that habit!!
+Kevin Caron, Artist yeah unless you have a awesome ground I can a test to that. I touched filler to tungsten and it felt like a really strong 9v battery through my arms...
+fastsofaracing That's exactly what it felt like tho me too.
Shaun Jay word. If your ground is good, and you have a barrier between you and the table/material eq. Welding jacket, gloves etc. Shouldn't get shocked.
don't do it bare handed with a ring on. It will ruin your month if you complete the circuit.
keep yer power drill handy
Right next to the grinder!
The walk of shame is a long and lonely rode
But someone always has a damn camera running at that moment!
Okay Kevin nevermind I found it thanks
Get a tungsten holder, sharpen a whole pack. You'll learn much quicker
Aluminum is the worst
It sure can be a problem sometimes.
Walk of shame 🤣 I like it
Thank you for watching and posting.
نرجو ترجمة الي اللغة العربية
Sorry, I am a dumb American, I don't understand this.
Tungsten is a heavy metal, the shavings inhaled will provoke cancer. Use dedicated closed enclosure grinder and all shavings must be collected and recycled. When advising noobs pay attention to work safety as welding is putting their lives at risk. RUclips training is ok as long as they will get also a proper training and then they will see tips and tricks on youtube.
or jus pull your tungsten out your torch flip it n use the other side lol
But if you have a blob on the end of the tungsten how do you get it in to the collet?
Kevin Caron, Artist ive never had such a huge blob it wouldn't fit in my collet idk i use 1/8 inch tungsten n never have had that big of a blob from dipping it or gettin it stuck
I used to do that until what kevin mentioned happened one day.