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Tig tip: tungsten storage and sharpening

I keep all my tungsten in a little hand made holder with a bunch of holes drilled in it. This holds them pointy side up so they don’t get dulled before I use them. I also don’t have to keep getting up to sharpen each time a point gets dirty.
To sharpen them, I use an old variable speed drill, chuck one up, then spin it slowly as I gently hold it against the grinding wheel. I always sharpen with the tungsten pointed up so there’s no burr on the end.

Tig welding tip: how I hold the filler

Tig welding tip: how I hold the filler

I know, I know, the title in the video says something about gloves.  Let’s just say that’s a little teaser for a future video ;)

This video shows a few suggestions on holding and advancing the filler rod when you’re tig welding.

Welding With DW: steady that TIG rod

This is a short little video on keeping things steady when you’re tig welding… specifically the filler rod.  A new rod is 3′ long and quite floppy when you’re holding it at one end, so I thought this little tip may help at least someone keep that filler rod steady.

Welding With DW: steady that TIG rod

Welding With DW: steady that TIG rod

Welding Video: tig torch orientation

I’m on my way!  First YouTube, now MyRideisMe.com!  OK, YouTube on MyRideisMe.com.  Same difference.

Welding With DW (WWDW) is a series of videos I’ll be shooting over the next 10 to 15 years (whichever Pikesan signs the contract for) focusing on little things that have helped me weld over the years.  I’m even going to try and avoid calling them “how-to” videos, implying that this is how you should do it.  Instead, they’re more like “how-I-do-it” videos.

This first video covers a little bit on how I hold a tig torch.  Enjoy!

mrimwwd

Which welder should I use?

Either stick, MIG or TIG can be used to assemble and install Welder Series parts. The machine has to have the capacity to weld the material thickness (most Welder Series brackets are 3/16” mild steel).

Stick welders don’t need a tank of shielding gas because the electrode is coated. This coating burns and keeps the air from the weld during the fusion process. Stick welders are more forgiving than TIG if the material being welded is dirty. A good weld made with a stick welder is… a good weld.

MIG welders are convenient because the wire feeds as long as the trigger is pulled (until the spool is emptied). It is easier to get the gun in position to weld because the arc will only be created when the trigger is pulled. MIG offers greater control than stick because the arc is closer to your hand, the arc is always the same distance from your hand (a new stick electrode starts out 12” to 14” long and burns down to the holder), and it’s easy to use two hands to steady the gun. MIG welders are more forgiving than TIG if the material being welded is dirty.

TIG welding gives the greatest power control of the three types being discussed. Often a foot pedal or thumb control is used to adjust the intensity of the arc while welding. TIG requires co-ordination between both hands and, with a foot control, one foot. TIG is not tolerant of dirty material. Rust or carbon scale will “jump” from the material to the tungsten electrode and change the arc pattern. Often it’s necessary to stop welding and replace or sharpen the tungsten when this happens. TIG does produce the dainty, “etched” pattern often seen in street rod and race car products. These are made by highly skilled welders.
tig weld photo
A Welder Series tig weld.
mig/tig weld photo
Welder Series Mustang II upper towers, showing a mig bead (foreground) and tig bead (around the shock cone).