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Tig guys, what do I need?

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gearhead07

10+ Year Contributor
108
0
Jan 4, 2011
Auburn, Pennsylvania
Well to start off I taught myself to mug and after a couple years I consider myself to be good with it.
Now time for me to move on I have been watching for this to go on sale and now it time.
TIG Welder | TIG Welders | TIG Welding
Ac/dc Tig for $700 I think ill give it a shot.

My question anything else u guys suggest getting?
What rods/tungsten should I start with?

After I get a couple months of practice things I plan on welding are.
1. Some patch panels on my jeep, thin mild steel
2.roll cage 1/4" mild steel
3. AN bung on my oil pan
4.AN on value cover
5 maybe a tubular mani and maybe an intake
 
Ditch the collet body for a gas lense. Money well spent right off the bat.

Get a good helmet too. I'm a big fan of the Lincoln Viking 2450 for a helmet under $200.

For steel work, I pretty much stick to 3/32" red (2% thor) tungsten. ER70S-2 is a great filler for any mild steel and 4130 chromoly work. From the sounds of it, 1/16" filler should be a good size for most of what you're going to do.

I'll let someone else comment on the aluminum stuff.
 
I agree gas lens all the way!

I use a miller elite helmet was a little more expensive but has a great view window and havnt had any sensor problems on AC either.

I use 3/32 tungsten for almost anything. And I'm not a fan of thoriated due to it's radioactivity. I grind my tungsten in my basement and sometimes garage and dont like the idea of breathing in the dust.

With that said. I use 2% lanthinated and 2% ceriated i use an inverter so these are both fine for steels or aluminum.

Rods i agree 70S-2 for mild.
309 for joining mild steel to stainless or vise versa

For stainless i prefer 316 rod but for most 308 works also.

I use anywhere from 040 to 3/32 rods also a good flow meter will save you on gas also.

Alot of guys like Lincoln HTP Everlast, but I'm personally spoiled by miller.


If you plan to do aluminum.

4043 rod is what i use, get stainless steel wire brushes and don't use it for anything other than aluminum.

I don't do too much aluminum myself but thats what works well for me.
 
Ditch the collet body for a gas lense. Money well spent right off the bat.

Get a good helmet too. I'm a big fan of the Lincoln Viking 2450 for a helmet under $200.

For steel work, I pretty much stick to 3/32" red (2% thor) tungsten. ER70S-2 is a great filler for any mild steel and 4130 chromoly work. From the sounds of it, 1/16" filler should be a good size for most of what you're going to do.

I'll let someone else comment on the aluminum stuff.

Everyone I know that welds told me to get proficient with the collet and then move on to the more elaborate gas lense. No offense to the op but I doubt he's in the ballpark for a sub two hundred dollar helmet. I use the one from Northern, works fine. Everything else is solid advice.
 
A passive hood is just fine too. This is a $35 something dollar hood by Jackson

I cut it down to make field welds in tight pipe racks. But anything with a 5x4 viewing window is fine.


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Ditch the collet body for a gas lense. Money well spent right off the bat.

Get a good helmet too. I'm a big fan of the Lincoln Viking 2450 for a helmet under $200.

For steel work, I pretty much stick to 3/32" red (2% thor) tungsten. ER70S-2 is a great filler for any mild steel and 4130 chromoly work. From the sounds of it, 1/16" filler should be a good size for most of what you're going to do.

I'll let someone else comment on the aluminum stuff.

No idea how it compares to the lincoln 3350, but I saw it for $190 some place. They look like great helmets for the price.
 
Actually I was planning on getting a good helmet. Because I had a hobo freight one that didn't last so long and then when I used my friends Hobart helmet I could see sooooo much better and clearer! If u can't see u can't weld.
I will look into the gas lense option.
And I do need to learn and understand more of all the technical terms and numbers on what they all mean.

Have any of u guys used the purple rods?
 
Purple tungsten is the new weldcraft e3. I don't care for it.
 
Yeah I kinda hear different reviews some like it some hate it.
So what exactly is the difference u see with one tungsten to the other. I know certain ones are for certain materials. But what would I see with red vs purple. Beings they both work on mild steel? Dose it have to day with the way heat is applied?
 
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