Welding tools

[NFI]

I am looking for advice about welding/metal work equipment (ie for making keg boiler or even maybe a still) what would be the best option (ie functions well without going in to debt).
I have got one of those LPG/Butane plumbers torch with several heads but I do not know if that would have enough grunt to get me too far (good for soldering esp. on copper).
I was looking at the hardware store (you know the one) and they have an Inverter 120 Amp Arc for less than $100, an Air cooled 140 Amp Arc just a bit over that (both Ozito) then there is a Full Bore 140 Amp Inverter Arc for about $150 or then there is an Ozito Gassless Mig and a Bossweld 140 Amp S140 Stick Arc Inverter Welder both come in at $200 a piece.
I have no real knowledge regarding welding (I can remember doing some Oxy and Arc work in high school a very long time ago), what would be the preferred type of welding equipment for this kind of work and do any of the above fall into that category?

[The Stig]

To do it right your best with a TIG

[LikkerSheWillLoveIt]

+1 TIG Life

[RC Al]

Bit of a minefield to just go out and buy a tig

The multi use machines ie mig/arc/tig arnt the best tig machines even in good brands (sub $1k machines) - the only adjustments are power on the tig side.
Most of the recommendations I got was to get one with HF start, without it you have to scratch the tungsten on the work like an arc welder to get it going - the tungsten's shape is pretty important for good welds and the scratch start makes it deform pretty quickly.

I splurged a bit and got a dedicated tig with lots of knobs (that hasnt been plugged in yet lols), its a china one (they all are in reality) but the aussie supplier dose any warranty work with free shipping if it stuffs up, trade tools sell a similar one, but you can get this one a bit cheaper with a pre-order when they dont have stock and are waiting on a container to arrive.
https://www.australiaindustrialgroup.co ... ng-machine

Im upto about $1200 including a nice helmet with large screen, extra cups and lenses, gloves, packs of tungsten tips and a big G sized bottle from BOC, had to get a different argon reg as the one supplied was side feed and the bottle I got was top - $50 from trade tools, no biggie. I most likely will drop down to the larger big green shed purchased bottle when this first one is done - apparently you go through a ton of gas learning and back purging the stainless can use a lot too, so I went big straight up for the first one.

[NFI]

Is there a particular flavour of TIG - minimum rated Amperage, AC or DC or Both.
What makes a good TIG from a waste of money TIG

[NFI]

Looks like you started answering the question before I asked it - now that is good service. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[RuddyCrazy]

I bought a Lincoln i131 arc/tig after my old Lincoln one went out in style after 16 years of service and man what a difference :teasing-tease: when tigging copper with my old one it was like 100 amps but with this new one less than 40 amps does the same job. OK it is a scratch style tig but thats all I've ever used and found over time if one gets the tip close to the job it will fire up without touching the job and damaging the tip. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Now arc welding with unit is DC and welding TC16 rods is a breeze on steel :handgestures-thumbupleft: also using 316 SS rods gives a nice weld but remember to ping the weld while hot to stop any cracks happening. When arc welding SS higher amps is needed and a quick movement for a good flat weld, then when chipping off the flux just keep chipping to ping the weld and when starting a new rod just start it 20mm on the previous weld so the arc puddle is fully going going before the end of the last weld.

With old SS 309 rods are the best to use but a pre heat is needed as welding cold the weld will just crack everytime and pinging the weld is needed to stop any cracks.

[LikkerSheWillLoveIt]

I’ve got 3 TIG welders. AC is for Aluminium.

You don’t “NEED” HF start for DC. Scratch start “lift arc” is fine.

I’ve got a little 140 amp Unimig DC unit, bought an 8 metre torch lead for it. It was my site welder, it’s easily 10 years old. It got abused every day of its life for a good 5 years and I could not kill it. It’s still in its little box and I pull it out at home occasionally these days. Still drops a beautiful weld.

Internal Inverter technology has taken leaps and bounds the last 15 years, that’s why the cheaper welders are so much nicer to use these days. A lot smoother transition of power into the arc and a lot more stable at lower amps.

You don’t need to spend a fortune, what makes a good weld are the hands holding the torch, go see a local stainless shop and ask them for some scrap because you want to teach yourself to weld, they may even give you some pointers. I’ve done it over the years with people coming into workshops I’ve worked at.

[LikkerSheWillLoveIt]

There are thousands and thousands of YouTube videos on how to TIG weld. The yanks love a good tutorial

[NFI]

Thanks all. :text-thankyoublue:

I’ve got a little 140 amp Unimig DC unit

What would be the minimum Amperage and/or Duty Cycle for a tig to do still/boiler work or is 140A the lowest.
Also there is something about Duty Cycle and how that effects the operational side of things what are the minimum specs to be acceptable for this kind of work and any general household stuff.

[LikkerSheWillLoveIt]

I weld most of my stainless between 27 and 50 amps, if I’m welding really thin (0.9mm) I’ll go lower, but not many people weld that thin. For doing a boiler I would probably set and forget around 45amps, but I’ve been fabricating for 15 years, so I don’t really need to change my welder settings around that much, I just move my hands faster or slower.

You aren’t going to need to worry about duty cycle. My little unimig has never shut down due to duty cycle, that basically means the machine needs to cool down, I’ve only ever had one welder shut down on me due to duty cycle (Kemppi 200amp AC) and I was begging for it to shut down because I was ready for a break. A home hobbyist will never push modern TIG welder to shut down from duty cycle, ever!

I would go to a brand known to make welders. The cheap ones UniMig, WIA, CIG and BOC all make a good entry level machine that will see you happily welding stainless, mild steel and brazing copper for years to come. I am not a fan of multi process machines, if one thing fails, you need to replace everything.

Sure, you can go and spend money on more expensive brands like Kemppi or Fronius, but you will be wasting your money.

Helmets. I have 2 Miller Elite helmets, worth over $450 each. I don’t use them, I much prefer the $200 WeldClass helmet from tradetools. It has a much truer colour and a big screen. The head harness isn’t as comfortable as the Miller, but even wearing it hours a day, it’s not uncomfortable.

Unimig now have a range of clear Pyrex cups, once you use them you won’t go back to pink ceramics.

Tungsten, 2% Thoriated (red) for stainless. Much more stable at lower amps. I’d be going to 1.6mm and 2.4mm. I probably weld with 2.4mm more though.

Gas. Your cheapest option, unless you want to open a BOC account is to go to Bunnings, outlay $300, and walk away with an argon bottle that you don’t need to pay rental on the bottle, it will cost you $99 to exchange your bottle, and you get your $200 deposit back (if you keep your original receipt) when you decide you don’t want a bottle of argon anymore. The best thing about this is I can get Argon and 5:00pm on a Saturday, can’t do that at BOC or a welding shop.

Stainless steel filler wire is bloody expensive $30+ a kilo, a kilo will last a very very long time. Don’t buy a 5kg tube, and you want 316L filler.

I’m pretty sure that is everything

[bluc]

Awesome post :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[NFI]

A very comprehensive post LikkerSheWillLoveIt. I think that just about sums it all up.

Cheers

[B-Man]

I’m pretty sure that is everything

if only I had this when I was buying my tig!
that about sums it up.
so unimig have pyrex cups for their T2 torch now or is it for the other models? I couldn't find any when I was looking for a set.
what size filler rod do you recommend? I had no idea so asked the blokes in total tools and they rang a rep then gave me a 5kg pack of 308L at 1.6mm but I feel like I need larger rod as the weld is bordering undercut.

[LikkerSheWillLoveIt]

B-Man. 1.6mm is what I use all the time. If it’s undercut, turn your amps down a few.

The T2 torch I believe is a 17V torch head. So yes, they make them for your torch.

They have gas diffusers in the lens with creates a slower flow of gas so you get more of a bubble of shielding gas.