High Quality TIG Accessories

[CaddmannQ]

Pics of my VW project car. This is fiberglass, so not rusty, but the frame below is Swiss cheese.

[CaddmannQ]

I got a chance to try my fancy new helmet yesterday, when I welded up this worn out hook from the clutch pedal on my car. I remember breaking one of these off of my 1966 type three fast back, and having to do a trooper start and drive across town with no clutch. I was very careful to inspect this hook for damage and it was certainly worn.

I tried to start with 100 A and almost melted the thing off onto the floor, as it is only about 1/4” x 1/8 at the worn section. I stuck the tungsten in the puddle four times and had to stop and grind it.

I was trying to lay the filler right in the groove and start the arc on top of everything at once, but it didn’t quite work that way. At 100 A the arc ignored my filler completely and tried to melt the hook right off.

I increased the stick out and the gas and turned down the heat to 55 A.

At that point I was able to dab some filler in the hole and close it up. After some grinding and filing it was serviceable again.

[CaddmannQ]

The biggest thing that my test welds have proved to me is that I would like more practice time before I start laying metal on the car.

My daughter brought me a broken steel bed canopy and headboard, and so I am practicing my light gauge TIG welding. Holy cow, this stuff is thin! I only blew through six times in 32 welds.

But this was a good thing for me because it pointed out the fact that I needed some practice to weld this submillimeter material. Fortunately this gave me a lot of practice doing small welds on corners and seams and edges, inside fillets, and welds from round to squares sections as well.

By the end of the process I could tell that I had improved my technique and control but also I was getting tired by then. I will get some more practice and then I expect to have good results on the chassis when I get around to the major welding. Also I think I’m going to be glad that this machine will do a good stick weld, Because there is some 0.188” & 0.145” steel that I intend to join with some tapered slugs made from 0.375x1.5” bar.

That’s gonna suck up a lot of heat for my little number 17 torch.

So I’m trying to decide if I wanna buy a big torch or just stick weld the thick sections. At this point I have more stick welding experience than TIG. I already bought some stick welding rods. My biggest problem is that if I’m using a stick welder I’m gonna want a fireman standing by. I don’t wanna burn this place down and I will likely have to do the stick welding outside if I am by myself.

[mccutter]

Originally Posted by CaddmannQ

So I’m trying to decide if I wanna buy a big torch or just stick weld the thick sections.

I keep a 5gal pail filled with water near the welder. I keep a lid on it so the skeeters don't develop an interest in it. Perhaps have the wife keep fire watch?

I PM'd you about the torch below. In addition to the Weldcraft HP-26 torch handle, you'll need something like this LINK. You would cut the lug off and put a Dinse end on it. Note this is a 2-piece, 25'. The part # is 46V30-2, without the -2 is 1-piece but you'll need a power/gas adapter at the machine. 46V28R is 12' 1-piece version, "R" means rubber.

[CaddmannQ]

Thank you buddy. I’m not familiar with that gear but it’s probably an excellent price.

I’m afraid that I’ve blown all my fun money between now and the new year.

I got to pay taxes and buy presents for grandkids and all that stuff before I think about myself again.

In any event, I won’t be getting around to that heavy gauge welding until I take the whole car apart again. For that to happen it’s got to get a title. If I can’t get it titled I’m just gonna take it to Nevada and sell it off at the car auction.

[Avmech]

Another with the PrimeWeld Tig 225, got it about 6 months ago. So far very pleased with it. Used to use Millers and Hobarts close to 40 years ago…….

Running mine with the water cooler and a CK20 torch. Used it on 110 early on before I added a 220/50 amp outlet, now it is way happier with the 220v.

Getting ready to do some body repairs on my old truck so I just got a TIG Button last week to use in place of the foot pedal for out of position. Used it a little already, way better than the plain on/off switch on the torch and better than the variable amperage knobs/switches/whatever that are in use. This thing increases amperage the more you press on it.

[CaddmannQ]

I am really loving the Primeweld. I have not yet scratched the surface of what this welder is capable of and yet I am already glad I spent every penny on it.

I would definitely like to get a larger water cooled torch for certain operations but in the meantime I will be able to get by with stick welding and the 100 amp CK-17 torch.

But sometimes you just gotta have an oxygen torch.

The car I am working on should’ve had two left hand seat rails and two right hand seat rails, but it was supplied with four left-hand rails.

These were 16 gauge sheet-metal Z shapes and they were tapered so the seat would lean back slightly. I had to reverse the bends on two of them, and I did it by anealing the creased sheet metal and knocking it flat on an anvil and then clamping it down and heating the edge as I rolled it over with a hammer.

OK, in the end they look like hand-wrought iron now, but they are under the seat where nobody can see them, and my seat is not sticking out the door.

LOL

[Avmech]

The CK 20 is smaller than the 17 and handles 250 amps. And fully agree the machine is way more capable than I am currently. When I learned TIG many moons ago (1973ish), we had no pulse, adjustable freq, 2T/4T, etc. It was amps, post flow, DC straight/reverse/AC, 2% thoriated and balling the electrode using DC reverse for a second for aluminum. And yes the oxy-acetylene rig is right next to the TIG welder. And good work on the seat rails!! Love it when someone just plain figures out a way to do things and does them!!

[CaddmannQ]

Thank you. I actually did the other seat rail by welding instead. I cut a pie slice out and rewelded it backwards. It took about the same time, but lots of weld draw meantsome post processing with a hammer and anvil.