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I disagree.
MIG is easy, but I believe everyone should learn how to stick weld first.
Watch all of these to start:
My Lincoln can do stick, but never once have I thought about trying it out. I started with TIG and I think I ended up alright. MIG came later when I got tired of trying to tack weld upside down with my TIG torch.
I just finished my first big aluminum project, and I can report that the new pedal made a huge difference in comfort and control. Definitely worth the investment!
Speaking of investment, I still can't believe this was over $200 of aluminum:
I used it to build framing for a workbench for my trailer, and it will double as a 'docking station' for a toolbox/cart. Still need to add a worktop, and will probably add facing with cabinet doors to match the overhead cabinets...
Being new to the TIG game, I didn't have a dedicated bench grinder and sharpening tungsten on a flap wheel only gets you so far. I have a small shop and I didn't want to eat up bench space with a bench grinder just for this. I really wanted something small and battery-powered so I can throw it in a drawer with all my other torch parts and have one less thing to plug in when it's time to do some welding. I hunted around a little more and I think I found an awesome option. A little shop called Scottsman has a rotary tool adapter which combines a diamond wheel with a fully sealed enclosure to capture the dust and grit that comes off the tungsten while sharpening.
(Bare tool is 2460-20 if you already bought into that system like I did, $80 on Amazon)
I already owned an M12 ratchet with two batteries and a charger and paid $47 shipped for the attachment (it's up to $57 now) and $80 for the tool. Just got it set up and fired up and it cut a perfect, smooth point into a ffesh 3/32" 2% lanth in about 20 seconds. Perfect.
Their FB page says it should fit anything with 3/4" coarse threads on the body of the tool. Call them and see, they probably know. I will say that initial setup is a little finnicky, you have to set the height of the adapter in the collet before threading the adapter in place and installing the diamond wheel, so it would be a PITA to have to share this with a rotary tool you use for other stuff. You could probably pick up a HF rotary tool with the right threads for a lot less than the Milwaukee tool, but I already had the batteries and I really like cordless tools.
I already owned the M12 dremel, and I was happy to put it to that use since I was actually really disappointed with how wimpy it was for burrs and cutoff discs.
Being new to the TIG game, I didn't have a dedicated bench grinder and sharpening tungsten on a flap wheel only gets you so far. I have a small shop and I didn't want to eat up bench space with a bench grinder just for this. I really wanted something small and battery-powered so I can throw it in a drawer with all my other torch parts and have one less thing to plug in when it's time to do some welding. I hunted around a little more and I think I found an awesome option. A little shop called Scottsman has a rotary tool adapter which combines a diamond wheel with a fully sealed enclosure to capture the dust and grit that comes off the tungsten while sharpening.
I already owned an M12 ratchet with two batteries and a charger and paid $47 shipped for the attachment (it's up to $57 now) and $80 for the tool. Just got it set up and fired up and it cut a perfect, smooth point into a ffesh 3/32" 2% lanth in about 20 seconds. Perfect.
I bought this tool about 6 months after I started TIG welding. It was worth every penny to me with the amount of time and frustration saved. Your way of doing it looks a good bit cheaper which is awesome.
I got a super cheap bench grinder from harbor freight that I use for lots of stuff, and it grinds my tungsten as well as I could want.
you shouldn't use the grinding wheel for anything but the tungsten. Also you will eventually wear groves into the grinding wheel, that's what caused me to buy the fancy tool.
you shouldn't use the grinding wheel for anything but the tungsten. Also you will eventually wear groves into the grinding wheel, that's what caused me to buy the fancy tool.
Yep. Steel and aluminum bits embed themselves in the wheel, then those bits end up imbedded in your tungsten, then those bits end up embedded in your welds.
I've tigged for 8 years and never had an issue with sharpening on the grinder wheel I use for everything. I do know they say not too, but like above there is a lot of alum. oxide in abrasives. Heck the tip of the tungsten gets so hot that I would think it would fry any specs of something.
I use a fine grit grinding wheel too.
I use a dedicated bench grinder, I don't have anything else i would want to grind on it to be honest... i use my sander for almost everything.
Just sold my big *** lincoln and looking at the alpha tig. Any 2018 owners chime in with thoughts on the upgrades for this year?
Just broke down and ordered one tonight so I'll let you know when I get it. From what the product listing on amazon says they now have a flex head torch and the frequency can be adjusted to 200hz. I thought they got those upgrades last year though.
03-26-2018, 09:01 AM
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