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Just upgraded to an Alpha TIG, largely based off this thread. Ordered on Amazon for $690, and it showed up the next day.
I'm really psyched to start using it for its inaugural master cylinder brace project.
Please update when you start using it! I'm planning on getting one of these soon (though I have 0 welding experience) and would like to see how it performs for someone who actually does have some experiences.
I ordered me a Hobart 140 Mig welder today. I love Amazon prime and 2 day delivery, it along with wire and nozzles should be here Thursday. I will pick up a tank of gas in before the weekend. It should be interesting learning to MIG after already knowing how to TIG. I am looking forward to how easy it should be to tack weld exhaust pieces together under the car though.
My Alpha tig finally showed up. I figured I would break it in by building a log manifold. Having never tig welded before or built a log manifold I am pretty happy with the results. I already know several things I will change when I do it again.
I am glad this thread exists. I have been planning on getting a welder for a long time now to do some fabbing of my own, looks like the Alpha TIG has my money very soon.
So many thing i want to do with this.. Honda Intake manifold, welding my intercooler pipes to get rid of couplers, endless possibility.
I have been lurking this thread on and off for the past year.
I just bought The Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding14th Edition and am now examining my options for tig welders.
I want to weld up a fresh set of intercooler pipes because the current set are 15 years old and although they work decently, I am not running the same turbo or intercooler I started with, so nothing quite lines up right.
I guess a cheapish welder pays for itself over the course of one or two medium sized projects. Is the Alpha 200 still the best bang for the buck?
My Alpha tig finally showed up. I figured I would break it in by building a log manifold. Having never tig welded before or built a log manifold I am pretty happy with the results. I already know several things I will change when I do it again.
Nice a weld thread.
Pretty critical application for your first weld.
I would recommend checking the inside of the log for sugaring correct me if i am wrong but this does not look like it was back purged. Furthermore check your gas flow, torch setup, and cleanliness to avoid the brown dust. Lastly, definitely some craters present at your downslopes, if you lift off the pedal slow and continue to feed at the end of the weld you won't get these, they are stress risers.
However, if anybody needs critical TIG welds, and / or $0.02 on weld set up, material selecton, weldment geometry , what amperage, what angle to grind my tungsten, what gas cup blah blah blah.
I know a few things about a few things welding
Nice a weld thread.
Pretty critical application for your first weld.
I would recommend checking the inside of the log for sugaring correct me if i am wrong but this does not look like it was back purged. Furthermore check your gas flow, torch setup, and cleanliness to avoid the brown dust. Lastly, definitely some craters present at your downslopes, if you lift off the pedal slow and continue to feed at the end of the weld you won't get these, they are stress risers.
It was, and a year later and 10k street miles its still holding up. If it cracked tomorrow I wouldn't be upset. No back purged but its mild steel so I didn't feel it was worth the effort. I believe the brown dust is simply rust. I was welding in a garage heated by a kerosene heater and in my experience, everything rusts fast in that environment. You're definitely right about the craters, total noobness apparent there. After everything was welded I made a second pass over areas with craters.
Like I said in my original post, it was a great learning experience and there is a lot I will do differently on the next one.
You'll need a tank of pure argon. Go to your local welding gas place and buy the biggest one they'll let you., probably 80CF.
You'll also need a welding helmet, get a nice one the first time, you'll hate the cheap ones and end up just buying a nice one in a couple months.
Welding gloves I like baby goat gloves mcmaster for normal use, and deer skin for delicate work. Supposedly the new HF tig gloves are actually pretty nice now, never tried them.
You should buy a welding jacket too so you can lean on your work without burning yourself, melting your cloths to you, or catching your cloths on fire. And you really should have all your skin covered when you weld anyways because of the uv light. Sun burn from welding is no fun.
Tungsten, just start with 3/32" thoriated for now it'll work for basically anything (even aluminum, disregard what everyone says).
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