Practical TIG Welding: Step 4: Setting Ourselves Up
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Step 4: Setting Ourselves Up
02.42
| 00:00 | - Setting up the work piece and the TIG machine for welding are both vital steps but ultimately we're going to be the one controlling the TIG torch so it's important that we're prepared and ready to produce the best weld that we possibly can. |
| 00:13 | Before picking up the torch, we should be wearing full length cotton overalls, a welding mask and our TIG gloves. |
| 00:19 | Remember the UV light emitted during welding can damage your eyes and burn your skin so make sure you've got the correct PPE in place. |
| 00:27 | Before putting on the mask, you'll also want to make sure it's turned on. |
| 00:31 | You'd think this would go without saying but I can guarantee you'll overlook this from time to time and arc eye is no joke. |
| 00:38 | You'll also want the shade setting on around 9 and the delay and 0 to eliminate any nasty flashes when you first initiate an arc. |
| 00:46 | When picking up the torch, holding it like a pen will increase the amount of control we have and by wrapping the torch lead around your arm or even over your shoulder, you negate the weight of the lead which can help with reducing fatigue over those longer welds. |
| 01:00 | If you have a flex head torch, this is when you'd want to set the angle of the torch head to improve accessibility when you're forced into tight welding positions. |
| 01:09 | While on the subject of comfort, it's very difficult to position the torch accurately without resting your arm or wrist on something and for this reason, it's always an advantage to have a few different height blocks handy. |
| 01:21 | This is essential for accurately controlling the arc length and location which will have a big impact on the quality of your completed weld. |
| 01:29 | The need for suitable wrist support is going to become really obvious when we perform what we call a dry run. |
| 01:36 | This is where we go through the motion of welding without actually triggering the arc. |
| 01:40 | The purpose of this is to ensure that we've positioned the work piece, the torch and our body in a way that will allow the weld to be completed in one smooth motion without the need to constantly stop and start. |
| 01:52 | The parts that we'll be welding can be complex and will likely need to be repositioned multiple times in order to complete the weld. |
| 02:00 | Understanding how our weld is going to progress and how the part will need to be positioned for each successive section of the weld before we start will help ensure the best finished results. |
| 02:11 | We also don't always have the luxury of welding on the bench and sometimes we're upside down or wrapped around a roll cage so a dry run can make all the difference when setting yourself up for the weld process. |
| 02:24 | Lastly we also need to take a quick look around and make sure there's nothing flammable in the vicinity that could catch fire. |
| 02:30 | In particular you'll want to make sure that your acetone and rag is packed away. |
| 02:35 | We're now ready to move on and actually complete our weld. |
