sohcpwr

so i have a lift arc tig welder that uses a tig torch with a gas valve on it (sux *** by the way, i keep hitting it with my hand while im welding causing gas to stop sometimes) Anyway, question is, how do you know how much to open the valve? I have a regulator on the bottle that is set to 16cfh. Do i need one with a flowgage too?

while were on the subject of helping me tig, my tungsten doesnt stay sharp for that long. Is that normal? Or is it somehow connected to my gas valve.

hopefully engloid will chime in here

sikcrx89

on my HF tig it has the flow valve on the torch also but i never hit it.. sounds like you need to adjust your holding position,as far as the tungstun not staying sharp are you touching the tunsten with your rod causing it to ball or your using way to much heat.. just my .02 but im trying to learn to tig my self..

sohcpwr

how do you know how much to open the valve though? Should you barely hear the gas coming out or should it be very noticeable?

Definately not touching the rod to the tungsten, Dont think im using too much heat either. The welds look pretty clean, although their not very shiny (well, some are) Could the cleanliness of the metal have anything to do with it?

sikcrx89

i dont thin the cleanness of the metal has to do with ruining your tungsten.. arey you using a cheap tungsten?? i have a scratch start so i dont get any gas tll i start the arc but you should hear it dont go full force or anything but you shoul be able to hear it.. i also have my regulator set at 20 though to my thoughts would be maybe your not using enough gas and its burning the tungsten also.. lik i said before though im new to tig also and im telling you pretty much how mine is set-up to possibly help you out.. maybe csaddict will chime in or some other weldors to help...

sohcpwr

i thought you had a valve on the torch though?? You have to first turn the **** on the torch to start the gas, then strike an arc.. not that it really matters.
The whole flow setting thing is interesting, if the regulator is set at 16 cfh, and my **** on the torch is 1/4 of the way open, is 16cfh coming out of the tip? Or is 16cfh coming out with the **** fully open? Which would make sense but when my **** is wide open, gas is coming out real fast.

I thought by buying a lift arc tig, i was pretty set.. but aparantly if you have no gas solonoid in the welder, you beat.

sikcrx89

i do have the gas adjustment on the torch...and yes i dont think that there is 16cfh coming out unless the **** is fully opened.. i thought so too but its not as easy as some people make it look

Engloid

Use the flowmeter on the gas bottle...

and open the torch valve all the way.

YOu may be running your gas too low, and causing the tungsten to wear.

stillnoturbo

When I open the valve on my torch all the way it just sounds like it's just pouring full blast. Hell that's probably why I was burning holes in the ---- I was trying to lay a bead down with when I first tried and the tungsten would ball up at the end. Leeson learned. No question is a dumb question if you don't ask it.

LSD Motorsports

Yes, the tungsten not staying sharp can be from a lot of things, unclean material, touching the rod, touching the actual part etc. As far as the gas, what you read at the bottle is what is coming out at that point, if you have a regulator, it does exactly that and will regulate the flow less if the valve is closed at all.

4sillypwr

Run your torch valve wide open and bump your flow up a lil bit. 16 is pretty light no matter how slow you weld. Make sure you arent dragging your tungsten in the puddle. If you are it will usually develop a glow around the puddle. I have a Miller hood and it looks orange if I dip in the puddle. If you look closely at the tip of you tungsten after it's been dipped in the puddle it will look like a small misshappen ball has formed on the end of the tip...kind of crusty looking if you will. Try again and report back yo.