What is TIG Welding?

TIG (Tungsten inert gas) Welding is relatively new way of welding.

Before it was called TIG, its name was “Heliarc” due to the helium which was used for welding. When argon was found as more stable and effective material for welding, the name TIG arose.

And finally people found that some metals were being weld better when using additional little quantities of hydrogen together with the argon and that is why now this technical term is known as Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, or GTAW. Currently all three names are being used to refer to this technical process.

Fundamentally, TIG welding is one of the more difficult ways of welding because the welder acts with both hands, one holding the torch and the other using the filler rod. The things get even more complicated if a foot pedal for amperage controlling is also engaged. This is why there is some time required for the TIG welding equipment to be learned.

The torch could be water or air cooled and delivers a protecting gas flow together with the welding stream throughout the tungsten electrode. A ceramic snout aims the protecting gas to the weld pool and some copper details like the collet hold the device in place. If very low amperage is needed or the arc ought to be specked there is no need for worrying – the electrode is nicely stropped. The weld pool draws from the arc which is formed between the electrode and the workplace. The gas used for protection could be either argon or helium, sometimes both and rarely one might add a small percentage of hydrogen for improving the flow of the weld pool. The arc is very quiet and neat compared to other welding methods.

Almost any metal or metal alloys can be welded using TIG.

Now here are some important but still basic tips for TIG Welding beginners:

1) For almost any metal or metal alloy (excluding aluminum and magnesium), set the TIG welding device to DCEN (direct current electrode negative) which is also know nas Straight Polarity.

2) Use smaller and ,if possible, water cooled torches. They are the easiest for usage.

3) Use thoriated or lanthanated tungsten electrodes and choose the smallest possible for the work.

4) The three most suitable welding rods for you are: 308 if you need to weld stainless, E70S2 – if you need to weld mild steel and 4130, and 4043 if you need to weld aluminum.

5) When welding – keep the electrode close to the welding pool within a distance equal to the electrode diameter.

6) The angle of the torch should be no more than 10 degrees.

7) When welding steel you may need more than one sharpened electrode so keep a few at hand.

8) Don’t forget to supply yourself with the three above mentioned welding rods. If you have plenty of them, you should be able to do all the work.

9) Your weld pool must be 4 times thicker than the area you are welding but no more than 3/8 inches.

10) And most importantly – practice. Being new and easier than some other methods, the TIG Welding still is sufficiently complicated and one must be very well prepared to do it right and safely.

Images and videos in this post courtesy of Lincoln Electric