I read that some people have taken their mig welder and turned it into a tig by drilling out a mig tip. Then they drill and tap the side to install a set screw. The tip then will hold a tig electrode to use. Anyone ever done this? Does it work?

On Sat, 19 Oct 2013 06:02:31 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

I read that some people have taken their mig welder and turned it into a tig by drilling out a mig tip. Then they drill and tap the side to install a set screw. The tip then will hold a tig electrode to use. Anyone ever done this? Does it work?
One is a constant voltage process, the other is a constant current
process - so although it may "work" it won't work "well"
Stick and tig use constant voltage, while wirefeed (gas shielded or
flux core) use constant current. A normal stick welder would be a
better match fot TIG than a wire-feed welder (and tig welders DO work
well for stick welding - HF start makes striking the arc childs play)

wrote:

On Sat, 19 Oct 2013 06:02:31 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

I read that some people have taken their mig welder and turned it into a tig by drilling out a mig tip. Then they drill and tap the side to install a set screw. The tip then will hold a tig electrode to use. Anyone ever done this? Does it work?
One is a constant voltage process, the other is a constant current
process - so although it may "work" it won't work "well"
Stick and tig use constant voltage, while wirefeed (gas shielded or
flux core) use constant current. A normal stick welder would be a
better match fot TIG than a wire-feed welder (and tig welders DO work
well for stick welding - HF start makes striking the arc childs play)

You have it backwards:

TIG = Constant Current
Stick = Constant Current
MIG = Constant Voltage

There are of course many multi process machines available that can run
in both CC and CV modes.

On 10/19/2013 10:33 AM, wrote:
On Sat, 19 Oct 2013 06:02:31 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

I read that some people have taken their mig welder and turned it into a tig by drilling out a mig tip. Then they drill and tap the side to install a set screw. The tip then will hold a tig electrode to use. Anyone ever done this? Does it work?
One is a constant voltage process, the other is a constant current
process - so although it may "work" it won't work "well"
Stick and tig use constant voltage, while wirefeed (gas shielded or
flux core) use constant current. A normal stick welder would be a
better match fot TIG than a wire-feed welder (and tig welders DO work
well for stick welding - HF start makes striking the arc childs play)


I've been using my Miller AC/DC for TiG for decades, never had an HF.
Real men scratch start an arc!

"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
...
snip

I've been using my Miller AC/DC for TiG for decades, never had an HF. Real
men scratch start an arc!


Have you tried that on Aluminum?

RogerN

On Sat, 19 Oct 2013 06:02:31 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

I read that some people have taken their mig welder and turned it into a tig by drilling out a mig tip. Then they drill and tap the side to install a set screw. The tip then will hold a tig electrode to use. Anyone ever done this? Does it work?

No it wont work. At best..it may give you a "spot welder"...but not a
tig.


--
"Their mommies tell them they're special, Liberals just don't understand
that "special" is a polite euphemism for;
*window licker on the short bus*"

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

On 10/19/2013 12:51 PM, RogerN wrote:
"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
...
snip

I've been using my Miller AC/DC for TiG for decades, never had an HF. Real
men scratch start an arc!


Have you tried that on Aluminum?

RogerN



Nope, never welded Al.

On 19/10/2013 9:02 PM, stryped wrote:
I read that some people have taken their mig welder and turned it into a tig by drilling out a mig tip. Then they drill and tap the side to install a set screw. The tip then will hold a tig electrode to use. Anyone ever done this? Does it work?



Stryped, your trolling is getting a little to obvious.

Try to be more subtle.

On 10/19/2013 10:37 PM, Tom Gardner wrote:
On 10/19/2013 12:51 PM, RogerN wrote:
"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
...
snip

I've been using my Miller AC/DC for TiG for decades, never had an HF.
Real
men scratch start an arc!


Have you tried that on Aluminum?

RogerN



Nope, never welded Al.


I've melted some before.

Just about the time it gets hot enough to flow,
it melts and falls on the floor.

On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 00:38:53 -0500, Richard
wrote:

On 10/19/2013 10:37 PM, Tom Gardner wrote:
On 10/19/2013 12:51 PM, RogerN wrote:
"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
...
snip

I've been using my Miller AC/DC for TiG for decades, never had an HF.
Real
men scratch start an arc!


Have you tried that on Aluminum?

RogerN



Nope, never welded Al.


I've melted some before.

Just about the time it gets hot enough to flow,
it melts and falls on the floor.

Years ago I built a AC transformer TIG set. You really need a high
frequency generator to stabilize the arc but it did work. If I
remember correctly Sears Roebuck or Montgomery Ward used to sell a
H.F. add on for transformer welders.
--
Cheers,

John B.

On 10/20/2013 7:31 AM, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 00:38:53 -0500, Richard
wrote:

On 10/19/2013 10:37 PM, Tom Gardner wrote:
On 10/19/2013 12:51 PM, RogerN wrote:
"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
...
snip

I've been using my Miller AC/DC for TiG for decades, never had an HF.
Real
men scratch start an arc!


Have you tried that on Aluminum?

RogerN



Nope, never welded Al.


I've melted some before.

Just about the time it gets hot enough to flow,
it melts and falls on the floor.

Years ago I built a AC transformer TIG set. You really need a high
frequency generator to stabilize the arc but it did work. If I
remember correctly Sears Roebuck or Montgomery Ward used to sell a
H.F. add on for transformer welders.


I'd get one of those if it became available.

On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 12:31:41 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

On 10/20/2013 7:31 AM, John B. wrote:
On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 00:38:53 -0500, Richard
wrote:

On 10/19/2013 10:37 PM, Tom Gardner wrote:
On 10/19/2013 12:51 PM, RogerN wrote:
"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
...
snip

I've been using my Miller AC/DC for TiG for decades, never had an HF.
Real
men scratch start an arc!


Have you tried that on Aluminum?

RogerN



Nope, never welded Al.


I've melted some before.

Just about the time it gets hot enough to flow,
it melts and falls on the floor.

Years ago I built a AC transformer TIG set. You really need a high
frequency generator to stabilize the arc but it did work. If I
remember correctly Sears Roebuck or Montgomery Ward used to sell a
H.F. add on for transformer welders.


I'd get one of those if it became available.

It would have been about 1971 or 72 and they were listed in the
catalog :-)

At the time I was trying to build a cheap portable TIG set to repair
aluminum irrigation piping in the field.

--
Cheers,

John B.