How to TIG Weld With AHP's $240 Alpha 160ST - Kevin Caron

Описание: From http://www.kevincaron.com - Artist Kevin Caron shows how easy it is to TIG weld with the $240 AHP Alpha 160ST stick/TIG welder ....

Caron wants to try out the TIG function on this amazing little welder, which both stick welds (arc welds) and TIG welds.

There's no gas solenoid on this machine, so you have to use a TIG torch with a welding gas line you hook right to your flowmeter. Then you control the gas with the knob on the welding torch body.

Setting the machine up for TIG welding is really easy. Your TIG torch screws into the negative side - line up the barb and give it a little twist. Your ground, or return line, goes on the positive side - again, line it up and give it a twist. Now turn on the machine and click the mode button to switch from stick to TIG. It's that easy.

An important welding safety tip: once everything is plugged in and the welder is turned on, your torch is hot electrically! So if the tungsten touches metal, you are welding whether you want to or not. So make sure you put your torch in a holder or hang it on a hook safely before you turn on the machine and flip the switch to TIG.

Caron has the welder set to 121 amps, and the gas is hooked up with the flowmeter set at about 12. He's using 1/16" E3 tungsten and has some 1/8" cold-rolled steel that he's cleaned up clamped to the workbench. It's time to make some sparks!

He turns on the gas and rocks up the TIG torch so the tungsten touches the metal. Caron notes that, when he started the arc, it started with a real low amperage for maybe 3 seconds, then all of a sudden the full amperage kicked in. That little "ramp up" is great - you're not putting all of your amperage on your start so you don't have to worry about contaminating your tungsten. Once you get to the end of your run, you just snap the tungsten away from the metal and turn off the gas.

Caron shows the weld. "That's pretty nice for a little machine!" he says. It can stick weld and do lift-start TIG, takes up almost no room, and costs $240. He says it's a great entry-level machine for someone who wants to get into DC TIG welding.

To buy it, call AHP directly at 925-391-3599. "I think you'll like it," says Caron.

Caron's ready to go back to work, so you have time to go to   / kevincaronstudios   to see more how-to videos and his wild sculptures, and to sign up for his newsletter.

Well, you might want to stick around for one more moment to see Caron suffer a brain fart ....


"Inspired sculpture for public & private places."

Artist Kevin Caron has been sculpting full time since 2006. You can see his more than 45 commissions in public and private places coast-to-coast and online at http://www.kevincaron.com.

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