TIG Welding a Fuselage-Insight needed

[Aaron Novak]

Most people do not normalize after TIG welding unless they are in a cold shop where it will cool rapidly.

Chad,
I wouldnt say that. Looks like this might be a good topic to bring to the chapter meeting....if you guys are interested in Metalurgy and Phase Transformation 101

[Chad Jensen]

Chad,
I wouldnt say that. Looks like this might be a good topic to bring to the chapter meeting....if you guys are interested in Metalurgy and Phase Transformation 101

We talked about it at the last meeting...your dad was involved, and there seemed to be two schools of thought...

[Jeff Point]

We talked about it at the last meeting...your dad was involved, and there seemed to be two schools of thought...

I smell a webinar coming on!

[Chad Jensen]

You smell right! That doesn't sound good...how 'bout, You have a nose for these things!

[Mike Switzer]

there seemed to be two schools of thought...

When I read the book I got at the Sportair gas welding workshop, I noticed there were at least 2 schools of thought on most everything

[Jeff Point]

Reminds me about the old joke- there are two schools of thought on how to make consistently good landings. Unfortunately, neither of them work.

[Hangar10]

When I read the book I got at the Sportair gas welding workshop, I noticed there were at least 2 schools of thought on most everything

I am finding that to be true as well. I read through Richard Finch's "Welder's Handbook" as well as EAA's "Aircraft Welding Techniques" and watched the DVD prior to getting into much welding. This summer when I went to Gas Welding 101 at Oshkosh, I remember saying to myself, "that is exactly opposite of what the book says." Not that either is wrong, but it sure doesn't help the new guy figure out what is the best way.

I'll just keep on trying... eventually I'll figure out which technique I like best by which one produces the best results.

[Jon Johnson]

Chad, I agree with you. I find TIG much easier than burning gas (I used gas on my champ rebuild). And if you get a nice tight weld, you don't heat it up too much. No normalizing. My welder is a Miller 200DL. It runs on any voltage, 110V, 220 single phase, 220 three phase, 440, etc. It is the size of a medium suitcase and has a suitcase handle. The argon bottle is much heavier, but I have lugged it around and used it with sticks. You only get around 100 amps with 110V, but that is more than enough for cars and planes. You would need a dryer hookup to do aluminum. I have 220 three phase at my shop. I find that I can get may face much closer to the work with a TIG. That allows me to see what I am doing better. I cost me around $2000 (plus bottle and accessories) and payed for itself building stuff for my boat.

[SoCal Ken]

Allen gives some good advice on several fronts & in many respects. I'm a bit OCD, so I have been "wasting" some good 4130 plate & tubing doing practice with my new TIG unit & checking my weld quality, but fully understand that not everyone is as OCD as I am. I've decided to follow his advice about starting with smaller, less critical areas as I get ready to start my WagAero Super Sport Trainer (Cub clone). Thanks for the sound & very thoughtful suggestion re: starting at the tail & moving forward on the fuselage! It was a good $.02 worth you gave.

[Aaron Novak]

We talked about it at the last meeting...your dad was involved, and there seemed to be two schools of thought...

Always at least 2. Thats why I think bringing some test data is in order. Nothing like SEM (scanning electron microscope) images of test welds to dispel the old (young) wives tales. No opinions, no sales pitches, no guessing. Just science and data.....should be fun. One of the things I have learned in life is the thing that usually seperates schools of thought, is knowledge of the subject.