Agree 100%- when I worked full-time in the trade, we didn't have the auto darkening lenses for our welding hoods- a couple of other tips, FWIW. Never grind your tungsten- 2% Thoria for steel and ferrous metals, to a sharp pencil point- a blunt tip is best, and always keep a small (4-5" size grinder with a clean wheel just for grinding the tungsten electrodes-- warm up the tungsten just prior to running your root pass on a clean block of copper If you are getting arc blow, even with a soft start and a foot pedal rheostat features, check your ground connection. (I use a Miller Gold Star 300 AMP AC-DC TIG welder, and Linde Water cooled torches in our shop-- and over the past 45 years have welded- stainless in both 300 and 400 ASI grades, alloyed and HSLA fabrication steels, and all 3 of the common grades of toll & die steels- air, water and oil hardening.
TIG and now plasma have revolutionized the gunsmithing business, as far as salvaging parts worn from years of usage-- back in the Jack O'Connor era, such techniques were just getting underway.
Last edited by Run With The Fox; 12/22/18 06:08 PM.
