When should you choose TIG Welding?

[Glenn]

What are the best reasons to choose the arc TIG type of welding over other types.

What are the minimum and maximum thickness arc TIG type of welding can handle? Any advice on the process?

[Joe H]

I TIG just about everything up to about 1/4". Thicker than that it gets stick welded.

I've TIGged everything from 24ga SS to 3/16". There really isn't a minimum or max thickness. I've seen soda cans cut in half and welded back together.

[Hillbillysmith]

One reason that you would use TIG would be the cosmetics. And, you can get high penetration in THIN material. You can weld almost any thickness to material as long as you know how to do it properly. I, personally, have gotten a tac to run on a piece of copper the thickness of a soda-pop can. But this process take some skill and practice to get.

[eburgblue]

I tend to use my tig only for aluminum or delicate projects where I need the foot control or on projects where splatter is to objectionable and cleanup is difficult. Mig is so much quicker much of the time.

[arftist]

I always tig weld bronze, brass, copper, thin aluminum and thin stainless. I often tig weld cast iron with silicon bronze rods. I sometimes tig thin steel if there is no mig available. I tig thick stainless if I need to weld out of position, or if I want to fuseweld only. I prefer to weld thick stainless with a stick. Thick aluminum with a spool on gun or push-pull mig. I tig weld mild steel if looks are critical(bike parts).

[irnsrgn]

for Aluminum and Stainless steel, make sure you charge more as the gas and consumables and the initial set up are expensive.

[Ten Hammers]

Junior is right, consumables are higher. TIG is used in industry for stainless ( fittings, pipe, tanks etc ) a fair bit as well as aluminum. TIG works well for carbon too when you need a nice sweet stout little weld someplace that is gonna show up and you want cleanliness as well as strength.

[aametalmaster]

When you want to make it real pretty I work in a refinery and all of our Stainless process piping is TIG an well as some carbon steel pipe. Some pipe is 1/2" thick and still Tigged. Stick weld is on its way out at least where i work. Some refinerys have outlawed all stick except for 7018...Bob

[emexer3]

TIG is also less brittle than MIG and is preferable in applications where vibration and/or shock is present, if I'm not mistaken.

[Jose Gomez]

TIG, MIG, and stick welding share the same Tensile strength properties (typically 70 thousand pounds per square inch given traditional filler metals and proper application). The decision on which process to use is usually rooted in speed of application, thickness of base metal, precision required, and filler metal deposition rate needed. TIG is the slowest, yet most precise process. Lending it self to ultra-high precision applications such as stainless steel chemical piping and nuclear parts, and super thin materials. MIG is a close second to TIG, with higher precision and control than stick welding (though not as good or as precise as TIG) but with better filler metal deposition rates than TIG welding. Stick welding brings up the rear with brute force, high filler metal deposition, and an ever so important resistance to wind that MIG and TIG welding don't have due to the fact that they rely on a shielding gas that can be disrupted by a breeze (for protection of the weld puddle). MIG and TIG welding are both terribly susceptible to any type of wind (Causing porosity and poor quality welds). Making stick welding necessary for anyone wishing to weld in other than perfect conditions outdoors.

[Ted T]

Very well said Joe.
Thank You
Ted

[Rutterbush]

Well stated indeed Mr. Gomez.

Also, the tig and mig process share the same filler metals.
ER70S-x is put on spools or cut to 36" length.

This next bit is slightly off topic, but...
The problem with mig is that people don't know, or choose to ignore, the fact that the metal *HAS* to be clean to get proper fusion. These are usually the people who I hear complain about mig making bad welds.

[Ted T]

Rutterbush,
I Thank You for your input.
Every little bit of good (valuable) information makes a difference in the outcome of the process.
I just cannot believe that people here at I Forge Iron are so generous with information.
This is a good place to be if you want to be better at what ya do.
Ted