One of the defining elements of TIG welding is the Tungsten. In fact that is what the first letter in TIG stands for: Tungsten Inert Gas. TIG uses an inert gas to shield the weld (typically Argon), a filler rod of a metal that matches what you are welding, and an electrode made of Tungsten that focuses and directs the arc. All TIG electrodes are more than 95% Tungsten, which is a rare metal used because it is hard and has one of the highest melting points of any metal. There are at least 5 distinct types of “Tungstens”, as most people call them, typically color coated based on how much of what other elements have been added.
Tag: tech
Prepping a Car for Paint
Whether you are planning on painting your car yourself, or paying to have it done, it is essential that the prep is done right. For the most part it is a time consuming job consisting of mostly grunt work, there is not really that much to learn about prepping correctly. So learn how to do it yourself, and see if you can’t knock a couple hundred off the labor bill for the next paint job at the body shop.
How to Select the Right Tip for Your Paint Gun
When spraying paint with a compressed air spray gun – whether gravity feed or siphon feed, conventional or High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) – it’s important to have the gun set up properly for the job. What you are painting is important to a certain extent, but more important is […]
Sound Deadening Paint Sprays and Mats – Benefits & Application Tips
Cars have come a long way since WWII, but they haven’t really gotten any more enjoyable, which is why we all still like to play with our old cars. Plenty of people will argue about whether a new Honda Accord could beat a first generation Mustang in a race (it probably would, no matter whether a drag strip or a road course), but no one is going to argue about how much quieter it is inside the modern car. Sure that’s both good and bad; we want to hear the 289 roar, but that freeway drone gets old after an hour or two.
Can You Powder Coat Glass?
We all know you can powder coat metal but what about other materials such as glass? In order to powder coat an item there is really only one determining factor, it must be able to withstand 400ºF. Metal is one of the best materials to powder coat because it conducts electricity, allowing the charged powder to be drawn to the part thus completing the circuit. That leaves out all other non conductive items, can they be powder coated too? Hot flocking is the most common way of powder coating non conductive objects by heating them up to temperature, pulling them out of the oven and then applying the powder without needing to connect the grounding cable or plug in the gun. The part is already hot so the powder melts on contact. Once there is full coverage you put it back into the oven to finish curing. This method is proven and utilized by many manufacturing companies but there are some other little known tricks to coat materials like glass without having to heat them up before.
Generator Buyers Guide
Things to Consider When Shopping for a Generator We all like to get away from it all once in a while. Whether that is to a cabin, a remote off-road campsite, the racetrack, or just the parking lot of your favorite team’s stadium chances are there aren’t any electrical outlets […]
How to Port and Polish Cylinder Heads
Porting cylinder heads for better performance is as much an art as it is a science. Strange as it may seem, just making the intake and exhaust passages bigger will not always improve performance, and may actually hurt it. The expert port polishers are still guys with a lifetime of […]
How To Weld a Butt Joint
One of the simplest welding joints is the butt joint. It is not the strongest, but it is one of the most useful especially for automotive body work. This type joint is used whenever you butt 2 pieces together and then weld between where the two meet. Butt welding thin […]
Repair Manuals Will Save Your Project
If you plan on doing any type of serious work on your car or even just basic maintenance its a good idea to to buy a vehicle specific repair manual. Depending on the car you drive it may be harder to find the exact manual, but for the most part […]