How to (TIG Weld) Thin Sheet Metal (For Beginners)

In this video I show how to set up and tig weld thin metal. There are a lot of different steps to take and I try to make it as easy as possible. From how to grind the tungsten, prepare the steel and execute the tig weld. I hope this video helps you to be able to tig weld sheet metal with ease. Below are some of the products that I used in my video. These links are from my amazon affiliate account. I make a small commission off of qualified purchases at no cost to you. Thanks for watching, Please Subscribe, like and Share!!
Links Below:
0.045 Blue Demon filler wire amzn.to/3OHiwtH
Furick Cup fupa12 amzn.to/3Ord5PO
DA sander amzn.to/3u2YBxF
3m 80 grit sand paper amzn.to/3QOKgi0
2% thoriated 3/32 tungsten amzn.to/3QMyULj
Miller Digital Infinity Welding Hood amzn.to/3HV48vR

[@tubeamplifiers]

Wow man! I learned more REAL techniques from this video than anything I've watched the past 2 years trying to learn TIG. There's important stuff in everything you show. You're teaching the REAL stuff, not trying to sell us anything. Just the sharpening direction tip was worth the entire video for me, I was doing it exactly the wrong way as you explained and always wondered why my tip looked different from every video I watched. I rarely ever comment on youtube, just wanted to thank you for this. Regards from Brazil. Bless you sir.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much for your kind words!!!! I try to give all the information that I think people will need and to make it easy as possible to learn. I always say I teach it like I would want to be taught lol, hope you have a Blessed day!!!!

[@daviddaniels6469]

I appreciate your teaching . I am 68 years old . Stick welding since I was 16 . I bought a Miller Diversion 180 three years ago . I retired from Miller Brewing after 33 years in 2011, then 8 years of driving a chemical tanker in 2020. I have a 64 C10, 65 C10, 98 2500, and a 1979 C30. Lots to do . Floor panels and such. Never tried TIG since welding school in 1976. So your information is right on ! Thanks so much . Old Marine

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Awesome thank you!!! And also thank you for your service 🙏 Sounds like we have alot in common, I'm building a 65 c10, 68and a 72 c10. The 65 is top priority. If you go to my playlist on my channel you can see the cars im building. My dads 32 ford and a 68 protouring camaro for my buddy. I took it from rust bucket all the way to show car, I done the metal fab body work and paint. Thanks for watching and the nice comment 👍

[@CYBERDRUKKER]

Did they have welders 183 yrs ago?😱

[@harryrarig8931]

I am new to TIG welding but this video was really helpful. Your experiments with some of the pitfalls (e.g. too much heat, pedal pumping, gaps) were teachable moments. Much tnx!

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much, so glad it helped!!!!!!

[@CYBERDRUKKER]

This video is awesome!!! Im a newbie

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much!!!!!

[@Mikael5732]

Best tig video on sheet metal I’ve seen. Thanks man

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much for watching!!

[@tinkeringinthailand8147]

I just got me a TIG and man it is difficult, 90% technique I think. Thanks for your teaching, I appreciate it 🙏

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Its tough but stick with it, youll get it. Thanks for watching!!!!!

[@michaelszczys8316]

Where I work I often do special welds where I use a mig welder wire feeder in my left hand for cold feeding .035" mig wire into TIG weld. Works good for straight line welds. Try it sometime.

[@jerryday8817]

Great video, thank you for showing the pedal / torch together never get to see how it actually works.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you, yeah the peddle makes it alot eaiser I think!!!!

[@4bearsi678]

Had that same Hood and went to a ESAB Sentinel and love it! Much lighter, more comfortable and view better

[@ACDesignsGarage]

I will say it is pretty heavy, id probably try something different next time.

[@ianp2009]

Very helpfull. Thanks for all the tips!

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Your welcome!!!!

[@williamgruhlke7467]

Cool, im repairing some way covers and I find these videos helpful.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thats so awesome, Im so glad I could help!!!!

[@mtm101designs9]

Thanks for a really good TIG video.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much!!! Thanks for watching!!!!

[@planesofpaper]

I'm enjoying the learning. God bless. Rex in New Zealand.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you God Bless!! And thanks for watching!!!!

[@Huffy_Turns_a_Wrench]

Jesus loves you too my friend!!! Thank you for teaching me something today.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you, hope you have a Blessed day!!!!

[@michaelszczys8316]

Have Syncrowave 350 where I work. I weld up boxes and things out of 1/16 inch sheet they have a lot of. I get the corners tacked up and then just fusion weld with it on about 40 amps. If I use filler I use .035" mig wire. It works really good. The edges need to be right together with no gaps, if it gaps then I need the fill.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thanks for sharing. The fit up is crucial for sure!!!!

[@johnnys1963]

Do you use flux core wire or regular mig wire just wondering Thanks for info

[@johnnys1963]

Thanks for posting I'm learning to Tig weld. Everyone have a Great Blessed Day

[@michaelszczys8316]

No Flux core, plain wire. Flux core would probably make a mess.

[@Invitingsauce]

Oh man this is good stuff. I just bought a welder like two weeks ago and managed to do this with 22 gauge sheet. I’ve only turned it on 4-5 times I found my next career move. My new favorite thing to do. Welding.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Awesome, congratulations. I love welding. I think its one of the best skills to know, you can about fix anything with this skill.

[@stricht8]

Great video.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you!!!!!

[@EdgeofEternityBillCameron]

Hi brother, that was really helpful. Thanks so much for the refresher. I'll be starting to weld my T Buck here soon. I appreciate it. God bless!!

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thanks brotha Bill, hope you have a Blessed day!!!!

[@EdgeofEternityBillCameron]

@@ACDesignsGarage Thank you and you as well!

[@klucciel]

Thank great video!!

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you

[@nitrofish1974]

Awesome video I like it I'm following I'm learning

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much and thanks for the support!!!!!

[@ToolPros_BillGullatt]

If you have the larger diameter Roloc and cut them with tin snips so they have points you can get to the weld easier without hitting the sheetmetal. Thanks for the great demo on tigging the 22ga.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Awesome thanks for the tip!!!!

[@adamfreeman5609]

Do you mean like cut out a star shape, how many points to what diameter and what grit number please

[@williamgruhlke7467]

Good practice .....i sometimes like to back step with this kind of weld....

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Yes ill say practice is the key to success!!!!! Thanks for watching!!!!

[@mtm101designs9]

Thanks!

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you so much for your kindness!!!!!! Its much appreciated!!!

[@garypannone7755]

Great video and beautiful work. 22 GA is super thin.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much!!!!

[@dakotamax2]

Made my first attempt at TIG last weekend and I walked away thinking "I'll never get the hang of this." I have a Miller 215, and I was practicing on some 18ga steel and couldn't get a fusion bead going at all. Next, I tried some butt welds with filler, and my results were all over the place. I think I will measure my gas flow at the torch head instead of trusting my flow gauge at the tank. Also, gonna try using some manual settings to tweak the amperage instead of trusting the automatic settings. Sometimes I think it's best to walk away and come back later.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Yes its best to walk away and clear you head. I will say you have to have a super tight fit for fusion tac, no gap at all. Try starting with a lap weld. Just lay one piece on top of the other leaving a shelf and try your fusion there. Do you have a peddle to adjust the amperage or do you have a lift arc????

[@dakotamax2]

@@ACDesignsGarage It has a pedal and it is lift arc. Good idea trying a lap joint!

[@CYBERDRUKKER]

Touché

[@WilloW0024]

Great video and i appreciate you content. Please keep up with the thin walled stainless content. Especially if you have a chance with 18 ga. Subscribed!

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you for subbing, and supporting the channel, ill try to make some in the future!¡

[@JoelCardenas-nx7vs]

Thank you for lots of sharing your knowledge, great video, my question? In fuse welding with no gap, do you hav to hav the gas on? Or is gas just for filler rod..awsome job on video, techniques, lots of key stuff, others hav never really showed..😮😬

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much, yes you still run the gas so it will protect the molten puddle !!! Thanks for watching!!!

[@rsbharley4766]

Great video, lots of excellent info. Thanks for taking the time to share. Cheers

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much!!!!

[@rtkracht]

I really appreciate the tutorial. I’d really like to see you weld up a real panel and show any tricks and suggestions for getting a super tight fit between the new and old panels. I’ve got one situation where I need to cut out a rusted spot and come back with new metal. Do I need to cut back to completely corrosion free metal or is some pitting ok? Thanks again and keep up the great work.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you!!! I like to go back about 1/2" past the rot just to be safe so nothing comes back to haunt me. Ill try to make a patch pannel video soon. I have a fender that needs to be repaired. Thanks for watching!!!

[@adamfreeman5609]

I can't help but wonder how your weld would go if you did pedal in reverse. As you go foward put in amps and as you slow up back off the pedal

[@ACDesignsGarage]

That's how I do it, I back off as I move then pause and add the amps and filler then so on!

[@garypannone7755]

I may have missed this. You say you have a video straightening out .035 mig wire and I can not seem to find it. Thanks

[@ACDesignsGarage]

I probably forgot to make it lol, all I do is pull out around 2 to 3 ft and just pull it between your fingers bending it the opposite direction. It dont have to be perfectly straight to work. Thanks for watching!!!!

[@joshuawatts7129]

My school won’t allow thoriated we use lanthenated 2% but I’ve always wanted to try. And what size of tungsten is that? I use 1/16 on thin metal but maybe a 3/32 or something would be better

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thanks for watching, the 1/16 is probably better for thinner stuff but I didn't have any 1/16 on hand . So Awesome that your going to school, I went 20 some years ago lol. Learn all you can, welding is such a great industry!!!!

[@waynneskinner5524]

Can you weld up thin metal at you blow through with tig welding? Meld is 75 years old with some rust to it?

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Yes just clean up the area then weld a little on each side then bridge the gap . Hope this works.

[@mattlee007]

great vid cheers ... can you talk about the process with just a DC tig no foot pedal.. cheers

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Ill try and make a video on it. It can be done just a little tougher. Thanks for watching!!!!

[@mattlee007]

@@ACDesignsGarage that'd be awesome cheers

[@JohnSmith-sf8gj]

Doesn't theplate you are welding on act as a heat sink? Because with the panel in the air I'm blowing holes the size of a dime.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

It does a little, the gap to me is one of the most important thing, if it keeps blowing holes. Try to lay the filler in the gap and wash over the filler as you weld the gap.

[@joepie221]

I had hoped for a different presentation. Laying the thin sheet metal on a much thicker backing plate isn't a fair representation of what it takes. Do a video where that parting line is up in thin air with nothing backing up the 2 halves. I'll come back for that. Then do one where there is .06 air gap between the 2 halves. Show me that and I'll subscribe so fast it will make your head spin.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

I can do it like that but its hard to film, I may try that video, I do it on a daily basis on cars, but I never leave a gap, I like a tight fit up so it will metal finish better.

[@joepie221]

@@ACDesignsGarage I'm currently attempting to repair my sons motorcycle tank. Extremely thin metal and a 1mm gap. Its proving to be very challenging to not blow it all away. Thats the reason behind my comment. Thanks for the reply.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

@Joe Pie those can be tough, are you mig welding it or tig welding it?

[@joepie221]

@@ACDesignsGarage Tig. Pedal controlled. 35 amps, .093 electrode, E70S2 1/16 dia rod. Its fighting me all the way. The rod selection is new as of today. Hopefully I'll have better luck.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Sometimes you can do a super low amp. short beads on both sides of the gap then bridge the gap after you get both sides done. One tip I learned is to get your puddle formed fast and not stay in one area to long because it heats the whole area up pretty quick. Dont try to make it pretty just glue it together lol. Hope this helps, just message me back if you have any more questions 😊

[@jamesboston782]

What is the advantage to using a bigger cone? The burns are a bit wide. Does it really matter?

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Just a little more gas coverage with the gas lens, you really dont need it unless your doin stainless, but I like running them

[@jamesboston782]

Thank you sir.

[@howardtoob]

May I ask where in NC you are located? Im in Hampstead. Thank you.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Just north of Charlotte

[@engjds]

Can you do this on a converted MMA welder?

[@ACDesignsGarage]

You can but it may be a little tougher due to have to scratch start everytime!!!

[@ezelk1337]

Great job. I have a tig welder with the pulse feature in it. If you were using the pulse feature what setting would you try to duplicate the peddle pumping that you are doing? You should have a lot more subscribers with the good content that you have. Thanks

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much, i haven't played with pulse much to give you an educated answer, dont want to lead you wrong lol. Check out @pacific arc tig welding on you tube or jody at welding tips and tricks they have done a ton on pulse settings. Thanks for watching!!!!!

[@gravydogg1]

Hold that tungsten 180 and it wont dig into the grinder wheel

[@martingustavoblancat4912]

Hi... Why does my tungsten turn black like burnt?

[@ACDesignsGarage]

I've had mine do that before if the metal wasn't perfectly clean, even with mill scale residue , is it sparking and poping when welding?

[@martingustavoblancat4912]

@@ACDesignsGarage yes sir, there are sparks and pops when I am welding.. tks

[@ACDesignsGarage]

@@martingustavoblancat4912 hope this helps 🙏

[@Supanova70]

Pulse or pedal puMp?

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Pedal pump

[@ukcitizen5341]

sharpen both ends of your tungsten saves some time if youre doing alot

[@ACDesignsGarage]

I usually do but got lazy lol

[@markmcintosh6968]

I'm new to the tig welding game. This video was great info. Would a 1/16 tungsten be better for sheet metal? Thanks very much appreciated. Sir

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you very much, and you would be correct, 1/16 would of been better, I was just lazy and didn't want to change it lol. Thanks for watching!!!!

[@Mikael5732]

Why don’t you hammer it on the bare table?

[@ACDesignsGarage]

You could but you have to watch for rough spots on the table, because it will transfer to the metal.

[@richgcoop1842]

Weld it suspended as in real life.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

I tried but filming welding can be tough so you guys can see what im doing, thanks for watching!!!!

[@Winnieloveweld1]

Great Video, Adrian! Arccaptain wants to invite you to test our TIG200P welder machine. Would you be interested in giving it a try?

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Thank you, Please send me an email to let me know your terms thank you. [e-mail]

[@abenesh1]

Is it aluminium why doesn’t it make that noise

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Its mild steel not aluminum, it almost has the look of aluminum tho.

[@antonioperny5368]

I like your content but dude you do much talking just get to the point

[@wanderleyapparecidovieira2282]

Useless video ,missing info about amperage set to do the welding...Sorri !

[@davidmaes3253]

"For beginners", really ? With a 12.000$ machine and pedal pumpin'? Beginners have maybe a $300.00 machine from amazon with only a current regulation. THAT is a beginner machine. Now teach me how to do stuff with such a machine.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Lol Id never pay 12k for a welder and I have a video comming up with a $400 yeswelder 3in1 mig tig and stick machine that will do just as good of a job with practice, this video was about the skills you need to practice on and not how fancy of a machine you have. My first welder that I still own was a miller thunderbolt buzz box that I learned how to tig on 30 years ago. Its just like using a hammer and a shot bag to form metal a 65k power hammer does the same thing but alot faster and easier. Thanks for watching!!!!

[@davidmaes3253]

@@ACDesignsGarage First and farmost, I watch your vids with great eager, being a diy-er. The 12k was just a random high figure :) But being this starting diy welder, I have to learn to adjust other things than "current-on-the-go" with the pedal and such. With my budget, those things are all fixed, so I myself have to flex more. I don't make money with my diy, so there's no room to spend more, and earn it back later on.

[@nikodemjedrzejewski8289]

How to TIG weld for beginners LOL .... *using a $4,500 welder*,....try using a YES welder or something similar that a beginner would use..... LOL then we'll see how it all works

[@ACDesignsGarage]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpKrkKN9lrCqbbcsi=gxGoWXptJCj0SMgc Here is a video Where I used a $600 tig welder also Ive done videos on yeswelders, they all weld the same. The miller are just better for long term welding. Unless your doing it for a living the arccaptian or yeswelder is plenty good.