TIG Welding A Gap In Thin Steel

Kind of a followup to my "How To TIG Any Gap" video. This one uses the same technique but on this exact use case. Thin steel boxed tubing. This would also work well on similarly thin sheet metal.
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[@Spruce-Bug]

I bought a dual voltage TIG welder a month ago. I've struggled with tools and space in my tiny garage. Through techniques like these, I can get the job done. Thanks Justin! Subscribed.

[@benc8386]

Since the first video about this technique I've used it a couple of times and it works really well.

[@JustVoss]

Nice!

[@stanwardoshiro]

Thank you for the awesome tip! I am still learning TIG welding as a hobbyist.

[@davidswanson4437]

Hi Justin, If you were wondering why you had some scale in the final pass, please watch it again and pay attention to your filler rod. You are REMOVING the hot filler rod from the argon gas shield about 1/3 of the time.

[@madcapmagician6018]

interesting technique, i have used a 3 tack laywire variant... 3 tacks 2 corners 1 middle ... then id lsy the filler in the gap and weld .. just using small circles to tie eveything in.. but i would aldo use higher thsn reccomended amperage to get the welds n tacks started the manually pulse the arc with my pedal to control heat input and the haz 😁👍

[@ishsiriram8286]

Thank you for sharing. Definately helps. From South Africa

[@Jayjam209]

Great stuff, thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@guillermonieri4203]

Thank you. That was a very good lesson.

[@Dr_Xyzt]

I tried this and it works! I alternate the pattern of where I add "teeth" to keep warpage down. Thanks for showing this method! I'm jealous, you still got a nice bead pattern. Mine are irregular.

[@JustVoss]

Awesome glad you found it useful! If you can keep them really tiny that can help.

[@axcreates_official]

Awesome tip! Thanks for sharing. 👍👍

[@philosophicalemoboi5862]

To prevent debris in your welds, keep the tip of your filler metal in your shielding gas cone. Cleaning all of your filler rods with a scotch bright helps too. But for hobby work it isn't needed.

[@greggdonovan4960]

Loved it. Another great vid. PS: loving my new DM gloves down under ;) Cheers....

[@ManCrafting]

Looked good to me. I love the ER70-S2 for how shiny the weld can be. Good choice.

[@phantomrose1999]

Watching the bead at 4.30 is one of the most satisfying things in TIG welding, hoping to get one soon and try it out. Did Oxy welding 30 years ago and some MIG, but TIG on sheet metal seems to product the best finish within my ability.. Thanks for the great video, got a new sub.

[@ricardomontes373]

100% professional work! I have trouble filling up gaps identical to what you did on this video. Perhaps thinking of the first pass as making the little teeth can help me. Thanks a bunch.

[@JustVoss]

Helps me! I started doing it with a CNC’ed part that was held in a fixture and welded to a fabricated part. Welded hundreds that didn’t fit along one edge and did this to bridge it.

[@tomt9543]

I use that same technique with mig or stick to handle a gap. Man that thought me to weld 40+ years ago called it “building bridges”.

[@87gtjj]

Thats awesome! I Always learn something from you thanks!

[@JustVoss]

Glad you like it!

[@slimjimkirky86]

Nice video Justin. I often see similar gaps when having to finish cuts that don't quite fit in my cold cut saw. I'll use your excellent "teeth" method over using thicker rod and adding excess heat and material. Your welds look great.

[@JustVoss]

Perfect! I'm not sure how people do the thicker rod, especially when using rod that's thicker than what you are even welding.

[@benc8386]

@@JustVoss You heat the rod more as you dip it. I've noticed you often press the pedal a bit as you dip. That helps to melt the fat rod in without blowing out the sides You may then end up with a bit of a sort of worm lying across your gap but you can then go over it again with the torch to melt it in to where it should be. Now that there's metal there you won't get holes. The teeth method is better though. I often deliberately don't cope practice joints too well to save time and get a bit of practice on dealing with gaps.

[@jimhofman4040]

I just started welding and I know how hard it is to get that nice touch you have. Great looking work. Also your camera work for your welds has markedly improved too. Thanks for sharing your techniques.

[@JustVoss]

Hey thanks! Glad you’ve been watching enough to know!

[@kouamoua8053]

Good Job, Thanks.

[@rickden8362]

These are exactly the kind of projects that butt joints and MIG welding were made for ;-)

[@fromtheblonx]

Thanks man👌

[@davisbradford9080]

Just wanted to tell you that your videos are some of the best that i have seen keep it up.

[@JustVoss]

Thanks! Helps keep me motivated.

[@koreywilliams4570]

I just got some stuff to start welding. Vulcan omnipro 220, a drill press and some scrap metal. Eventually want to get or build a metal brake and an English wheel

[@tubthumper42]

Awesome real world welding nice one justin and greetings from the uk.Andy

[@WandaKorthuis]

Hi there. I like the technique you used for the table leg gaps. Question. I noticed you didn’t have the legs braced for that inside corner. Do you just preset the joint or did the weld draw the joint inward?

[@TheSixthLegendGames]

awesome video brother!

[@JustVoss]

Thank you

[@maisummarceneiroumdemuitos8037]

Thanks from Brazil, I always have some difficulties with larger gaps, I ended sometimes using aluminum on my projects mainly because I can use a miter saw do get a precise 45 degrees cutting, but this add some cost too... I will try your tecnic next time.

[@JustVoss]

Hope it helps! It’s not for every situation but works well in some.

[@WTFisAuserFRCKINname]

The way the first welds were reminded me of the look of braces on teeth; and then after, it looks like a nice perty smile when you get your braces taken off😆 Good stuff

[@JustVoss]

Pretty good analogy

[@thenakinavy]

I dont have a drop saw so use a cutting disc on the angle grinder....this issue and tip to deal with it will come in handy!

[@JustVoss]

Perfect! I have a drop saw but with it's little blade it rarely cuts straight.

[@kaywhy1337]

I literally use this technique all the time after watching your previous video. Great content, keep the vids coming!!!

[@JustVoss]

Appreciate that and glad it helped!

[@KKlippert]

I would always weld the outside corners from the inside and out, away from the frame.. and the last weld I would do is the fillet weld..

[@Alicauni]

I'd have gapped it at 3/32" and then used a 3/32 rod and fed it into the joint. 80 amps, quick travel speed and you'll have those "shiny" welds with little oxidation. Use ER70S or if you prefer to use the stainless use 309L specifically.

[@jensonhartmann3630]

With the position you are in, where the tube is above you, how do you control the wapring? That's a lot more weight pushing down on the the now molten metal. Or so do you feel confident that your outside bead as you mentioned, is sufficient to combat the warping?

[@JustVoss]

I think with the 3” tube, you have substantial tacks that are spaced out. I feel like this holds any crazy warping pretty good. If it was super crucial I think you would have to have it held in a fixture.

[@abadra9641]

Hey Justin, Thank you for your videos, very much appreciated! What amperage were you using and looks like your were pulsing with the pedal a bit? Thin tubing has been my nemesis...

[@JustVoss]

I had it a little high around 110amps so I could more easily melt the tacks down and then back off in between.

[@GregsGarage]

I've never seen this particular technique before. I'll give it a shot next time I get a less than desirable gap!

[@JustVoss]

Hope it works well for you!

[@mikehorrigan7806]

Cool video and nice tips man! I feel like I inadvertently taught myself this method of gap filling a couple months ago lol! Not as pretty as yours though.

[@valveman12]

Looks like a great idea for thin metal as well. BTW: Are you using a panoramic helmet from Eastwood? If so, how do you like it? If not, what helmet are you using?

[@JustVoss]

No it’s a Blue Demon Pano. It’s linked and listed in my Amazon store in the description or you can just search it up on Google. I really like the view. Flipping down the hood doesn’t feel like it has to be the LAST thing you do.

[@valveman12]

@@JustVoss Thank you for the info. I found your review of this helmet. Looks like a nice helmet with a great shade range. I use the Esab Sentinel A50 but may add this one as well.

[@Adam-lv1uu]

I would have taken an 1/8 inch or 3/32 wire, laid it in the gap and good to go....... that kind of seemed like a waste of time and a good way to introduce porosity

[@JustVoss]

I don't really get how you would get the 1/8" wire to melt while the base material is only .080"

[@Adam-lv1uu]

@@JustVoss man that's the point LOL apparently you haven't filled many gaps 😂 I was just saying lay it in there for beginners which is an easier way to do it but takes more Arc control. The thicker rod acts like a heat sink allowing you to drop in metal and fill the Gap without burning back the base material. If things start getting a little hairy actually you can feed in more Rod to cool the puddle and bring bring things under control. If you use the lay wire technique you just need good Arc control and focus it on the rod to form the puddle and feed more in if necessary. This technique also works great with Texas Mig and or tig filling gaps. I can literally blast 20 to22 volts with a mig spanning a quarter inch Gap or more feeding in chunks of 1\8 inch thick or even 1\4 inch steel I cut into strips by hand into the arc. Coat hangers make great Texas tig wire as well if its not a structural \ code weld.

[@jamjamthejamman]

Can you show us a picture or video of you working around the camera?

[@shutterbugg5217]

Were you pulsing the pedal on your second pass? It almost looked like you were letting up each time you moved forward.

[@JustVoss]

Sometimes I do that to freeze the previous puddle better. In this case it helped with the extra amps needed to quickly melt the previous tack welds faster by providing higher amps quickly than what you wouldn’t normally weld .080 steel with.

[@shutterbugg5217]

@@JustVoss Thanks for the tip.

[@aaronbuildsa]

My favourite thing about this video is you saying you have been struggling to get shiny welds with ER70 .. it's nice knowing that even the professionals have areas to improve on, you know?

[@JustVoss]

The struggle is real!

[@ahmedsamer3742]

👍

[@glasslinger]

I don't call .08 thin tubing but I watched the video anyway. I do a lot of .04 tubing (1 mm thick) and it is a bitch to keep from burning it. (this tubing is used a lot in furniture making)

[@JustVoss]

I appreciate that, and that’s good to know. .080 is all I had, I probably would have used .060 if I had it. Last time I made a gate I think I used around .040 tubing from someone’s recommendation to keep it light. Was a pain but turned out nice.

[@Chad_N_Stacey_Hopson]

WHAT WERE YOUR SETTINGS ON THIS??

[@JustVoss]

I had max amps set to around 110... but will depend on what you are actually welding and your feel.

[@Chad_N_Stacey_Hopson]

​@@JustVoss​Mostly 19 and 20 gauge sheetmetal for repair panels on my 84' k10 and 71' c10.... I have an Everlast Lightning 275 mts

[@joell439]

👍👍😎👍👍

[@markharrison1160]

The color will just let you know that you warmed the sides to get things to flow. After all it is a table.

[@JustVoss]

True true

[@Thingsandstuff247]

Use 70s6 it's better

[@Thingsandstuff247]

As far as shining welds

[@JustVoss]

Will give it a try

[@ILiveForTheHardMusic]

Your tungsten is a bit far out for my taste it has a higher chance to let in air and mess up the wield also when there is a gap like that u should grind/clean the inside too before u wield. When you stop you need more slope down to 3-3.5 Sec recommend. Also your filler thread needs the protection gas too if u move it away from the protected area while its still red-hot it gonna get contaminated with air and then its gonna ruin the wield if just use it without cutting the contaminated part off. Then last you need more heat and filler thread to get the right penetration. Its hard for me to tell since it isn't really show so well but it looks to me like u got a bit of a cold wield towards the end and in the middle. i would rate this wield 3/10