TIG - Touch Start Question

[TJButler]

Hi:
I have a question. I am new to this forum so please excuse my naivete. I am a hobbyist welder/fabricator and maybe a low intermediate level in SMAW, MIG, TIG, OA,

....and learning all the time!

I have just been reading a lot of welding books and kind of learning in a vacuum. I don't know any other weldors.

I have a Invertec V205, a Ranger 305G and a Power MIG 300.

My goal is to be able to TIG with all of them.

I have about 5 months experience on the V205.

I have been using the starting method where I hold the electrode about 1/8" from the work, push the pedal and the spark jumps across. I'm assuming that is TIG Hi-Freq start.

I have also used the starting method where I touch the work with the electrode, push the pedal, lift it up, and the spark initiates. I'm assuming that is TIG Touch.

The Range 305G is listed has having TIG Touch, Scratch and Hi-Freq(with optional module I believe).

QUESTIONS::

Can anyone tell me what TIG Scratch is and how it works?

After using the V205 will I notice a difference when using the 305 or the PM 300?

I have been experimenting with the 2 and 4 step starting sequences available with the V205. Can you tell me what most pros use? What are the pros and cons of each method?



I thank you in advance for the good information.
======================

My Background..skip if you wish:

This is all new equipment and I purchased it because I am maybe semi retiring soon and my medium term goal is to build yard-art and trash art and sell to the hoity-toity crowd for triple what it is worth! Actually my brother wants me to name my enterprise the "Landfill Art and Reality Company".

Back in the late thirties my father was a welder with Hughes tool. He became a mortgage banker after the war. I came home from college one summer in the late 60's and he had purchased an OA and a SMAW outfit. I wellded all summer long and built all kinds of stuff. Well, I lost my Dad about 12 years ago and about 6 months ago this welding legacy thing just kind of started coming to life....now you folks have to put up with me! It's kind of a link back to the old man and I know he wished he could be here.
I have also purchased a 4x6 power hack saw and a 12'' metal vertical band saw(all from Grizzly), and a OA outfit of course.

I started to work at Enron a year before the bankruptcy and I am still there. I am a visual basic programmer. I will probably be laid off at the end of 2004.

Maybe I can leverage this welding/fabricating think into at least a break even affair.

[arcdawg]

a lincoln guy too, man i wish that i had your bank roll, i love taht invertec and the powermig is the cats a##

yard art is my hobby, trying to make a living doing it, hard though,

you really have to find a nitch, maybe find a local sculpter too,

feel free to email me for more links and ect,

as far as scratch start, imo its when you actually touch the tungston to the work piece,(steel only) aluminum you will contaiminate the tungston........ OR SO I WOULD BELIEVE,

do a search on the board for yard art and touch starting

good luck, looking foreward to hearng from you brian

[BillC]

Welcome to the list, TJ! You have certainly purchased a bunch of top of the line equipment... Sounds like you are ready to have fun!

Regarding scratch start, I haven't done it but it has been described as the same as striking an arc with SMAW. Not a soft start like the lift-arc or TIG touch or whatever...

Regards,

[Scott V]

Tj,
I had a ranger 305g,it has lift-arc start.It takes a button control or foot control to work.With the button it has a auto ramp up of the current(very fast but slow enough to save the Tungsten).I hardly used mine in tig,but it was very nice.I am not sure,but I also think it has a pipe welding tig feature of when you push the tungsten close to the work it ramps the current down.That really helps control the puddle when welding with a button control.The 300 powermig has it too,and also the 260 esab migmaster.