"Now try this" was a phrase...
"Now try this" was a phrase heard over and over again. As we each learned the technique and the practical application and implementation of the classroom instructions, it all started to come together and the welds were looking much better. I don't think many of us will be fabricating cars in the near future, but we all had a much better understanding of the skills that are required.
TIG and MIG welding are not as simple as many racers perceive. The processes are seemingly easy because the manufacturers have developed machines that make them easy, and we have been standing in the shadows of those who have come before us and helped make the processes seem simple today.
If you have been welding for any length of time, you have surely noticed that welding machines are smaller and lighter than they were in the past. The control panels are not as complex as they once were, and the machines have a great deal of automation built into them. They also operate on a wider variety of power sources than they ever have in the past. Some are as easy to use as telling the machine what you are welding from a material perspective, the thickness of the material, and the type and size of rod you are using, and the machine sets itself. Or you can switch to a manual mode and control the whole process. The end result is that the weld still comes out great.
After about two-and-a-half hours in the classroom, we went into the lab and suited up to start welding. This was a pressure-free environment. There were no expectations, as the intent was to explore the potential of the equipment and learn as much as possible. Fun was a key element. I was keenly interested in the TIG process. I think this type of welding is a critical component to the construction of the modern race car, even for the Saturday night racer.
As we use different and thinner materials to make the structures of our cars, TIG welding is a critical component of the car building process. I do not feel there is a significant strength delta between a properly executed MIG and TIG weld; it is just that the TIG weld offers the racer a bit more diversity in the material that can be welded and more control of the heat input to the work piece.
Even some of the more experienced...
Even some of the more experienced students were offering suggestions, and that reinforced the learning even more. This was all accomplished under the watchful eyes of the instructors. The instructors were very good at knowing when to give instruction and when to listen.
After several hours in the lab, we were treated to a fine lunch and there was a good bit of conversation centered on what we had just learned and the applications for the home fabricator and racer. After lunch, we returned to the lab and the topic shifted to MIG welding and the use of plasma cutters. Just as the TIG machines evolved into the machines they are today, MIG machines have also evolved and have become more feature laden, smaller, less power hungry, and easier to use.
The variety of materials that can be welded well has also increased. The ability to weld aluminum, while not a new feature, has been improved by an order of magnitude. The last time I welded aluminum with a MIG welder, the end result was not very strong nor was it very attractive. The newer machines make the process of welding aluminum much easier and provide a much better weld.
The R&D guys have not forgotten the MIG welder. The newest machines have many automatic features that leave much of the guesswork out of machine setup. Several of the machines were as simple to set up as answering a few questions. If you were welding steel, it would ask you the thickness of the material, the size (diameter) of the wire you were using, and basically you were good to go from there. It was that simple. This produces a strong, well-executed weld and makes it much easier for the part-time welder to concentrate on the physical side of welding. This includes things like getting your gun or torch positioning correct in relation to the work piece.
The operator is able to spend more time welding and learning about the physical side of the process and its execution, as the machine takes on a much greater role from a setup perspective. This also gives you more time to concentrate on the metal fitting process and develop the critical metal fitment skill set that is just as critical to a well-executed weld as the welding process itself.
Each type of weld has its place on specific components of the race car. Both MIG and TIG have positives and negatives in the fabrication process. In today's world, both types of machines have many real-world applications. The addition of a welding machine to the racer's toolbox is just as necessary as a helmet.