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If price is important then the R tech stuff seems to be unbeatable.
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/recommend-me-a-tig-welder-to-start-frame-building-please
Even though the Rtech stuff does have all the features that you will want, it is a bit quirky.
Normally you will set the max amperage that you want for fully depressed pedal, but when you plug the footpedal into the Rtech machine the digital display will stop showing the amperage. Not unique to Rtech but not really a problem either, just that some machines do give an indication of the max current that you are going to get if you press the pedal down fully BEFORE you go full throttle.
If you are lucky you can maybe get something decent off ebay. But you really do need to have a go at tig welding first to see what is involved and what you are happy with.
A machine with HF start is really the minimum, post-gas (adjustable 0-10seconds) for shiny welds, digital display if using the torch button/switch so that you get the precise current that you want (if you are used to a mig torch with a button in the torch then it will be easy to adapt to pressing the button on the tig torch), or get a foot pedal to control the current, slope-down / crater-fill is a good thing to have. Pulse is up to you but one-pulse-a-second is probably what most people prefer.
There are other features that can be nice to have on a welder but if you do not have them then you learn to get by without.
You can learn a lot from this guy
Drew Guldalian
http://www.flickr.com/photos/engincycles/
chunky, re sliders.they're good and will compensate for frame misalignement in the horiz. plane,but will be damned hard to file to compensate for misalignement in the vertical plane.
I'd say build something easier first. a rack, a wheelbarrow,then an easy frame, lugged.
don't know much about tig as it's all fillet br. and lugs here, but isn't the equipment for brass cheaper?
propane and oxygen, torch. you could make do with butane but I think you'll be limited a bit.
ask peter at ceeway for advice, or come over at velocipede salon.
I think my biggest problem is.... space!
Same here,that's why I'm using the kitchen table in my first photo!
chunky, re sliders.they're good and will compensate for frame misalignement in the horiz. plane,but will be damned hard to file to compensate for misalignement in the vertical plane.
Sliders are actually harder - normal dropouts only need to me straight for one axle position, sliders need to be straight over the full range of the slider. In other words, you need to get the sliders perfectly parallel, which can be a faff.
The equipment for brazing can be cheaper, but gas can be more complicated to get and you have cylinder rental, so it's much of a muchness cost-wise, unless you're looking at a higher-end AC/DC welder (My ESAB was over £3500 with the pedal).
true that, I'd not considered the [s]possibility[/s] probability of misalignement in other than horizontal and vertical planes.Got three CX frames coming up with the ceeway sliders so I'm sure I'll familiarize myself...
Get yourself a spare set of the alloy inserts, then you can bung 'em in the jig and braze up without trashing the customer's inserts - otherwise they get a little singed 😉
On the subject of getting a tig welder. Some welding supplies companies have got tig machines that you can hire, just depends where you are and what you can get.
One of the slight disadvantages will be that the welder will most likely have a big heavy WP26 torch. Not really a problem, just not ideal, its still possible to make a frame with one. It will be what a lot of people learned to tig weld with, so its a good thing to start with to see if tig welding is for you.
If you were to buy a machine, and than decided that tig is not for you or you have successfully finished using it, then as long as it is a decent machine, you will be able to sell it easily on ebay.
Or, if you get a decent DC machine, but then decide to upgrade to AC/DC you might be able to trade it in at a welding supplies company.
There seems to be a fairly good demand for decent secondhand tig machines.
We'll be doing one for me as well, so guess who's getting the singed inserts..
There's nothing a bit of filing won't fix tho.
As Ben points out to weld aluminum you need AC and then it starts to get more complicated and expensive.
In this video it looks like he is using a water-cooled torch (WP20). A water cooler and good inverter AC machine is a lot of money.
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/tig-welding-aluminum-bike-frame.html
Welding with AC (aluminium) is also very noisy , probably explains the music.
Another really useful tool is the expanding heatsink
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Hi All,
Would i really need a water cooled torch? the welding runs are not that long...
I would like to get a AC/DC tig, but for now would a 160A DC TIG do?
Regarding the dropouts, i like the look of the sliging ones, but they are heavy, taking inspiration from the Curtis frames... but maybe i should go with horizintal slot dropouts.
If i was to get a TIG, how would i put the cable mounts on? they seem to be brazed on usually... maybe getting the tools to braze is the better option? Though i really want a TIG welder!
Having a lathe, i can skim the head tube externally and BB internally to reduce weight, is this worth doing? I have seen steel headtubes that have been profiled to save weight.
Maybe i should learn to walk before i try running and just make a bog standard easy frame but i like a challenge.
Having a lathe, i can skim the head tube externally and BB internally to reduce weight, is this worth doing? I have seen steel headtubes that have been profiled to save weight.
Headtubes (that I've seen) are plain gauge tube, with a ring pressed on the top and bottom and brazed in place.
You would not NEED a water-cooled torch its just a nice to have if you are getting an AC/DC machine.
"I have seen steel headtubes that have been profiled to save weight"
A bit like double butting. Yes it does save weight.
For tig welding a steel bike frame a 160Amp DC machine will be fine. You are unlikely to ever need more than about 80 Amps anyway.
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/welding-4130.html
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/support/welding-how-to/pages/chrome-moly-detail.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytSrEggjz1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nLsrcscoOA
4130 is just a type of cromoly tube similar to bike frame tubes. Just that steel bike frame tubes are very thin walled. So the tig machine that you use has to be capable of a stable reliable arc at around 20 to 35 amps
Don Ferris of Anvil has more experience than most on tig welding bike frames.
http://web.archive.org/web/20061015205457/http://www.anvilbikes.com/?news_ID=22&catID=3
How's your project going?
thought someone might like this:
http://revanchebikeco.wordpress.com/2014/01/26/shiny-sunny-sundays-columbus-spirit-road/ [img] 
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It came out allright.