Spotweld with TIG

[soundcontrol]

About to change my trunk floor. Wondering if I can use my TIG to spotweld, of if I have to borrow a MIG. Most car guys says to use a MIG or MAG. Would be esiest for me if I could use my TIG. I tested on some material and also did a few spotwelds on my car. I aim for the lower material (thru a hole that I drilled) and try to start the puddle there, then add material to that and let it float out to the edges, works OK, not perfect. A lot of time I burn the edges of the hole before my puddle is started. I also tried to use the TIG without a hole, to weld thru the 2 panels, worked, but the weld came out weak, I could easy brake it afterwards.
Now (just today) Eastwood came out with this video, where they show how to do spotwelds with a TIG. Maybe I just didn't use enough amps, and I also did not ramp up over 2 sec as they do in this video. They also use a copper backing to prevent burn thru. Spots looks perfect, and no holedrilling...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zsMSBZlOsw&feature=em-lss

[Cuda Cody]

Is it funny that I instinctively turned my head to look away when he started welding.       

For me, I'm a lot more comfortable with a MIG welder.  If I was as good with TIG as I feel I am with MIG I would definitely give it a try.  IF all I had was a TIG I would practice until I felt I had it right.  But in the end I think if someone is good with a tool they will find a way to make it work and work right.  I would say you're doing it right by practicing and testing. 

In his video I didn't think he had a lot of penetration with the 2 pieces clamped together, but really can't tell for sure.  To test a spot weld, pull it apart all the way.  Pull it until the 2 pieces separate and the weld should still hold and the metal around it will tear.  That's when you know the weld will hold.   

[Shoooter]

I'm a welder fabricator by trade and I was actually going to do some patch work on my next project with tig. I've done a lot of tight welding so it doesn't bother me at all. It's nice and clean for in the shop. It would take along time to do a quarter panel or something large. Set up correctly it isn't a problem to use it.

[Cudakiller70]

Take a look at post #4 might help a little. 
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?12987-Tack-weld-with-Tig
Agree with all Cody said.
Shooters right it can take awhile with TIG, but like he said for patching panels TIG is super clean and the welded patch panels can come out super sweet very minimal filler.
Have never done that type of spot welding myself, I personally would grab a mig if you can. Sounds like you got close with no hole and do agree try more amps/heat. We call it plug welding when we had a hole in the top layer. It works really well with mig. Fitment with thinner metals is everything, be careful of edges they can go away quick as you no doubt know.
In Eastwood's video what he did in that video looks nice, that is closer to a real spot weld.
Again I've never done it that way, but I'm guessing that the copper is helping and he's hitting it quick with higher amps, he said fusion which is no additional material added.

[soundcontrol]

Take a look at post #4 might help a little. 
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?12987-Tack-weld-with-Tig
Agree with all Cody said.
Shooters right it can take awhile with TIG, but like he said for patching panels TIG is super clean and the welded patch panels can come out super sweet very minimal filler.
Have never done that type of spot welding myself, I personally would grab a mig if you can. Sounds like you got close with no hole and do agree try more amps/heat. We call it plug welding when we had a hole in the top layer. It works really well with mig. Fitment with thinner metals is everything, be careful of edges they can go away quick as you no doubt know.
In Eastwood's video what he did in that video looks nice, that is closer to a real spot weld.
Again I've never done it that way, but I'm guessing that the copper is helping and he's hitting it quick with higher amps, he said fusion which is no additional material added.

Thats a good link! Gonna do some more test with the TIG before I do my trunk floor, if I can get a good burnthru with my TIG, like Eastwoods I'm gonna use it, problem might be to fit the copper everywhere and get it tight enough. If it dosen't work, I will borrow a MIG. I did all my welding so far with the TIG, I like the amount of control I have with it.

[70chall440]

I tried to do this once and to be very honest, way too slow and time consuming; a MIG (IMO) is far better in most cases; certainly much faster. TIG is a great tool for certain things but spot welding isn't what I would use it for.

[soundcontrol]

Did a couple of tests today, first the Eastwood way, about 100 amps, did not to thru to the second panel at all, just got some burnmarks on it. Then I tested the #4 tip from Cudakiller70, used 130 amps, heated, dipped quick with the rod, heated some more, that worked excellent. Nice flat spotweld that I could not break at all, burned all thru the second layer. I put it in a wise and tried to break it with a pipewrench with no luck. Copper on back. Thats gotta be quicker then have to drill a hole and MIG weld, this took about 1 second of welding time. Gonna test it a little bit more before I use it on the trunk floor though, get my chops up and to see what happens if I dont have a copper backing etc.

(of course, positioning the copper backing plate and moving it for each weld can be pretty time consuming though)

[Cuda Cody]

   Nice testing.  As long as you know they are getting full penetration you should be ready to rock and roll! 

[HP_Cuda]

When the world is full of nails and you only have a hammer. 

Different strokes for diff folks but I would prefer a MIG any day and would be way faster.

[70chall440]

When the world is full of nails and you only have a hammer. 

Different strokes for diff folks but I would prefer a MIG any day and would be way faster.

[rhamson]

About to change my trunk floor. Wondering if I can use my TIG to spotweld, of if I have to borrow a MIG. Most car guys says to use a MIG or MAG. Would be esiest for me if I could use my TIG. I tested on some material and also did a few spotwelds on my car. I aim for the lower material (thru a hole that I drilled) and try to start the puddle there, then add material to that and let it float out to the edges, works OK, not perfect. A lot of time I burn the edges of the hole before my puddle is started. I also tried to use the TIG without a hole, to weld thru the 2 panels, worked, but the weld came out weak, I could easy brake it afterwards.
Now (just today) Eastwood came out with this video, where they show how to do spotwelds with a TIG. Maybe I just didn't use enough amps, and I also did not ramp up over 2 sec as they do in this video. They also use a copper backing to prevent burn thru. Spots looks perfect, and no holedrilling...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zsMSBZlOsw&feature=em-lss

I like this. A dial in setting and what looks to be a tremendous savings of set up time what with the holes and alignment. I have been avoiding a TIG for a few years as I just got comfortable with my MIG but this sounds really attractive except the cost.

[soundcontrol]

I tried it for real on the car, my TIG does not like my weld thru primer, (I used a zinc based one). Does not go thru to the second panel at all (with primer), If I have 2 clean panels it works fine. I ordered a new primer, a different brand, testing some more when I get it.

[Cuda Cody]

Just keep testing.  I'm sure you'll get it worked out.  Tig does like to be super clean.  That's where Mig has some advantages.  It likes to be clean too, but not as much as Tig likes it. 

I tried it for real on the car, my TIG does not like my weld thru primer, (I used a zinc based one). Does not go thru to the second panel at all (with primer), If I have 2 clean panels it works fine. I ordered a new primer, a different brand, testing some more when I get it.

[YellowThumper]

Been welding with a tig for almost 30 years. Tooling trade. It is always the first one over the mig. Yes, use what you are comfortable with. I "fuse" weld all the time.

Good luck with your efforts.

Mike

[soundcontrol]

Been welding with a tig for almost 30 years. Tooling trade. It is always the first one over the mig. Yes, use what you are comfortable with. I "fuse" weld all the time.

Good luck with your efforts.

Mike

Thanks! Can you weld thru 2 panels with primer in between with the TIG?
And I guess I need the remove the black coating from AMD right?