Welding

[WPD230]

When would a gunsmith use TIG welding, and what other common solder and weld techniques are used more often than TIG? How is GTAW related to TIG?

 

[krs]

GTAW = Gas Tungsten Arc welding = TIG

 

[machinisttx]

GTAW = Gas Tungsten Arc welding = TIG

This is correct. GTAW is the new term for TIG. I guess they needed to make it sound more profeshunal.

TIG is pretty much the precision form of welding. It allows you to concentrate and confine the heat much better, and doesn't have any spatter. I love TIG, hate stick and MIG.

 

[Navy joe]

If you are planning on calling yourself a gunsmith you need to learn to silver solder, that will get used a lot installing sights, shotgun ribs, re-joining double barrels if you get really high tech, etc. I think Tig is about the only weld process you would need or want near a gun unless you found a special application where acetylene torch welding was desired. Probably not often since that puts a lot more heat in a part. I have welded on one of my guns, an old beat down 1911 that I am project building. Nothing too complex, I just built up the rails to tighten the slide/frame fit and added a little extra metal where needed to blend the magwell transition. I'm pretty handy with a Tig torch, if you're not, the dremel rule applies.

 

[southal]

welding rules

The most important part of welding most carbon steel and certain alloys is temperature control. warm it up before starting, stop when it gets hot,keep it warm and continue until finished. so say's an old welding forman of 40 yr...

 

[dirtyjim]

i would have to say it depends on what & where your welding. i do alot of welding on mauser receivers & i prefer a tig but i have also used mig & flux core when that was all that was available. when welding bolt handles i'll use a tig unless i'm planning on sending the bolt & receiver out to be re-carburised then i'll sometimes use a mig. i usually don't have access to a tig so most of my welding is done on a mig. i keep spending my tig money on new project rifles