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Welding: The DIY Guide > TIG Tutorial > TIG Amp Calculator
TIG Calculator
The TIG calculator is intended as a print out reference for DIY TIG welders but is only intended as a starting
point !nce you get the hang of TIG welding you might find you prefer to weld at higher or lower amps
depending on techni"ue and tra#el speed Complete beginners might prefer to run maybe $%& lower amps to
compensate for slower speed' but if you find you need to reduce amps much more then your arc gap is
probably too long
We(#e only co#ered up to )mm in the chart *eyond that thic+ness ,apart from for specialist applications-
you would tend to do multiple runs or .ust use TIG for the root weld and use Arc or /IG for filling in the
remainder of the .oint
Mild Steel
Steel
Thickness
(mm)
Filler
Rod
(mm)
Tungsten
(mm)
0ractice beads
Closed root butt
.oint
1illet .oint
!pen root butt .oint
,gap is half of
material thic+nesss-
2ap .oint
!utside corner .oint
Amps Amps Amps
%3 $%
$% or $4
$
56 )% 5%
$% $%
$% or $4
$
)% )6 56
$5 $% $4 )6 76 )%
$6 $% $4 76 66 7%
5%
$% or
$4
5
$4 4% 86 66
)% $4 $4 9% $$% 3%
$
A $4mm tungsten is !: down to about )% amps It can be used on thinner material if the tip is +ept #ery
sharp ;educe the amps a little if using a $%mm tungsten
5
5mm is the transition between $%mm and $4mm filler rod The larger filler rod cools the weld pool more
than the smaller rod so you might add about 6 amps if using $4mm filler rod


1 of 3 22/04/2013 12:04
Stainless Steel
<tainless is less thermally conducti#e than mild steel' so heat does not flow away from the weld "uite so
"uic+ly The amps re"uired to weld stainless are about $%& lower than the amps used for mild steel
*eginners might find the stainless chart handy for mild steel = the lower amps will compensate for a slower
tra#el speed
Steel
Thickness
(mm)
Filler
Rod
(mm)
Tungsten
(mm)
0ractice beads
Closed root butt
.oint
1illet .oint
!pen root butt .oint
,gap is half of
material thic+nesss-
2ap .oint
!utside corner .oint
Amps Amps Amps
%3 $%
$% or $4
$
5% 56 5%
$% $%
$% or $4
$
56 )6 56
$5 $% $4 )6 7% )%
$6 $% $4 7% 6% )6
5%
$% or
$4
5
$4 66 8% 6%
)% $4 $4 3% $%% 86
$
A $4mm tungsten is !: down to about )% amps It can be used on thinner material if the tip is +ept #ery
sharp ;educe the amps a little if using a $%mm tungsten
5
5mm is the transition between $%mm and $4mm filler rod The larger filler rod cools the weld pool more
than the smaller rod so you might add about 6 amps if using $4mm filler rod
2 of 3 22/04/2013 12:04