help with tiging a tee joint on 1/8 3003

by Steve
(Hawaii)

I'm new to tig welding and trying to weld a inset base to a tank 1/8 3003. My machine is a miller 180sd 1/8 electrode and 3/32 filler I'm having trouble focusing the arc to the center of the two pices It either melts the upper or lower plates and filler just blobs up. When I butt weld the tank together it works great and looks fine can you help me

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wtt response,

use a smaller cup with less gas flow and extend the electrode far enough out to where it will touch the root of the joint with the edges of the cup touching the lower and upper members.

gas flow is important here because too much will make a very erratic arc.

with a #5 cup , only 12-13 cfh is needed

if a #7 cup is all you have, 15 cfh max should work.

keep a tight arc with not much torch angle.

gradually increase amperage with a fairly tight arc until you get them to fuse and then add filler.

if one melts before the other, let off on your foot pedal amperage and direct the tungsten to the other piece and then increase amperage to get both members to puddle evenly before bumping the amperage momentarily to get them fused