I’ll be demonstrating how to properly weld a tig root on a pipe by walking the cup. This is a technique that people use in order to get a consistent root pass on a pipe. In my opinion, after lots of practice I believe that walking the cup is better than freehand tig welding. Above is some of the proper PPE that will be needed. Welding helmet, gloves, welpers, filler wire, and some sort of wire cutters.

Step 1: Cut Pipe and Prepare for Weld

To begin you will need 1/8 inch tungsten that is sharpened to a good point. A tig torch and a ceramic tig cup will also be needed. Pipe of any diameter needs to be cut and beveled. Grinder is used for beveling your pipe and the saw is used to cut the initial pipe.

Step 2: More Preperation

Take tungsten to belt grinder and grind it to a good point. This is easiest with a drill but can also be done by hand. Cut your pipe on the saw and proceed to bevel your pipe. Try to make your bevel asTack your pipe together by placing four small welds around the pipe. Be sure to keep your root opening the same all the way around the pipe, which can be made easier by putting fuller rod between them before tacking. Put your pipe in it’s fixed position or it can be welded in a roll out. Next, strike your tungsten off of a tack and hold filler rod in groove. Walk the ceramic cup along the groove of the pipe like a fridge or freezer.

Step 3: Example

Attached above is a sample of a walked weld and just a free hand weld. As you can see the walked portion has a neater pattern and just looks like a cleaner weld in comparison to the freehand.

Step 4: The Weld Process

As you weld be sure to watch for keyholes. If you get a keyhole be sure not to put too much filler metal in or it will ruin your root by making a big glob of filler rod on the inside of the pipe. Try to stay comfortable while you weld so that you do not slip or dip your tungsten on accident.