Hi Ian, i also learnt my “welding skills” on oxy acetylene. Mainly doing lead burning (welding lead to lead) and brazing. I still try and keep my hand in with lead burning whenever I can as I love doing it and can turn out a decent job. HOWEVER, don’t fool yourself into thinking that tig welding is the same as it’s not. Yes the principal is obviously the same, where one uses one hand for the torch and the other one for the filler rod. As I say I’ve been lead burning since the age of 16/17 and can do a good job. I, with a slight ignorance went into tig thinking I’d master it within a few goes. Took me two to three times as long as I first thought. Mainly because the heat of the torch is three times hotter than oxy. I eventually went on a 15week night school course to get taught correctly by an expert. Once I’d been shown certain things I picked it up and passed the course. I’m now a certified NVQ level 3 mig & tig welder. I only do it for pleasure, mainly on my bike builds. I’ve de seamed and welded in a flush filler cap on the petrol tank on my tracker project XBR, amongst plenty of other bits of fab work. The tank took me longer than I thought it would but was (IMVHO) worth the effort.
I would definitely echo Steve H’s words in that you better get used to sharpening your rods (ooo eerr vicar) but as the saying goes, practice makes perfect and if you’ve got the time and inclination to practice then I’m sure you’ll crack it. Oh and if you haven’t already got one, buy yourself a decent quality welding helmet, I personally found it made a big difference, certainly as my eyes ain’t what they used to be.
Best of luck with it 🤞👍
Cheers, Michael