Stainless TIG Pipe Test on carbon pipe

[dmk welding]

I'm testing for my stainless TIG pipe ticket on Wed. in Edmonton. I've been practising for the past week since I haven't done any TIG welding in 4 years. The root is going good as is the hot pass. The fill and cap apparently must be done using stainless electrodes which I am finding rather difficult to use. It is so liquid and seems to run good for a bit and then go to crap just as quick. Any tips? Wish I could do the whole fricken thing with TIG considering it IS a TIG weld test???!!!!!????? Makes little sense to this welder anyways.

[dmk welding]

I guess no one has done much stainless stick welding???? I can see why. Oh well, gonna give it my best tomorrow on this test and go from there.

[c wagner]

Let us know how you make out!

[blade welder]

Use low as amps as you can get by with. And a small weave would help to.

[man of steel]

re your tst

you didnt mention if you were doing your test in the 6g position or not, but either way when you tig in your root,purge watch your keyhole etc,once your done your root and fill, put on another layer thats just a bit higher than the pipe, almost like a shallow cap then switch over to your stick cause if you do this joint as you would a carbon joint then your guaranteed to fail it, they dont mention their isnt an all position stick rod for stainless, they claim but not,. anyways let me know how you make out and good luck

[arc]

turn down ur amps a bit and work it in dont rush stainless. but i think im too late to do any good, so how did it go?

[dmk welding]

Well I went into the test facility to test for SS Tig and they threw the carbon at me first, which I wasn't supposed to test for as far as I knew anyways, and I never practised or did any shop talk about the carbon Tig test. So I gapped it the same as I would the SS @ 5/32 and it opened right up on me and I had some undercut on the root and the instructor told me to pack up...so I asked why I couldn't test for the SS like I was expecting too and practising for and he said that they don't put you onto the SS till you get the carbon root down perfect and that I could take a 40 hour course for $1400! Sure I said, let me pull that outta my wallet for ya right now!! Ya right.
So I never did even get to test for the friggin SS and I drove back home vowing to never step foot into that establishment again...although it is also the fault of the welding super of the company that I was testing for...he sure tossed me a curve ball that morning. I still went to the shut down with my B small bore and made some decent money. Not sure when or if I will go for my SS or carbon again. I hear that the argon gas is terrible for a guy but what isn't these days?
Thanks for the pointers anyways fella's.

[arc]

is that in edmonton?? come down to red deer here they are much more easygoing and they let u test for what u come in for.

i did mine in calgary and they were great but ive heard horror stories about edmonton.

[blackbeard's welding]

thats too bad DMK. i have heard different things about 2 or 3 test places but have never had any happen to me. ive tested at SIAST 3 times all good. did my small bore and CWB stick all position at GRB in one day no troubles with the staff,actually on mysmall bore, i spent an hour practising for it, put my root in. inspector come around and says no good,he goes and gets me another set of pipe,told me what i did wrong.this time around everything bent just right.little good my CWB has done me, ive never used in a year, so now to get on with someone ive got to do a scratch test, oh well.

[blackbeard's welding]

argon

about the argon, i could definitely be wrong about this. i was told by a fella i worked with that argon, in small spaces, is hard on ya because it is heavier than air and very hard for the lungs to get rid of when you exhale.true or not, i dont know just what i was told.

[crawdaddy]

about the argon, i could definitely be wrong about this. i was told by a fella i worked with that argon, in small spaces, is hard on ya because it is heavier than air and very hard for the lungs to get rid of when you exhale.true or not, i dont know just what i was told.

Just stand on your head for 5 minutes for every hour of welding the argon should just fall right out.Mike

[kcstott]

about the argon, i could definitely be wrong about this. i was told by a fella i worked with that argon, in small spaces, is hard on ya because it is heavier than air and very hard for the lungs to get rid of when you exhale.true or not, i dont know just what i was told.

Yes it is heavier the O2 or CO2 and yes your lungs have to work a bit harder to get rid of it. But I argued with a guy that said it would settle in your lungs and kill you. Well if that was true we'd all be dead from CO2.
Your lungs compress to remove most of the gas you inhaled

[dmk welding]

Yes, this test centre was in Edmonton and it's run very poorly by a little french dude. I went in to practise for my initial B last Fall and I might as well used the back of my rig instead. The guy was never around and when he was he contradicted what everyone else I'd ever talked to said about procedures.
Maybe I will look into Red Deer for next time. I've heard nothing but good about Ludwig's in Edmonton...anyone been there?

[Bob the Welder]

Regarding argon in tight spaces;

Yes, argon in tight or confined spaces can be very dangerous! It is heavier than air and will displace oxygen causing rapid suffocation. People often think they can get out before they pass out but that is rarely the case. The first thing to go is brain function in an oxygen deficient atmosphere and that can happen very quickly.

The air we breath is a combination of gases in suspension. If the concentration of any is altered it can result in an IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) situation or an LEL (Lower Explosive Limit) level can occur. Either is a problem that can happen and is something to be taken very seriously.

And yes one way to clear your lungs of argon is to lower your upper body to allow the argon to clear quicker.

[iweldit]

Hold your breath when you weld, it's the only way to go.