Tweet
I AM LOOKING FOR REFERENCE MATERIAL TO TELL ME WHERE I AM GOING WRONG IN TIG WELDING. CARBON STEEL/CHROME MOLY USUALLY HAS SOOT DEPOSITS AROUND WELD THOUGH I AM VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT CLEANING WORK AND FILLER RODS, GLOVES, TUNGSTEN GRINDING. TRIED WELDING SOME 2x2x1/4 6000 SERIES ALUM ANGLE. RUN SOME TEST FLAT BUTT WELDS WITH 4043 FILLER, IT WAS JUST ACCEPTABLE. AGAIN LOTS OF SOOT. ATTEMPTED TO WELD THE REAL ASSEMBLY. THE WELD WAS A HORIZONTAL FILET. HAD SO MUCH ARC BLOW I NEVER COULD ESTABLISH A WELD PUDDLE. ANY BODY GOT SUGGESTIONS ON A BOOK THAT I CAN CONSULT WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THESE TYPE PROBLEMS. THANKS, LARRY
-
-
HI LARRY..........MILLER HAS A MANUAL ON TIG WELDING THAT I PREVIEW AWHILE BACK.........THIS MAY HELP....ALSO IF YOU CONTACT THE HOBART SCHOOL OF WELDING TECHNOLOGY THEY HAVE A EXTENSIVE STUDENT LIBRARY. I'M QUITE SURE WHICHEVER YOU CHOOSE ANY OF THE PRINTED MATERIAL WILL BE OF ASSISTANCE...........HOBARTS IS WWW.WELDING.ORG....ENJOY THE SITE.............ROCK
[email protected]
ROCK -
Larry,
From what you described, it could be one or a dozen different things. It sounds like it could be bad gas or contaminated tungsten. If you are prepping your tungsten on a grinding wheel that was used on other metal...that would be bad! It could also be a small cut in the gas line of the torch or feed line to the machine that is allowing air to bleed in with the Argon. Sounds like a bad bottle of gas though to me.
AndyComment
-
Larry,
I agree with Andy that you should first check for contaminated gas or tungsten. But if you still are having a problem then here are some other things to check especially if you are used to welding chrome moly or carbon steel.
1. Is your machine set for AC mode? Running 60 - 100 amps (Aluminum is best welded with AC).
2. Are you running 100% Argon gas? Flow rate - 20 to 40 cu.ft/hr
3. Are you using pure tungsten (with green stripe).
4. Is your tungsten tapered to a blunt or "balled" end. You don't want a needle point for aluminum welding.
5. Make sure area to be welded is clean. Isopropyl alcohol or acetone do the best job.
Hope these help. I have standard welding procedure for aluminum that has more information if your interested. Let me know if your interested and I can send it to you.Kevin DisneyComment
-
Kevin,
60 to 100 amps is barely going to warm up 2x2x1/4 Al angle.
Larry,
As a general rule, it takes 1 amp per .001" of base aluminum. So you will need around 250 amps to weld 1/4" with most TIG machines. With an inverter based machine, like Miller's Dynasty, you could easily get it done with 200 amps.
You probably know this but there should be NO soot while TIG welding steel alloys or aluminum.
Just curious, what kind of welder are you using?Comment
-
With his problem showing up in both carbon steel and alum, it sounds too muck like a gas or tungsten prep issue. Could be gas lines, flow rate too high TRAVEL ANGLE, etc. Remember, always have the torch at a push angle and hold the arc less than 1/2" if you can. Tight is good as long as you don't stuff the tungsten
AComment
-
Larry,
Swift is correct on the amperage (~200 amps). I was looking at the wrong line on the my procedure, 60-100 amps is would be for about 1/8" material. Have you corrected the problem yet?Kevin DisneyComment
-
Tig Reference
When welding horizontal always remember to weld uphill. Otherwise you can lose your gas coverage before the weld solidifies. This leaves an awful lot of soot and gives a poor weld.Comment
-
REPLY TO TIG REF INFO POSTS
THANKS TO ALL. HAD BEEN WONDERING WHY THERE HAD BEEN NO SUGGESTIONS. GOT THE MILLER E NEWSLETTER THIS MORNING AND THERE WAS MY QUESTION. I'LL CHECK THE SETTING FOR NOTIFICATION. THANKS AGAIN FOR EVERYONES THOUGHT AND TIME. RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS POSTED ARE: MACHINE IS SYNCROWAVE 250. AMP SETTING WAS 250. 1/8" 2% TUNGSTEN WAS USED, THATS ALL I HAD AND THE WELD WAS ON A FRAME FOR A VACUUM FORM SHEET, SO A LITTLE CONTAMINATION WAS NO CONCERN. THE TUNGSTEN WAS RADIALLY GROUND TO BLUNT POINT ON A SHOP WHEEL THAT DOES HAVE OTHER METALS GROUND ON IT. 100% ARGON IS SHIELD GAS @ 20CFH. THE SOOT PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING WITH SEVERAL BOTTLES OF GAS. I'LL CHECK FOR LEAKS IN GAS DELIVERY HOSE. THANKS AGAIN EVERBODY. LARRYComment
-
SOOT PROBLEM
LARRY I HAD SIMULAR PROBLEM AND IT ENDED UP BEING A HOSE HAD COLLAPSE INSIDE. HAD TO CUT THE HOSE OPEN TO FIND IT AFTER I REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE AND EVERYTHING WORKED GREAT.Comment
-
Goodmorning Larry.......... When you grind the Tungeston on a wheel that has other contanimants ground on it, Those particles imbed themselves into the tungeston and spit into the metal and or cause decay of the tungeston.........Rock...........
[email protected]ROCKComment
-
TIG REF INFORMATION
ROCK, PISTOL8. I'LL LOOK AT THE HOSE AND I HAVE BEEN GUILTY OF USING A WHEEL THAT HAS STEEL GROUND ON IT. IT NEVER OCCURED TO ME TO CONSIDER THAT AS A CONTAMINATION SOURCE. THANKS, LARRYComment
Comment