tig stainless?

[Dmon]

I just got a 180sd and I am trying to use it on some 304stainless. The filler I am using is 308/308L and my beads are dark black. Am I just rushing too much and using too many amps or what is up? I thought that the weld bead color should be a straw/honey color.

[ASKANDY]

Sounds like too much heat or contamination in the puddle or gas.
SS is very temp sensative. Low and slow like cookin a steak.

Post some pics if you can.

A-

[KB Fabrications]

I just got a 180sd and I am trying to use it on some 304stainless. The filler I am using is 308/308L and my beads are dark black. Am I just rushing too much and using too many amps or what is up? I thought that the weld bead color should be a straw/honey color.

Also, make sure that your post flow is set properly and after you extinguish the arc, leave your torch pointing on the weld until the flow stops. Give a little more info on material thickness, machine settings, type of joint, etc..

[MACH4]

I just got a 180sd and I am trying to use it on some 304stainless. The filler I am using is 308/308L and my beads are dark black. Am I just rushing too much and using too many amps or what is up? I thought that the weld bead color should be a straw/honey color.

Dmon,
Give us a little more info i.e. gas flow rate,amps,etc. Since I haven't seen your beads I am guessing to low on the cfm. Also,make sure you have NO leaks in the Argon feed line, as this can contaminate your beads. Hope this helps. Keep us posted on your progress.
Mike
MACH4

[Dmon]

Ok, here is a little more info. 3/32 2% Thorieated electrode. I was using some gas lens/cups made by Radnor. They were reccomended to me at the purchase of the 180. The cup tapers to a small outlet. Claim less gas usage and more electrode protrusion. I had the Electrode out about an 1/8". My Argon flow was set to 19 cfh. I am not sure what the amps were, but the max was set to 95. Kind of hard to see when using the foot control. The material I was welding was about 14 to 16 gauge. I will try to post pic later. Thank you.

[Teeps]

I don't even have a tig machine yet, but just something I've gleamed.

Have you tried turning the gas flow up yet?


I believe you may have a chance for better results at 25-30 cfm.

Doesn't take too long to try.

[Leons2003]

During my tig learning mode w/my Econotig, my head was not on my sholders,
I had some really ugly welds on SS, used alot of filler. Sucker was hot enough to fry an egg. Turned out was wrong polarity. DUH!
L*S

[Danny]

for the sheetmetal thicknesses that you are welding on, it definitely sounds like your running toi high of a setting. Try dropping the dial on the machine down to around 80 amps. This will give you a little finer control over the weld puddle. You want your weld color to turn out similar to this weld on 16 ga. 304L SS- see attachment.

[Scott V]

Hey Dan,
could you put a bead on that penny without burning though the copper and into the zinc?

[Mike W]

LOL Scott, welding pennies together is fun as long as you get the real ones. I figured that out real fast.

[Dmon]

Ok I moved my amps down to 75max. Reduced my gas flow to 13. and changed out to a 1/16 electrode. I also used the stock cup that came with my torch. I went after it with slow and easy mentality in mind. The upper right one in the pic was a before the advice. Things are still blacker than they appear in the pics. Would it help to move to a thinner electrode and filler, so I could run less current? I had another person look at the amp guage on the machine and I averaged about 22 to 26 amps.

[Danny]

For what you're doing right now, I d use a .050 filler as my first choice and a 1/16" as my second choice. For the lap joint picture that i posted, I used a 1/16" filler. Your gas flow is lower then what i generally use. generally i just keep the gas set to 20 CFH, even with a gas lens.

[Dmon]

You are the master!! I will go right out and try 20. I was just out there trying from 6 to 13. The gas I should be using is straight Argon isn't it? Would it help with a little smaller electrode? I measured the ss and it turned out to be closer to 18 gauge.