Help with Fillets on .035 stainless

[Laiky]

OK so my tig cooler project is still breathing. I got almost all of the outside corner welding done, now i need to do about 16 inches of fillet on .035 stainless. Problem is i stink at it. I can't get an even consistent bead. I get lumps and blow holes. When i go to add filler it just blobs off short of the puddle. These welds are visable and trash. Can some one explain how to properly weld fillets??

I am using the 200dx with 35-50 amps DC, pulser at about 20ppm (rest of settings are default) .040" 2 % lant tungsten with 308 filler. Base metal is unknown stainless of .035" thickness

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Cut back on the amps a bit, make sure the fit is perfect, use no filler, and make sure you back purge.

[tigman250]

what size filler? and as stated earlier, the better the fit the easier it will be to weld!

[farmboy weldor]

i can vouge for the fit up thing, i had to weld 1/16 stainless sap pans for a guy at school, and i had a hard time until my teacher helped me get it tacked up right and then i could just zip right along the joint, : outside corner: ive never tried a fillet in a t-joint configurations but i have done a lap weld on the same 16th stainless without much problem, no pulse or anything

and if possible id try to get a heat sink somewhere to soak up some of the heat, give it alittle better color.

my 2 cents

[HAWK]

Cut back on the amps a bit, make sure the fit is perfect, use no filler, and make sure you back purge.

Reliance Electric by chance?

[jolane]

You mention that the filler just blobs off short of the puddle. I have noticed that the torch angle is very inportant for all TIG welding, but especially for inside fillet. Is seems that the heat may have no room to go, so maybe it is melting the filler faster. Just a thought.

As for inside fillet, I find myself moving faster than I would with an outside fillet usually, especially with Alum. Check that torch angle and try again. Use a pronounced dab with the filler also.

Good Luck,
Joshua

[Laiky]

the fitup is tight, but as soon as i go to tack or worse weld it starts to warp and buckle away.

I'm curious how the grind angle of the tungsten affects fillets, they always seem to give me trouble. I'm grinding at a larger angle figuring i'll get a more pointed arc, should i go sharper?

Right now i have a bunch of holes to fill and wavy metal to hammer. I was thinking of silicon bronzing the seem but hate to give up on the right way of doing it.

I won't get back to it until tuesday at best, i'll try less amps and no filler, see what i get.

The filler is around .035 or .045 308. I have a bunch of different sizes

[tigman250]

the fitup is tight, but as soon as i go to tack or worse weld it starts to warp and buckle away.

I'm curious how the grind angle of the tungsten affects fillets, they always seem to give me trouble. I'm grinding at a larger angle figuring i'll get a more pointed arc, should i go sharper?

Right now i have a bunch of holes to fill and wavy metal to hammer. I was thinking of silicon bronzing the seem but hate to give up on the right way of doing it.

I won't get back to it until tuesday at best, i'll try less amps and no filler, see what i get.

The filler is around .035 or .045 308. I have a bunch of different sizes

.035 SS is a tough one especially if you don't want it to warp! because it will, just no way arround it! i would suggest trying thicker material....not that the thin stuff can't be welded, it's just tougher. for the small pieces needed to make a cooler tank it wouldn't be more than a few dollars anayway. would it be possible to bend the joint rather than weld it?

[Laiky]

I think i got a little overconfident, up until this point all the welds were outside corner. This is the final part of the tank. I don't see ho i could bend it. Worst case is i cut off the part i'm working on and make it an outside corner weld. The idea was to create a recess to protect the heat exchanger. I'll post pics tonight.

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Reliance Machine Works actually.

Tack very frequently, probably every 1/2" or so. That will keep it from moving around to much.

[Buzz Job]

For some reason I found 3/32 tungsten easier to use on .035 SS. I like a sharp point @ aproxamently15 deg.

I get my cheaters on (magnifier eye lens) and get real close to the work piece as the tip needs to get as close to joint as possible trying to bridge the two with out filler. I keep filler in gas area close to tungsten and don’t remove it from gas area, only adding if necessary.
Back gassing might be needed I use copper or tin foil to shield backside and add gas if necessary.
And the obvious abate and chemical clean prior to welding.
Fusion with out rod is easier if lapping type joint once rod is added it becomes more difficult.
Hope someone else has some ideas as I know it’s a tough one.

[Laiky]

Here are the pictures of my mess, excuse the pile of crap on top of the tank.

[dyn88]

thats pretty tough with such thin material. One thing to try, use .045 filler or .035 or smaller mig wire(stainless), and weld the teetyniest beed you can. Start with this and you can go back over it with a larger beed if you like but this ill give you a starting point.

[tigman250]

Laiky, what is your stickout?

[Laiky]

stickout is about 1/4" maybe 3/16" i'm using a #4 cup on a 20 series torch. Interestingly enough, i got better (golden) beads on the outside corners with the #4 cup than with a gas lense and #8 cup. Right now argon is at around 25 cfm