TIG welding without filler?

[wineswami]

Are there any major problems to welding without filler material as long as the joint seams are tight and the penetration is good? I like the speed that I am able to achieve, and it looks really nice.

[welder_one]

it all depends on material, i busted a test by "fusing" the parent metal first though... aluminum will crack if you dont dilute the parent metal.

[M-Tech]

it all depends on material, i busted a test by "fusing" the parent metal first though... aluminum will crack if you dont dilute the parent metal.

I'd add to that: the filler metal is a composite that provides added ductility to compensate for the effects of heat on the parent metal at the joint. If your work is artistic rather than structural you've got more leeway - if there's little or no stress on your joint. Think about a bend test, and what it tells you about a weldment.

When I look at a weld I like to see a steady hand behind it, but I see more in the artistry of the weldor who knows just how much filler to add: not too much, not too little - like a fine chef.

Joe

[man of steel]

welding without filler

fusion welding without filler is fine but it doesnt give you much strength,you can tack things togeather but if you want speed and your fit up is good try and go with the 1 16 filler instead and lay the filler in the gap and run it over quickly with your arc a little hotter.

[Aerometalworker]

Are there any major problems to welding without filler material as long as the joint seams are tight and the penetration is good? I like the speed that I am able to achieve, and it looks really nice.

Depends on the material, and the joint.

If Aluminum its fine on 1xxx, 3xxx, 5xxx and 6xxx materials with most hot-cracking issues being resolved with good tacking technique. Be warned though it will require careful work and a backpurge due to weld oxidation on the backside reducing your useable weld cross sectional area. Flange welds will suit this technique the best, tight fitting butt welds can also be done.

Rolls Royce welded their car bodies with these "parent metal" welds and of course the weld bead itself actually ends up being concave. Of course this was torch welding, which lends itself better to this process.

-Aaron

[fun4now]

the other guys got ya prity well coverd, just wanted to say welcome.

[fun4now]

makoman1860,
as i understood it when you welded aluminum it burned up the silicone and magnesium in the mix with 4XXX series filler having a higher content of silicone and 5xxx having higher content levels of magnesium to make up for the burn off during TIG welding. is this not the case with O/A welding ?? or an i missing some thing ??