Tungsten sharpening

[Arc weld]

Are you using a 3/32" tungsten? How far is the tungsten sticking out past the nozzle? From your sample it looks the piece got real hot but the weld was too cold and/or you added way too much filler rod. TIG welds are usually slightly concave or flat and your's looks more like a cold MIG weld going too slow. One last thing, were you on straight polarity? The black tungsten may be from getting too hot. Lots of beginners do cut the rods in half until they get the hang of it. The long rod can make you shaky trying to feed it.

 

[deereman75]

I have 1/16 tungsten, but I will try and get some bigger stuff soon.
The picture really made the weld look weird. I have it in front of me, and it is concave along the whole way, and has some undercut in places. For some reason my camera made it look totally different from what it is.
I think my main issue is that I am moving way too slow.

Any suggestions on settings for 1/8 lap welds? I was running about 85 amps.

I had got the 1/16 tungsten because that's what my miller weld calculator app on my phone said was the size I needed. I guess it might be a bit off....
Edit: I was running DCEN.

 

[Shield Arc]

I seem to remember when I ran Furu's Stickweld 250 it was off by about 10 or 15-amps from my V350-Pro. Don't get to caught up in numbers. Do what ever the weld / puddle requires! I see where a lot of rookies worry too much about exact numbers. You are better off to learn what the weld / puddle needs, and do that. Think of the numbers on the welder as just a reference. I've taken tests when you walk into the booth duct tape is over the gauges. First part of the test is to set the machine. If you're not within the manufacturer's limits, test over you go home right then and there!

 

[deereman75]

I guess I was going way too cold. My miller app says 100-130.... It did seem to be going really slow....

I am going to try and get some 3/32 tungsten. Any recomendations on what type to get? I just grabbed thorinated because its the old stand by.

 

[DaveOmak]

I still use thoriated electrodes... I'm conscious of the health hazards.... no big deal.... Just don't breath the dust when sharpening..... Dave

 

[k0ua]

Either Ceriated or Lanthanated are good all around tungstens with no risk.

 

[deereman75]

I have no worries about thorinated tungsten. As I said, I'm sure burning a 7018 or two will do more damage.

I just figured if something worked better, I would use it.
Any thoughts on trimix tungsten? Air liquide has them for $10 per pack less than thorinated cost me..... LOL

 

[Furu]

I am by far in no way an expert on welding let alone TIG. With the help that Shield Arc has supplied me and my very limited "experience" with scratch tig and my stickweld 250; I thought I would chime in. Some thoughts that have popped up as I have read this and things I have screwed up.
I have had some tungsten that have done what I think your photo shows and the point turns into a ball very quickly after you get an arc. Is your arc staying very stable is is it dancing and flaring out irregularly? I use 1.25 diopters for reading and stick welding but have to use 2.00 diopters for Tig. I know you have young eyes but thought I would mention it. I found that I was letting the tungsten get too close to the puddle. I pulled back ever so slightly and it made all the difference in the world.

If I remember correctly Shield Arc gave me a rule of thumb of whatever thickness use that as a starting point for how much amps. I am using 3/32". My "new" stickweld 250 runs closer to SA's V350 than it did when it was broke but I am using from 110-115 for 1/8 in (0.125) for outside corner welds and 115-120 for inside or fillets. I also quit being "cheap"/frugal and when I grind my ceriated 3/32 and found if I took just a little more off on the grind that the arc was more stable. The only thing I came up with was that there were still impurities in the tip of the tungsten from my previous screwup that had not gotten ground out. I also started "polishing" the tip post grind with about three or four longitudinal pulls with 400 grit cloth along the shaft toward the tip. I also practiced on fillets with no filler just straight fusion to see what the weld looked like all by itself.

 

[deereman75]

I think I may have found part of my problem. I don't like my tig torch. It is a stupidly huge wp-17, and the cup is at a 75 degree angle, and very long, which I don't like..... I bet I would do a lot better with a far smaller torch, with a flex neck.
I might try and find a good deal on a small torch.
Also, can I run a water cooled torch by hooking it up to the garden hose? Or do with have to build a water cooler?

 

[deereman75]

Thanks man! I will borrow a pair of my dad's reading glasses for my next tig attempt. I will also try grinding a bit more off the tungsten.

 

[deereman75]

I like the look of the weldcraft wp20. Any thoughts on that? It looks nice and small.

 

[Shield Arc]

Also, can I run a water cooled torch by hooking it up to the garden hose? Or do with have to build a water cooler?

I worked in a welding shop that did that with their Tig machines. Just let the water drain outside the shop into the street. I'm sure you guys up there are the same way we are here. Little water on the ground means nothing! You may have to make a trip to the plumbing supply to get enough fittings to make it work. Water cooled torches are the way to go, smaller and lighter. Before buying a water cooled torch, look at how you can attach it to the power lug. You may have to get creative there!

Here is a picture of my air cooled torch, (top) I think it is 150-amps. And my water cooled torch, which I think is 200-amps. I leave my north south wheel taped to the water cooled torch all the time. It doesn't bother me at all.

 

[deereman75]

I found a water cooled gas valve torch on ebay I am really looking at.
I have made custom plumbing fittings before, so I'm not too worried about hooking it to the hose. Between soldering non compatible fittings together, and having access to a lathe (or 3) and a mill, I think I can make it work..... LOL
I could even make a custom power block if I have to. It's really nice knowing a retired machinist..... LOL
I will talk to him this Saturday about the possibility of some tig welding lessons. He is also a ticketed welder.
I'm sure that will help me out a lot.

 

[Shield Arc]

Oh there is nothing like having someone standing right behind you telling you what to do. 4-hours with one on one instruction is worth more than a week of welding school with 30 other guys!

 

[deereman75]

I think he would be a really big help for me. He is a real master craftsman. I know he is a journeyman in atleast 4 trades. Welding, machinist, aircraft sheet metal mechanic, and aircraft electrician, possibly more. He spent most of his time rebuilding aircraft at the airport.
It's really handy to know someone who can fix or build virtually anything..... LOL
I was going to be getting some metal lathe lessons from him as well.
I know a few guys like that at the museum I volunteer at. Marine electrician, radio operator, diesel mechanic, steam engineers, boiler makers, railroad mechanics, ect, ect, ect.
It's really a great place to learn at.

 

[Furu]

Oh there is nothing like having someone standing right behind you telling you what to do. 4-hours with one on one instruction is worth more than a week of welding school with 30 other guys!

Having SA behind you for 4 hours is worth way more than a week try at least a month!

 

[Shield Arc]

It always helps to have an extremely smart student!

 

[BukitCase]

Sooo, you two ever think about getting a room??!?

All seriousness aside, I agree 137% (or more), having someone who has done a LOT of what you're trying to do, AND who can explain it well, is worth more than their weight in books, DVD's, whatever.

Anyone who has a mentor such as SA or Deereman's friend is very lucky indeed... Steve

(OK, smart-a** mode back on :laughing

 

[deereman75]

I have been reading a bit, and it seems that these chinese wp-17 torches often have bad hoses that make a shiny weld impossible........ Something about how they are made causing them to close up and restrict/contaminate the gas...

Anyways, I found a gas valve wp-9 torch (CK brand with superflex hose) on ebay for under $150 to my door.....
I might order it tonight... No point practicing with something that is impossible to make a good weld with.....
Plus this torch is stupidly big.....

 

[Arc weld]

A WP-9 is a small torch. A WP-17 isn't that big. A WP-26 is a big torch. Why not just get a Weldcraft or CK torch? Some of the house brands are actually CK torches and I've never heard of any problems with them or even copy torches. Most of the problems I've seen are from the flex heads getting too hot and failing. I don't think you really need to worry about a water cooled torch unless you're going to be doing some serious TIG welding. Learn how to TIG weld first and then add what you need. A water cooled torch isn't going to magically make it any easier. Having someone with experience will be a great help but the first thing you need to do is get the right size tungsten and filler rod for the pieces you're welding. You got the 1/16" tungsten too hot and it was too small for the thickness. It's hard to critique a weld when it wasn't done with the right equipment. If the tungsten gets badly contaminated, don't try to grind it off. Use 2 sets of pliers and snap the bad section off, then grind it to a point length wise with a fine grinding wheel or sanding disk. If you try to use just one set of pliers, the tungsten will split and then you have break even more off. Thoriated tungsten is slightly radio active. That's why there's concerns with it but it's been the standard for decades.