Let's see your welds...

[Gary Fowler]

Consistancy is one reason for using TIG in open butt root passes now rather than 6010. 6010 is still used on some pipes but more and more we use TIG in the field due to fit up tolerances and the fact that TIG is easier to see what you are putting in. With stick, you need a max high/low of 1.2mm (1/16")whereas TIG process can tolerate much larger amounts of mismatch and still pass xray. The welder can also look inside the pipe prior to final closure to view his root pass and if need be grind back and repair. Repairs with TIg are much easier than stick due to much larger gap allowances. I have made repair on HP steam line that was repair atttempted 4 times and the gap was 1/2"wide, using TIG, I built up the edge from both sides till I got it down to about 1/4" and then bridged across it in normal fashion of TIG root pass. Xray was good and this was in a tight spot tie in of steam line to boiler.
MY company did some studies regarding cost of running TIG root and 1 fill pass versus 6010 root and hot pass and found that it is cheaper also to run TIG than stick. A good welder can run the passes just about equal in time overall. Takes a bit longer to run the TIG root, but there is no grinding, so he can immediately run the 2nd pass with only hand brush application. By the time the root pass is ground out with the stick, the TIG hand has just about finished his 2nd pass. You do have the additional argon cost, but considering the lower reject rate it is more than offset. Typical xray reject rates with stick are acceptable if below 5% whereas Typical reject rates with TIG are less than 1% and have been 0% on several thousand welds. Once the root pass is in, there is really no excuse for a welder to bust out on the stick if proper windbreaks and other precautions are observed.
The best advantage with TIG is that you can weld just about any material that will carry an electric current with TIG process and the right filler metal.

 

[Shield Arc]

That is very interesting about your company's survey! I would have bet anything that a 6010 root would have been hands down faster, even looking at the overall picture. I always wondered how you pipe fitters cleaned out the inside of the pipe after being welded. It is amazing how much crap is on the inside after being welded with SMAW.

I know what you mean about looking on the inside of a pipe with Tig welding. I don't know if I'm more proud of the welds or how clear these pictures came out. Welding is easier than taking pictures for me.

 

[crazyal]

Is this the guy who claims to be an engineer or weld inspector or something, and is always told he knows just enough to give bad advice? If so I know the one

As a former weld inspector I can tell you that I knew of two types of inspectors. The first understood we were not welders so we didn't offer too much advise on welding and the second were the ones who wouldn't let the fact that they weren't welders stop them from acting like they were. Engineers are no better.

 

[dynasim]

It is funny that the sunshiny fella has done the exact oppposite of his stated mission. He drove me off the site of the welder that I had purchased, and when it came time to buy another, more capable(more expensive) welder, I went elsewhere.

The owners of the companies that sell welders should not allow him to be on those forums, and I won't buy any welder from any of them that allow him participate. I buy and recommend the purchase of a significant amount of equipment.

I am quite sure that I am not alone.

Chris

 

[Shield Arc]

I don't know if this counts

Actually NO! It doesn't count. All my welds look better after I grind them down. Come on lets see them Tig welds before the grinder gets to them.

Here I'll show you mine, if you'll show us yours. :laughing:

 

[rcowan]

That is funny! :laughing::thumbsup:
Nothing worse than a cold lapped Mig weld.

Oh I don't know my instructor says my O/A welds are pretty bad sometimes.


RC

 

[k0ua]

Actually NO! It doesn't count. All my welds look better after I grind them down. Come on lets see them Tig welds before the grinder gets to them.

Here I'll show you mine, if you'll show us yours. :laughing:

I knew that

All right I will do some more and show all It may be a bit. (it really didn't look too bad before grinding)

"a grinder and some paint will make a welder what he aint":laughing:

James K0UA

 

[weldermike]

Heres some aluminum tig I just did. I use these welding fingers alot when tiging, they are great, ive made multiple ones different sizes for different apps, this giant one just happened to be right there. Really come in handy with the non ferrous metals.

 

[jake98]

Great posts, thanks. I was happy with the welds on the upper piece here, kinda goobered the legs. Plus I conquered my fear of piercings..

 

[Shield Arc]

Jake what type of Mig welder do you have? Does it have an inductance control? Those welds look like they need to be wet out a little, or at least turn the voltage up some.