Stainless Tig welding.

[Shield Arc]

Did a little experimenting with my new Everlast PowerArc 200 this morning. Found some 12-GA stainless steel at the scrap yard. I haven't Tig welded any stainless in probably 25-years, at least! Tried to clean it up with a scotch-brite pad, even cleaned what little stainless filler I have.
My 200-amp scratch start air cooled torch is a club to use.And I don't hardly ever use it, why would I when I have a nice water-cooled torch. Sorry the picture didn't turn out very well, maybe Santa will bring me a better camera for Christmas!
Anyway just wanted to say I'm very impressed with the arc of this little machine even with a Tig torch.:thumbsup:

 

[brain55]

Very nice. It has been a long time since I welded any stainless myself. Want to show us the back side of that weld?

I always struggled with getting proper penetration and running too hot.

Brian

 

[Shield Arc]

Here ya go.
As you probably know these scratch start torches can be a challenge to use, they're either all on, or all off, no in between at all! :laughing:
Ran that weld at 60-amps, using 1/8 inch filler.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Very good for a one in 25 year weld. I assume you didn't use the 6010 port? Did you try it in both?

I have a dealer who has sold 9 of them this year (If I remember right) and he has put them out on a construction site in the Bahamas where they were being used for both tig and stick building a large Hotel. He said they were very pleased with the tig characteristics.

 

[Shield Arc]

I assume you didn't use the 6010 port?

No I didn't, in fact I had to stop and think about it for a second or two. My Dynasty switches to the correct polarity for me. See how lazy a guy can get? :laughing:

 

[rjmack]

looks good...

you should be walking the cup in no time,:thumbsup:

 

[Shield Arc]

looks good...

you should be walking the cup in no time,:thumbsup:

Walk the cup.................oh you mean something like this.

 

[rjmack]

Walking the Cup for Tig welding pipe

i doubt this guy is the 'world's finest', but he's pretty good all the same.

 

[Shield Arc]

Actually I'm better at walking the cup than free hand.

 

[DanD78]

A couple of years ago the safety folks at work started talking up Hexavalent Chromium exposure while tig welding SS. No one had ever heard of it before. Here is a link that tells a little about the dangers.

Safety and Health Topics: Hexavalent Chromium

Dan

 

[rjmack]

A couple of years ago the safety folks at work started talking up Hexavalent Chromium exposure while tig welding SS. No one had ever heard of it before. Here is a link that tells a little about the dangers.

also, makes your sperm wonky, causes birth defects. respirator necessary for sure. evidently it takes somewhere around 6 months for things to go back to normal after you quit welding the stuff. and that applies to the fitter as well as the welder.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Well over 10 years ago my company safety folks got concerned over the OSHA reports on this also and we hooked all the stainless welders up to monitors that sucked in air from inside the hoods and deposited the results in a special filter that was then analyzed in a lab. The results were from neglible to none. These were in field conditions and not in enclosed spaces which would concentrate the fumes slightly even with fresh air exchangers. We found nothing that even came close to the threshold limits at that time. Unfortunately I have worked outside the USA all the time since then so I havent been up on the latest requirements. I am sure the safety police have now got everyone in a space suit with breathing air by now.
IS breathing clean air hazardous to your health especially when you are used to all the smog that is around. It may screw up your system doing that.

 

[rjmack]

I am sure the safety police have now got everyone in a space suit with breathing air by now.

i've seen microscopic video of the results, some pretty scary looking swimming going on there.

from the sound of it, you should be okay to just tough it out though.:thumbsup: