Welding Tips and Tricks

I usually use 6 ceramic cup , gas lens .2% lanthanated 2.4mm with 7.5L argon . in aluminum and I am almost ok.Same settings
to Iron or steel do not work, seems a lot of oxidation takes place without any improvement if I change a little the gas flow.Does it need bigger ceramic nozle?Any advice will be appreciated.

Often using the same tungsten to weld steel after welding aluminum creates a poor weld if you don’t first grind the tungsten. During ally welding, the cleaning action can coat the tungsten with ally oxides and cause a balled tip. This is detrimental for steel.

There should be no need to change other settings or cups between the two metals.

Thank you it is a good comment to know I tried with new tunsten and still Im not sutisfied.Seems wider cup is needed that I try soon.
Why then in titanium a hudge cup is used?.

There is always the risk of overheating which can cause bad coverage symptom.In future as it seems a science fiction now.A sensor will inform welder real time the temperature of metal welded and refer to machine to lower amperage automatically so overherheating will be avoided.This is particular important when small pieces are welded and feritic type since no significant heat dessipation happens as in aluminum.

ESENTI wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 4:31 pm Thank you it is a good comment to know I tried with new tunsten and still Im not sutisfied.Seems wider cup is needed that I try soon.
Why then in titanium a hudge cup is used?.

Well first of all, Titanium is an alloy and not synonymous with “steel”. Titanium is also very bad at thermal management. It is extremely sensitive to overheating and oxidation. You can literally destroy Ti by using too much heat as it will create a white powdery substance on the weld. This is titanium dioxide and is evidence of way too much heat.

You can weld steel with any sized cup. Carbon steel does not require the same gas coverage that stainless and titanium do. But yes, titanium wants at least a #12 cup, preferably up to a #19. Gas flow is set to about 2.25-2.5x cup size with Ti.

If you can post a picture of the weld you’re referring to (oxidized steel) it may offer evidence to more experienced eyes.

ESENTI wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 4:46 pm There is always the risk of overheating which can cause bad coverage symptom .In future as it seems a science fiction now.A sensor will inform welder real time the temperature of metal welded and refer to machine to lower amperage automatically so overherheating will be avoided.This is particular important when small pieces are welded and feritic type since no significant heat dessipation happens as in aluminum.

Man has been welding steel without the need for a future tech sensor to tell him exactly what experience and his own eyes can, today.

ESENTI wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 3:58 am I usually use 6 ceramic cup , gas lens .2% lanthanated 2.4mm with 7.5L argon . in aluminum and I am almost ok.Same settings
to Iron or steel do not work,..........

settings are always different depending on the material.

Out of many choices chose the right one.I am sorry that I can not provide a picture I was under lot of pressure.It was a Japanese motrocycle frame.I usually weld mild steel with 303 , 308 ,309 or 312.If I use simple iron tig type welding rod seems that base metal boils or foam ?.
I did not had proper welding training only partial as a marine engineer.But I weld for more than 45 years now almost 25 years with tig.
I admit I allways had a problem with Iron based materials and with inox.I was not able to produce a quality I wished for.

Time is the moving picture of the unmoving eternity ( plato) as you already know I greek and I like philosophy.

If you are welding vintage Japanese motorcycle frames, then switch to ER70-S2 or S6. Don’t use 300 series filler.

I suspect the issues you are encountering have more to do with internal contamination of the tubing than any setting or torch component. I’ve welded hundreds of bike frames and without fail, if you don’t clean the inside you will have issues.

These frames tend to be 0.063 wall thickness and any amount of heat on them drags contaminates outward. The only time I’ve ever used 309/312 to weld on was while installing a kit of tubing made from 304 for easier engine removal. But only then. I also typically opt for 0.045 filler wire.

I set my CFH based upon cup size, not material. I don’t know anyone who does it differently in the real world…

It is a new modern bike , here in Greece there is not the variety of your market so no ER70 -S2 or similar.I usually mix steel or iron type metals no cast iron with 304 and the and it works well for now.I have tried a[u] tig rod for steel [/u]and it foams like bubbles like boiling with very bad porous appearance.So I kept using inox tig rod that it works well so far.

It is a new modern bike , here in Greece there is not the variety of your market so no ER70 -S2 or similar.I usually mix steel or iron type metals no cast iron with 304 and the and it works well for now.I have tried a[u] tig rod for steel and it foams like bubbles like boiling with very bad porous appearance.So I kept using inox tig rod that it works well so far.

I admit that a new freshly grounded well shaped tungsten makes things a lot easier.