Welding Tips and Tricks

https://youtu.be/onwEUxEmGdU?si=n_J7x4HRaQiKCwNv

So I saw this one, if you weld pipe you have to back purge or else you will have bad oxide right?

Well the guy just used stick electrode as filler wire, and now you don't have to back purge... (though you do have to remove the flux covering).

You should read the comments on that video. Typically people will use the proper TIG rod that already has a flux coating, use a flux paste, or simply use SMAW process if you’re using SMAW rods. It’s a hack that doesn’t make much sense to me. And it would never pass code work in sanitary pipe.

taiwanluthiers wrote: ↑Mon Jan 01, 2024 12:49 pm https://youtu.be/onwEUxEmGdU?si=n_J7x4HRaQiKCwNv

So I saw this one, if you weld pipe you have to back purge or else you will have bad oxide right?

Well the guy just used stick electrode as filler wire, and now you don't have to back purge... (though you do have to remove the flux covering).

don't get side tracked by these hacks. they have a time and place but its rare and it has its issues.
a lot of the time if its stainless pipe then people don't want flux inside or bits of flux stuck on the root that you can't clean out.
also it won't work on thin pipe, like stainless exhaust pipe. that thick pipe is for high pressures and they won't allow hacks like that to be used.
it looks cool but its not something you would ever do in real life.

stick to argon back purge.

Could this possibly work for filling holes and such? I think weld.com or something showed using a backing plate for filling holes, but maybe stick flux may work as backing plate as well. Obviously not for anything critical...

taiwanluthiers wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 12:08 am Could this possibly work for filling holes and such? I think weld.com or something showed using a backing plate for filling holes, but maybe stick flux may work as backing plate as well. Obviously not for anything critical...

backing plate is standard and even used in code work.
you can also use a backing plate the weld won't stick to eg welding steel and using aluminum backer plate for hole filling etc.

using flux rods with tig makes things complicated. its hard enough without flux fouling things up.
you have a long way to go before getting into things like that.