Welding Tips and Tricks

First, I apprieciate the help and advice I got in my first thread about welding tubing. It's getting better, so thanks again.

The other problem I've been having is the machine, maybe. It's an older Syncrowave 250. Full analog transformer machine, with the add-on water cooler underneath. Guessing it's probably mid - to - late 80's vintage. Can get the serial number if that's needed.

The problem is that when you step down on the pedal, at about 1/4 travel the arc wanders, like it kinda bends or flares outwards towards the edge of the puddle. Sometimes just a little, other times it goes crazy, making it really difficult to keep the puddle going. Especially on tubing or outside corners.

I know enough to make sure I'm sharpening the tungsten end-on, so that's not really a variable.

Contaminated tungsten? Ground issues? The pedal itself? Used a new-ish Dynasty 350 in welding class and never had this problem. Is this just how it goes with older transformer machines?

Hey saw you previous post glad its going better for you. Are you talking about welding aluminum again? That is one of the draw backs to the older transformer type machines is the arc wander on the lower amps, the new inverter machine have much better arc stability than the transformer because you can use a 2% thoriated or lanthanated tungsten and your tungsten stays pointed. I first learned on the same machine you have and still own one today, I love them. One thing that is important is to match your tunsyen size to the amps you are running so the tungsten does not ball up to much. You could also try changing the balance on your machine so the tungsten doesn't ball up ad bad. Another thing a old timer showed me was to actually use a 2% ghoriated tungsten 1 size larger than the pure you would normally run. It actually works and the tungsten actually stays pointed I know its not recommend but it works. Holding a tight arc also helps. Hope some that helps you out.

I noticed it when the square machines came out and is why I never cared for them. We had a whole shop outfitted with Miller Aircrafters and those machines welded beautifully in any position, and quietly. We also had a syncrowave 350 in the mix but all of the seasoned welders opted for the aircrafters. The new guy usually got the syncrowave. My first 10 years was on the aircrafter and then I got to where I am now and it's syncrowaves and a Dynasty. My ABP has a smoother and steadier arc than those machines, which is why I keep it. I've tried tri mix gas, helium, every range of AC balance, high frequency range, high frequency points gaps etc and it ends up being a end user correction at the torch. One guy told me it has something to do with AC waves being naturally smooth in nature, and then forcing them into a square wave that causes the distortion at the arc.

I am no expert, even though I have been tig welding for most of my life, but in the work that I do, the newer technology has not been a benefit to me. I still do as much joint prep, and my welds still look as good as they ever did. On top of that, I find the newer machines more sensitive to torch position and electrode adjustment. There might be significant differences for those who weld more exotic alloys than what I come across, but nobody has ever produced 'visibly' better welds than I on the every day stuff with the older machines.

I remember struggling with the Dynasty on anodized when they first came out. We had Miller reps to the shop numerous times trying to figure out what was wrong with the do-all Dynasty and they couldn't. A couple of years later, I was reading a Miller brochure and they were talking about Pipe Welders, a marine fabrication outfit in Miami, with regard to the syncrowave and how it was a better machine for that material than the Dynasty. Meanwhile, my cure for the Dynasty was to set the peak values like that close to the syncrowave and running pure tungsten and the AC frequency no higher than 75, and you better have the torch just so when welding overhead. I would have liked if they would have had an option on the Dynasty for continuous HF.

My only wish for the Aircrafter was more substantial circuit boards concerning the relays for the high freq and the gas, but as far as welding anodized all day every day doing a lot of out of position welds, there has been none better IMO.

Is this the machine you have? This is the older 250 syncrowave we have and it's the one I opt to use out of 3 machines, including the Dynasty for my every day. We have a newer syncrowave and the arc wander is actually worse with the newer one. At any rate, arc wander has become a gremlin I have just learned to compensate for as a way of life these days, including the arc wanting to jump to the non grounded part first, to the point where I nearly have to scratch start it where I want it to go.