Welding Tips and Tricks

Ill try to get a picture uploaded but I encountered an issue on my first shot at TIG last night.

Using an Everlast 185 TIG
#6 cup
100% ARGON at 15-20 CFH
2% Thoriated
100 AMPS

I had some flat bar stock 1/4" x 2" wide and tried running beads -

I cleaned with a flap disk down to bright metal and wiped with Acetone.

Using a ER70-S2 for my first try it just cratered and was very porous - Check argon flow, torch angle, Getting tungsten close to metal, making sure rod was shielded... Nada... Horrid~

Went to a ER309 stainless filler and worked great. Some initial small holes on start up, but flowed nicely after that..


Is the ER70 not for this type of steel?

I'll try getting a picture posted to help -

Thanks,

John

Bottom is the ER70 -
Top is with the stainless filler rod... No other changes

309 is good but 70s-2 isn't with all other variables unchanged, I would say wipe down your filler with acetone. If that don't work give a go with a different batch of filler. #6 cup 20cfh seems high. I typically run 14 with a #7. I currently use a #7 gas lense at about 12cfh no probs so far.

Nick,

Thanks for the reply and info on cup size and CFH.. This was my first try at TIG so I'm running blind and learning as I go.

very much appreciated.

regards,

john

Check your set up for gas leakage.

Is your tungsten bright after welding?

Markus wrote:Check your set up for gas leakage.

Is your tungsten bright after welding?

Good call Markus. ESAB fan? What machine ya runnin?

Boltripper,
14chh at your cup size is a good starting point. Check for leaks though

Nope - Tungsten is discolored.

I assume I'm leaking somewhere and not getting good flow out the cup?

Thanks,

john -

AFSATCOM wrote:

Markus wrote:Check your set up for gas leakage.

Is your tungsten bright after welding?

Good call Markus. ESAB fan? What machine ya runnin?

Boltripper,
14chh at your cup size is a good starting point. Check for leaks though

As a Finn we don't usually aren't that big fans of Swedish products However sometimes you just have to admit that your neighbours does some things better

Yes I'm a fan of Esab products. I love ecspecially Caddy's pulse function! It outruns so many other machines.

I operate with
- Esab Caddy TIG 2200
- Esab LTS 160 and PRB 33-90 (orbital)
- Esab C2002I and PRH 6-76 (orbital)

What about you? Esab fan too?

I've got a caddy 2200. Looking at the heliarc 281 and the migmaster 215. Both seem to be great machines. I've been a Miller fan for years but am leaning towards ESAB based on what I've seen so far.

Boltripper wrote:Nope - Tungsten is discolored.

I assume I'm leaking somewhere and not getting good flow out the cup?

Thanks,

john -

Best way to check your gas leakage is to leave pressure on and shut your bottle, if regulators needle drops you have a leakage somewhere between gas bottle and machine. Needle shouldn't drop even a bit in 24 h.

Also another good way is to spray leak indicator on hose connection etc. It's also important to check your torch back cap's o-ring and connection joint between cup's teflon.

It's also good to keep in mind that even, if you have bright electrode you may still have leakage somewhere in your system.
Then you usually end up with "veil" on tip of your tungsten. (I think veil isn't the right word for it What do you guys call it?)

Your flow rate should be OK in my opinion. You use gas lens?

Did you say 100 amps on 1/4" thick material?

That is much too low - crank that sucker up and see how it welds then

I had the same problem with 181 thermal arc fabricator , tig setup . I chained my argon to my table which was grounded . But my gas line goes to my torch . So after about 20 minutes I would get porosity in my welds. But it would only be in part of the weld . Once I ungrounded my bottle the problem stopped happening . Hope this helps .
Keep Welding
Waylin

MinnesotaDave wrote:Did you say 100 amps on 1/4" thick material?

That is much too low - crank that sucker up and see how it welds then

I agree.
200a would be good.
Get that teardrop shaped puddle so the rod feeds nice.

~John

AKweldshop wrote:

MinnesotaDave wrote:Did you say 100 amps on 1/4" thick material?

That is much too low - crank that sucker up and see how it welds then

I agree.
200a would be good.
Get that teardrop shaped puddle so the rod feeds nice.

~John

Yes, but I do not believe that to little amps have anything to do with his porosity. I would have to say he has a gas leak that is allowing oxygen to be siphoned into his argon.
-Jonathan

Gents,

Thanks for all the help -

I'll crank up the amps on the thick stuff, but thought I would try 1/8 last night at 100 amps.

First three beads with the ER70 and it was the same - Horrible. Went directly with the 308 stainless and welded for a good hour without issues. I'll try to get my phone to upload some pics.

Did some lay wire, some but joints and a 1/8" joint and all worked great with the 308


This everlast machine has some quirks. There is a massive purge upon start so I started purging off metal and then starting to get a smoother flow.

Not sure I have something wrong and I'll call tech support today. The regulator (Flow portion) when I open the bottle will go to my set CFH and then bleed down to zero. The bottle pressure gauge stays at say 2000 psi for over 24 hours..

As soon as I hit the foot switch it open up and flows. The CFH stays at my set rate until the post flow is complete then the "Ball" bleeds down to zero...

I think Jody mentioned that this is a quirk of the everlast machines.

The ball is supposed to bleed down when its not flowing.
You set your CFH while your argon is flowing and then you'll shut your torch off and the ball will bleed on down.
Perfectly normal.

~John

Boltripper wrote:First three beads with the ER70 and it was the same - Horrible. Went directly with the 308 stainless and welded for a good hour without issues. I'll try to get my phone to upload some pics.

Did some lay wire, some but joints and a 1/8" joint and all worked great with the 308

I'm not the guy for solid welding advice, but I'm good at problem isolation. What you describe sounds like contamination in the filler rod. I know I've pulled out filler that was definitely not clean. Especially if you can run a bead without filler and it doesn't bubble like that, it'd have to be the filler rod causing the problem.

Boltripper wrote:This everlast machine has some quirks. There is a massive purge upon start so I started purging off metal and then starting to get a smoother flow.

Read this thread: http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... f=5&t=4561
Gas surge depends a lot on how your plumbing is setup from the cylinder to the welder - how big the line is, how long it is, and the material (how much it expands under pressure). I started with 1/4" i.d. and moved to 3/16" white poly line; I have a big stationary tank, so the line is 25' long. The smaller diameter helped, but moving the flow valve to the back of the machine completely eliminated the surge.

Boltripper wrote:Not sure I have something wrong and I'll call tech support today. The regulator (Flow portion) when I open the bottle will go to my set CFH and then bleed down to zero. The bottle pressure gauge stays at say 2000 psi for over 24 hours..

As soon as I hit the foot switch it open up and flows. The CFH stays at my set rate until the post flow is complete then the "Ball" bleeds down to zero...

The ball only gives a reading when the gas is flowing. When you first open the bottle (or after post-flow), the line is pressurizing (which causes your surge when you start welding) - that's why the ball peaks, then slowly drops.

So...it sounds like the problem is not in your gas (though you could improve on the surge waste). It does sound like there's a problem with the filler wire.

Cheers,
Richard