Welding Tips and Tricks

Which type of electrode is easiest and best to use on Aluminum, pure tungsten or lanthanated?

If it's for your syncrowave, you won't need pure for anything in my opinion.

I've used pure for over 25 years and it just never occurred to me to try anything else. I have some Lanth at the shop though. I may revisit it and see what all the excitement is about. I remember trying it when we got the Dynasty, but then it lost favor because of the grinding step, which was one of the benefits of doing aluminum work.

The ability for 2% lanthanated to hold a decent point (assuming you don't go crazy with the DCEP portion of the AC wave) during welding of aluminum is magnficent.

Mikechallgren wrote:Which type of electrode is easiest and best to use on Aluminum, pure tungsten or lanthanated?

Really that question is realitive. It all depends on which way you look at this. I wouldn't say one is really easier than the other because pure will ball up requiring sharpening if you need a crisp arc. Lanthinated works very well and holds a sharper tip longer but as TamJeff mentioned, pure has been used for years without trouble. I personally prefer lanthinated for everything and zirconiated for alum over pure. The real difference will be from the machine type, inverter vs rectifier.
So the question is, which tungsten do you have or you are looking at and what machine are you using?
-Jonathan

MinnesotaDave wrote:If it's for your syncrowave, you won't need pure for anything in my opinion.

Thank you for your answer, I appreciate it.

Superiorwelding wrote:

Mikechallgren wrote:Which type of electrode is easiest and best to use on Aluminum, pure tungsten or lanthanated?

Really that question is realitive. It all depends on which way you look at this. I wouldn't say one is really easier than the other because pure will ball up requiring sharpening if you need a crisp arc. Lanthinated works very well and holds a sharper tip longer but as TamJeff mentioned, pure has been used for years without trouble. I personally prefer lanthinated for everything and zirconiated for alum over pure. The real difference will be from the machine type, inverter vs rectifier.
So the question is, which tungsten do you have or you are looking at and what machine are you using?
-Jonathan

Thank you for all of this information. I have been hearing about lanthanated and will probably get some and give it a go. I also have some zirconiated. I have the Miller Syncrowave 180 SD. At some point I will look into an inverter machine, but for now it's the machine that I have.

MinnesotaDave wrote:If it's for your syncrowave, you won't need pure for anything in my opinion.

Thank you!

TamJeff wrote:I've used pure for over 25 years and it just never occurred to me to try anything else. I have some Lanth at the shop though. I may revisit it and see what all the excitement is about. I remember trying it when we got the Dynasty, but then it lost favor because of the grinding step, which was one of the benefits of doing aluminum work.

Thank you. Is it because the lanthanated doesn't ball like the pure? Or is it because it works better with inverter machines?

Mikechallgren wrote:

Superiorwelding wrote:

Mikechallgren wrote:Which type of electrode is easiest and best to use on Aluminum, pure tungsten or lanthanated?

Really that question is realitive. It all depends on which way you look at this. I wouldn't say one is really easier than the other because pure will ball up requiring sharpening if you need a crisp arc. Lanthinated works very well and holds a sharper tip longer but as TamJeff mentioned, pure has been used for years without trouble. I personally prefer lanthinated for everything and zirconiated for alum over pure. The real difference will be from the machine type, inverter vs rectifier.
So the question is, which tungsten do you have or you are looking at and what machine are you using?
-Jonathan

Thank you for all of this information. I have been hearing about lanthanated and will probably get some and give it a go. I also have some zirconiated. I have the Miller Syncrowave 180 SD. At some point I will look into an inverter machine, but for now it's the machine that I have.

I would get 1.5% or 2% (better) Lanthinated and use your zirconiated and call it a day. That should be all you need. Honestly the Lanthinated will work for everything you will do.
-Jonathan

Oscar wrote:The ability for 2% lanthanated to hold a decent point (assuming you don't go crazy with the DCEP portion of the AC wave) during welding of aluminum is magnficent.

Thank you, I'll probably try some lanthanated.

My LWS doesn't have 2% Lanthanated... who's a good online source? Ebay?

Diamond Ground Precision offers presharpened stingers and full 7" sticks in all blends including their own proprietary blends. Sylvania also makes tungsten I believe too, as well as CK Worldwide I think?

GlenC wrote:. who's a good online source? Ebay?

Arc Zone have them, and quality brands

http://www.arc-zone.com/index.php?main_ ... x&cPath=14

weldingcity.com has some, but "house brand", as well as www.usaweld.com.

when DCEN and high amps ball the tungsten , increase tungsten size, sometimes only pure gets it done without contamination,lots of methods suit different,people,machines,materials, and applications.

Take notes and expierment

and some people(welders) can do anything with nothing but a flame and a coat hanger

Just curious, is using lanthanated for a repair / build-up on aluminum that must be machined after welding, as safe as using quality brown zirconium ( no risk of tungsten particles to kill the cutter )