Welding Tips and Tricks

I just started practicing for TIG open root. I am having trouble, so, I thought I would ask for some help from you guys with experience.

What size is your landing and root gap? Whats your bevel angle at that? What amperage and filler metal size are you using? are you walking or whipping? What cup size are you using?

Anything helps!

Thanks,

Jake

Justjake85 wrote:I just started practicing for TIG open root. I am having trouble, so, I thought I would ask for some help from you guys with experience.

What size is your landing and root gap? Whats your bevel angle at that? What amperage and filler metal size are you using? are you walking or whipping? What cup size are you using?

Anything helps!

Thanks,

Jake

Pipe or plate? How thick?

Jake,

My preference is actually to grind to a knife-edge, unless the WPS requires a land (in which case I use the minimum permitted land [or less, if no one is looking over my shoulder ]). I like the gap to equal the filler wire, and I'll take any bevel from 30 to 45*, but I prefer 35-37.

For context, I do this almost exclusively on grade 304 SS pipe, and where code applies, it's usually 3/4" sch. 160. I tend to advance/withdraw along the root, with the wire laying in the groove ahead of my path, with the arc right down the center. This seems create the keyhole and the puddle, wet the edges, and melt the filler in one continuous process.

Tieing in the next tack as you reach it, involves noticing when the end of the keyhole where your rod is, is at the beginning of the tack. Withdraw your rod slightly until the front of the tack is molten. The tack may even flow into your weld. Then dab a bit to add enough metal to fill the underside of the root, and move on.

Steve S

Define "trouble."

Presumably you're using a backing plate?

As others have mentioned, you didn't state material thickness, but as a rule-of-thumb, I set the gap to the filler rod diameter, never less.

I would be interested to know what sort of amps everyone else uses. would 85A be about right for the root run on 6" carbon pipe with a 35 degree bevel prepped to a knife edge? I have been using 2.4mm root gap and 2.4mm wire with a lay wire technique. I have been using 100a and the root has been slightly concaved. I haven't had a chance to try less amps and would like to get some opinions before I waste a couple more prepped pipes lol.

I was running around 115 with 1/8 gap and filler. 3/32 tungsten.
Make sure you aren't weaving too wide. For me, I don't let the tungsten point go past the inner edge of the bevel.
Also slightly force the filler in. Go easy though.

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Hey

When i do it, i have a gap on 2,5-2,6mm a 2,4mm rod 85-90amp on root pas, 90*- 80* anlge on the Torch and good priodt on the wolfram and lay wire. hot pas 90-95amp and same rod, rest 100-110amp.

You Can go High on the feel pas i was That low for 6g Certificatsion it had to look Nice

simondk wrote:Hey

When i do it, i have a gap on 2,5-2,6mm a 2,4mm rod 85-90amp on root pas, 90*- 80* anlge on the Torch and good priodt on the wolfram and lay wire. hot pas 90-95amp and same rod, rest 100-110amp.

You Can go High on the feel pas i was That low for 6g Certificatsion it had to look Nice

thanks mate I really appreciate it. I have got the hot pass/ fill and cap all sorted. hopefully if I drop a few amps I can get that nice bead of penetration on the inside. i'll see how I go if I get a chance today

cheers