Welding Tips and Tricks

I was curious what rods others liked to keep on hand and stocked up on. Naturally we all weld different things but curious as to what others find useful to have on hand even if it's for that once a year job or odd ball rods cause they work better for a certain job. Currently I stock following alloys and diameters.
ER70S-2 Steel
.045-10lbs
1/16-10lbs
3/32-10lbs
ER308L Stainless Steel
.045-10lbs
1/16-10lbs
3/32-10lbs
ER4943 Aluminum (changing over used to be 4043)
1/16-10lbs
3/32-10lbs
ERCuSi-1 Silicon Bronze
1/16-1lb
3/32-1lb
ERCuAl-A2 Aluminum Bronze
1/16-1lb
3/32-1lb
ERAZ92 Magnesium
3/32-1lb
ERTI-23 Titanium
.045-1lb

Thinking about stocking
ERNI-CL Nickel 99 rod
1/16 or 3/32 1lb
ER309 Stainless steel
1/16-10lbs
3/32-10lbs
ER80S-D2
1/16-10lbs
3/32-10Lbs

So what do you keep in stock or have access to where you work?

Out of memory:
ER70S-6
1.6mm (1/16in)
2.4mm(3/32in)
3.2mm (1/8in)

ER70S-3 (a nightmare to root with, only use it for filler passes, will never buy again)
2.4mm

ER308L
2.0mm

ER316L
2.0mm

ER312
2.0mm

ER309L
2.0mm
2.4mm

ER CuSi-A
1.6mm
2.4mm

ER4043
2.0mm
2.4mm

ER5356
2.4mm

ER NiCr-3
2.4mm

ER NiCrMo-3
2.4mm

Apart from the ER70S-6 which I always keep around 5kg for each size the others are in small quantities (~1kg)

1070
2,4mm

4043
0,9mm (mig)
1,6mm
2,4mm

5356
1,6mm
2,4mm

ER70S-6
0,6mm (mig)
0,8mm (mig)
1,6mm
2mm

316L
0,8mm
1mm
1,6mm
2mm

Silicon bronze CuSi3
1,6mm

In TIG wire we only stock:

70s-2
308L
309L

5356

in 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8.

For the stuff many might TIG-braze with aluminum-bronze or silicon-bronze, we will silver-braze with O/A, because it's always a threaded joint, and we need the wicking... Penetration the length of the threads, rather than a short penetration of one or two threads.

Steve S

I usually stock what they stock at work.

I usually have a very wide variety of rods at work because of the many different types of piping we use.
We use 2209 for Duplex
ER70S2
308L
316L
309L
347 for 321
62 & 82 Inconel
617 nickel
I know I'm missing a few

At home I have
ER70S6
ER70S2
4043
5356
R45 O/A

Len

My shop is a part-time home based shop.

Tig rod:

ER70s2 1/16", 3/32", 1/8"
308L 1/16"
309L 1/16"

4043 1/16", 3/32", 1/8"
R45 O/A 3/32"

When it becomes available locally I'll be getting 4943 for aluminum.

I edited my post...

I forgot the 5356.

We rarely weld with 4043 anymore, as almost all our aluminum is 6061, and we want a close alloy match post-weld (and good blending of base-to-filler) for cryogenic applications.

The people who spec this stuff out really put the "Cry" in Cryogenics...

Steve S

MinnesotaDave wrote:
When it becomes available locally I'll be getting 4943 for aluminum.

That might be awhile before it becomes in wide use if ever. My LWS never heard of it when I explained benefits the rod supposed to have it didn't really sink in. To me there attitude is 4043 has worked all this time why do we need this rod. A few other LWS never heard of it either but looked it up and said none of the large industries ever asked about it and this was first they heard about it. My thoughts only welding fanatics and custom builders such as us involved in racing shops will prolly use it for the next 10 to 20 yrs. Only because industrial complexes have written WPS using 4043 that works and unless they need a reason to update it are not gonna pay to redo there WPS. The schools are prolly going to teach engineers and welders about 4043 annd never mention 4943. I hope the rod catches on and starts to get wide spread use. Your LWS should be able to order it if you get 10lbs. I would ask them and pressure them about it.


On side note was surprised how many of you TIG with ER70S-6

dirtmidget33 wrote:

MinnesotaDave wrote:
When it becomes available locally I'll be getting 4943 for aluminum.

That might be awhile before it becomes in wide use if ever. My LWS never heard of it when I explained benefits the rod supposed to have it didn't really sink in. To me there attitude is 4043 has worked all this time why do we need this rod. A few other LWS never heard of it either but looked it up and said none of the large industries ever asked about it and this was first they heard about it. My thoughts only welding fanatics and custom builders such as us involved in racing shops will prolly use it for the next 10 to 20 yrs. Only because industrial complexes have written WPS using 4043 that works and unless they need a reason to update it are not gonna pay to redo there WPS. The schools are prolly going to teach engineers and welders about 4043 annd never mention 4943. I hope the rod catches on and starts to get wide spread use. Your LWS should be able to order it if you get 10lbs. I would ask them and pressure them about it.


On side note was surprised how many of you TIG with ER70S-6

4943 is available only by Hobart. Until it becomes available by other manufacturers I do not really see it catching on.
As far as ER70S-6, it is more common in Europe compared to S-2 and in my opinion far easier to work with.

dirtmidget33 wrote:
On side note was surprised how many of you TIG with ER70S-6

I dont even know where to get S2 rods here. None of the places I normally buy from has it listed. Maybe if one ask for it.

Braehill wrote:I usually stock what they stock at work.

...
Len

Len, amazing coincidence!

Comes stocked in half lengths at home though.

At work we stock..

ER70S-06 (1/16", 3/32", 1/8")
ER70S-02 (1/8" only)
308L(1/16",3/32", 1/8")
316L (.035", 1/16", 3/32")
309L (1/16", 3/32")
5356 (3/32", 1/8")
Alum brazing rod....
Silicon Bronze...

I stock just about the same at home plus some 4043

weldin mike 27 wrote:Comes stocked in half lengths at home though.

Is that the length that fits in your lunch cooler the best?

Or maybe the empty coffee thermos

My neighbor growing up worked at the local glass plant as a maintenance man and he always had stick rods that were cut short. He was an excellent welder and I asked him if there was a reason that he always cut his rods short, expecting some tip or trick, he said, that's how long my lunch bucket is.

I usually work alone so I don't need to cut them, plus I do all the Aluminum welding for them at home so it's no secret that their wire ends up at my house, just part of the deal.

Len

I was surprised by how many keep 1/8 rod.. . . Me personally hardly ever weld over 135 amps. Stuff I do is normally .065 to .095 wall with just a few things going up to .120 to .125 wall. I have 1/8 tungsten that has never been used.

Didn't know S-2 was rare across the pond. That is interesting any of you weld 4130 over there?

Len you can ship some of that inconel my way

I can only speak for the industries I am involved in (petrochemical and energy).
1/8 comes in handy for filler passes in big pipes. It is not unusual to do fill passes at 250+ amps.
Most guys have found that it is faster to weld pipe up to 8-10" all tig instead of tig + smaw.
Contrary to what you guys are doing, 1/8" is rarely used for root passes as most welders here feed through the gap and 1/8" rod would require a huge gap.

What?!?!?!?! You guys call yourself TIG'ers?!?!?!!

Carbon Steel

• ER70-S2
  • 0.030"
  • 0.035"
  • 0.045"
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"
  • 1/8"
• ER80S-D2
  • 0.035"
  • 0.045"
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"
  • 1/8"

Stainless Steel

• ER308L
  • 0.030"
  • 0.35"
  • 0.045"
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"
  • 1/8"
• ER309L
  • 0.030"
  • 0.045"
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"
  • 1/8"
• ER312L
  • 0.035"
  • 0.045"
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"
• ER316L
  • 0.030"
  • 0.035"
  • 0.045"
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"

Copper

• ERCuSi-1 Silicon-Bronze
  • 0.023" (MIG Roll)
  • 0.035"
  • 0.045"
  • 1/16"

Aluminum

• ER4043
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"
  • 1/8"
• ER5356
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"

Nickel

• ERNiMo-3 Hastelloy-W
  • 0.045"
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"
• Harris Super-Missle-Weld
  • 1/16"
  • 3/32"
  • 1/8"

Titanium

• ERTi-23 6Al-4V ELI
  • 0.045"

OK, OK! So I'm not a real TIG'er like you guys But I am a very enthusiastic enthusiast!!

Holy crap. That's more than my work used to stock, and we were the mucho Grande tig company in the area for years.

weldin mike 27 wrote:Holy crap. That's more than my work used to stock, and we were the mucho Grande tig company in the area for years.

It's really not all that much, most of that stuff is just a pound or two, a few in the ~5lb ranges, and a few other ones in 10lbs boxes simply because I figured about a year or so ago, I'm paying wayyyyy more "per pound" if I buy 1lbs at a time. Just knowing that, eats me up inside, so I just said NO! to high dollar-per-pound tig costs, lol. So now, here I am,

I just have 1.6 s4 and 309. Suits me for the limited work I do at home