Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi all.

So i'm looking for some advice, i've always mig welded stainless so tig is a bit new to me

My setup is as follows:
Eastwood tig 200
Argon set to roughly 8LPM-4LPM roughly 15cfh- No flowmeter ATM other than bottles built in regulator, and converting units from uk to usa for easy reading for people.
Running 40amps
0.2sec pre-flow
4sec post-flow
Number 6 cup - no gas lense
No back purge
Foot pedal not used

Using 1.6mm or 1/16 2% thoriated tungstens ground to quite a sharp point
1.6mm or 1/16 308L filler rod

Practicing beads on some 304L stainless 1.5mm or 0.060 wall thickness pipe i had laying about.

Now i wasnt surgically clean in my prep, only scotchbrite pad till clean in places. Some places i did not bother at all so i knew what dirty and clean welded like.

Here's a picture of the best welds i could manage in around 1.5hours before i got hungry and went in search for food.

Weirdly enough my spot welds came out quite nice color when i used 60-80amps and survived a good hammer test

Just looking for advice and tips on getting coloring as atm mine are looking quite gray, found what i can find using google and search buttons i believe a longer post flow, gas lense and back purge will help?
Would using a smaller filler rod mean i could move quicker? if so could i use the stainless mig wire on the reel i have left?

thanks for any replys it means a lot i'll try to not annoy with silly questions

fordy,
First off welcome to the forum, feel free to use the introduction page and tell us a little about yourself.

The simple answer to all your questions is yes.

The long answer is, yes you can use the thin Mig wire you have. The more you practice on the same piece, the more it will turn gray due to overheating. A gas lens will help with color, as will a back purge. You can also bump up your post flow and hold it there until it ends.

Len

Personally I'd increase to 55-60 amps and move faster, will also help wet out the 1/16" filler. Or you could try 40amp with .030-.035" mig filler. I'd say your post flow is on par for 40amps.

That small piece of tubing has just gotten heat soaked I believe that is why some of the welds are very grey, and being at only ,40amps it took to long to melt the filler properly.

The back purge will only help with backside sugaring, it will not do much for your front side.

Thanks for replied guys

I tried higher ampages but I couldn't move fast enough and the weld went really flat.
I admit that was when I was playing around trying to get comfortable at the beginning with my torch angle/movement and filler dabbing is pants

Found last night doing research that when the filler rod balls up its because the torch angle is wrong

I noticed when I raised the amps the weld behind the pool just went really dark and flakey grey I did think possibly gas shield but never thought about the heat in the piece...I'll have to keep an eye on that

I've ordered a gas lense no 6 + 8 1/16 and flow meter so will try again when they turn up