Welding Tips and Tricks

Ok, this may already be answered somewhere else in the forum, but I can't seem to find it.

As someone new to TIG welding and going out to purchase consumables, what difference is it to the weld (because I sure won't see it just starting out without a side-by-side HA HA HA) if I use 2% or 1.5% lanthanated electrodes? My local supplier has 1.5s out the ying-yang and says that they don't know anything about 2%.

So if I buy the 1.5 what am I giving up?

Thanks,
Marc

marc1957 wrote:Ok, this may already be answered somewhere else in the forum, but I can't seem to find it.

As someone new to TIG welding and going out to purchase consumables, what difference is it to the weld (because I sure won't see it just starting out without a side-by-side HA HA HA) if I use 2% or 1.5% lanthanated electrodes? My local supplier has 1.5s out the ying-yang and says that they don't know anything about 2%.

So if I buy the 1.5 what am I giving up?

Thanks,
Marc

Hey Marc, welcome to the forums.
You won't miss out on anything, are you welding at home or on the job? If your practicing at home buy the 1.5%, it's what they stock for a reason. The 2% may hold the point a little better, however it's not significant enough to be an issue, and there wouldn't be any different effect on the weld.

Richard

I personally think the 1.5% sucks vs the 2% as far as amp carrying ability, but that's just me.

If most of what you are doing as a newbie is practising at relatively low amps I doubt you'll have trouble. If you are riding 200 amps all day long it might be of some concern.

And if it's the difference between welding and not welding, I say get 'em. What do they cost? I'm guessing not very much. Buy them, do some practising and maybe get some 2% Lanthanated online in the meantime. When they arrive you can do some comparisons for yourself.

As a relative newbie, part of the 'discovery process' for me has been comparing various electrodes. They are not very expensive. I buy packs of 5 electrodes online then light up and see how they go. If I like them, I buy them in greater quantity.



Kym

http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/tun ... rodes.html

Jodie covered this in the above link, read the article and watch tne video.

Enjoy

If you're interested in doing aluminium the 1.5 is no good. If you have 2% you have one electrode that will do everything. Why settle for third best?

Your lws will have heard of 2%. They just want to sell you what they have on the self.

2% is qualified for AC welding.
1.5% is only for DCEN.

This per the CKworldwide website.

Steve S