Welding Tips and Tricks

In a perfect world Diamond Ground Tungsten wouldn't be so expensive. So does anybody have experience with cheaper brands like ABN, Weldcity, etc...??? Wat about MIG wire? Anybody have some experience with the smaller name brands? I know you typically get what you pay for and bad consumables can cause a mess load of headache but I'm hoping I can find something that's easier on my very thin wallet and still works as well. Thanks!

I'm a relative newbie to TIG welding. My first tungstens were E3 3/32" from AirGas ($7.50/each) and they worked fine on 1/8" and 1/16 mild steel. I wanted to try 2% Lanthanated and bought 10x7" 3/32" 2% with a WeldingCity label ($1.70/each) and they work fine too. I've been running a max of 125 amp on DCEN (DCSP) for both types of tungsten.

I hope this information adds to the discussion.

Dave

http://www.usaweld.com/Tungsten-s/59.htm


Try this place. Have had good luck with their products and their prices are really good. As far as Mig wire goes, buy premium wire or you may regret it. I bought some Horrible Freight wire once in a pinch and it was garbage. Wouldn't light up, spattered really bad, and just didn't want to weld plus it was random wound and would tangle and birdnest if you looked at it wrong. Been very happy with usawelds products. Some things you can go cheap on but others not so much. I do like their 2% Lanthanated.

i use wolfram. its expensive but out lasts others I've
used. if i welded for a living day in and out or
spent time practicing i would find something cheaper.
but since what i weld is my only practice, i opt
for setups in now.
craig

A lot of times, like Jody says, it's very difficult to distinguish the differences between DC welding arcs amongst different tungstens. But on AC, it's a whole 'mother ballgame. Tip erosion/balling/noduling plays a huge role in tungsten quality IMO.

newbies and unknown quality of tig torch consumables can/will create frustration,can really mess up the learning curve.
The good is this community will help willingly. The info baseline supplied ,is important when seeking assistance.

Here in Oz I am using both Weldstone and HDB branded tungsten electrodes.

I don't think either is what you'd call a premium brand, they were just what was available at the time, and they perform very nicely.

I buy online because my LWS stocks virtually nothing. Last time I was there they had a heap of Thoriated and a stray pack or two of Ceriated. If you mention Lanthanated to them they just look at you funny.




Kym

I find the same problem with lws. That's one of the great reasons to be part of this forum and wt&t is that we are up to date with what technology and the rest of the world are doing. not just a bunch of ostriches with heads in sand doing same old for thirty years.
Pulse? That's wot doctors do ain't it?
Hi frequency? Repeat orders are always good.

Coldman wrote:I find the same problem with lws. That's one of the great reasons to be part of this forum and wt&t is that we are up to date with what technology and the rest of the world are doing. not just a bunch of ostriches with heads in sand doing same old for thirty years.
Pulse? That's wot doctors do ain't it?
Hi frequency? Repeat orders are always good.

My friend is a union boilermaker and when we talk welding, he is lost as to new technology and up to date techniques. He brought me a 1/8" tungsten and gas lens setup from work. The tungsten had a red tip and I asked him why they use thoriated when there are better alternatives. " How do you know it's thoriated?" he said. I almost fell down dead when he said that. He told me it's what the company always provides for them and he never bothered to find out what it was This from a guy that has been welding for 25 years in an industrial setting.

I see your point of view - ( and I mean no offense by this ) but on DC at least thoriated has worked for years & why change something that works - I agree some modern innovations can make a job easier but equally the old school stuff was made that way for a reason & continues to work - look at TamJeff's work - old synchrowave I believe - no gizmos no foot pedal but how many people can replicate his work? I got into using a nice inverter for stick welding just because it was easier to move around - couple of months back it died - no idea why - switched on the old oil cooled dinosaur in the corner & it still welds fine - just a bugger if the leads don't reach !- not sure about getting another - if I could get all my jobs in the shop I probably would'nt - keep looking at the fabricator 211 as it covers all bases & is portable but I just don't trust new stuff when it's my own money - kinda waiting for a long term test from AK or someone else that talks straight. I know some local bike builders that still use exclusively oxy / acetylene for welding - I think it's what your comfortable using as long as you get the results you need plus in many trades change is not considered a good thing - I'm not sure why but the biggest welding firm left round here won't have auto darkening hoods in the shop & that is one thing I do like when they work.

noddybrian wrote:I see your point of view - ( and I mean no offense by this ) but on DC at least thoriated has worked for years & why change something that works - I agree some modern innovations can make a job easier but equally the old school stuff was made that way for a reason & continues to work - look at TamJeff's work - old synchrowave I believe - no gizmos no foot pedal but how many people can replicate his work? I got into using a nice inverter for stick welding just because it was easier to move around - couple of months back it died - no idea why - switched on the old oil cooled dinosaur in the corner & it still welds fine - just a bugger if the leads don't reach !- not sure about getting another - if I could get all my jobs in the shop I probably would'nt - keep looking at the fabricator 211 as it covers all bases & is portable but I just don't trust new stuff when it's my own money - kinda waiting for a long term test from AK or someone else that talks straight. I know some local bike builders that still use exclusively oxy / acetylene for welding - I think it's what your comfortable using as long as you get the results you need plus in many trades change is not considered a good thing - I'm not sure why but the biggest welding firm left round here won't have auto darkening hoods in the shop & that is one thing I do like when they work.

I can see how the 'Thoriated only' thing is a practical approach in a workplace, but it's hardly a progressive one.

A smart workplace is one that takes time here and there to investigate new materials/techniques, introduce them to workers, discuss their merits, give people options. That possibly sounds a bit Sensitive New Age, but it doesn't necessarily have to cost much or take up much time, and the result is workers who are more informed and feel like their employer gives a damn.

It's a little thing that can keep employees happier and mean it's less likely they'll go elsewhere.

Just an opinion; I am possibly talking out of my arse, as I have never actually worked in a Fab shop, but I think there are some aspects of the work environment that are similar, regardless of the discipline at hand.



Kym

exnailpounder wrote:

Coldman wrote:I find the same problem with lws. That's one of the great reasons to be part of this forum and wt&t is that we are up to date with what technology and the rest of the world are doing. not just a bunch of ostriches with heads in sand doing same old for thirty years.
Pulse? That's wot doctors do ain't it?
Hi frequency? Repeat orders are always good.

My friend is a union boilermaker and when we talk welding, he is lost as to new technology and up to date techniques. He brought me a 1/8" tungsten and gas lens setup from work. The tungsten had a red tip and I asked him why they use thoriated when there are better alternatives. " How do you know it's thoriated?" he said. I almost fell down dead when he said that. He told me it's what the company always provides for them and he never bothered to find out what it was This from a guy that has been welding for 25 years in an industrial setting.

Hahaha that's insane. But honestly not completely surprising. I've met a couple of tradesmen that are like that.

thatoneguy wrote:

exnailpounder wrote:

Coldman wrote:I find the same problem with lws. That's one of the great reasons to be part of this forum and wt&t is that we are up to date with what technology and the rest of the world are doing. not just a bunch of ostriches with heads in sand doing same old for thirty years.
Pulse? That's wot doctors do ain't it?
Hi frequency? Repeat orders are always good.

My friend is a union boilermaker and when we talk welding, he is lost as to new technology and up to date techniques. He brought me a 1/8" tungsten and gas lens setup from work. The tungsten had a red tip and I asked him why they use thoriated when there are better alternatives. " How do you know it's thoriated?" he said. I almost fell down dead when he said that. He told me it's what the company always provides for them and he never bothered to find out what it was This from a guy that has been welding for 25 years in an industrial setting.

Hahaha that's insane. But honestly not completely surprising. I've met a couple of tradesmen that are like that.

I almost understand it myself because I am a carpenter by trade and I am not up on alot of the new products on the market but I would think that refineries and power plants would be all over new and better technology and techniques but I guess not. I didn't mention that even though he welds for a living, he only does it to pay the bills and his only other interest in life is drinking himself into a coma. At one time I was impressed that he is a mirror weldor until I realized I could do it too.

My LWS is somewhere in the middle. They carry pure, thoriated and Ceriated tungsten. Lanthanated has to be ordered. I would think that LWSs sell most of their products to large companies who use purchasing agents. When the big company is out of the item they always use, purchasing orders more of the part number in the computer. When a large company starts using Lanthanted and ordering on a regular basis, I'm sure it will be on the shelf too.

Inweld is the brand my LWS seem to have the most of so it should be good quality. I'm not good enough to tell if the arc looks different between brands, so ingest salt grain now.

I'm using these, and they seem to by fine
and they are cheap!
https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Tungsten-Wel ... =tungsten

Jim FLinchbaugh wrote:I'm using these, and they seem to by fine
and they are cheap!
ABN-Tungsten-Welding-Electrodes-Lanthanated

Fixed it for you.

Oscar wrote:

Jim FLinchbaugh wrote:I'm using these, and they seem to by fine
and they are cheap!
ABN-Tungsten-Welding-Electrodes-Lanthanated

Fixed it for you.

thanks not sure why I couldnt get the link to go?
Anyway, as someone else eluded to, these work great on steel, but I've had them do the "wonky ball" on AC a few times

Jim FLinchbaugh wrote:

Oscar wrote:

Jim FLinchbaugh wrote:I'm using these, and they seem to by fine
and they are cheap!
ABN-Tungsten-Welding-Electrodes-Lanthanated

Fixed it for you.

thanks not sure why I couldnt get the link to go?
Anyway, as someone else eluded to, these work great on steel, but I've had them do the "wonky ball" on AC a few times

You left a space between the end of the link and the "[/url]" ending tag.