Hi James,
The person to ask these questions is Valerie Rock. Post it to the welding group on the art metal site. I answer your questions below to the best of my knowledge.
You said this was a project to enhance your TIG skills... looks like you
were very successful!
Successful I guess so. I had quite a few burn through I had to deal with and a few places the welds are ugly and had to be ground down. So I'll practice some more.
I'm trying to get better at TIG, and am asking a few techie questions,
with SPECIFIC REFERENCE to MILD STEEL TIG WELDING.
1. Polarity? DCEP I suppose? They say not to use AC for steel.
I use DCEN for mild steel.
2. Tungsten type? Thoriated or something else?
2% Thoriated
3. Tungsten diameter? 3/32" or what?
3/32"
4. Amperage range? 150, more or less or what?
I had the power supply set to 165 as a maximum
How much do you increase
amperage with finger/foot control?
I use a foot control. I start with it almost all the way on then back off as the puddle forms. You do not want the metal boiling. This will lead to pits and the dreaded burn through.
5. Argon flow rate? 15 CFH or other setting on regulator?
I have it between 10 and 15
6. Touch start or hi frequency arc start?
Hi freq arc start
7. Do you use a deoxidized filler metal or just plain mild steel filler
metal.
Deoxidized.
8. Any other tips would be appreciated.
My tungsten (thoriated) tends to oxidize soon after I start welding, it
acts much like an ox/ac flame that is "oxidizing". Plus, the arc is
erratic, wandering here and about. I use a pointed tip, ground on a
"tungsten only" grinding wheel.
I'd ask Valerie I'm not sure. I had a problem something like this once when the bottle I used was ARGON CO2 rather than straight ARGON. The tungsten oxidized very quick and actually burned up.
TIG
Hi James,
The person to ask these questions is Valerie Rock. Post it to the welding group on the art metal site. I answer your questions below to the best of my knowledge.
You said this was a project to enhance your TIG skills... looks like you
were very successful!
Successful I guess so. I had quite a few burn through I had to deal with and a few places the welds are ugly and had to be ground down. So I'll practice some more.
I'm trying to get better at TIG, and am asking a few techie questions,
with SPECIFIC REFERENCE to MILD STEEL TIG WELDING.
1. Polarity? DCEP I suppose? They say not to use AC for steel.
I use DCEN for mild steel.
2. Tungsten type? Thoriated or something else?
2% Thoriated
3. Tungsten diameter? 3/32" or what?
3/32"
4. Amperage range? 150, more or less or what?
I had the power supply set to 165 as a maximum
How much do you increase
amperage with finger/foot control?
I use a foot control. I start with it almost all the way on then back off as the puddle forms. You do not want the metal boiling. This will lead to pits and the dreaded burn through.
5. Argon flow rate? 15 CFH or other setting on regulator?
I have it between 10 and 15
6. Touch start or hi frequency arc start?
Hi freq arc start
7. Do you use a deoxidized filler metal or just plain mild steel filler
metal.
Deoxidized.
8. Any other tips would be appreciated.
My tungsten (thoriated) tends to oxidize soon after I start welding, it
acts much like an ox/ac flame that is "oxidizing". Plus, the arc is
erratic, wandering here and about. I use a pointed tip, ground on a
"tungsten only" grinding wheel.
I'd ask Valerie I'm not sure. I had a problem something like this once when the bottle I used was ARGON CO2 rather than straight ARGON. The tungsten oxidized very quick and actually burned up.
-gary
www.earthtravel.net/gardengates