C
Chris Stevens
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Seems a shame there are no more experienced forum members closer, as it would take less than 10 minutes to work out whether a machine fault is the problem.
- Thread starter Noods
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zx9
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Sorry Noods, I had an early night on Sunday and did not see your reply.
By return I ment the +ve cable from the work back to the machine, is the clamp is clean, is the cable in good condition, is the dinse connector clamping the cable and fitting correctly in the socket.
I was keeping quite because I have made every beginners mistake possible and did not want to muddy the waters:
I forgot to connect the return- it still sparked up on HF but could not maintain an arc.
I have had a gas leak at the start of the torch lead where the gas pipe enters the over sheathing.
It worked fine on low amps but the first time I tried to weld a 6mm fillet all hell broke loose, a loud bang the electrode was vaped, ceramic was cooked and the machine died. Thought I had killed my Parweld, resetting the MCB did not help still dead, I tried it in a 13A socket on a 13A to 16A pig tail and it worked. Turned out to be the live connection in the 16A outlet was loose / not screwed in correctly.
I am sure there are many more errors that I have made over the two years I have been self learning TIG, my main problem is not getting torch time often enough I take two steps forward and move one step backwards during the down time.
I used to do a lot of work around Norwich but the company I was subing to found someone local and cheaper, I heard that he started to deal direct with the end users so has been dropped. If I do get any work up your way as a result of that little fall out I will be charging like a wounded rhino, unfortunatly nothing on the books at the moment or I would have offered to cast my in-expert eye over the machine.
I hope you can get it sorted, like I said I have been there and got the TShirt and it is not fun at times but the satisfaction of getting it right takes some beating.
Noods
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Thanks mTe .. Only time tbh I come that way I'm wearing my favourite colours... Claret and Blue! X
Noods
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I know I've been told to leave it alone for a while....
I'm sorry I can't ..
To finish my workshop which I've been working on for a year now! Simply because ... " that will do! Won't do for me" hence its taken a long while as I've hand built just about everything and if it dares not to look perfect, out it comes.. Yes I'm a perfectionist with OCD and Bi Polar.. No I don't joke about such things as by now many will know why... I know it's not a good combination to have but that's my lot and I do my very best to work with it rather than against it..
So you can no doubt by now guess I'm sure as to how I'm feeling at the mo.. I've a worshop I can't finish because I have so many pieces I need to get on and weld, I'm on the last few days of my Spring hol ... I've an Esab tig which either it or I ain't coming up with the goods... ! Oh and to get back to what I luv building lush, fast, reliable, desirable Ducatis, unfortunately I can't... No workshop ...
I've cleaned up everthing on the earth return lead today, I've 1.4 triple decarbonated rods on trial.. I've checked the gas via a bell mouth which seems to read in line with the reg,, the higher I turn it up the more gas I can hear at the torch, I've replaced all the torch internals inc o ring..
I ran a bead and it all looked not bad considering I have no confidence.. So I tried a second bead in exactly the same way alongside ish and I got holes.. I tried a couple more and got undercut style runs.??? So either I am totally inconsistent or the welder is..
Does anyone know if Elmdale Hadleigh Suffolk has test facility's on site or not.. If they do I'm over there first thing.. X
I'm sorry I can't ..
To finish my workshop which I've been working on for a year now! Simply because ... " that will do! Won't do for me" hence its taken a long while as I've hand built just about everything and if it dares not to look perfect, out it comes.. Yes I'm a perfectionist with OCD and Bi Polar.. No I don't joke about such things as by now many will know why... I know it's not a good combination to have but that's my lot and I do my very best to work with it rather than against it..
So you can no doubt by now guess I'm sure as to how I'm feeling at the mo.. I've a worshop I can't finish because I have so many pieces I need to get on and weld, I'm on the last few days of my Spring hol ... I've an Esab tig which either it or I ain't coming up with the goods... ! Oh and to get back to what I luv building lush, fast, reliable, desirable Ducatis, unfortunately I can't... No workshop ...
I've cleaned up everthing on the earth return lead today, I've 1.4 triple decarbonated rods on trial.. I've checked the gas via a bell mouth which seems to read in line with the reg,, the higher I turn it up the more gas I can hear at the torch, I've replaced all the torch internals inc o ring..
I ran a bead and it all looked not bad considering I have no confidence.. So I tried a second bead in exactly the same way alongside ish and I got holes.. I tried a couple more and got undercut style runs.??? So either I am totally inconsistent or the welder is..
Does anyone know if Elmdale Hadleigh Suffolk has test facility's on site or not.. If they do I'm over there first thing.. X
C
Chris Stevens
Guest
They dont need test facilities to hook up your machine, do a weld test and let you know whether its working properly or not.
Ducati wise wonder if you know Steve Hillary at all, who used to run a Ducati shop, and a Ducati drag bike, which shut down all the Harleys in the V twin class without a lot of problems.............
Ducati wise wonder if you know Steve Hillary at all, who used to run a Ducati shop, and a Ducati drag bike, which shut down all the Harleys in the V twin class without a lot of problems.............
Richard.
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Tiny holes are usually porosity. Under cut is due to insufficient filling or too much heat. You need your whole set up checking noods. The machine alone may be fine. I'm only an hour away noods. If your that keen on sorting it bring it round any eve next week. It's a guessing game otherwise. No member is going to charge you to check your set up for problems.
Richard.
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Doesn't get much simpler. They are a generic machine that carry many different colours and from what I can remember they weld very nicely. Amps (down slope/post gas) 2 and 4stroke. That's it.
Noods
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Yes I have heard/read about him..
Won't say where and won't say when, but, a little guy whose name starts with an N and ends possibly with a D&S was clocked on a Ducati 998r at 176... ! No that's not KPH.. X
Noods
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I will mTe but while I'm off this week on hol and free, I'm back at work Sat Sun Day and Mon Tues Nights..
I think your bang on with the heat diagnosis .. As I've noticed even at relatively low amps my test pieces just curl up uncontrollably .. !
Noods
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Yep it should be... I'm the complicated one... X
Richard.
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Noods please don't take the following as anything but curious. Not an insult but I really struggle to get why it's that difficult.
The struggling to get on with this tig has been a struggle for ages as to which a number of threads have been developed which we love to read and offer help but the thing I'm struggling with is you've had loads of offers from a number of members no more than an hour to an hour and half drive away. Yet we seem no further forward. It's clearly bothering you and you say your desperate to get the shop done but you've got the answer to your problems replying to you and wanting to help. I know you work a lot mate but surely a bit of time out to get it sorted or at least answer some questions is a tiny sacrifice to make when most of us inc myself would sacrifice time too to help out a good decent guy like yourself. I guess what I'm asking is why do you chose to struggle with it when you don't have too.
Noods
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MTe I was there first and very last minute of practice through to the end of the race.. I simply adore everthing Ducati/NCR.. One of reasons my welding simply has to get rite and fast... I've got drawn designs for Ducati builds etc coming out of my ears.. I think "Andrea I" would have won the race if he hadn't touched to white line, 10mph faster than any other bike too.. Scotty will be up there too in a few races time on his Pramac GP016 ... Belissimo Ducati.." Oh and to get back to what I luv building lush, fast, reliable, desirable Ducatis, "
You weren't at Qutar at the weekend were you? Dovi was going well, so was Iannone till he lobbed it!
Noods
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No mate I really hate to struggle with anything, if I could, although I know it's obv impossible, perfection would grow on trees, I cannot stand seeing anything that's not as good as it possibly could be.. My faults are well documented, my biggest fault is myself, I really go hard on myself if, I can't achieve an acceptable level ( acceptable to me ) to the extreme where I can't sleep, it eats me up literally, I know it's crazy to most sane people but it's my way.. My Dad was the same and my boy.. A Dr of Physics is exactly the same, he won't accept an equation that's a tiny bit out, he goes back through pages and pages writing a new formula..
Bloody annoying but the desire to be the very best you can be.. That's me..
Yes it's very difficult visiting because of my shifts and hours, but the real issue, and don't anyone take this the wrong way please as its not you Guys, it's me.. I really struggle to meet, physically, people in person, I enjoy the hiding via the web etc, for I can talk without actually meeting anyone.. That's why I glean as much as I can before trying, to then go sort any problem out myself..
Without wanting to bang on about it, sadly it comes from being abused as a youngster, I received no help or counselling for 30 odd yrs, it obv did much harm and I became really withdrawn.. Where I work there's literally thousands of workers, so you meet new people every day. I came "out" down there when I felt I had no choice, at first it was the best thing ever, I was free, no longer ashamed, several people got to hear and spoke with me over it, I had and have absolutely nothing to hide or be ashamed of so I spoke openly with them, I also threw myself into voluntary work to help others in many ways, all was great, then someone, the company never found out who, began posting notes around the company along with leaving notes on workers cars stating untruths.. Obv made my life hell again as I couldn't talk to quash the lies to over 3000 people.. Rumours travel fast and although my real friends rallied round me it left its mark once more.. Like I say PLEASE don't take this the wrong way, but, I struggle to travel and find the confidence to meet anyone, more so new people.. I'm sure your all luvly out there and I do hope to eventually meet some of you soon.. Once I get over the thought of a first date I'm normally fine.. I'm sorry but hopefully you can understand I'm trying to build my confidence back after a couple of set backs.. It will come.. Just as another Moto GP title will come to Ducati soon and a Prem title to my beloved West Ham..
I luv you all, each and everyone of you who has ever offered help, advice, or have just written to me via this blog.. ( my luv is in a purely manly way by the way) no offence ..
Paul.
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I've stayed out of this one so far because too many people offering advice tend only to confuse, one thing I have noticed (unless I've missed it) is that no one has yet mentioned checking that the polarity is correct, the torch needs to be connected to the Negative terminal.
Assuming that all is correct with the welding machine setup, then the next thing I would do is a spot test, this will check your gas flow and verify that the machine will initiate and maintain an arc, when you have done that post pictures of the result
spot test info and what to expect from it can be found here, http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/just-got-a-new-tig.27276/page-2#post-301703
As pdg says then try to video what's going on, but don't attempt to weld with a rod just run a bead on the flat with a tight arc for an inch or so, a bit of 3mm wall box section is ideal for this do this with a 1.6 tungsten at around 90 amps, gas set to 5 or 6 lpm, if all is well then do it again with some filler and see if it make any difference, only by adding in the various elements of the welding process one at a time will you determine where the problem is.
Assuming that all is correct with the welding machine setup, then the next thing I would do is a spot test, this will check your gas flow and verify that the machine will initiate and maintain an arc, when you have done that post pictures of the result
spot test info and what to expect from it can be found here, http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/just-got-a-new-tig.27276/page-2#post-301703
As pdg says then try to video what's going on, but don't attempt to weld with a rod just run a bead on the flat with a tight arc for an inch or so, a bit of 3mm wall box section is ideal for this do this with a 1.6 tungsten at around 90 amps, gas set to 5 or 6 lpm, if all is well then do it again with some filler and see if it make any difference, only by adding in the various elements of the welding process one at a time will you determine where the problem is.
Richard.
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Polarity been mentioned a couple of times Paul and confirmed its right by noods. Tbh I've no doubt it's right as I can't imagine he'd get any more than about 2 seconds of welding if that tungsten was fully loaded with EP.
The vid is defo the next best thing.
Richard.
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The spot test and autogenous vids if you do them will be best performed on stainless if you can get a bit. The post gas results show up much clearer on SS and autogenous tig is nice on SS if running right and horrible if you've got shielding issues. Mild steel without filler can be hit and miss even if the shield is ok
C
Chris Stevens
Guest
Seems to me that noise all the time suggests the possibility of HF not cutting out. Would be well worth turning HF off, and seeing what happens in scratch start mode................
