Diagnose my stainless attempts

[lchris21]

Been a few years since I Tig'd stainless and mistakenly thought it would be like riding a bike

anyway, got a little project on the go with some 1.5mm, 304 exhaust tubing, and after a good few frustrating hours am beginning to chase my tail

It all a bit hit and miss at the moment, but the biggest problem is I just can stop the weld sinking into the material. If i slow down drop & drop the amps I cant get a good pool, and the filler just sits there, on the other hand If I up the amps the filler just dissapears, and ends up on the backside all crusty and horrible......

Also the fashion for shiny stacked pennies welds are the leatest greatest thing to have so I'm told and I just end up with a grey flat mess

I've got no back purge at the moment, but am into the garage later for a play around with this. And to get a bit more clinical with the cleaning bit, I'm hoping this will help

I've been using various cups (4,5-6), tungstens (1mm-1.2mm) stickout between 3-8mm, and amps (10-50). Flow has been fiddling around the 5-7LPM
I got a Cebora Tigstar and using the foot pedal, from 10-40amps (min-max)
I'm using 1.5mm, 316 filler at the mo, while I wait for some 308L...
Pic attached of the various attempts
Comments appreciated

 

[Shox Dr]

Nowt wrong with them. 40 amps for 1.5 is a tad low but then it depends on joint type.

Post a pic up of a joint.

 

[Welderpaul]

You have mastered the basics. You now need to get the balance of the amps and your travel speed right. Practice without using filler to get your travel right, it should still give you the stack of dimes look, but virtually flush with the parent metal. (Called 'fusing').
IMO a foot pedal isnt necessary and is just another thing to have to worry about.
Keep practising

 

[wyn]

Maybe go with a smaller filler wire....1 or 1.2mm then you might not need as many amps to keep the pool going and melt the filler wire.

 

[langy]

You will find 1mm rods will make that job much neater and easier

 

[lchris21]

cheers all,
have emailed weldequip for some 1mm 308L rods as they seem to be thin on the ground online in smaller quantities.........

 

[TechnicAl]

what gas are you using?

 

[lchris21]

air products - argon