Does my Tig need to see the Tig Doctor?

[Noods]

I'm struggling to get a picture of it but my tig electrode seems to go a light grey colour at the sharp end and it looks pitted, even when I haven't dipped it! It's still relatively sharp and if I re sharpen it it will again go grey etc... Is this a tig condition or is all well? I'm on Pure argon welding mild steel at 80amps gas on 10..

Thanks Muchly....

 

[eSCHEn]

How much work has the tungsten done to get that finish noods? Also what kind is the W?

 

[AndersK]

How much post flow?
Set to at least 5 s, keep torch still while post gas flows. Test and report back

 

[Appyasme1]

Which type of Tungstan are you using.2% Thoriated for Stainless,or Zirconated.Please do not mention Ceriated.The worst Tungstan on the market

 

[Noods]

How much work has the tungsten done to get that finish noods? Also what kind is the W?

It has done a lot of work to be fair.. Because I don't get the tip stuck so often like I used to its lasted a lot longer prob done about 5 hrs ish .. It is a tad bent though as you can see it's closer to one side of the ceramic than it is the other... Prob heat from grinding I guess...

 

[Noods]

Which type of Tungstan are you using.2% Thoriated for Stainless,or Zirconated.Please do not mention Ceriated.The worst Tungstan on the market

Thoriated supplied by elmdale...

 

[Richard.]

It's not the tungsten type that's causing the issue nor does your machine need to see the doctor noods. What your getting is a dose of electrodoxiditous (made up doctors words by the way). Oxides are attacking your tungsten due to insufficient shielding. As you've not mentioned the welding at all I assume that's ok so Anders has hit the nail on the head. When you finish the weld both the bead and the tungsten are susceptible to been attacked by oxides as they cool down. The post flow held over the end of your recent run protects it from those oxides and aids a little towards speeding up the cooling too. It does exactly the same for your tungsten too. 5 seconds is minimum and thicker plate takes more current and longer to cool, if this is the case longer post flow again. Keep upping the post flow time till the tungsten stays clean and shiny.

 

[AndersK]

. Prob heat from grinding I guess...

...and I always thought its when I wiggle loose a tip that had frozen in the puddle I get that little bend

 

[Richard.]

Prob heat from grinding

Another error there noods. Grind them as cool as you can. It shouldn't be glowing on the wheel. Dress em up like a drill bit. A soft wheel makes this so easy.

 

[Jim Davey]

Don't forget the tungsten degrades in use over time and will need a freshen up on the grinder, just a skim, nothing major. I figure on getting maybe 150 starts out of a 2.4mm tungsten (I like a fairly sharp point, which exacerbates the problem) more if you have a shallower grind angle but you loose arc focus a little I find.
Having a little upslope and downslope on seems to help the tungsten last a little longer between grinds, and of course post flow time plays a big part, too little and your tungstens suffer, too much and your wallet suffers.
And on mild steel I get even shorter tungsten life, even if it's spotlessly prepared. I'm not saying you won't get more life out of a tungsten than that (some people weld with awful condition tungstens and are happy as Larry) but you always notice an improvement after a fresh grind and you'll hang onto that performance for longer if you keep the tungsten contaminant free and correctly shielded.

 

[eSCHEn]

some people weld with awful condition tungstens and are happy as Larry

 

[Jim Davey]

When I see the state the tungsten is in on some of the hire gear that comes back in I wonder what the operator was thinking.
"No time for a regrind, my pint is getting warm" is what I reckon most of the time...

 

[Noods]

To be fair it is blunt now, but as I say as soon as I use a re ground one it goes lightish grey with pit marks.. Box of electrodes I'm using in pic too..

 

[Jim Davey]

What amps are you putting though them, they are tiny and won't take much.

 

[WorkshopChris]

That's what i was thinking 80 amps on a 1mm is asking an awful lot.

 

[Noods]

...and I always thought its when I wiggle loose a tip that had frozen in the puddle I get that little bend

Yep.. Your most likely rite ... X

 

[Noods]

That's what i was thinking 80 amps on a 1mm is asking an awful lot.

Sorry my fault, no, I've a couple of sizes in two packets that look the same I just grabbed the first one to hand .. One I'm using is 1.6 I think .. 80 amps is the max I've been using normally 60 amps.. TBH I've barely used the thin electrodes..

 

[eSCHEn]

When I see the state the tungsten is in on some of the hire gear that comes back in I wonder what the operator was thinking.
"No time for a regrind, my pint is getting warm" is what I reckon most of the time...

Any good pics? I am like some kind of sadistic torturer to the poor things

 

[Noods]

Another error there noods. Grind them as cool as you can. It shouldn't be glowing on the wheel. Dress em up like a drill bit. A soft wheel makes this so easy.

Ahh I'm never too proud to learn by my errors hey! When you say a soft wheel do you mean a 120 NEW flap wheel, used purely for electrode grinding...?

 

[Noods]

What does this Larry bloke look like? I'm always hearing of him but have yet to actually see him...