Minimum Current

[Will_Davis]

I have been asked to try to tack weld some 400 mesh stainless woven fabric mesh into a 3d shape for home brewing. (Its a pellet filter in a kettle)

This is pretty fine stuff!

My tig only goes down to 20 amps and is far too agressive to controlably tack this stuff. I tried it with a heat sink and still it blobbed a 4mm diameter crater. Ok, It did form a bead but not what my mate woukld like.

Is there any way, outside of the machine, to reduce the aplied welding current?

One idea that comes from the dark,(back side), of my memory is to use say 10 gauge galvanised wire as a big resistor! But probably the electonics would detect this and just step up the juice!

BTW: As I am Welsh: Baaa!

 

[Hitch]

Could it be crimped into a frame? Depends what shape you want...

 

[Paul.]

I've never had any success welding wirecloth. and I'm not easily beat, as Hitch, if possible a mechanical fixing would be the answer, it can also be resistance spot welded, need some careful prep of the tips though

 

[hotrodder]

Dunno about stuff that fine but 'traping' the edges/joints between some thin sheet and then tacking through the lot has worked for me in the past. Whether the edging is folded or two seperate pieces they have to be clamped together very tightly. Kinda an evolution of using washers on weldmesh

 

[gordon stephenson]

If you have access to other methods, brazing or possibly silver soldering