Newbie now with TIG.

[addjunkie]

Posted in the wrong thread.

I had this issue recently. Take the cover off your cisterns, header tanks etc anything with auto fill and check for dripping or constant running, supprising how much a netty can use

 

[dazza]

I often look on Spanish second hand sites but never buy anything as they want silly money.

These two made me chuckle.

https://es.wallapop.com/item/soldador-169217204

https://es.wallapop.com/item/maquina-praxair-soldar-tig-200-amperios-ac-dc-164974765

Did see this AC DC miller cheap though https://es.wallapop.com/item/soldador-tig-179035665

 

[dazza]

Don't get much time in the garage these days so not picked up the tig since september but i'm going to fix my gates next week so went and got some gas and spent a few hours trying to sort the contamination problem on the start of the bead. Tried replacing gas hose and a different reg still the same. Tried every setting possible but still the same.

But i think i have sussed it i was sliding the filler across the aluminium into the pool . Is this bad why would it make things messy??

Still get the odd sooty start but its getting better. I've messed with so many setting need to find its sweet spot again as the beads are not as shiny as they used to be. Also no problems with striking this was down to my arc length.

But i'm not always seeing the etching around the bead?

 

[Richard.]

Don't get much time in the garage these days so not picked up the tig since september but i'm going to fix my gates next week so went and got some gas and spent a few hours trying to sort the contamination problem on the start of the bead. Tried replacing gas hose and a different reg still the same. Tried every setting possible but still the same.

But i think i have sussed it i was sliding the filler across the aluminium into the pool . Is this bad why would it make things messy??

Still get the odd sooty start but its getting better. I've messed with so many setting need to find its sweet spot again as the beads are not as shiny as they used to be. Also no problems with striking this was down to my arc length.

But i'm not always seeing the etching around the bead?

It’s not too helpful Daz but without actually seeing and experiencing it with my own eyes It’s just guessing out of thin air. I think we have covered most stuff in the thread mind. Pushing the filler along the stock shouldn’t have a negative effect however if the filler is melting across arc rather than hitting home due to this technique then it’s almost certainly causing your problem.
Etched zone or white bands is removed oxide layer. Two reasons for lack of.
1 if you scrub/mechanically remove the oxide layer before welding (un necessary on decent stock)
2 balance set heavily into the negative half wave.

 

[dazza]

I'm going to try and get out of the habit of doing it. Need to get some more aluminium and try some joints now. The piece i used today was scabby and i did scrub it with scotch brite so that would explain the lack of etching. Good news is i finally know the machine is working well and its down to me.

I find the WP18 a little awkward I'd love a new torch but so many other bits are higher on the purchasing list at the moment.

 

[Richard.]

I'm going to try and get out of the habit of doing it. Need to get some more aluminium and try some joints now. The piece i used today was scabby and i did scrub it with scotch brite so that would explain the lack of etching. Good news is i finally know the machine is working well and its down to me.

I find the WP18 a little awkward I'd love a new torch but so many other bits are higher on the purchasing list at the moment.

How’s the cooler performing

 

[dazza]

How’s the cooler performing

Think its performing well, at 155 amps today and everything stayed nice and cool. Maybe one day I will get around to finishing it.

 

[DAPPH]

If anyone else looking at the thread wants a small stainless steel heat exchanger 120 x 80 x 75 ( ish ) with male threaded in & out I have one FOC so long as you pay the P&P .
It's come out of an oil fired Firebird domestic boiler / central heating unit .& is made from what looks like a dozen or more fused dishes of SS to make the exchanger

 

[minimutly]

If anyone else looking at the thread wants a small stainless steel heat exchanger 120 x 80 x 75 ( ish ) with male threaded in & out I have one FOC so long as you pay the P&P .
It's come out of an oil fired Firebird domestic boiler / central heating unit .& is made from what looks like a dozen or more fused dishes of SS to make the exchanger

I realise this is a dormant thread, but it made fascinating reading nonetheless. @DAPPH yes I would take you up on the exchanger if you still have it - a cooler would be a neat addition to my 202 Selco.
On the tigging ali issues, well I've had my own, and found it frustrating and infuriating to the point of smashing the torch on the floor!!!
It didn't help.
I fixed the torch - more than once, and have now got to the stage of accepting I need a new torch and a pedal, then reset and start again.

 

[DAPPH]

Ok I may /may not still have it if I do I'll put up a picture on the thread .

If not I'll let you know by PM in a f ew days time as I'll have to go hunting for it .

 

[minimutly]

Thanks, no issues if its been skipped. Medium to long range project anyway. Could I use a car heater matrix?

 

[dazza]

As the mig is out of gas thought i would test if the tig still works think i only used it once last year.

I like outside corner joints. Did not dip the tungsten once.

Tacked up.

The top left had a gap wider than the filler but it did not go too bad.

 

[DAPPH]

Re running out of gas...
Don't do what I did and get called in for tea time , switched off the machine , closed the garage up and went inside for nosh , meanwhile the rain came on very hard & it pee'd down for several hours .
Next morning I went to spark the welder up and found the Co2 empty … evidently the bottle valve wasn't fully tightened down so the Co2 must have leaked out overnight .. Bit of a sod really for I'd only put the bottle on the afternoon of the previous day . & only done a 15 " long run of Co2 welding .

Now at each cease of welding time & going out the garage for more than four minutes ( including going in for a loo visit ) I turn the gas off and deplete the sight glass of gas before I turn the welder off, then I put it through it's close down sequence and watch the sight glass tube to see if any gas has lifted the piston in the sight glass .

It's a buggerance but far cheaper than coughing up for going on 37 miles round trip and buying a new £45.00 cylinder refill when the place is open .

When I put the new bottle on the stand and connected up the gauge( after opening the valve for quick blast out of the threads and seat ) I used some spay on leak detector to check there wasn't a leak at the gauge connection end or from the bottles spindle valve .

Initially it didn't really occur to me that the solenoid gas valve on welder or the push in hose line connection at the back of the welder might leak .

But after I sprayed the connector valve area I found it was the push in connection point on the back of the welder where the leak was . Pulled it apart , wet it with the soap spray and it resealed no problems .
It's still Ok several months later but I'm still be doing the modified close down sequence as I'm a Yorkshire man with short arms and deep pockets . ..

 

[dazza]

Re running out of gas...
Don't do what I did and get called in for tea time , switched off the machine , closed the garage up and went inside for nosh , meanwhile the rain came on very hard & it pee'd down for several hours .
Next morning I went to spark the welder up and found the Co2 empty … evidently the bottle valve wasn't fully tightened down so the Co2 must have leaked out overnight .. Bit of a sod really for I'd only put the bottle on the afternoon of the previous day . & only done a 15 " long run of Co2 welding .

Now at each cease of welding time & going out the garage for more than four minutes ( including going in for a loo visit ) I turn the gas off and deplete the sight glass of gas before I turn the welder off, then I put it through it's close down sequence and watch the sight glass tube to see if any gas has lifted the piston in the sight glass .

It's a buggerance but far cheaper than coughing up for going on 37 miles round trip and buying a new £45.00 cylinder refill when the place is open .

When I put the new bottle on the stand and connected up the gauge( after opening the valve for quick blast out of the threads and seat ) I used some spay on leak detector to check there wasn't a leak at the gauge connection end or from the bottles spindle valve .

Initially it didn't really occur to me that the solenoid gas valve on welder or the push in hose line connection at the back of the welder might leak .

But after I sprayed the connector valve area I found it was the push in connection point on the back of the welder where the leak was . Pulled it apart , wet it with the soap spray and it resealed no problems .
It's still Ok several months later but I'm still be doing the modified close down sequence as I'm a Yorkshire man with short arms and deep pockets . ..

Its funny you should say that last night i thought did i switch the gas off.. braved the cold in my dressing gown to check. I didn't switch it off. After loosing nearly a complete bottle once i'm usually very good even switching the gas off when i pop for a cuppa.

 

[Richard.]

If a night with an open valve is enough to leave you empty by morning then you’ve got a problem to fix.
I’ve accidentally left mine on in the past for way over a day before realising and I hadn’t lost anything. The needle hadn’t moved because my system is extremely gas tight as it should be. Your right in the respect we shouldn’t be leaving bottles on but I can’t understand why we ain’t looking for the leaks and fixing them.

 

[DAPPH]

I've had the 900 mm tall yellow Weldgas bottles leak at the spindle of the open /close valve twice since then ..forgot to put that in the post .

What you say about checking for leaks when setting up a new bottle and checking ALL possible leakage points are sound .
The more breaks & joints in the valves , pipeline connectors & regulator system the more fault liabilities you get.

In the end it comes down to a safe thought through routine working practice every time you weld but some of us will still find the gas solenoid valve inside the welder occasionally lets them down too , for the sight glass weight only floats when a reasonable volume of gas is moving through the pipes from the bottle & regulator .

 

[Richard.]

It isn’t particularly difficult and unless the bottle itself is causing the leak (have a word send it back) then it’s very easy to find and fix all system leaks. You need a tin of leak detection fluid to spray on all external joints.
Most common causes for leaks are either damaged bull nose faces or crap pipe connectors.