Munkul
Jack of some trades, Master of none
- Messages
- 7,371
- Location
- Cumbria
Still getting some contamination to cause porosity - clean til shiny, degrease with acetone. If you can't be bothered to do that, then you'll have to live with some random porosity here and there.
Have you got a ball flowmeter? If not, get one. It's really quite important to be able to know how much gas you're flowing.
Presume you're wearing gloves? If not, get some. Ultima deerskins are what I use, I'd reccomend to anyone.
Too much heat - I hardly imagine it's the amps too high based on what you've said- so quite possibly too low... that and a long arc will waste loads of heat everywhere except where you want it, which is right in the weld puddle. It's just a guess, but I think your arc length must be still too long. For 3mm steel I'd say start with 90-100 amps, for 1.6mm sheet 50-60 amps. You can go higher than that if you can pick up your travel speed.
You need to know what the puddle looks like, don't look at the arc. Then you need to work out how to a) get a puddle within 1-2 seconds; and b) move the torch whilst bring the puddle with it.
2.4mm filler rod won't help - it's too big for anything under 100 amps IMHO, it chills the puddle too much and will stick. That's just my opinion though. I'd rather use 1.6mm for everything steel/stainless steel.
If you can move your hands properly, you should be able to run a bead as long as a length of filler rod without stopping.... Not something that most people will ever do, mind, including me!
Have you got a ball flowmeter? If not, get one. It's really quite important to be able to know how much gas you're flowing.
Presume you're wearing gloves? If not, get some. Ultima deerskins are what I use, I'd reccomend to anyone.
Too much heat - I hardly imagine it's the amps too high based on what you've said- so quite possibly too low... that and a long arc will waste loads of heat everywhere except where you want it, which is right in the weld puddle. It's just a guess, but I think your arc length must be still too long. For 3mm steel I'd say start with 90-100 amps, for 1.6mm sheet 50-60 amps. You can go higher than that if you can pick up your travel speed.
You need to know what the puddle looks like, don't look at the arc. Then you need to work out how to a) get a puddle within 1-2 seconds; and b) move the torch whilst bring the puddle with it.
2.4mm filler rod won't help - it's too big for anything under 100 amps IMHO, it chills the puddle too much and will stick. That's just my opinion though. I'd rather use 1.6mm for everything steel/stainless steel.
If you can move your hands properly, you should be able to run a bead as long as a length of filler rod without stopping.... Not something that most people will ever do, mind, including me!