so what am i doing wrong

[BrokenBiker]

some of my welds are covered in brown soot, others arent...

im using argoshield light with a flow rate of 12LPM according to my flow meter regulator.

some welds are clean, others are covered in brown/black soot.

pic below to show what is going on. i have a feeling it could be my torch angle? im welding in flat position but torch isnt always 90 degrees to the work...pushing or pulling doesnt make any difference to the soot

P.S. i was welding outside but no real noticable breeze and im fairly well blocked in from the wind

 

[the snooper]

turn the gas down to 10 lpm

 

[BrokenBiker]

turn the gas down to 10 lpm

down? does too much gas cause soot?

 

[the snooper]

down? does too much gas cause soot?

you don't want 90 degrees to the work and you are wasting gas at 12lpm

 

[Welderpaul]

I wouldn't worry about it. People seem to get hung up about brown soot. There isn't enough to worry about.

12L/m is about right.

 

[BrokenBiker]

you don't want 90 degrees to the work and you are wasting gas at 12lpm

fair enough. will set the gas lower when i have a go next and stick with my current torch angle then

 

[BrokenBiker]

I wouldn't worry about it. People seem to get hung up about brown soot. There isn't enough to worry about.

12L/m is about right.

it comes off with a wipe of the glove or a rag, just wondered if it may be causing unseen issues. if its not a problem i dont mind though

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I get this occasionally, never bothered me as it wipes off.

 

[BrokenBiker]

There are many things that can cause a bit of soot, I wouldn't be bothered about the amount there is in those photos.

Gas flow depends on what torch and shroud you have really - too much flow through a small shroud can get air in. MB15 with conical shroud I'd knock it down a little from 12 (personally to 8ish), a 25 with a straight shroud I'd probably be up near 15...

its a 15 torch with a conical shroud...will lower it a bit monday when i play next

 

[cumbriasteve]

Since fitting my new spool of wire I have terrible sooty welds, nothing else has changed so it has to be that, was not the best wire but not the cheapest either.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Since fitting my new spool of wire I have terrible sooty welds, nothing else has changed so it has to be that, was not the best wire but not the cheapest either.

i dont know what manufacturer my wire came from, it was the free 1Kg spool that came with the welder

 

[xmetal]

Get the Lincoln Supramig 0.8mm wire when it runs out, it's very good.

 

[Shedendman]

^^^^^^
As others have said,BOC gas seems to do this lately,used some from SGS last week,same wire same flow a little less soot,but no difference in the weld,why i dont know

 

[mike 109444]

I wonder if it comes from the copper coating on the wire? This query gets posted quite a lot on the forum.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I wonder if it comes from the copper coating on the wire? This query gets posted quite a lot on the forum.

I doubt there will ever be one solid answer.

Apart from gas flow, torch angle and the like I suspect the wire we think we are buying is often not so, anything that can be counterfeit will be and it's easy enough to mark up a box with the Lincoln or Murex branding, add to that the ease that a very professional website can be made and even the careful buyer who thinks he is buying the best from a reputable seller can be paying a lot for rubbish wire.

 

[pedrobedro]

The brown soot is just oxides from melting metal you will always get it to some extent probably down to the purity of the metal you are working with.

 

[BrokenBiker]

The brown soot is just oxides from melting metal you will always get it to some extent probably down to the purity of the metal you are working with.

Hadn't thought about the base metal...it's from a very old gun cabinet and didn't appear to be the best quality when I was cutting it