Tungstens ?

[hotrodder]

The blue ones i introduced Shox Dr to are Huntingdon Fusion multistrikes, they're a mixed flavour (lanthana, yttria and ceria) rather than 2% lanthanated. Both work well at properly low (stuuuupidly thin stuff) amperages but the multistrikes still have an edge with regards to arc striking and tip longevity IMO. Dependant on amperage, AC balance and prep they can either kept sharper than just about anything else with AC or will ball/round off as neatly, albeit not as much, as zirconiated.
FWIW as well as 1.5% gold there are also 1% lanthanated which are colour coded black

 

[Maker]

The blue ones i introduced Shox Dr to are Huntingdon Fusion multistrikes, they're a mixed flavour (lanthana, yttria and ceria) rather than 2% lanthanated. Both work well at properly low (stuuuupidly thin stuff) amperages but the multistrikes still have an edge with regards to arc striking and tip longevity IMO. Dependant on amperage, AC balance and prep they can either kept sharper than just about anything else with AC or will ball/round off as neatly, albeit not as much, as zirconiated.
FWIW as well as 1.5% gold there are also 1% lanthanated which are colour coded black

How much do you pay for them? When I've looked they cost loads and I can't find them in the UK.

 

[Richard.]

The blue ones i introduced Shox Dr to are Huntingdon Fusion multistrikes, they're a mixed flavour (lanthana, yttria and ceria) rather than 2% lanthanated. Both work well at properly low (stuuuupidly thin stuff) amperages but the multistrikes still have an edge with regards to arc striking and tip longevity IMO. Dependant on amperage, AC balance and prep they can either kept sharper than just about anything else with AC or will ball/round off as neatly, albeit not as much, as zirconiated.
FWIW as well as 1.5% gold there are also 1% lanthanated which are colour coded black

So is this the main electrode you use for both AC and DC . It would be quite nice to step down to one tungsten only. I'm still stuck on red n whites as I find them pretty good. I'll Order a box of multi strikes in lanth, ceria mix and give em a whirl.

 

[Richard.]

I cannot find a price for them send me link for prices and ordering info please
Does not matter if there expensive if they are even better than what I'm using then I'll pay the extra .

 

[langy]

Gold are 1.5%
Close but no cigar

Never used the golds but i like using the blue 2% ones.

Not gonna give you anymore ones to try then

 

[Richard.]

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/180883568865?nav=SEARCH
These look the kitty (HFT Huntington fusion technology)
Not that expensive really. 40 quid
A pack will last me years.
Hotrodder please confirm that these are the right ones before I order. Cheers.

 

[Maker]

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/180883568865?nav=SEARCH
These look the kitty (HFT Huntington fusion technology)
Not that expensive really. 40 quid
A pack will last me years.
Hotrodder please confirm that these are the right ones before I order. Cheers.

I hadn't thought about it like that, it would probably last (me) about 15 years.

What's the highest current you can go with the 1/16th diameter electrodes?

 

[Richard.]

I hadn't thought about it like that, it would probably last (me) about 15 years.

What's the highest current you can go with the 1/16th diameter electrodes?

AC or DC
DC a 1.6 tungsten is good for up to 120amps (maybe more but after that I will be stepping up to 2.4)
On AC it is balance dependent but on my typical balance setting of 65-70% DCEN I would say I'd start stepping up to a 2.4 at 100amps max.

 

[Richard.]

I hadn't thought about it like that, it would probably last (me) about 15 years.

What's the highest current you can go with the 1/16th diameter electrodes?

Remember I'm giving you values based on the tungstens I use at the moment
Thoriated on DC
Zirconiated on AC
The multi strikes seem a lot more competent at keeping it's shape so there for In theory should cope happily with higher currents than I have stated above. (I'll tell you next week when I've tried them out).

 

[Shox Dr]

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/180883568865?nav=SEARCH
These look the kitty (HFT Huntington fusion technology)
Not that expensive really. 40 quid
A pack will last me years.
Hotrodder please confirm that these are the right ones before I order. Cheers.

Yes they are the ones

 

[Richard.]

Yes they are the ones

Thank you mate appreciated

 

[gordon stephenson]

Are the blue 2% lanthanated from top weld as good as genuine Huntingtin fusion or are they both the same? I fancy trying some 1.6mm, and would rather pay the extra money for Huntington fusion if there is a difference in quality,

 

[Richard.]

According to Hotrodder's description they are not the same as 2% lanth . I can't comment too much as I'm yet to use them.

 

[Hitch]

We had a spell of using Abisrikes.(turquoise)... but moved back to reds and whites mostly now.
None of us seemed to get on very well with them on thin sheet, didn't seem to hold a point for long.

 

[Luc]

I've talked with an experienced guy who told me that Blue ones could be for alumina but all should use Green tungsten.

Anyway not sure if you know, but european union banned or will ban Thoriated electrodes so people should switch to Gold or Blue electrodes.

 

[hotrodder]

I've talked with an experienced guy who told me that Blue ones could be for alumina but all should use Green tungsten.

Anyway not sure if you know, but european union banned or will ban Thoriated electrodes so people should switch to Gold or Blue electrodes.

Green is pure tungsten and back in the day was the 'go to' flavour for AC welding before zirconiated existed. They ball up LOTS and while there's nothing wrong with them perse some (many?) inverters will struggle with them as they have a higher electron work function which is to do with the energy needed to strike an arc... IIRC Miller even (used to at least) specifically stated they shouldn't be used with the Dynasty
I doubt thoriated will be banned personally, the whole radiactive thing is a bit overdone to say the least... a carcinogenic warning about the grinding dust from them would be a bit more truthful but then no grinding dust is particually healthy to eat or breathe...

How much do you pay for them? When I've looked they cost loads and I can't find them in the UK.

I haven't bought any in ages, used to get 'em from Weldmet but not via their website, always got a much better deal over the phone and i'm in their delivery area so a nice lady would drop stuff off on her rounds. A year or so ago someone (might have been Elmdale) had a special offer on the bay or was auctioning them or something and i stocked up at around £10 and £16ish per pack for 1.6 and 2.4

So is this the main electrode you use for both AC and DC . It would be quite nice to step down to one tungsten only. I'm still stuck on red n whites as I find them pretty good. I'll Order a box of multi strikes in lanth, ceria mix and give em a whirl.

It's all i use now and only bother with 1.6 and 2.4mm which covers me for DCEN on stuuuupidly thing stuff through to everything turned upto 11 on AC i.e. 200A, 40 -50Hz to put as much heat into the work as i can etc. FWIW I typically step upto a 2.4 at around 90 - 110ish amps with AC, 120ish with DC although they're happy enough at 150A DCEN. Don't expect a night and day difference or anything but they're subtly better everywhere IMO except for price from many sources

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/180883568865?nav=SEARCH
These look the kitty (HFT Huntington fusion technology)
Not that expensive really. 40 quid
A pack will last me years.
Hotrodder please confirm that these are the right ones before I order. Cheers.

As Shox said they're the right ones (come in a cardboard wrapper rather than the usual plastic box) but are too expensive. Elmdale are only listing 1.6 on the bay at the moment but at £12.62 a pack instead of £20.88 and less postage too http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tungsten-...592?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2598f77ea0 Can't find them on their main site but i'd give 'em a call on Mon personally

Turquoise Abistrike are another mixed flavour, in the other thread that Brad mentioned back on pg1 i posted several links to MSDS for several flavours including them and the HFT... http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/decent-quality-tungstens.49203/#post-552486

Pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about tungsten electrodes and a lot you didn't... http://www.diamondground.com/tungsten-guidebook/

 

[Richard.]

Green is pure tungsten and back in the day was the 'go to' flavour for AC welding before zirconiated existed. They ball up LOTS and while there's nothing wrong with them perse some (many?) inverters will struggle with them as they have a higher electron work function which is to do with the energy needed to strike an arc... IIRC Miller even (used to at least) specifically stated they shouldn't be used with the Dynasty
I doubt thoriated will be banned personally, the whole radiactive thing is a bit overdone to say the least... a carcinogenic warning about the grinding dust from them would be a bit more truthful but then no grinding dust is particually healthy to eat or breathe...

I haven't bought any in ages, used to get 'em from Weldmet but not via their website, always got a much better deal over the phone and i'm in their delivery area so a nice lady would drop stuff off on her rounds. A year or so ago someone (might have been Elmdale) had a special offer on the bay or was auctioning them or something and i stocked up at around £10 and £16ish per pack for 1.6 and 2.4


It's all i use now and only bother with 1.6 and 2.4mm which covers me for DCEN on stuuuupidly thing stuff through to everything turned upto 11 on AC i.e. 200A, 40 -50Hz to put as much heat into the work as i can etc. FWIW I typically step upto a 2.4 at around 90 - 110ish amps with AC, 120ish with DC although they're happy enough at 150A DCEN. Don't expect a night and day difference or anything but they're subtly better everywhere IMO except for price from many sources

As Shox said they're the right ones (come in a cardboard wrapper rather than the usual plastic box) but are too expensive. Elmdale are only listing 1.6 on the bay at the moment but at £12.62 a pack instead of £20.88 and less postage too http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tungsten-...592?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2598f77ea0 Can't find them on their main site but i'd give 'em a call on Mon personally

Turquoise Abistrike are another mixed flavour, in the other thread that Brad mentioned back on pg1 i posted several links to MSDS for several flavours including them and the HFT... http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/decent-quality-tungstens.49203/#post-552486

Pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about tungsten electrodes and a lot you didn't... http://www.diamondground.com/tungsten-guidebook/

It sounds to me like your stepping up from 1.6-2.4 around similar current levels as I do with them. I'm not expecting massive differences but I do take my welding seriously so subtle differences are worth the extra cost to me. FWIW it works out cheaper any how as instead of two types in 2 sizes ( I don't use 3.2 )it's now one type in 2 sizes.
I doubt very much that thoriated tungsten will be banned and to be honest the whole radiation thing is becoming rather boring I hear about it a lot. There are far worse things in a welding shop to breath in then the tiny amounts of dust off a tungsten. Correct ppe should be worn on all grinding and welding activities. Some hard facing wires contain chromium, nickel, manganese, etc they won't be banned either.

 

[Luc]

Well, I know that whole thing with thorium is funny, but I just say what people told me. Personally I doubt they will manage to ban it at all and ofcourse there is many more hazardous enviroment than just single electrode. It is all about german politics I think

I want to ask what do you guys mean by ZIRCONIATED electrode ? Is it some special colour for that or specific material made of ?
I've seen green, red, blue, gold, gray and black I think. I've never heard a single complain about welding with green electrode.

 

[hotrodder]

Zirconiated is white or brown depending on where in the world you live and replaced green as pretty much the standard flavour for AC in most places. Not because there's anything particuarly wrong with green/pure, it's just that other flavours work better- easier to strike/don't ball up as much/take more amperage for a given size/more stable arc etc. The diamondground tungsten guidebook goes into lots of depth about why the different flavours of tungsten perform slightly differently

ETA Miller are still emphatically NOT recommending green tungsten for inverters like their Dynasty... https://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/DynastyQuickRef.pdf

 

[Richard.]

Well, I know that whole thing with thorium is funny, but I just say what people told me. Personally I doubt they will manage to ban it at all and ofcourse there is many more hazardous enviroment than just single electrode. It is all about german politics I think

I want to ask what do you guys mean by ZIRCONIATED electrode ? Is it some special colour for that or specific material made of ?
I've seen green, red, blue, gold, gray and black I think. I've never heard a single complain about welding with green electrode.

Green is exactly what it says 100% pure tungsten. No thorium, cerium, lanthium ect. It's ok for AC on transformer type machines but like HR said above it balls up so quick if any amount of DCEP is applied along with current. A lot of the old school welders swear by em on the old school transformers. Me personally I prefer its suceeder the Zirconiated (White) electrode.