Welding colours

[Goodwelder]

Sorry I didn't realise we were talking about chrome....! Titanium fair enough as it expresses the point but where does chrome enter the room? And what % chrome you using in your example? If you speak to a metallurgist I think you will find you ain't as correct as you think you are..,

 

[Seano]

OH Gawd.....ere we go again.......

 

[Sub-arc]

OH Gawd.....ere we go again.......

 

[Dev]

I was told

But I'm self taught by trial and error

Just curious, how is it you're self taught but have access to a workshop and tig equipment?

 

[langy]

Sorry I didn't realise we were talking about chrome....! Titanium fair enough as it expresses the point but where does chrome enter the room? And what % chrome you using in your example? If you speak to a metallurgist I think you will find you ain't as correct as you think you are..,

He is talking about chrome moly, read it again !!!

 

[Goodwelder]

Im on about chrome moly too! Hence what percentage etc! Chrome MOLY varies in properties greatly depending on the percentage but obviously you know that....

 

[Rrunnach]

Im on about chrome moly too!

I remember Moly, her spot was just outside Hull docks, speciality was putting in the root

 

[langy]

Im on about chrome moly too! Hence what percentage etc! Chrome MOLY varies in properties greatly depending on the percentage but obviously you know that....

Sorry i'm not buying your replys.

 

[hotrodder]

Dammit! If you're all gonna keep feeding the troll can you at least stop quoting him as the ignore list doesn't hide quotes

Heat tint colours of stainless... pale straw/gold by around 300C, gets darker towards browns at ~400C then the browns get purplish tints as temps increase then blues and dark blue by ~600C. Surface finish and atmosphere (O2 content) effect things. Ti is a very different animal and heat tint colours are slightly different too. It'll be turning blue by ~ 480C and for many applications that'd be considered scrap

As was said back on pg1 the colours are normal and they reduce corrosion resistance. Straws/gold have less of an impact than blues, grey is 'burnt'. For most of the type of work that people here do, most of the time the thickened oxide layer is just a comestic thing. It comes off easily if you give the weld quick tickle with a CLEAN STAINLESS brush before the weld has cooled to ambient. You can feel the brush 'grip' when it's right, when it's too cool it slips over the surface more like a rag would. The layer (and we're talking microscopically) underneath the pretty colours is 'chrome depleted' in that the surface won't be as rich in chromium as it could be. That's why pickling paste and the like exist.

Another way to avoid nasty chemicals/expensive machines etc is to avoid discolouring it in the first place. Improve the gas shielding and the temp will be lower when the material is exposed to atmosphere. Lowering the heat input pretty much accomplishes the same thing. There are practical limits to both. If the weld's turning grey then it's operator error which needs fixing first. Getting 'good colour' on thicker stuff is easier than thin stuff. Getting a thin wall weldment below the usual straws - blues without adding expense/time to the process ain't easy unless partial pen welds are exceptable. The 'perfect weld' won't have any colouration but perfect is rarely profitable...

 

[Goodwelder]

Oh hmmm I'm pretty sure I said right back at the start the best way to avoid having to clean it is to weld it so it doesn't discolour!? Maybe you brushed over that bit whilst trying to hammer me?

 

[Seano]

I remember Moly, her spot was just outside Hull docks, speciality was putting in the root

You've met her too then alan.....

 

[Drains]

You've met her too then alan.....

Terry. Alan's someone else.
I'm Brian. And so's my wife.

 

[Rrunnach]

Terry. Alan's someone else.
I'm Brian. And so's my wife.

I've been called worse..............often.

Regards,

Fred

 

[Seano]

Terry. Alan's someone else.
I'm Brian. And so's my wife.

Eh, the names Jim actually

 

[Wozzaaah]

Come on guys, chill out!

Regards,
Bert

 

[backpurge]

"Oh hmmm I'm pretty sure I said right back at the start the best way to avoid having to clean it is to weld it so it doesn't discolour!? Maybe you brushed over that bit whilst trying to hammer me? "

So apart from welding in a totally inert atmosphere please enlighten us with exactly how you would weld stainless steel fabrications and avoid any discolouration then all the companies that spend thousands of pounds on pickling and passivation will be able to save a mint

 

[Goodwelder]

Tut! Look at my pictures on one of the other posts... (virtually) no discolouration and I did that with normal TIG gear no inert atmosphere I'm afraid!

 

[Rrunnach]

I can feel a rash coming on, just thinking about pickling SS welds, horrible stuff.

GOOD-E-NUFF, you could be onto a wee earner here, you wanna patent your technique, you still only seven month into this welding lark???

Cheers..............

 

[Drains]

you could be onto a wee earner here, you wanna patent your technique, you still only seven month into this welding lark???

It is pretty impressive though you have to admit - tig, stick, sub-arc, knows all about Asme positions, tig brazing cast, uses words like juice, landing, knows all about undercutting, dragging down, pushing vert. Really, if you came out with that stuff Terry I'd be thinking "phew, he knows his stuff" (yeah, I know you do), but on a learner? Must be some sort of ingenu, a pure Leonardo of the welding world. I bet he can weld a perfect circle freehand too.

Thank christ he doesn't know what a tungsten or a ceramic are called... or was that maybe a wee porky? I'm thinking the North Sea Tiger is back in town, but playing it coy.. know what I mean?

 

[Rrunnach]

North Sea Tiger got run out of Holywood, he had just enough time to pack away his Pioneer ArcMaster Ovvies, kromer, while wiping his brow with bandana, kicking in the door, sideways, with his brand spanking new Jallate's..................my god, he's back!!!!