wondering about TIG for lead welding

[jonathan dempsey]

Hi there to everyone.

Some time ago I argued for bloody hours with someone about the possibility of burning lead using a TIG set. Unfortunately I didn’t have a set handy at the time and couldn’t prove myself. I recently read on the Lead associations website a curious footnote on the subject with makes my provocateurs conjecture rather a mute point.

I suppose where I am going with this is to ask whether anyone has any experience with the process and what if any their findings are/were. Settings and setup would be ideal, if available for perusal.

 

[Bill Edwards]

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/lead-welding.33116/

This might help!

 

[jonathan dempsey]

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/lead-welding.33116/

This might help!

Sorry Bill that didn’t help. I'm already am an accomplished lead welder/burner. Thats not what I am asking. I am asking whether anyone has specific knowledge of TIG welding processes and leadas alluded to by the LSA in their online blurb

 

[Bill Edwards]

Well there are people who have done it using TIG, i'm sure I have seen some info on the settings/tungsten size. I thought they were somewhere in that thread, but if not do a search on this site as I know it has been discussed.

 

[Shox Dr]

I've used both DC and AC [I can't remember which was best], pool is very quick to form, and full of slag.

oh and the **** can fall out of it, In the time it takes for a mouse to trump.

 

[backpurge]

DC TIG with 5% hydrogen in Argon works quite well

 

[jonathan dempsey]

DC TIG with 5% hydrogen in Argon works quite well

Cheers for the help

 

[Rrunnach]

I was talking with the LSA a few year back about their tig weld courses. We shared info. I wanted to offer similar here in Scotland, unfortunately the industry did not appear to be interested, they could not see beyond normal industry practice. I was also under the impression, LSA was struggling to get use of tig off the ground and, had ditched offering courses?

I have just this minute googled LSA welding lead via tig, I was surprised to read their spiel.

On completion of the course participants will be able to:

• demonstrate an awareness of the hazards associated with the Tig Welding process and take appropriate safety measures:- Fair enough.
• set up machine on A/C power to weld lead sheet and back purge if required. Can't see I noticed the requirement to purge.
• set up machine on D/C power to weld lead sheet.
• select tungsten type and size, grind to required shape, set power, gas flow rate:- Fair enough.
• select filler rod size and type and back purge if required:- Are lead rods manufactured? I used traditional method, cut slithers from roll, or scrap.
• produce acceptable standards of work, butt, lap, and fillet:- More joint types can be added.
• shut down the equipment and leave in a safe condition:- Fair enough.

Material prep is missing, also filler prep, which is simpler to traditional methods. I used SS wire brush on both.

 

[Kent]

too much money is being made by letting the blind lead the blind

 

[Rrunnach]

Do you mean lead, or lead?

Joking apart, to use tig on site would require encapsulating area being worked on, then there are power issues. When trying to weld lead up hill, or at an angle, I found extremely difficult, with O&A being an easier option in this respect.

Personally, I think tig being more practical if lead bashing and burning pieces within the workshop. Lots of pluses!

 

[jonathan dempsey]

I see I may have started something here. I am looking at TIG as an alternative to OA in a workshop environment and not for site use. I couldn’t personally see where Tig would have that much of an advantage over OA in that regard. I was thinking more on the lines of welding batches of similar stuff like slates and the like. I kind of liked the idea and thought it might well be better for the business if our newer employees learnt TIG and crossed over to lead/TIG when had gotten some experience.

 

[Rrunnach]

I would personally say, tig is the way to go within a workshop environ. Process really does a tidy job. I have images on my personal drive at work. I'll forward them to you on Monday, drop me a message of where to send?

Cheers.