Electrode

[Buggy Chief]

What does it mean when the very tip of electrode turns blue? (like a ballpoint pen)

[zoama]

Could you put up a pic ?

[jakeru]

It's a layer of oxidation over the tungsten. It could be that you need to turn up your post-flow, or hold your torch still during post flow (I've seen some people learning TIG really aggressively pull the torch away from the work as soon as they terminate the arc, which seems like a pretty bad habit and will oxidize the still hot tungsten and the work.) It could also mean your using too much stickout or the wrong cup size and/or flow rate.

generally, it will burn off as soon as you fire up the next arc, but ideally it won't be happening. When it burns off, it will make a little smut around the area (soot like deposits, which can be colors other than black.)

[Buggy Chief]

It's a layer of oxidation over the tungsten. It could be that you need to turn up your post-flow, or hold your torch still during post flow (I've seen some people learning TIG really aggressively pull the torch away from the work as soon as they terminate the arc, which seems like a pretty bad habit and will oxidize the still hot tungsten and the work.) It could also mean your using too much stickout or the wrong cup size and/or flow rate.

generally, it will burn off as soon as you fire up the next arc, but ideally it won't be happening. When it burns off, it will make a little smut around the area (soot like deposits, which can be colors other than black.)

Thanks Jakeru....Were you in my garage yesterday? Guilty of all of the above! I will adjust my technique and see what happens. Thanks again for the input as I am welding aluminum.

[Buggy Chief]

Jakeru's suggestions worked. I bumped the post flow up a RCH and waited for it to cycle before moving and it worked....no more blue tip!