Tig Welding SS Brewery Fittings

[woodchuck]

Received my 250 ex a couple of weeks ago. It did have a few frustrating minor issues but a couple of e-mails to Duncan, which he called me 2 minutes after I sent each e-mail, straightened out my concerns. Great service Duncan...thanks.

I have been practicing tig welding on 1/8" aluminum and with my background doing lots of oxy/acetylene gas welding the beads are looking fairly decent for a rookie.

But what I primarily bought the tig welder for was to do some sanitary tig welding on my automated home brewery. Mostly welding 1/2" SS coupling into the sides of my 50 thou wall kettles. I have a dual flowmeter so I can backpurge the backside of the welds and I know you have to use about a third less DC current than normal carbon steel.

I've made a couple of practice welds and they look like crap. I haven't tried pulsing.

Any help would be much appreciated. I'm outta beer:eek:

Thanks, Chuck

[performance]

A third less current? That's a little much if you ask me.

Pulsing might help.

If you will post some pictures, then we might be able to see what's going on.

Give us your setup parameters to start with: ie. tungsten type, how far stick out is, how far off puddle you are, polarity, amps, gas type etc.

[woodchuck]

A third less current? That's a little much if you ask me.

Pulsing might help.

If you will post some pictures, then we might be able to see what's going on.

Give us your setup parameters to start with: ie. tungsten type, how far stick out is, how far off puddle you are, polarity, amps, gas type etc.

1/16" 2% thoriated tungsten, 1/8" stickout, 1/16" - 1/8" off puddle, DCEN, 40 amps, #6 cup, 15 on the flowmeter, mison Argon shielding gas.

[performance]

I'd put the gap down to as close as you can get without out touching the puddle. 1/8" is too much. Flow is too high if you are using our regulators. Our regulators are in lpm, not cfh. Turn down to 7. Use a #5 or smaller cup.

I'd also try 3/32 electrode at about 50 amps and see how that works. the 3/32 should handle that, and the arc may be a little more fat.

[woodchuck]

Mark my flowmeter is in cfh. So 7 lpm/.472= 14.8 cfh. So I'm fairly close with 15 cfh. I'll give those other settings a try. Thanks

[trackmaster]

Hello Woodchuck, if i may add my 2 cents worth - Firstly and you may already have done so, but practice on some mild steel for a bit, (or stainless if practical), they both weld so similarly that once you gain experience you will not even really think about any difference in technique, other than it being more heat sensitive (retaining). Practicing on aluminum if you are new to tig is great for gaining confidence on aluminum, but ferrous metal as ya know welds way different.

Second it sounds like basically a circular if you will, fillet weld around the coupling where it mates to the tank? Tank being .050, what is the thicness of the coupling? Also 1/8 stick out may be a bit tough for a newer tig welder on "that" specific joint, try more stickout so you can better control torch stand off etc. Yes you would always like to have as much of the tungsten shielded, and the cup close to the weld zone, but it sounds like you could be having some trouble seeing what your doing, even with a number 5 cup. When ever possible try to use a gas lens. With the supplied torch i think an 18 series lens and collet, cup assembly. Yes the cup is fatter on a big 18 series but you can get away with a pretty big tungsten stick out with a lens, as the shielding gas is directed in a much better coverage area.

Are you purging the entire tank? Over purging causing turbulence at the joint? maybe try a makeshift purge box to just shield the back side of the immediate weld zone (save a lot of argon too). Lastly what color is the weld coming out to be? Looks to cold? too hot? burning holes or notches?

love to help anyway possible, - Lou

[woodchuck]

Hey Lou...really appreciate your thoughts.

I am new to tig welding and I think you are right I'm not getting very good gas shielding and a little low on the current. The bubble gum I've been welding for practice so far looks like it's a little black and oxidized. Doesn't look like a stainless weld at all. I don't have a gas lens for my torch yet but that and and a #20 torch are my next purchases. If anyone has a good online source please let me know. Ebay?

Yes it is exactly a circular fillet weld and the coupling is around an eighth of inch thick. I've only been practicing on some scrap stainless I have and made sure it was clean before I tried welding it. So really haven't tried one of my tanks yet as my skill has got a long way to go before I wanna risk that.:eek:

Many thanks for the help. Chuck

Hello Woodchuck, if i may add my 2 cents worth - Firstly and you may already have done so, but practice on some mild steel for a bit, (or stainless if practical), they both weld so similarly that once you gain experience you will not even really think about any difference in technique, other than it being more heat sensitive (retaining). Practicing on aluminum if you are new to tig is great for gaining confidence on aluminum, but ferrous metal as ya know welds way different.

Second it sounds like basically a circular if you will, fillet weld around the coupling where it mates to the tank? Tank being .050, what is the thicness of the coupling? Also 1/8 stick out may be a bit tough for a newer tig welder on "that" specific joint, try more stickout so you can better control torch stand off etc. Yes you would always like to have as much of the tungsten shielded, and the cup close to the weld zone, but it sounds like you could be having some trouble seeing what your doing, even with a number 5 cup. When ever possible try to use a gas lens. With the supplied torch i think an 18 series lens and collet, cup assembly. Yes the cup is fatter on a big 18 series but you can get away with a pretty big tungsten stick out with a lens, as the shielding gas is directed in a much better coverage area.

Are you purging the entire tank? Over purging causing turbulence at the joint? maybe try a makeshift purge box to just shield the back side of the immediate weld zone (save a lot of argon too). Lastly what color is the weld coming out to be? Looks to cold? too hot? burning holes or notches?

love to help anyway possible, - Lou

[Titan winch]

I will have a very limited Supply of Wp9 -18 and 20 Torches in the next 2 weeks. Most of the WP18 Torches are slated for the Dept Of Agriculture in Alberta, They wanted 25'Length Torches.
I will have a couple of each model left over that have not been spoken for .
We will of course have these as a common Accesory in the future it is simply a matter of deciding from whom we we will purchasing these items that is yet to be decided.
Cheers

[Longlasting]

Get rid of that 1/16 tungsten, be surprised if you are not melting it or burning it awaytrying to get the heat you need, try 3/32 ceriated.Absolutely forget pulsing for now I'd bet your heat is way low and your not getting penetration but plopping stainless on top of substrate.Find your heat to get a good bead formed, also don't worry to much about color yet, do that when you get your variables set then cut back the heat and go for consistency.