splatter

[iil]

HI! im really new to TIG, well acually the whole welding concept (i know it wasent the smartest to start with TIG) and iv used millers Amp calculator (shame on me) but even on lowest recomended amps my welds splatter, alot, allmost as much as MIG. so if anyone has any advises or know what im doing wrong i would much appreciate any tips or tricks!'
best regards!
Emil

[performance]

What gas are you using? Sounds like you have something wrong like a gas contamination problem or too high of a flow rate.

[sschefer]

Best advice I can think of is to spend a couple of hours at http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com reading and watching the fantastic videos.

I'll bet you discover your mistakes right away. FYI, the Miller MIG and TIG calculators are usually very close. They're dead on for a beginner for sure. They're my "go to" resource when I haven't welded a metal or specific thickness or joint type before.

My thoughts are the same as Marks since splatter is a sure sign of contamination.

[performance]

OR it could be you have your torch in the positive side, and is burning up the tungsten and that is what is spattering.

[trackmaster]

Humm, splatter ..... not a term usually seen in tig welding. What machine are you using? Something like this, i think you would be well served to go back to super basics square one. Step by step, machine hook up, set up, 100% argon gas, 15 ish CFM/ 7.5 LPM, torch connected to negative lug, ground to positive. Balance setting if any etc. - More info would help as to what your trying to weld and where you got er set. It's actually pretty hard to get anything that would be considered "splatter" out of a tig weld so really go over those items and also your application of technique. Good luck, you love it when you get everything smoothed out!

[everlastsupport]

iil,

Trackmaster said what tech support would have you do by phone if you called in.

Follow his post and see if the splatter goes away. Or call in for help. Spatter is normally something with a flux core and no gas, on a MIG and sometimes MMA. You should not see that with TIG.

Like Mark mentioned, is the electrode still in one piece after you weld and see the splatter?

Can you post a picture? Is this steel you are welding? Thickness of the metal and the amps you are welding will help too.

[iil]

ok i have checked my setup and this is what i got so far.

im using a 2,5 mm lanthanated tungsten
100% argon
about 8 to 10 lpm
Tourch negative
ground possitive
machine is at this time Power I-Tig but i get the same result with a 200LX

the tungsten has a kind of black coating/dirt on it when i have welded for a couple of minutes
the tip melts away redicilously fast (maybe i have to thin tungsten?)

sorry forgot to tell that im welding 1/8" steel just practising laying beads on a flat peace. i have grinded it till its shiny and wiped it of with som aceton
Best regards!


and what would happend if i used the gas for my MIG (82/18 argon/co2) ?

Thanks alot for all the help so far! keep up the kindness!

Best regards!
Emil

[AussieChris]

Emil,

I know you have checked it but, it still sounds like the polarity is reversed if you are melting a 2.5mm lanthanated tungsten. I would have suggested some sort of internal wiring problem except that you have the same problem with two machines.

You didn’t say what cup size you’re using but 8 to 10 lpm is perhaps a little high for the argon flow (5 to 7 might be better) but I doubt that’s your problem.

Are you sure the gas is actually coming out of the torch? This isn’t a water cooled torch with the hoses mixed up is it? It sounds like the result you get with no gas flow at all.

Also, don’t use the argon/co2 mix for TIG welding.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Chris.

[performance]

As I JUST confirmed with another user, he had a bottle of bad gas. He took it back to Airgas, and the local guys basically told him they weren't surprised as it happened alot.

MY opinion is that it is contamination from your gas or mixed up gas. Aussie is right, the flow is a little high.

The only other thing that can cause RAPID consumable wear is wrong polarity. Yes over amping the tungsten can as well...but you haven't told us what amps and size/type tungsten you have. If you could that could help out as well.

[iil]

i use a number 7 cup WITHOUT gas lens
around 130 -140 Amps,

the gas ill have to check tomorrow, (my gas dealer is cloesed for now)

as i comes to the polarity im really cunfused, i hook up with DCEN the minus is on the left and possitive to the right, but you mean there could be a wiring fault ?`ill check it with a voltmeter when i get a new one (it wasent very smart to check the HF with a regular voltmeter :-P)

i can clearly hear and feel the gas comming out from the tourch

as i posted before im using a 2,4mm 2% lanthanated Tungsten

and if anyone has a really clever answer / web page to what happens when i use argon/co2 it would be great!

thank alot for all the help so far!
Best regards!
Emil.

[performance]

Iil,

Is this one of our units? The negative is on the right on our units.

Iil,

What happens is that the tungsten lights up like a sparkler.

[iil]

im welding with a powerI-Tig 200 and when im standing infront of the machine looking at the pannel my negative sign (-) is on mye left and the possitive(+) is on my right. the welder was bought throu everlast in canada
Best regards!
Emil

[Rugar]

[performance]

Yes,
You are right, however, I thought you had been talking about the 200DX.

[iil]

iv now been out trying diffrent things, im SHURE im on right polarity because i switched them just for a try and i blew my tungsten to sh#t, im using about 7 lpm and a number 7 cup
so......
maybe i have got a bottle of "bad gas" ?
or 130 amps is to much for a 2,4mm lanthanated tungsten ?

i have got rid of the black crap that came when i welded before (i have no idea how) but the tip keeps blowing/melting off, sometimes it allmost balls up like AC welding.

when im prepearing the metal i grind with an angel grinder till its shiny then whipe it off with som aceton if this enough ?

if i weld with less current, lets say 100 amps all the splatter goes away and the tip stayes sharp but the welds are bulky and just like laying ontop of the steel without penetrating.

and just to have asked, how wide should the bead be ? my display is dead (everlast is trying to get a replacement controll board) so im kind of guessing the Amps right now

best regards!
Emil

[Ray]

I don't meen to butt in but I can't help it.
Looking at what you guys have been talking about, if you discribed what you've been saying to me the first thing I'd say is
NO GAS.
Black stuff at 130 with 3/32" 2%Lath, no - somthings wrong.

I'd step back and look at everything again, got a fan blowing on ya? is everything tight? try a diferent tungsten, are you sure Ag is comming from the torch head?
Did you grab the right bottle? it's brown with no silver on it?
If it's still all looking good.
Try turning off the Hf and using it in lift start once.

Other than that must be CO2 in the bottle I'd say (where did you get it?)

Seems somthing should be sticking out like a sore thumb if yaknowhatImeen.

[performance]

I have said its bad gas from the start. I have had two cases this week confirmed already. It comes in spurts, but it is not an uncommon problem.

[Ray]

Which would explain why it's happing with two different welders?
That's got to be it.

[iil]

thanks alot guys!
going to change gas today!
best regards!
Emil

[Ray]

Let us know!

Good Luck.