Tig question

[Gamble97]

^red yes
Green no, you have an inverter. Those guys probably have a transformer. Plus green sucks anyway.
Gold is 1.5% lanthanted
Blue is 2%

1/16th is cheap
lanthanated tungsten 2 | eBay

 

[Calan]

Yeah... I know.

I don't want to buy 10 of each piece, which is why I asked for an assortment pack.

 

[Gamble97]

I can send you an orange 1/16th and blue 3/32 if you like.

 

[Calan]

I have one more local supply house here that carries them, and may be able to get me some to play with.

Thanks for the offer... I'll let ya know.

 

[turboglenn]

I'll touch base on tungsten size and such as well

I run a 1/16th on most everything unless i'm over 150 amps (DC or AC) and use a #7 cup mostly

I run a gas lense on EVERYTHING unlless there's no room for it and i keep my regulator at 13cfh

on an inverter machine, unless you're actually worried about the radiation use a red (thoriated) tungsten, i've tried them all and aside from the gold ones which are ok, i prefer REd for everything on inverter machines

those clear glass cups are nice but break a lot because they don't thread on and fall off sometimes, but are nice in tight spots like on manifolds where you're welding the collector

One thing that's nice it to get a smaller torch than what most come with (usually they come with a 9 size torch) but i find that most times i like to use a #7 size (and a 7 cup on it)

When i run a 9 toirch it's usually for anything 165 amps and over for any length of time at all., if you want to get into manifold building keep the toorch it comes with for the flange and runner work, but buy yourself a 5 or 7 sized "pencil torch" or flexible one that will extend straight, Those are best for collector work and for putting wastegate flanges in a tight area. But if you're just going to do a lot of your basic stuff a normal 7 sized torch is my favorite for maneuverability in tighter places but it does fall short on those welds in really tight radii being welded to a flange at a90* angle and such, and especailly deep in collectors.

 

[Calan]

Anyone have a link to a good grinding wheel (diamond?) that I could chuck up in a drill press or dremel?

 

[Gamble97]

I told you what to buy. Get the ryobi bench grinder. It doesn't need to be diamond.

 

[Calan]

If I had room for a bench grinder, I know of several I could pick up.

 

[Gamble97]

OOOO. On a rolling stand?

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On a toolbox?
Or build yourself a workbench and mount it on there. You can always get a tungsten grinder but they are $250+ and no room if you actually dip the rod to grind it from what I have scene.

Or if you have a belt sander you can use that.

 

[turboglenn]

If yuo're talking about when you get a blob of filler on your tungsten when you reffer to "dipping" it, the reason there's no room to get that in there is you're supposed to break it off. if you lay the tung on a piece of metal with the tip that's contaminated hanging off and lightly tap it with something else metal it will break where the contamination ends. just grindingin it to a point again may look ok but it's still got the foreign metal in it and will effect the welds.

It will bug you to break off big chunks that have filler stuck in them but as you get better the less you have to do this.

 

[Calan]

If yuo're talking about when you get a blob of filler on your tungsten when you reffer to "dipping" it, the reason there's no room to get that in there is you're supposed to break it off. if you lay the tung on a piece of metal with the tip that's contaminated hanging off and lightly tap it with something else metal it will break where the contamination ends....

Not sure who you are replying to, but...

Finally got around to trying the 1.5% lanthanated tungsten last night, and it's definitely better than the pure. (Hate the way it splinters instead of breaking clean though).

I've got some 2% lanthanated 1/16" tungsten on order, along with a gas lense kit. I'm also looking into the possibility of replacing the big series 17 torch with a smaller series 9 torch, since most of what I do is lower amperage/tight spaces stuff. I'm not sure how universal the torches are, but hopefully there isn't anything special about this welder. I'm also contemplating a separate tank and mixed gas setup, so I can run some helium with the argon to lower the effective amperage requirements and get a bit cleaner weld on aluminum.

This crap is more addictive and costly than my damn DSM.

 

[Gamble97]

Woah buddy slow down
It's very addicting!!!!!!!
You can always pre heat instead of getting another tank. Are you going to weld up your own catch cans or you have something else you plan on doing ?

 

[Calan]

Woah buddy slow down

Never. Unfortunately, I always jump in head first and do everything at 200% or not at all.

Are you going to weld up your own catch cans or you have something else you plan on doing ?

I'm welding the internal parts and the tacks on the cans, but the main welds will still be done by the pro. I have several other projects I'll be working on also.

 

[Calan]

Got the 2% lanthanated tungsten, gas lense, and a real flow regulator for my bottle, and it definitely made a big difference. I can actually weld pieces of aluminum together now without major injury.

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This practicing is going to get expensive. I've already gone through a full bottle of argon and several tungstens, before I learned (mostly) to keep the tip out of the puddle.

Ok... back to the garage for more smoke and fire.

 

[Gamble97]

Looks good. Get a piece of flat and just run beads across it on aluminum and stack them and just keep going. Once the aluminum cools the properties of the metal does't really change so you can just keep running them.

 

[99gst_racer]

Looks good, Craig. Keep up the good work!

What size gas cylinder are you using? I assume a pretty small one if you burned through one already.

I got a 120cf cylinder and it only lasted me about 10 weeks. I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for a 240cf cylinder for an upgrade.

 

[Gamble97]

10 weeks!!! What! I have a 130cf and it lasts me about 4-6weeks.

 

[99gst_racer]

You must use yours more often that me. I'd be pissed if I had to drive into town and pony up $45 (or whatever it was) for a refill every month. I filled mine mid January and it lasted until sometime around the end of March. My 120cf cylinder for my MIG lasts me like 2 years.

 

[Calan]

Mine is a 125cf I believe. It's right around $28 to fill.

 

[99gst_racer]

Man, I'm getting hosed. I pay just under $50 to have that size filled.

edit: You must get a discount through work, ehh? I need one of those.

 

[Gamble97]

Mine is around $45 -$50 after taxes and disposal fee

 

[Calan]

You must get a discount through work, ehh?

Nope. That is just the off-the-street price at a local welding shop.

80cf = $18
125cf = $28

The rental on the 125 bottle is $6/month

 

[Gamble97]

Odd my local store sells the 20cf but anything bigger you purchase, so my 130cf bottle was $165 lifetime lease and when you give it back they only keep $25