TIG root on stainless

Date 12-14-2008 01:23

Purge it. Plain and simple nothing I have found is cleaner. Keep a good purge and you wont get sugar (the crystalizing of the inside of the weld) but have a bad purge or a leak and your almost gaurnteed to have sugar some where. tape one end completely with a purge hose inside the pipe and tape the other end completely if your doing open root untill you start your final quarter then poke a small hole in the tape at the end without the purge hose. If your doing fused root when you start off poke a hole in the end of the pipe without the hose before you start. Think I got the basics covered good luck and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

By OBrien

Date 12-14-2008 17:14

Message sent.

By Zeke

Date 12-17-2008 14:29

Kobelco would tell you that this product is only designed for situations in which you can't purge. A good purge is always a better solution. However, I have used it and it works great.

By thetraininglink (*)

Date 12-17-2008 17:05

Zeke,
How much slag cover to do get on the root side with the Kobelco filler? Is it enough to limit its use in some applications?

By Zeke

Date 12-30-2008 21:50

adequate coverage, but it will come off in pieces, and it will cause problems downstream depending on what kind of application you have. Only use it if you have to, and if these pieces of slag will not hurt anything later on. Like I said, a good back purge is better any day. But if you can't, that stuff is great.

By Ke1thk

Date 01-06-2009 20:58

Purging is best. I've used plastic caps, tape, whatever. Fill the tube with argon at 5 psi. Turn off gas and weld.

I've also had success with Solar Flux. It's a flux that you mix with alcohol. Brush it on from the backside. I've used it with poorly cut mitered stainless tubes. It's unbelievable how you can weld 1/4 gaps with it. It's not as good as purging, but it's good. The only problem is that it leaves a glass like flux on the inside of the tube.

I GTAW stainless steel tubes with it. 5" x .049 and .065 wall.

Good luck!

By Tyler1970 (***)

Date 01-25-2009 01:23

put you a gas lens on the end of you hose and stick a filler ron on the inside and let it purge. when you feel it to start comeing out of the bevel, i like to wait another 5-10 mins beofre i start welding it. If your fist tack is black tape the bevel back up and wait a while longer.