Air arc?

Date 08-08-2009 03:17

Keep it moving and crank up the amps. I find that once you get going don't slow down or the rod will get stuck. You also need to turn the amperage way up. Hope that helps.

By CK Welding (**)

Date 08-08-2009 04:18

thats what i did. I didn't have any trouble sticking. THe problem is that the molten metal wouldn't blow out. you would see it turn white and flakey but it wouldn't move. Someone told me to reverse polarity. What do yall think of that?

By phaux

Date 08-08-2009 04:33

Found this on the net:

http://www.twi.co.uk/content/jk12.html

Says to use AC for cast iron, copper and nickel alloys.

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 08-08-2009 09:49

CK Welding,
You do not have enough air pressure.
Changing the polarity does very little other than making the gouge look a bit "prettier".
I am not sure what pressure is the minimum required but if you have a molten puddle and it is not blowing away then you do not have enough pressure.
Cheers,
Shane

By strother (***)

Date 08-08-2009 14:55

I've had to cut a lot of pulleys and bearings with cast frames off of shafts in fertilizer and concrete plants . sometimes the only way I can get them off is to take torch and melt them off or use a cutting wheel if you have room . If you're air arcing and get carbon trapped in there then its very hard to get off

By Joseph P. Kane (****)

Date 08-08-2009 15:03

Colt

Cast Iron does not Air Carbon Arc gouge very well after the first pass. Linde (Now ESAB) used to make a Carbon that was designed for Cast Iron using AC. It still does not gouge like Steel. I would recommend an Arcair Slice Torch, to pierce the thick areas followed by mechanical fracturing. However I do not even have a "minds eye" view of the configutatiuon and obstructions you may be facing.

Joe Kane