Need HELP with TIG welding stainless

By lsdunique Date 06-30-2004 06:42

I am having trouble getting the weld to look the way I know it can. I know the settings , gas, filler rod are all correct because I watched someone weld with beautiful beads on the exact same parts on my own welding set up.

My TIG welds dont seem to have the "bead" look of half circles overlapping eachother. I generally get a nice consistent weld, but it is more smoothed together, without the defined crescent shaped patterns.

Also, my welds end up being a dark grey color , whereas my friend welds the same parts, and they have a nice "rainbow" look to them, and are clearly not dark grey.

I also get some possible carbon deposits (brown resideu that easily wipes off) as I weld.

What could the possible problems be? I have tried welding with more amperage, less amperage, faster, slower, and I tried different angles with the torch.

Do I have to make the "C" motions with the TIG to get the crescent shapes?

I have a Lincoln 275 amp welder, welding stainless using both 1/16" filler rod and 1/8"

I am welding both sheet metal (0.65") and parts as thick as .25"

Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.

By RonG

Date 06-30-2004 18:26

Good chance you are traveling to slow and not applying enough filler.

Try putting down one ball of filler material then do it again at the very edge of the first applying enough heat to wet to center of the last then keep repeating.

Practice in that manner untill you are able to keep it going at a steady pace.

By cewalter Date 07-01-2004 12:33

2 questions? What shielding gas are you using and how thick is the stainless you are trying to weld.

Argon should be the gas of choice for GTAW. Look on the back side of the weld. If you are welding on thin material and penetrating completely through, the backside will be rough and highly oxidized (commonly called sugaring). That oxidation will be mixed throughout the weld and will make the weld bead, on the side you are welding, gray and dirty looking also.

Good luck!

By rodofgod (**)

Date 07-01-2004 22:34

Hi lsdunique!

Are you taking the 'wire' out of the 'gas shield' when your welding, if so, it's oxidized, and when you re-enter it into the molten weld pool, your introducing 'oxides' into the weld.
Also the presence of "a brown residue" indicates not enough 'gas' shielding! Try using a larger ceramic 'cup' size and set the gas flow around 10/12 lpm! Keep your 'power' down! It should take a few seconds before you get a molten weld pool after first striking an arc!

Regards