Bandsaw blade welding question for Ernie

I saw on your website that you are suggesting very low currents for welding bandsaw blades, around 5 or 10 amps. Is that a typo? I built a small clamping fixture this weekend and welded a blade and it took considerably more current than that. I am still on the vertical part of the learning curve on this, but 10 amps seems incredibly low from the small amount of fooling with that I did.

Thanks, Bob

Reply to
MetalHead
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Tigging bandsaw blades? Got a link? I need to weld up a half dozen blades.

Gunner

"At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child - miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosphy of sniveling brats." -- P.J. O'Rourke

Reply to
Gunner

I routinely weld 0.020" and 0.035" thick bandsaw blades. If I am not using a pulser then my amperage is set at between 7 and 12 amps.

If I am using the pulser I will set it for 15 amps. I do these welds with a 0.040" tungsten and 0.045" ER80S-B2 filler rod.

You can get the rod at tigdepot.com

After welding the weld area must be reheated to a dark glowing red then allowed to cool. Grind off the weld bead and then reheat till the weld area turns dark blue.

If you are using more amps it is because you are too far from the metal.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

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Cool! Ill try this tommorow. Ill have to use a 3/32 tungsten though...needle sharp and hope for the best.

Gunner

"At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child - miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosphy of sniveling brats." -- P.J. O'Rourke

Reply to
Gunner

I've actually had pretty good luck MIG welding band saw blades so far. I use my Millermatic 135 with .030" wire at a pretty low setting I figured out and wrote down (it's out in the shop so I can't tell you the setting right now). It is a little tricky but once you get the technique down it goes pretty fast. The real secret is in the tempering of the weld which applies to any process that you weld a blade with. I usually do the tempering twice though if I'm careful once is enough. My first is just after welding bring it up to almost a slight red in a dark area. This anneals the weld so it doesn't break while you're grind it down. The second is after grinding so that I get a even temper across the weld.

Using this method I've had lower percentage of broken welds than I did when I had access to a blade welder.

Wayne Cook Shamrock, TX

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Reply to
Wayne Cook

Thanks Wayne. I only have collet body and collet for 3/32 tungsten. Ill wait until I can scarf up the proper stuff.

And no..Ive not shipped your MIG gun yet. (making a note to find a box).

I haveing trouble getting a round tuit.

Gunner

"At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child - miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosphy of sniveling brats." -- P.J. O'Rourke

Reply to
Gunner

I just threw the thought out because I was thinking you had a 110V MIG.

No problem I'm not in a hurry.

I know that feeling. I'm so far behind that I've gotten past the worry stage and into the numb stage. I really wished I could find some decent help around here.

Wayne Cook Shamrock, TX

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Reply to
Wayne Cook

I got the ER80S-B2, I was using 1/16" tungstens, DCEN. Too far from the work is probably a good place to start, as I need to start using better reading glasses for welding.

I am curious, how do you setup the pulser for this? I have a Syncrowave

250 with the pulser, and have not really spent time experimenting with the pulser.

Thanks again, Bob

Reply to
MetalHead

Here is my pulser quote from past responses:

OK this is one of my major gripes with the welding world. Everybody wants to sell you a pulser for your TIG, but nobody wants to tell you how to use it.

Here are some basic settings to start with

Pulses per Second 1.2 - 2.0 Background Amperage 40% Peak time 40%

Remember that when using a pulser, you will set your machine slightly higher, since you are not maintaining a constant arc.

The pulse frequency or 1.2 - 2 pps allows you to add filler on every pulse. You can go to a higher pulse frequency and simply add filler every second or third pulse.

Running in the very high frequencies on the pulse makes for a more liquid weld, especially on bronze, stainless steel and aluminum.

The pulser should work just as well on AC as it does on DC.

Obviously you have a huge range of settings to play with.

Have fun, do many test welds and take notes on settings that worked particularly well on certain combinations of material and assembly.

For more settings for the pulser you can go to this site.

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and this site

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The range of settings can be a bit bewildering but you have to find out what works for you.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

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Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for!

I posted a couple of pictures of the blade welding jig I made in the dropbox under bsaw_blade_jig.

Bob

Reply to
MetalHead

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