TIG in tight corners ,Stainless

Ernie, I know you got the answer... :-)... but other please feel to jump in.

I need some info or tips and trick on TIg welding in tight corners (box like) with stainless . problem: ability to correctly position torch and feeding filer rod in the tight corenr, I seem to get lots of tungsten contamination from the filler rod contact.

Reply to
acrobat-ants
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Fillet inside corner is easiest with most welding processes (you just aim into the corner!) but difficult with TIG. If you are welding sheet, don't try to make your fillet too big! Filler face should be no more than twice the sheet thickness, I reckon. Any more than that and you seem to be guaranteeing to get burn-through defects (and you don't need any more on strength grounds). Reason is, you are trying to control more molten metal than there is unmelted metal trying to hold it in place if you exceed this fillet face = 2 x sheet thk" quantity. Had a difficult time until worked-out this relationship. You end up with your hands a bit crunched-up into the corner. And yes, there are two faces of metal to crash the tungsten into!.

You can "cheat" and recess the tungsten so that the torch is skidding along on its cup with the tungsten still clear of the weld pool surface.

RS

Reply to
richard.smith.met

Try learning to feed at the rear of weld pool, it will get you into the corner.

Reply to
Lance

How's this? So that the arc is lower down at the front into the corner of the joint and the weld pool is kind of flowing along like a wave behind you? You avoid this "how to get the tungsten in close yet pass the filler underneath the tungsten" of when you feed from the front, as normal? This idea is that you are better off with a sharp tungsten right down in the root of the corner making sure that the arc is there were you want it, and with fusion made sure of you are better off accepting feeding at the back of the pool, whatever the remaining advantages/disadvantages?

What angel do you hold the torch at? Still a "push" angle - torch pointing along the joint in the direction of travel (compared to the "pull" angle of stick welding)

Interested in this suggestion.

RS

Reply to
richard.smith.met

Reply to
acrobat-ants

OK first you need to get a stubby back cap, so you CAN get the whole torch into the box. This means working with really short tungstens, but it will get you better access.

Next go back to my technique for starting fillet welds and tacking joints. First use really low amperage to melt the end of the filler rod off in a tiny ball. The ball should land touching both sides of a fillet or all 3 sides of a corner. Now heat the ball directly until it flows out to all the pieces involved. With interior box welds I ALWAYS START IN THE CORNERS FIRST.

You should really invest in a Air Cooled #9 flexhead torch for little box welds like this. Or switch to a water cooled 200 amp torch.

The other problem with the #17 is that unless you are using a CK #4 series gas lens on it, the gas lens makes the head even bigger.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

yes it has a gas lens (may be profax brand) and yes the cup is huge. I was thinking of a 9 series air cooled, but this is 1/8" stainless filllet weld, needs 120amp, not sure how long I can stand holding a #9 air cooled torch (hot)

while a #20 water cooled torch I can afford , but I can not afford the cooling unit it self.

Reply to
acrobat-ants

You don't have a shop sink to run water from? I have been using my shop sink as my water cooler for 12 years. Works great and is dead silent. You just have to make sure to put a water filter in line so you don't get sediment in your torch head.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

Ernie,

I know this topic has been covered, but could you tell me what is needed to setup such "system"

question 1; would it be cost effective to build a cooling system, example- holding tank, "bucket" , and adding a pump and specific coolant for this purpose. if so what are the minimum pressure and voulme requirements. what kind of pump to use.

question 2; your system ..... lets call it waste(ing)-water cooling. say...dedicated city water source plumbed in, house hold undersink filter ( I also have water softener) whats next ? any pressure or volume regulator? just connect the torch hose ? and let the cooling water flow in the drain ?

I have read about this in the past , but I like to hear from you what is involved in this,

thanks

Reply to
acrobat-ants

The pump needs to be a 50 psi positive pressure or gear-pump. Those used for carbonating soft drinks work fine.

Pure water is best. No additives, they gum up the pumps.

As long as you have at least 50 psi water pressure it works fine, and used to be quite common in large shops and schools. The welding industry campaigned long and hard to get people to by individual water coolers for each welding machine. There is no practical advantage to a water cooler if the machine is stationary and water is available.

I turn mine on and off with a ball valve mounted on the water filter. The filter is mounted on 6hge side of my TIG. Yopu could easily set it up with a solenoid valve.

If you look at TIG machines from 30 years ago you will see a gas solenoid and a water solenoid. The water solenoid was for city water.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

thanks for the info

Reply to
acrobat-ants

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