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AdventuresInMetal
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I will do tomorrow, though i'm not quite convinced a test on steel will prove the gas is pure enough for aluminium?
I'm in Southport, Merseyside. I'm pretty sure it is a gas issue at this point, I'm just going to get another cylinder from another supplier to prove it before complaining to my current one, I was planning on keeping spare gas on hand anyway once i start doing actual TIG work.
I'm in Southport, Merseyside. I'm pretty sure it is a gas issue at this point, I'm just going to get another cylinder from another supplier to prove it before complaining to my current one, I was planning on keeping spare gas on hand anyway once i start doing actual TIG work.
This tig thing just isnt how it looks on you tube ,,, could some one local have a go at welding with the gas you have ,,, just the same option only the other way round .
AdventuresInMetal
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Not sure i'm following what you are saying with youtube? I'm not expecting to instantly lay down some x-ray grade weld worthy of a nuclear power station, but i can instantly tell something isn't right and i've experimented with so many different options at this point that i'm 99.9% sure that the problem isn't me or the torch setup.
Munkul
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Stainless steel gas shielding is the real test, aluminium doesn't need amazing shielding. But bright freshly ground steel is ok too for this purpose. What we're trying to prove at this point is that everything stays shiny bright and makes pretty colours, therefore the gas isn't the issue.
If everything goes dull, then its either contaminated gas, or a problem with your setup allowing air to be pulled in somewhere.
just a lot of folk expect tig to be like it is in the videos , and it isnt , well not for a while , I dont know what your end goal is but before its a business allow plenty of time ,,,
this gas set up is just an example of how frustrating things are when they dont go as planned ,,, patience will get you there though.
Munkul
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You'd be surprised how common it is for a torch or gas feed line to be the issue. Especially straight out of the box.
Alls we sayin is, buying a new bottle of gas is quite expensive when you haven't ruled everything else out first. But then again, at least you would rule it out...
fault finding anything is tricky if you dont have enough bits to be able to swap stuff about.
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Hopefuldave
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Those both look worse than mine (and that's saying something...) Really looks like a shielding problem to me, that stainless bead should be bright and shiny, not grey and matt. 85A DC - so about 2mm stainless? The puddle on mild steel shouldn't have black smuts either (though 20A is very low!) - did you get given a bottle of Argon/CO2 instead of pure Argon (Argoshield Vs Pureshield)?
AdventuresInMetal
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I did 20A because thats what Munkul asked for, the stainless was is about 1.5 - 2mm i just guestimated at 85A but yes its probably a tad much... The cylinder says its pure argon, what they filled it with i don't know... though i am tempted to run some mig welds off it to see how it compares to my 5% mix.
Hopefuldave
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I don't think the current's a problem - too litte can be, as you spend longer putting heat into the work, but going bit hot's not sucha problem.
That defintely (to my incompetent and inexperienced eye) looks like a gas issue - could be a pinhole in a hose, loosely/wrongly assembled torch or hoses, gas solenoid leaking, regulator or flowmeter - but my money would be on a duff bottle of gas if you've checked all of those.
why not try same test with tig and 5 , to see if the results are the same
Munkul
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yeah looks like shielding problem. That 20 amp test should have been absolutely mint.
So then its whether its the setup or the gas itself.
All hoses properly clamped? connections clean and tight? I know you said you didn't grease/oil them - but someone else may have? Worth cleaning them. Hoses - any water trapped in them possibly?
Failing all that.... contaminated gas does happen... it's very rare, but it does happen...
(I've never had one yet, touch wood)
So then its whether its the setup or the gas itself.
All hoses properly clamped? connections clean and tight? I know you said you didn't grease/oil them - but someone else may have? Worth cleaning them. Hoses - any water trapped in them possibly?
Failing all that.... contaminated gas does happen... it's very rare, but it does happen...
(I've never had one yet, touch wood)
AdventuresInMetal
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i'm 99.999 percent sure its not any of the gas or torch equipment, everything has been degreased/cleaned and dried out, i've tried a different regulator, i've tried the new hose off my mig, after purging a bunch of argon through it, i've pressure tested the torch and hose assembly by blocking off the shroud and filling it was gas and spraying everything down with leak detector, including the hose and solenoid inside the welder, there is not a hint of any bubble when under pressure so I just can't see there being any air getting drawn in anywhere. I'm going to pick up another cylinder tomorrow from a different supplier and we will go from there.
AdventuresInMetal
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Yep, i've pressure tested the whole torch and covered the whole thing in leak detector and theres not even a hint of a leak
AdventuresInMetal
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Out of idle curiosity, I decided to hook up my 5% MIG gas to see how it compares to the "Pure Argon" i have.
As expected, its much worse. So i think its a case of slight contamination of the pure argon rather than a gas mix inside the cylinder. Instant tungsten contamination on this one.
As expected, its much worse. So i think its a case of slight contamination of the pure argon rather than a gas mix inside the cylinder. Instant tungsten contamination on this one.
