Welding Tips and Tricks

Im tig welding 2" schedule 10 stainless steel pipe. I was wondering what you guys would recommend running this at. Tungsten size, gap size, filler wire size, heat. Ive seen some use laywire techniques and some use dip techniques. What would you recommend? Thanks for your time.

If this is for a test you need to follow your wps....otherwise
3/32" tung, 3/32" filler, 3/32-1/8" gap, root around 85amps, hot pass around 95 and cap around 105 should get you started. I pefer 4 tacks, feather with a grinder if needed...bevel around 37 degrees.

I've done it by walking the cup, laywire or front to back dab...let it cool between passes, brush it well!

I use feather edge no gap
1.6 wire 55-65 amps

How are you putting in the root without a gap and your heat at 55. Are you putting alot of pressure on the wire? Seems like you wouldnt get enough penetration.

Flush or just above flush is all you need,making sure both edges are caught.pausing for the right time at the bottom before moving on,and deciding when to add a dab of filler.it works for me up to 6 inch schd10.
I'd be about 65 amps

Not sure how you get a proper root with out a gap, especially on stainless which will shrink right up. I've never seen a wps or any other procedure that had thick wall pipe welded butted....especially of it has any pressure, that would be an issue. My $.02

Im only learning this trade,just weld whats on the wps.dont know the ins and outs yet.its common in england,ireland,havent been further yet so dont know if its regional
i know that its never used with carbon,,thats always open root even shd10

For schedule 10 stainless its thin enough to butt it up fuse a root and single pass cap, there is no way to run root filler and cap its to thin. I have never seen a gap in one unless i had a bad fitter lol, but all in all do what the wps says

Ok that sounds good. Yea its very thin so fusion would make sense. Do you recommend using a 3/32 filler wire when fusing it or doing it autogenously? Also what heat do you run your cap at? Sometimes I have problems reconsuming the root on my cap. Do you run your cap slow and cold or hot and fast?

Well that will be based on how you tig weld, free hand or walking and even cup size. When i was doing a lot of food grade i would fuse root and use a 1/8 rod to make a one pass cap. I would use a number 10 or 12 cup at around 85 to 90 amps and haul.....saying this means nothing as each machine is different so you will have to see on your root but 50 amps on the root i think would be safe since its being fused aka no rod, i also always use a gas lens on stainless its not mandatory but gives breathing room with higher argon coverage.

according to google, 2" schedule 10 has a 0.109" wall thickness

falls between 1/16"[0.0625"] and 1/8"[0.125"]

I just was re reading what I posted and I apologize my head was thinking sch 80 (like a ASME test) so my settings were way to hot.

One thing to also keep in mind is you can run a little hotter if you move quick, but it must also be proper.

Here's my take on 2" sch. 10 ss... I do a lot of this, and often in position and some of it in the mirror.

I like a dead-tight fit like sanitary pipe, with the ends beveled 35-40* about half-way through, so I can do my root as a fusion. It usually works out to 45-50 amps (this depends on your comfort and speed), and you can see the puddle quiver when you have full penetration. Most of my work allows a flush root like sanitary, as long as there's full fusion. Then, I'll cap it with 3/32 rod around 60 amps.

On the bench, however, I can do an open root, 1/16" gap, 1/16" land, and prefer to dab the root as I see the keyhole.

Unless you have a restrictive WPS, do what's comfortable.

Steve S

With this one I ran the root with 3/32 gap and rod,heat at 60. Cap was 55 with 3/32 rod. I still burned through in some spots though. I tried the 1/8 rod at 75 like you said but burned through big time. After the root I let it cool to the touch
and after each stringer I let it cool to the touch. But the cap on this looks a little cold.

ive been running the wrong filler metal. Ive been running 309 when I should be running 308. : /

joshuanaaa wrote:ive been running the wrong filler metal. Ive been running 309 when I should be running 308. : /

Okay, that is not the appropriate filler, but the behavior is going to be so nearly identical to 308 that your performance should not change noticably going to the correct rod.

Steve S

I'm looking for proper settings for sch 10 4", using gtaw process. I have a very important test on 9/28/2021. Everything will be back purged, and I need full pen. I know which tungsten size to use, and which size filler rod. I need to know which amperage will guarantee me full pen.