Tig welding tips, questions, equipment, applications, instructions, techniques, tig welding machines, troubleshooting tig welding process
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    Sun Feb 02, 2014 6:14 pm
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    Near Mt Airy

I had Tig'd up a few things the other day and could hear a " tink - tink - tink sound coming from a cluster weld. Is this a possible sound from hot cracking? Or is it just the heat spreading and cooling? It was at the end of a 3 tube cluster on the last weld in a jig. It did not show any visible signs of cracking. It is now painted white....should I have magnifluxed it ? What do you guys think? Metal was 4130 x .035 wall and ER70-S2...gas lens #8 cup .062 ceriated 18CFH argon. Just had not heard anything before welding tubes and wondered.......
Building an airplane is at times somewhat like a divorce.....with the exception that she doesn't leave
J.J. Flash
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    Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:40 pm
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    Near New Orleans

Considering what you're building, yes, I'd suggest some sort of testing, magnaflux or dye penetrant. The only time I hear sounds as a weld cools is when opposing ends are clamped and the clamps "give" as it cools.

It may be nothing, but why gamble? If you don't check it, it'll always be in the back of your mind...

Steve S
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