Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi guys,
my name is Robert and I am glad to be part of this new forum. Please forgive my not so good english

I am very new to welding but after viewing Jodie's videos (thanks Jody ) I did run and bought a Tig Welder (Mastrotig 216 from DECA that is an Italian brand).

Now here my questions.
As I am very scared about radioactivity and of course I skipped the Thorium Electrode and ordered the 2% Lanthaned one. On Wikipedia I red that Lanthan exisist also as radioacative isotop. So my first question is:
Is the 2% Lanthaned electrode radioactive...maybe a little bit ? Or is the answer a clear "It's not radioactive at all".
Did you ever test it ? I tried to find on internet some reply but there was nothing about it.

The second question is: if there is even a small doubt of radioactivity (or maybe contamination with thorium), I would try to weld steel (iron) with the pure electrode. Do you think that this is possibile at all ? I know that it is used mostly for alluminum, but would it work on steel ? Why would it not work ? I don't have a problem if the life of the electrode is shorter. Or are there other problems ?

It might be that my questions seem to be a bit silly but I would really now what you think about.

Thanks a lot

Best regards

Robert

Welcome aboard mate! Usually there is no inherent risk due to the lack of volume of the radioactive material. If it was truly dangerous, some government organization would have added more safety for it or eliminated it. I can not answer about the pure tungsten myself but I am sure others can.

Here's a thread where this was discussed. Bottom line was the emissions from the thoriated tungstens over 5 hours was approximately equal to one dental xray. That sounds much worse than it really is because radiation delivered over long periods of time is much less damaging than when it's delivered instantaneously (like an xray). At least that's the current thinking. For perspective, that same amount is about the naturally occurring background from the environment, depending on where you live.

There will be some radiation from Lanthanated electrodes because naturally occurring Lanthanum has a small percentage of an isotope that is radioactive, but it's much smaller than thorium.

There is bad radioactive material and some that is just back ground, present all the time.
Do some google research on thorium, it may ease your mind.

If you use a pure tungsten electrode on DC, it won't hold a point as well (will ball up fast) and won't offer as crisp of an arc start.

hi guys,
thanks so much for your usefull replies.
I would not use any thoriated tungesten of course but lanthaned.
I wonder one thing:
I read on the package "NOT READIOACTIVE" as a sort of advertising.
But it seems that this is NOT true at this point. I mean: if there is a small amount of isotopes that emit radioactions....then it IS radioactive. Or am I wrong ???
the point is that I really would like to weld TIG but I am also scared for my healt. I weld outdoor, but of course the fumes contain surly a small amount of the fused Lanthane, and when I grind a few particles surly will stick on me.
Are there some scientific facts that would let you say that I am overacting ?
I am quite disappointed because I have spent over 1800 Dollars and now it comes out that also Lanthane is a "bit" radioctive. I have a family and dont want to bring that dust at home....

In the US, companies are required to provide a Materials Safety Data Sheet, MSDS, for the products they sell. This is a link to the tungsten MSDS from a prominent provider called Diamond Ground:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... _eD5IoxJ7E

Thoriated electrodes are the only ones mentioned as radioactive. You're smart to consider your family's health and safety, but lanthanated electrodes do not pose a radioactivity threat.

As to pure tungstens, they often do not run well on an inverter machine.

Welcome to the forum! What kind of welding projects do you have in mind?

therealrobertino wrote:hi guys,
thanks so much for your usefull replies.
I would not use any thoriated tungesten of course but lanthaned.
I wonder one thing:
I read on the package "NOT READIOACTIVE" as a sort of advertising.
But it seems that this is NOT true at this point. I mean: if there is a small amount of isotopes that emit radioactions....then it IS radioactive. Or am I wrong ???
the point is that I really would like to weld TIG but I am also scared for my healt. I weld outdoor, but of course the fumes contain surly a small amount of the fused Lanthane, and when I grind a few particles surly will stick on me.
Are there some scientific facts that would let you say that I am overacting ?
I am quite disappointed because I have spent over 1800 Dollars and now it comes out that also Lanthane is a "bit" radioctive. I have a family and dont want to bring that dust at home....

No need to worry about lanthanated, or thoriated for that matter. Weld happy man

I believe you are greatly overreacting by the way. But only because you didn't know.

Make sure to put up wind screens for tig welding outdoors - otherwise you'll be back asking about why your welds look terrible - lol

We're going the other way. Sourcing 4% Thoriated Tungsten. DGP, direct from Germany.

The increased volume of Th oxides will lower the Work Function (eV) and promote super smooth arc starting capabilities. Our goal is to boost the performance of properly profiled 1/8" RED Tungsten for thin/thin ferrous materials. Alliteration complete.

To be determined...

I use the 4% from Diamond Ground, easy start,smooth arc, I use it AC/DC, just go bigger size Tungsten for AC. Radioactivity from tungsten tig weld is really a you tube myth old wives tale. Research thorium and types radiation emitted. Know what one needs to know , form opinions on facts not hearsay.
Caution,--Living maybe hazards to your health.

You actually want the most thorium possible because the emitted radiation is a alpha radiation, aka: a helium nucleus. That is where helium actually comes from, deep underground, not from the atmosphere like argon. Huge helium deposits underground came to existence from thorium decay over millions and millions of years. So if you have enough 2%Th tungstens, just capture all the radiation into a tank, and there's your helium supply!

hahaha... come one... Don't make fun on me
I just wonder why the low radioactivity of lanthan is acceptable. Here in Italy thoriated electrodes must be used with special safety rules. why is the same with lanthanated electrodes not true?
in any case I thank u guys. You are very kind to reply me.

by the way.. did someone of you ever meet the great Jody? He did teach me so much. cool guy... Really

therealrobertino wrote: I wonder one thing:
I read on the package "NOT READIOACTIVE" as a sort of advertising.
But it seems that this is NOT true at this point. I mean: if there is a small amount of isotopes that emit radioactions....then it IS radioactive. Or am I wrong ???

You're not wrong, but everything gives off some level of radiation, so it's all relative. It helps to understand more about the radiation from thorium and lanthanum so you can make a health decision:

Thorium isotopes give off radiation in the form of a particle, called an alpha particle, that interacts very quickly with anything that it strikes whether it's the air or your skin. Alpha particles aren't a health risk outside your body because they deposit their energy on the dead layer of skin on your body. But they are a significant health risk once they get inside your body either by being inhaled or swallowed. The lining of your stomach, intestines and lungs are sensitive to damage from these particles. So that's why the problem with thoriated tungsten is due to grinding it or inhaling the fumes.

Lanthanum isotopes give off radiation as x-rays as opposed to particles. X-rays more or less go through your body and most other things without interacting or doing much harm at reasonable levels (like dental x-rays). The levels from lanthanum are very tiny, so it represents little risk.

If you're a weekend warrior welder I don't think any of this really matters much. But if you weld full time for 40 years and work every day in a shop where there is grinding and welding fumes, it can add up.

Arclight Ironworks wrote:We're going the other way. Sourcing 4% Thoriated Tungsten. DGP, direct from Germany.

The increased volume of Th oxides will lower the Work Function (eV) and promote super smooth arc starting capabilities. Our goal is to boost the performance of properly profiled 1/8" RED Tungsten for thin/thin ferrous materials. Alliteration complete.

To be determined...

I like 2% thoriated, I'll be watching for the 4% to be in the regular market - thanks for the heads up

you all are were very nice and helpful. It makes me happy to be part of an international community like this forum. Nice people...makes feel me good.
Thanks and regards from Bella italia.

The real danger to ones health the inhalation of any form of ,dust,fumes, etc it comes in many forms.
Nearly everything encountered is a contaminate, even to air in a untouched forest,spores mold etc. The list is endless. The welding it self is fairly benign, the UV is really bad,grinding dust for weld prep,tungsten, and JOINT,as always proper protection.
Enough said about Radiation
Oscar and Minnesota Dave can probably rant far more eloquently than I