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TIG wire
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 4:14 pm
by michaelwood
I am about to do a 6G weld test on carbon steel pipe using TIG (4") that is going to be X-rayed My question is- When I have started welding and then stop before starting again do I need to cut off the black burnt end of the TIG wire or can I proceed without doing so, as I am not sure if the burnt part of the wire will affect the weld and so up on the x-ray? I hope I have explained this clearly!
Re: TIG wire
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 5:20 pm
by kermdawg
I was always taught to snip that end off. Dont know if it will affect an x-ray weld though. When in doubt, play it safe I'd say.
Re: TIG wire
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 10:43 pm
by ogorir
keep the end of the filler in the shielding gas during the postflow and you shouldn't get any oxidation on the tip.
Re: TIG wire
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 11:06 pm
by kermdawg
Ya know, they told us that and I did it, and I still got oxidation on the end. I dont know if they post flow wasnt long enough or what, but I just carried a pair of linesmans pliers in my pocket and snipped off the end and away we go.
Re: TIG wire
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 9:30 am
by ogorir
maybe, I never had (I haven't welded TIG since I moved to texas... I think I'm getting withdrawls) any issues with oxidation leaving the filler in the argon envelope on important joints. I also crank the post flow up to 15 seconds or so. whatever it takes so the joint cools far enough that it doesn't 'flash' when the argon stops. hopefully you know what I'm talking about, because I don't know how to describe it, other than that.
anyway, nothing wrong with a pair of linesmans. I found a pair of klein tool Ironworkers pliers (basically linesmans, but the jaws are about 1/16" apart when the wire cutter is closed) on the railroad tracks in kalamazoo. best pair of pliers I own.
*edit: maybe I'm wrong...
http://www.service.kleintools.com/Tool/ ... T-HLSCUTNE
they look like these. I could've swore I looked up the number on the pliers, but it was pretty pitted and I might've got it wrong.
Re: TIG wire
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 10:08 am
by kermdawg
Yep, thems the ones! Our postflow was fixed at 5 seconds at school so they can conserve gas (cheap bastards) and yep, everytime that post flow timer would tick off you would see the joint cover with oxidation. I just didnt think the filler metal would take as long to cool down as the joint would.
Re: TIG wire
Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 9:34 pm
by kirkepc