[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!

[rickbreezy]

You really cant go wrong snipping the dirty end of off any wire you use, whether it be Tig wire, mig wire, or a stick rod.

Whether or not you need to do it is qeustionable. But it is never a bad idea. I do it almost every single time.

Snipping the tig wire any old way seems to work fine for me.

I like to cut my mig wire at a sharp angle, it starts a little easier that way.

And for a stick rod, rubbing the excess flux of it with a file work great, and gives you a nice clean start.

Good luck,

-rick

[Otto Nobedder]

If you have a "burnt" end on your TIG rod, you're pulling it outside the post-flow shielding gas before it's cooled enough. If you're taking an X-ray test, don't do this.

If you're simply squaring up the end of the rod for a fresh start, this is sound practice for any process.

Steve