Welding Tips and Tricks

So I know a tight torch is important but is there such a thing as being too close? Welding 1/8 steel I find that the puddle is so close that I usually stick 1/16 filler in the puddle. But if I use .030 mig wire twisted up, it flows in nicely. I never really see that cone off the tungsten either. So tonight I played with it a little. Tight torch and 1/16 filler I have to move kinda slow to get the filler in. Well if I move back a tad the filler flows in nicely, I can see the cone off the tungsten but I feel like my arc wonders a bit and my welds not as neat but it is not colored as much, which I see is good. The pictures don't show the true colors, the blue one is tight and slow, too slow I feel. But the goldish one is a little longer (tried to match the tungsten size of 3/32) and the color was a lot better but a little out of control if that makes sense.

Yup, too close is when you stick the tungsten in the puddle.

For me, a tight arc length is ½- to 1-tungsten-diameter. If you're at ½ a tungsten diameter or less, it's not easy to plump up the bead to get the necessary bead reinforcement. Also, feeding the filler also becomes an issue at times because it's all too easy to hit the tungsten with the filler, especially if it is a very thin filler rod that tends to be wobbly/shaky.

Me personally I like to feed the filler closer to the hottest point of the puddle because trying to get it right at the leading edge and I end up with having the tungsten stick to the part at times. So I try to use about 1-tungsten-diameter for arc length in order to be able to do this. It also depends on filler wire size. Relatively speaking, a smaller filler wire needs to stay away from the arc more than a larger diameter filler wire.

Tungsten should be the distance away equal to the filler diameter. This will prevent sticking the tungsten to the puddle. A very slight lean angle away from the weld line will help filler introduction into the puddle, visibility of the weld pool, and proper arc distance.

Often too much stick out can be problematic as can too little causing you to crowd the puddle with the cup. It’s like Goldilocks; gotta be “just right”.

Wow, I am using 1/16" filler, and you are saying I need to hold within 1/16", Tungsten tip to parent metal, yikes! I know I haven't been that close.....

Brent1321 wrote:Wow, I am using 1/16" filler, and you are saying I need to hold within 1/16", Tungsten tip to parent metal, yikes! I know I haven't been that close.....

When Jody says "you need to hold a tight arc" that's generally what comes to mind. That is what I recommend anyways. Unless it's aluminum which tends to build up when you dab the filler rod, then sometimes you have to accommodate for the build-up/reinforcement height of the bead. But for steels, 1-tungsten-diameter is what I strive for. s

Brent1321 wrote:Wow, I am using 1/16" filler, and you are saying I need to hold within 1/16", Tungsten tip to parent metal, yikes! I know I haven't been that close.....

I usually gauge it based on the size of the tungsten not the filler, but yeah, if I was using 1/16" filler I would try to get within 1/16". I use 3/32" tungsten most all the time, so that's a good ball park figure, I just try to get between 1/16" and 1/8". Even 1/18" is pretty close for most beginners. Some days I can stick several one after another...$#!T happens...

The other night I sat down and welded for about an hour, no stuck tungstens...took a break for about 15 minutes and sat back down...3 tungstens stuck almost back to back...

Once I see any contamination or anything odd about the tungsten I swap it out immediately.

Brent1321 wrote:Wow, I am using 1/16" filler, and you are saying I need to hold within 1/16", Tungsten tip to parent metal, yikes! I know I haven't been that close.....

Yep, that close. The filler should be introduced to the leading edge of the puddle, not the middle. This will prevent you from contaminating the tungsten. Dip, advance, pause, dip, advance, pause, etc.

Tungsten dips often occur from poor torch technique, or jamming filler into the puddle. If you can, rest the torch hand/arm on something lightly. Then slide it. You almost perceive no change in torch height if done correctly. This simplifies adding filler. You can see clearly, and hit the leading edge of the puddle and avoid stuffing it in and over-dipping. Worse, floating the filler above the puddle and striking the tungsten (very common). It's all about good technique developed from good practice.