Welding Tips and Tricks

Why would my electrode split at the tip?

TIG electrode, meaning Tungsten?

Not quite a "metal cutting" question, but okay...

Splitting/spitting/shattering electrodes are "usually" cheap electrodes, or sometimes a random inconsistency in a good quality electrode. It happens, under both cases.

Rarely, you'll see this from very wrong settings driving the current, but that usually makes such crappy welds that you'd be talking about that problem first.

Steve S

P.S. If you'll confirm this is a TIG problem, I'll make the topic "migrate" to the TIG subforum.

Still learning where to post . this is CK tungsten 2% Lan 3/32

Been snapping them off with pliers rather than cutting off the badly contaminated bits? Not that I've seen it first hand but I recall reading somewhere you should always cut them at least most of the way through before snapping off, or better yet just cut them off completely.

WICW,
If you run the tungsten at or over it's intended amperage limit, it will slit at the tip when sharpened to a point. I'm not sure how prevalent this is with an inverter welder, but it happens quite often while I'm welding aluminum with my old transformer.

What the others have mentioned is a possible cause if it's actually splitting in two, could be a linear crack or just plain bad tungsten. I'm not convinced that buying name brand tungsten eliminates the chances of getting junk, they buy it from somewhere else. I used to get Sylvania brand and never had a bad stick, now if I'm buying, I buy from Diamond Ground Products, these are manufacturers and not just rebrands.

Post a picture of it and we will have a better chance of identifying the cause.

Len

Rupes wrote:Been snapping them off with pliers rather than cutting off the badly contaminated bits? Not that I've seen it first hand but I recall reading somewhere you should always cut them at least most of the way through before snapping off, or better yet just cut them off completely.

Can't speak to 2% Lan, but this will split 2% thoriated, never a recommended practice.

I use 2% thoriated and I have yet to get a clean break on my tungsten without grinding them almost through. My holder is just long enough to get half sticks in cause I rarely have room at work to get a rat tail in were I need to be.