Scuba tanks for welding gasses?

[Eric Sedletzky]

Then, most likely, it is the 'clean/penetration' setting. I don't know what Lincoln calls it, but they must have one...

Understanding AC TIG Balance Control | MillerWelds

I was welding stainless on DC+.

Yeah I know about the AC balance too, my machine has that.

 

[lowviz]

Wow, other than arc-blow from your cables, I'm outta trix...

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Could have been the electrode.
Normally I use 2%. He could have been using the new purple one (thorium?)

 

[lowviz]

I'm damn sure that you nailed it! Nothing to do with either machine.

Thoriated tungsten isn't new, harder to find now. (I have a few left)

Pro-Fusion: Thoriated Tungsten Radioactivity

How to Choose the Best Tungsten for AC TIG Welding | MillerWelds

Guidelines for tungsten electrodes

Edit:
Purple, no thorium! I just learned something useful. (too bad Red is radioactive, I LOVE the stuff) Snagged this from the web:

The innovative Rare Earth Blend tungsten electrode contains 98.34% tungsten, 1.5% lanthanum, 0.08% Zirconium, 0.08% Yttrium, and is the perfect substitute for red thoriated electrodes.

 

[lowviz]

I hope this isn't too far off-topic, but @Eric Sedletzky: Look at page 8 in this link https://weldcotemetals.com/Weldcote-Reference.pdf

Get some and play with it a bit, I really like it and consider it a favor returned for clueing me into 'purple'...

Aluminum All Purpose Flux Cored Brazing Rod Flux Cored Aluminum for Maintenance and Repair (Tubular aluminum rod) is an all purpose brazing/braze welding alloy for oxy-acetylene applications to aluminum. Flux percentage is ideally calculated to optimize use in joining wrought for filling in and building up on aluminum castings. Flux Cored Aluminum has a virtually seamless, closed tube, thus protecting the active flux core from the atmosphere. Applications: Flux Cored Aluminum is ideal for joining all brazable grades of aluminum sheet, plate, tubing, piping, extrusions, rods and wires. It can be used to repair brazable aluminum castings, filling in holes, building up worn or missing sections and joining cast to wrought parts. General purpose outdoor use on repairing aluminum skids, platforms, loading docks, truck bodies, irrigation piping, fences and railings whenever inert gas welding or shielded metal arc welding is impractical. Procedures: Remove oxides and foreign material from weld area preferably by mechanical means (scraping, filing, etc). Bevel parts thicker than 3/16” to form a 60° vee. With the oxy/fuel torch adjusted to a slightly carburizing flame, heat work broadly to about 1000°F. Melt ¼” of the rod off onto the work piece (the flux will also turn to a liquid); continue heating until alloy flows out. Lower the angle of the torch; continue adding alloy a drop at a time until weld is complete. Allow part to cool slowly. Remove all flux residue with stiff brush and hot water. Flux-Cored Aluminum 1/8 X 32" 4-5 lb tubes in 20 lb ctn FCALUM18

/Hijack...

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I'm damn sure that you nailed it! Nothing to do with either machine.

Thoriated tungsten isn't new, harder to find now. (I have a few left)

Pro-Fusion: Thoriated Tungsten Radioactivity

How to Choose the Best Tungsten for AC TIG Welding | MillerWelds

Guidelines for tungsten electrodes

Edit:
Purple, no thorium! I just learned something useful. (too bad Red is radioactive, I LOVE the stuff) Snagged this from the web:

The innovative Rare Earth Blend tungsten electrode contains 98.34% tungsten, 1.5% lanthanum, 0.08% Zirconium, 0.08% Yttrium, and is the perfect substitute for red thoriated electrodes.

Right, got mixed up. Thorium IS the 2% red one.

I’ve played with the flux filled aluminum gas welding rod.
Not my cup of tea.
But then I attempted it on some thick stuff and not thin stuff like what it’s probably for.
I got 1/8” aluminum stick rod to work pretty damn good on the thick stuff.

 

[lowviz]

Ah! Give it another chance, it has its place.

Many years ago, I had a bunch of window screens to repair. Oxidized, exposed to the elements, mostly cracked frame corners and such. TIG would have taken way too much time prepping. Got a decent result by wire brushing the offending areas, cutting off a length of the filled rod and carefully heating it until it flowed out. Never melted the frame.

 

[kelemvor]

Well I finally got all the stuff I needed and did my first welds this weekend. They look awful. Really awful. But it's verking! I'm surprised how little current is needed for mig welding. I guess I wasted some money getting that 200a welder, 70a seems about right for single pulse mig on the thin bed frame angle iron I practiced on... or maybe the friend that was showing me how to set up the welder did something wrong.

I'm going to have to run the thing on commercial power. My 10kw generator does the job nicely but it's just way too loud. My neighbors would hate me if I ran the thing on any kind of a regular basis.

Here it is, so you guys can have a bit of a laugh. It's ugly, but strong enough that my fat self could jump up and down on it without it breaking.

I also learned that despite having a light IBGT welder, a cart isn't optional... and I need to make a welding table.

 

[Wookie]

Well I finally got all the stuff I needed and did my first welds this weekend. They look awful. Really awful. But it's verking! I'm surprised how little current is needed for mig welding. I guess I wasted some money getting that 200a welder, 70a seems about right for single pulse mig on the thin bed frame angle iron I practiced on... or maybe the friend that was showing me how to set up the welder did something wrong.

I'm going to have to run the thing on commercial power. My 10kw generator does the job nicely but it's just way too loud. My neighbors would hate me if I ran the thing on any kind of a regular basis.

Here it is, so you guys can have a bit of a laugh. It's ugly, but strong enough that my fat self could jump up and down on it without it breaking.

I also learned that despite having a light IBGT welder, a cart isn't optional... and I need to make a welding table.
View attachment 544962

Next thing you now you'll be building a boat, and will need that 200a welder.

I bought a spoolgun yesterday.

 

[-JD-]

Well I finally got all the stuff I needed and did my first welds this weekend. They look awful. Really awful. But it's verking! I'm surprised how little current is needed for mig welding. I guess I wasted some money getting that 200a welder, 70a seems about right for single pulse mig on the thin bed frame angle iron I practiced on... or maybe the friend that was showing me how to set up the welder did something wrong.

I'm going to have to run the thing on commercial power. My 10kw generator does the job nicely but it's just way too loud. My neighbors would hate me if I ran the thing on any kind of a regular basis.

Here it is, so you guys can have a bit of a laugh. It's ugly, but strong enough that my fat self could jump up and down on it without it breaking.

I also learned that despite having a light IBGT welder, a cart isn't optional... and I need to make a welding table.
View attachment 544962

1) Become a upcycler. Grab every curbside bedframe you can. The are a great source of really strong (in most cases) angle. Cut the rivets flush with a cutoff-disk and knock the sections apart.

2) Flap-disks are your friends. A 60 grit wheel would clean that up pronto with much less chatter than a hard grinding-disk. Pro/Con, it will also uncover the voids that were left underneath - at least for me, I'm still learning (by doing now and then - I keep missing class starts).

3) A 200A welder running at 70A should have a much higher duty cycle than a 100A welder at 70A.