Welding Questions (Technical)

[azbrewer]

If you want the appearance to look a little better just go over the weld with the torch (washing out) no filler metal needs to be added. When you are doing just manipulate the torch in circles from the top to the bottom of the toe in the weld.

Looks great though, just keep practicing and you will get better. Take your time!

 

[GreenMonti]

How did the welding turn out?

 

[bkloos]

Not bad.... I've tried a couple more practice runs with welding in full and half couplers...
The bigges problem I've had is getting the gas flow right for the back-gas.

I'm thinking about sourcing another tank/regulator to do it right. The T is working, but the pressures are totally different and the flow rate changes when my TIG starts to flow the gas from the torch... Not a good set-up as it stands. Just need to come up with some cash... UGH!

This weekend I played with they layouts of the kettles, deciding on where I want the couplers. I have a good layout and will sleep on it for a couple days before I start putting the holes in the kettles.

I'm super busy the next few days but will post some pics of the progress by the weekend.

Thanks!!!

Bryan

 

[Dog House Brew]

Why not buy another flow meter and tee into the tank. Would be a lot cheaper and accomplish the same thing.

 

[whitescout]

No offense intended, but did you tack @ 3,6,9,and 12? If you do this, your couplings will end up a lot more square.:rockin::rockin:

 

[BrewBeemer]

Will Pardon me sorry I was not Political correct (don't care If Iam) in the Name. Around these parts when a person said 180 Squarewave you knew that it was miller ac/dc, square wave, power supply Period. Mine cost a little more but it was from an all in with Quads.


Swagman

Well my Miller service tech friends got a laugh with your reply being they also like my homebrews. They told me only Lincoln calls their welder a Square Wave vs Miller as a Synchrowave. Granted the pattern on the scope is square with both machines, you sound like a Lincoln owner. No "Pardon around these parts". The OP asked for "(technical)" advice at the start of this posting hence why I added the technical correction of a Lincoln Square Wave welder vs a Miller Synchrowave.

 

[bkloos]

No offense intended, but did you tack @ 3,6,9,and 12? If you do this, your couplings will end up a lot more square.

Not on my first attempt. I was amazed at how much the coupling moved with the heat. On my subsequent tests/practice runs, I have tacked accordingly and the couplings are square. Just need to figure out a better way to back-gas.

 

[bkloos]

Why not buy another flow meter and tee into the tank. Would be a lot cheaper and accomplish the same thing.

This is an option, but I would like to find a cheap/free tank bigger than my current 40CF. I can source a cheap flow meter/reg of ebay for about $30, from my first searches. In an ideal world, I pick up a bigger tank and get another meter, which would allow me less frequent trips to the welding supply

With the way I tend to opperate, I will be doing a lot of upgrades in the future. A new tank/reg combo would still be a LOT less than having a pro do all the welds.

This is one of my mantras, buy the tools and learn the skill for less than having it done by someone else. At the end of the day, it may take longer, but I learn a new skill and own the tools

I wonder if SWMBO will approve of this philosophy when I try to replace the front door this spring

Bryan

 

[Dog House Brew]

I hate paying anyone to do a job I can learn too. I didn't buy an extra flow meter. I just used an oxygen Y on my tank. I haven't had any trouble with it. I ran the cheap clear hose from the hardware and put a small piece of icemaker copper on the end where I purge. I used the foil tape method for purging like Swagman. Worked fine for me. I just ran a little more gas to compensate for the Y.

 

[bkloos]

I just used an oxygen Y on my tank.

I assume the "Y" goes after the reg/flow? Where did you source yours?

My DIY rig just doesn't give me the flow control I need.... I get too much flow to the back, and then when the tig fires up there is not enough flow to the torch... Imbalance, so it seems...

 

[RonRock]

Your weldeig supply should have a Y with valves on 2 sides. Probably have to crank up the flow a bit and open the side going to the torch full and adjust the backflow down. The Y goes on the out side of the flowmeter. Your flowmeter may have left hand threads. I don't recall at the moment. They will know what fittings you will need if you know the flowmeter you have. Probably all the same.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Mine were rt hand and used a Y w/ valves made for oxy usually. Cost $30

 

[Dog House Brew]

I assume the "Y" goes after the reg/flow? Where did you source yours?

My DIY rig just doesn't give me the flow control I need.... I get too much flow to the back, and then when the tig fires up there is not enough flow to the torch... Imbalance, so it seems...

Almost any local welding supply will have these. Many shops run dual torches from one tank. Just make sure of your threads. Should take the one used for an oxygen tank. RonROck was correct in the way you set the valve. I think it should be rt hand. Usually lft hand is for acetylene.

 

[Swagman]

Well my Miller service tech friends got a laugh with your reply being they also like my homebrews. They told me only Lincoln calls their welder a Square Wave vs Miller as a Synchrowave. Granted the pattern on the scope is square with both machines, you sound like a Lincoln owner. No "Pardon around these parts". The OP asked for "(technical)" advice at the start of this posting hence why I added the technical correction of a Lincoln Square Wave welder vs a Miller Synchrowave.

Technical advice waiting. Question who Miller on Lincoln invented Squarewave technology I think you will find that Miller did. Yes its a Synchrowave Miller 180 SD now you your happy. Lincoln owner yes that is also true plus a Forney, three other millers. Also the box I struck my first arc with in 1952 that is collecting years of dust. Couple of High Freq. box's. collecting dust. No I will buy the first round

Turned down couplers that are a tight fit to a one inch hole have a lip to sit on hold in place a little better. Still tack to the point's on the clock but if a coupler is off a little if can be moved with little pry. I find this when putting in pick up tube to the center hole in a false bottom.

God Bless

Dominus Vobiscum

Swagman

 

[Swagman]

Here is a thought you might try with you gas supplier. I had a talk with my supplier several years ago about trading up and down on tank size. The thought is if I have a larger tank where am I going to fill it at? With the same supplier that I got it from. My supplier will take say a M tank and trade down to a smaller or two tanks smaller in sizes. I had this large ox. tank that I never used that much so I traded it for a smaller ox tank and a small argon tank.

The second argon became my back flow tank equip. with another flow meter. Also a back up if I run short on the main argon tank.

You never know unless you ask. Like a friend of mine says let you wants and needs be known.
Few bottles of the good stuff don't hurt either.


Dominus Vobiscum

Swagman

 

[BrewBeemer]

Hey Swag; why not keep the big Argon bottle like a 280 cu/ft they are cheaper to refill by the cu/ft vs smaller bottles but add a "Y" on the high pressure side and use two regulators and flow meters? This way the OP will eliminate the problem of the back gas pressure dropping when the Tig torch gas flow begins or stops. To save some more Argon gas add a second solenoid valve to the second back gas regulator wired to the gas output for the same delay on and off signal from the welder to the tig torch. This way you can have seperate pressures and cfm flows to the torch and the back gas cup. I've collected three 280 cu/ft, one 215 cu/ft and one 150 cu/ft Nitrogen bottle my nfuture nitro mix gas bottle, this one I offered $30 and got it. This plus down to only four 20# Co2 bottles as I gave away three to brewing friends. They were all free from a Round Table fire with everything thrown into the dumpsters. The fire wasn't in the same room as the 20# bottles so I dumpster dove and saved seven free bottles with regulators and manifold splitters.

 

[Swagman]

Hey Swag; why not keep the big Argon bottle like a 280 cu/ft they are cheaper to refill by the cu/ft vs smaller bottles but add a "Y" on the high pressure side and use two regulators and flow meters? This way the OP will eliminate the problem of the back gas pressure dropping when the Tig torch gas flow begins or stops. To save some more Argon gas add a second solenoid valve to the second back gas regulator wired to the gas output for the same delay on and off signal from the welder to the tig torch. This way you can have seperate pressures and cfm flows to the torch and the back gas cup. I've collected three 280 cu/ft, one 215 cu/ft and one 150 cu/ft Nitrogen bottle my nfuture nitro mix gas bottle, this one I offered $30 and got it. This plus down to only four 20# Co2 bottles as I gave away three to brewing friends. They were all free from a Round Table fire with everything thrown into the dumpsters. The fire wasn't in the same room as the 20# bottles so I dumpster dove and saved seven free bottles with regulators and manifold splitters.

Sound idea on the Y hook up and second solenoid. Now see what you did got another ideal for my plate and its overflowing now. lol Good catch on 20's thats what I like about my gas man I trade them in for two 10's or 4 five pounders. I normally run argon/co2 mix on the MIG but the 20's come in when a little deeper weld is needed just dirty.

Glad I'm retired but I'm getting to wonder when did I have time to work. Busy as a one arm paper hanger in a Kansas wind.

Again thanks

Dominus Vobiscum
Swagman

 

[GreenMonti]

Hey Swag; why not keep the big Argon bottle like a 280 cu/ft they are cheaper to refill by the cu/ft vs smaller bottles but add a "Y" on the high pressure side and use two regulators and flow meters? This way the OP will eliminate the problem of the back gas pressure dropping when the Tig torch gas flow begins or stops. To save some more Argon gas add a second solenoid valve to the second back gas regulator wired to the gas output for the same delay on and off signal from the welder to the tig torch. This way you can have seperate pressures and cfm flows to the torch and the back gas cup. I've collected three 280 cu/ft, one 215 cu/ft and one 150 cu/ft Nitrogen bottle my nfuture nitro mix gas bottle, this one I offered $30 and got it. This plus down to only four 20# Co2 bottles as I gave away three to brewing friends. They were all free from a Round Table fire with everything thrown into the dumpsters. The fire wasn't in the same room as the 20# bottles so I dumpster dove and saved seven free bottles with regulators and manifold splitters.

I think the second solenoid valve would cause issues with the purge. Depending on how the purge is setup there wont be enough gas flow to clear all the O2. Also if he ever wanted to do other projects he would have to defeat the solenoid valve to get a solid purge on something big.

 

[Swagman]

I think the second solenoid valve would cause issues with the purge. Depending on how the purge is setup there wont be enough gas flow to clear all the O2. Also if he ever wanted to do other projects he would have to defeat the solenoid valve to get a solid purge on something big.

Same ideal run across my mind. One way is to trip the tig and its set up with after flow that you set the time for. Or I can just keep my seperate bottle and flow meter. Thanks for the heads up.

Dominus Vobiscum

Swagman

 

[GreenMonti]

Same ideal run across my mind. One way is to trip the tig and its set up with after flow that you set the time for. Or I can just keep my seperate bottle and flow meter. Thanks for the heads up.

Dominus Vobiscum

Swagman

6 of 1 or half a dozen of another. Tripping the Tig will run gas out the torch for no reason, and on a big job the post flow timer wouldn't be enough.

I would keep the separate bottle and reg. When I was doing the brazing on my boiler I ran a purge through it. I would have had to break down the setup and bypass the solenoid if I had a second one on the unit. Food for thought.

Prost friend.

 

[BrewBeemer]

I think the second solenoid valve would cause issues with the purge. Depending on how the purge is setup there wont be enough gas flow to clear all the O2. Also if he ever wanted to do other projects he would have to defeat the solenoid valve to get a solid purge on something big.

I should of mentioned it as I was thinking you would of already know how to get around this. On the purge valve it's not triggered by the pre and post flow signal from theTig welder to the torch gas flow valve, a seperate on all the time power source with a toggle switch, you manually control the purge times but you must remember to turn it off after the weld or you'll be wasting your gas.
I'm thinking as a retired electrician and the members responding to this OP with me thinking we're the same Hz. Sorry I should of explained it out more.
Retired Swag, same here but younger and forced out now on SSD.

 

[Swagman]

I should of mentioned it as I was thinking you would of already know how to get around this. On the purge valve it's not triggered by the pre and post flow signal from theTig welder to the torch gas flow valve, a seperate on all the time power source with a toggle switch, you manually control the purge times but you must remember to turn it off after the weld or you'll be wasting your gas.
I'm thinking as a retired electrician and the members responding to this OP with me thinking we're the same Hz. Sorry I should of explained it out more.
Retired Swag, same here but younger and forced out now on SSD.

OK I see said the blind man. Heck with already having the spare argon tank with flow meter and its control by a high tech needle valve with old fashion manual on and off (yes you have to remember to turn on and OFF) I will stay pat. Retired reliability Engineer (you build it and we will break it) 35 years GM.

Dominus Vobiscum
Swagman

 

[bkloos]

Hey Hey Guys,

Good news. I started welding up the kettles yesterday. I used the foil pocket technique posted here on HBT for the backgas, and the rears of the welds look clean with no sugaring. THe front sides of the welds are nice, and look like the should hold up during the "sea trial."

I'll post some pictures later in the weekend once I have them all finished, as I still have one kettle to weld up.

Before I do so, I was wondering what is the best way to remove the blueish discoloration around the weld caused from the heat? I assume just grind/sand, or is there a cleanser that would take care of it?

Thanks again for all the help!!!

Best,

Bryan

 

[GreenMonti]

Hey Hey Guys,

Good news. I started welding up the kettles yesterday. I used the foil pocket technique posted here on HBT for the backgas, and the rears of the welds look clean with no sugaring. THe front sides of the welds are nice, and look like the should hold up during the "sea trial."

I'll post some pictures later in the weekend once I have them all finished, as I still have one kettle to weld up.

Before I do so, I was wondering what is the best way to remove the blueish discoloration around the weld caused from the heat? I assume just grind/sand, or is there a cleanser that would take care of it?

Thanks again for all the help!!!

Best,

Bryan

Sounds good and I'm glad to hear your making progress. I like to use a SS wire brush that has not been used on anything except SS. The HAS to be made of SS. I wire brush the weld directly after welding while it is still hot. Then once they cool down I like to use the scotch brite on them. It wouldn't hurt to give the kettles a good scrub with BKF once all the work is done. This will aid in the passivization of the stainless. Looking forward to those pics.