Ok,
Welder - Miller Syncrowave 180SD, flowing 18 with 100% argon, 2% Thoriated Tungsten ground 2:1
Pieces - 4130, cleaned
Filler - Oxweld 32

Ok, basically all of our finishing welds are turning out with beads that have a vein-y or seashell look to them, and we can't figure out why, or if this could be weakening.

We've had both welders here tonight (Me and D) try it, with two different torches, and we keep getting the same result. This is with the torch being held to the area until the postflow is complete (13 seconds).

Any input would be appreciated.

 

First off, 18cfh isn't enough flow. From there, I'd really have to see pics or get a better description to help out.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Engloid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">First off, 18cfh isn't enough flow. From there, I'd really have to see pics or get a better description to help out.</TD></TR></TABLE>

What would you suggest for flow?

And we can't get a camera to focus in well enough to see it, it's just, it looks like raised bumps on a seashell, traveling away from the center of the puddle. When it's hot though, there isn't any trash floating in the puddle.

 

so when you weld a bead, is this only at the end of it where you stop?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Engloid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so when you weld a bead, is this only at the end of it where you stop?</TD></TR></TABLE>

No, it's along the whole run. With each cleaning, it "restarts", it's not continuous along the whole bead, vein wise.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Goullish &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> With each cleaning, it "restarts", it's not continuous along the whole bead, vein wise.</TD></TR></TABLE>
What do you mean by "each cleaning" and "vein"?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Engloid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
What do you mean by "each cleaning" and "vein"?</TD></TR></TABLE>

The "veins" are the inconsistances that we're getting, the dirty bead.

by cleaning I mean each filler dip, I know I used the term incorrectly.

 

WHen you're dabbing the wire in and out of the puddle, are you pulling it out where the argon is not able to shield it anymore? If you are, it can get contaminated...and then when you put it back in the puddle, it puts all that contamination into the weld.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Engloid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">WHen you're dabbing the wire in and out of the puddle, are you pulling it out where the argon is not able to shield it anymore? If you are, it can get contaminated...and then when you put it back in the puddle, it puts all that contamination into the weld.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I tend to draw the wire down where the weld will be, but I can think of several times where I pull it out of the "bubble", and so can D.

And especially if we're not pumping enough gas, I could see that having a large effect. After you said that, I pumped the gas up to 25 cfh, and it still did it however.

I'm wondering if maybe we just got a poor batch of Oxweld, because we've used the same conditions (18 cfh, 4130, yada) before, and it didn't happen before.

 

I really don't know. It's hard to give much help without pics, as it's hard for me to imagine what it's doing. You may want to take a sample weld to the place you got the wire and ask them about it.

 

i think the same thing happend to me. turns out i was moving the torch to far each step. I was moving to the extream leading edge of the original bead. also try not to rock back and forth on the pedal to much if at all.