i know what purge welding is, just wondering what is the easiest/most efficient setup to do it? how is everyone else out there running the extra argon into the pipe? experiences with what works best and what doesn't?

thanks.

 

I'm interested in this as well. back side of my stainless welds look like poo.

 

I had some aluminum plugs spun up on a lathe. Put a barbed fitting in one end.

 

What about when you're doing a manifold etc. find a way to plug the flanges and put some Argon in there?

 

i'm more interested in know how everyone is running argon into it off the bottle. plugging the pipe is easy. is it just best to run a "T" off the regulator of the bottle to run the hose into the pipe? i'll probably just end up getting a kit or making something up.

 

I just have a dedicated bottle setup for purging, also acts as a spare in case I run out. Has a regulator set to 10 or so and I usually just use masking tape to block off the ends of the tubing and punch a 1/4" sized hole in an end closest to where I'm welding so the argon has some place to get out and also kind of cools the backside of the weld a little bit better so the tape doesn't burn off.

 

thanks for the input. i contacted miller, and they dont' sell any purge welding kits, but they had some links to companies that do.

http://www.arc-zone.com/catalog/web_store
http://www.dissolvo.com/index_welding.lasso
http://huntingdonfusion.com/HF...pid=1
http://www.intercononline.com/welding/welding.htm

i'll probably rig something up myself.

 

Purging is easy...

use a splitter, or
another bottle, or
get one of the dual flowmeters so you have 2 meters on one bottle.

Then hook a hose to it.
Put the end of the hose into the pipe you're welding and tape up the ends with masking tape.

 

just to bring this back up to the top to see if anyone has a picture.

I have been practicing with stainless piping but of course without back purge it looks like a bird took a dump inside my pipes..not good.

so, i looked at it and I think I can Tee off the flowmeter, have 1 hose to the 180SD like stock and 1 hose to whatever I'm welding. I guess then I would need just a valve on the line that goes to the piping so I can open/close and sort of regulate flow. Rather do that if it works then buy a new regulator.

What kind of hose do you guys use, rubber, copper? the pipes get DAMN hot, masking tape is ok and will not melt?

Anyone have pics? I tried the sites Aaron posted above but they all don't seem to work anymore.

**EDIT** I got one of the sites to work...interesting info, never thought of using aluminum tape..would work better then masking tape probably. I'll have to try this tomorrow night.

 

I just use an S bottle for purge gas. T for the machine.

 

i have a t setup for the regulator ready to install for my 180 sd. i'll take some pics and post a small writeup when i get it all set up and ready for action. i'm getting some pipe caps in different sizes to use instead of tape. they should work pretty good.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jays91DXhatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What about when you're doing a manifold etc. find a way to plug the flanges and put some Argon in there?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Put the hose in the end and tape it up with masking tape. It's done on 9 of 10 professionally made welds.<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by weirRacing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i'm more interested in know how everyone is running argon into it off the bottle.</TD></TR></TABLE>
You can buy dual regulator setups. It's basically one fitting to the bottle with a T on it to two separate flowmeters...and has a pressure guage in the middle of it. I don't know what they cost. You can also buy T's that you can screw two flowmeters into, or just get a Y off the flowmeter outlet and use the valves on the Y to regulate how much flow goes to each side.

 

Bump for an old post

I have tried everything I could think of and have found the cheapest best method (for me) for purge welding is fiberglass insulation. It costs next to nothing, doesnt burn/fume/etc and is cheap. Here are some pictures of my welds with it.

http://jg-fab.com/weld-pictures/DSC03359.JPG
http://jg-fab.com/weld-pictures/DSC03360.JPG
http://jg-fab.com/weld-pictures/DSC03364.JPG

-James