Good evening all. Some questions from the newbie Tigger. Number one- With being set up for aluminum (AC) why would I be getting a slight shock sometimes?(through the filler rod)
Number two- When I am dabbing into the puddle with the filler rod why does it gob up and not melt correctly?
Number three- On mild steel (DC) what does the orange rusty colored residue left on the metal mean?
Thats it for this session. More ? to come as I practice
Thanks Toby

 

1. Where some TIG gloves. I've only gotten shocked when I have bare skin that is grounded (usually my wrist if I'm resting my arm on something and my sleeve slides up).
2. Clean the filler rod or incorrect torch angle heating up the filler before the base. Or possibly to thick of filler rod.
3. Contamination from lack of Argon coverage.

 

Precisely. Thanks David...saved me some typing!
Kyle

 

2. If you are talking about AL make sure the puddle looks like a shiney silver pool before you add filler. Mild/SS have been covered.

3. This can also happen when you dip our tungsten and it has a coating of steel on it. regrind it.

 

everything sounds covered, except i have been shocked before by not having a good ground. so make sure you have a good ground to the workpiece.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by david@didrace.com &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">1. Where some TIG gloves. I've only gotten shocked when I have bare skin that is grounded (usually my wrist if I'm resting my arm on something and my sleeve slides up).</TD></TR></TABLE>

No fun in that, gotta live on the edge. I wear no shoes at times and weld in puddles just to see if I will get shocked and keep the steady bead. Yes I'm joking

 

I think it was an uncovered wrist that took a hit. That was ugly. torch flew one way filler flew another!!!! More of a scare then anything BUT I dont want it again. Note to self find gloves with big gauntlets Thanks to alll of you guys. I get back at it
Toby

 

From what I've found, aluminum likes some what of a dull point on the torch, unlike mild steel / chromeoly which seems to be fond of a sharp point. I had a hard time getting my aluminum Tigs down till i dulled up the electrode with the bench grinder. just my .02

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ComeOnKip &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">From what I've found, aluminum likes some what of a dull point on the torch, unlike mild steel / chromeoly which seems to be fond of a sharp point. I had a hard time getting my aluminum Tigs down till i dulled up the electrode with the bench grinder. just my .02</TD></TR></TABLE>

You want to ball up the end of the electrode on DC+ before welding Aluminum on A/C.

 

ball on dc+ on clean copper, green pure is the tungsten that ***** on its own. if you have an inverter machine you dont need to ball it. if you dont know how to ball it, you ramp up the heat slowly till you get a bright white light, then you will see it bubbble and bead up, if it worked you will have a nice shiny polished ball. also most people overdo this, i dont mean a BALL, i mean a sphered end on the tungsten. it shouldnt be any bigger then the diamater of the tungsten. make sure to keep the torch straight so the ball isint crooked.

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll do that next time I get the torch in my hands.

 

My take :

1) Like david@didrace said, wear good TIG gloves.

2) The filler balling up also occurs when your puddle is not hot enough.

3) The orange soot that you get with steel welding is actually the steel burning off the tungsten, rather than a lack of shielding. If you accidentally dip your tungsten, or touch it with the filler, you have to stop right away and regrind the tungsten.