Can somebody point me in the right direction? I'm trying to weld some 0.125" 6061 t6 together and my tungsten keeps splintering at the amps that I'm at. I'm using 1/8" and still having problems. I've tried the balance as low as 50 and as high as 80 and freq. between 60 and 100. The tungsten I'm using is either ceriated or lanthanated. It's hard to tell because the band is almost worn away.
I was gonna head down to the welding store and pick up some pure tungsten 3/32 and 1/8 to see if that helps. BTW... Using an HTP 221 inverter.

 

2% Lanthanated, 3/32 should do it?

 

+1

 

that's what I thought too, but it's not taking the heat. Maybe the stuff I have is ceriated. Not sure how much that would matter. I picked up some 3/32 and 1/8" pure a little earlier. I'll give that a try.

 

The 2% lanthanated has a blue end.

Good video on Tungstens

 

I use red tungsten for everything 3/32

 

I've had 3/32" 2% lanthanated split on me at 100-120 amps on AC. If you have an inverter machine, just use 2% thoriated. It will ball up a bit, but seems to handle the heat better than lanthanated. AC welding puts a lot more heat into the electrode than DC welding at the same amps. Your balance setting also plays into this, as the more cleaning action you get, the more punishment the tungsten takes.

 

I think mine was 1.5% lanthanated which is gold tip. It was either gold or orange. Might have been ceriated.

 

Thats probably why. Surprisingly big difference between 1.5% and 2%

 

I always use 2% thoriated for DC and Ceriated for my AC welding....