Does the amount of shielding gas affect "etched zone"

admin

I installed a medium gas lens on my WP17 torch today, with a 7 cup, about 1/2" stickout, and backed the argon down to 19 CFH (from 23) at 150A (in aluminum). Basically replaced a standard 7 cup setup and reduced the argon slightly (since I read a gas lens can be more efficient) with all the other settings the same. Ran a bead and got the widest etched zone (almost 1/4" on each side of the weld) I've ever seen from this machine (Syncro 200). Is there potentially some other variable that I'm missing (that I somehow inadvertently introduced into the mix) or is there some correlation between the efficacy of the shielding gas and the cleaning action?So far I'm digging this gas lens.Of course I ordered the lens and supporting hardware for the 17 torch BEFORE I found a used Tweco TC900 cooler for $250 and WP20 torch for $75. Guess I'll be buying a gas lens setup for that torch, too.Joe*edit* I hope I'm not just making up terminology with "etched zone". If I am, I think you all know what I mean anyway...Miller Syncrowave 200Mac/Miller MW130 MIGKalamazoo bandsawCincinnati Arrow 500 VMCColchester Dominion 15 x 36 lathe with 2 axis DRO
Reply:Hello Joe, I do believe that you could be seeing some of the benefit of the gas lense combination that you wouldn't have seen with a conventional cup combination. Arc focus when you are welding with AC on aluminum from a machine that is somewhat considered to be a conventional design has a fairly wide focus of arc contact area, a change of the balance control should likely also effect this etch zone. When you have a conventional cup on your torch you have varying degrees of turbulence and a much lesser evenly blanketed shielding gas coverage, in short you might very well have "contamination" just outside of the toes of your bead( thus less apparent etch). With the gas lense you have a very even and non-turbulent shielding gas flow which likely allows for some of the peripheral arc to react more outside of the actual weld pool and show a more apparent and larger zone of etch around the weld pool. Just my $.02. Best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:This may be just me but I never use 1/2" stick out (i weld almost only aluminum, I dont speak for any steel techniques. Maybe all the bada$$ steel welders run giant stick outs, IDK). I set my stick out to where i can drag/bounce/walk my cup in a corner with the tungsten as close to the puddle as possible without any chance of it dipping. On my #8 (i think) that usually ends up being about 3/32 " out. But thats just me. Plus im almost never above 15 cfh.www.performancealuminumfabrication.com
Reply:@aevaldBalance set to 6.5, right where it was when I ran the conventional cup setup. Even when I turned the balance to most cleaning (zero or 50% balance) with a conventional cup, I did not get this much cleaning.@TravisAre you using a gas lens with that 15 CFH?I just wanted to try the extended stickout to see if that alleged benefit of the gas lens was evident (which it appears to be, more stickout, less gas, no contamination). Haven't gotten to the point where I can try walking the cup. It's all I can do right now to coordinate the torch, the pedal, and the filler.JoeMiller Syncrowave 200Mac/Miller MW130 MIGKalamazoo bandsawCincinnati Arrow 500 VMCColchester Dominion 15 x 36 lathe with 2 axis DRO
Reply:Yes i have a gas lens. Even at my old job where we didn't use gas lenses we would run in the 16-19 and that was because with the doors open we would somedays get a little wind.www.performancealuminumfabrication.com
Reply:When i got my cs-310 a purchased one of those big pyrex cup lenses. I tried welding some aluminum with it and it was a disaster. I never got to figure out why because bumped it and it broke within five minutes.www.performancealuminumfabrication.com
Reply:scudzuki  -  What are you welding that warrant this refinement.   OpusLast edited by OPUS FERRO; 02-01-2012 at 12:53 AM.Reason: font size
Reply:@OPUSJust practicing. I make motorcycle and mountain bike parts as well as whatever silly idea springs into my head in my home shop here. It would be a real shame to have a gazillion hours into some nice machined parts then ruin them with crappy welds, so I'm practicing, practicing, practicing.By the time I spend almost $2k on a welder, filler, tungsten, a 60A circuit for the welder, etc., spending $50 for a gas lens setup is not a hardship.JoeMiller Syncrowave 200Mac/Miller MW130 MIGKalamazoo bandsawCincinnati Arrow 500 VMCColchester Dominion 15 x 36 lathe with 2 axis DRO