Filler Wire Balling on End (Stainless)

admin

When Tig welding, I sometimes run into the filler wire balling up and not wanting to fuse. The wire is clean and in contact with base metal. I think I may know what's causing it, but I thought you folks might be able to help. Thankssftyvlv
Reply:Same church, different pew:  http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...Filler+balling . The advice presented IRT welding Al translates to welding SS.Specifics on your setup, equipment/consumables, welding parameters, and materials are needed for a proper consult.  In addition, the SS needs to be clean and contaminate-free.TIGn SS typically requires lower delivered amperage than MS of equal thickness.  Regardless, maintaining ~ 90deg  'relative' angle btw the filler and TIG torch approximates the desired geometry when welding materials.  The molten puddle, once formed & maintained, is what melts the filler rod and mixes with the base metal for fusion.  If the torch angle is excessive the tungsten arc, instead of the flowing puddle, will prematurely heat/melt/ball the filler rod.  Reference: http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...ints_tips.htmlNote:  there are several other threads on WW addressing the root cause of TIG filler balling."Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:try holding your torch straight up and down some more. if you have too much travel angle the torch will melt your filler, causing it to ball up before it reaches the puddle.
Reply:Originally Posted by richTtry holding your torch straight up and down some more. if you have too much travel angle the torch will melt your filler, causing it to ball up before it reaches the puddle.
Reply:Originally Posted by ManoKai  Reference: http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...ints_tips.html
Reply:Originally Posted by kidtigger24X2I ran into that a bit when first learning. That's what my problem was. Then I had some old guy that straighten out the rest. kidtigger24
Reply:Thanks fellas, I was walking the cup whenever this happened. With the stickout I use, the lead angle of the torch causes this problem and the fact I just lay the wire on the pipe. Having said that its obvious that the heat is not concentrated on the base metal, the puddle isn't very well established and the arcs heat melts the filler.Thanks
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterWorked didn't it?...zap!