Choosing TIG electrode

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I recently ordered an el-cheap-o Harbor Freight TIG machine (didn't arrive yet) and have read that the tungsten it scomes with sucks. So my questionis, how do you choose the right one?2% Thoriated, 2% Ceriated or 1.5% Lanthanated ???!!?!?!?!reading their descriptions, it seems that any of them will work fine for DC mild steel & stainless.
Reply:I use 2% Red End for... Everything...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterI use 2% Red End for... Everything...zap!
Reply:Yes, red is thoriated.  Pure (green) is for aluminum on AC.  Grey is cerated or how ever you speel it.  Works good too.  Expect to pay about $2.something per 7" piece of 3/32 tungston.  I just ordered some from Tigstore.com.  their website is down right now, but they have the best price.  Don't bother with the harbor freight stuff cause its a hose job.  I bought some, save your money, learn from my mistake.Have a blastDavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:i have been using 2% lanthanated for every thing AC and DC with excilent results. wile i dont know that the HF cheepo will have the omph needed to do it the cerated can split if used on AC. just some thing to be aware of as it was designed for DC use.odds are good the HF will not perform well enough for you to notice much of a diference any way but as its an inverter you should stay away from pure tungsten lanthanated or cerated would be muy first choice as thorated is raideoactive i think i'll stay clear of that one, but by all means use what you like. try them all out and go with the one you like best. as you are lerning odds are good you will go threw it fairly quicky due to fouling and resharpening. good luck and enjoy. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:Red is good for just about everything.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:2% Thoriated is my fav, but I also like the Zirconiated
Reply:Been using the HF thoriated and not having any noticable problems (in all of my like two days of TIG welding).What sort of problems do they have?
Reply:If you have an inverter machine red is the way to go for AC and DC.You have to be carefull with the sharpening of red where a mask when sharpening.I have excellent result with thoriated 2%.MichelPM300Python gunV205TWeldcraft Crafter torch 300 ampLincoln water cooler Plasma Cutmaster 70Ranger 250 GXT
Reply:Good info here.http://www.diamondground.com/index.html
Reply:i have the diamond ground catilog, its got a lot of info about the diferent tungstens and the uses they were designed for. good info in there summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:has anyone tried the Weldcraft 'rare earth' tungsten yet?-----------------------Carmen Electrodewww.CarmenElectrode.comand the boss blogs at  www.JoeWelder.comall powered by  www.Arc-Zone.com
Reply:Jim,oops, Carmen,Would Arc-Zone.com supply a sample?What sort of comparison test criteria would be used?
Reply:um, seriously--  its Carmen.  not Jim.and sure, we could send you out a sample...1/16" pack of 10 would be $9.26  plus shipping unless you order enough to qualify for free shipping.... Seriously, what are you using now?  and what's your application?we just got this stuff in, so I don't have any reports from the field yet. But Weldcraft says they ran it through a bunch of tests in the Miller lab and got excellent results.as far as test criteria...   unless you have a lab, I guess its rather subjective.  Arc Starting and re-starting performance, longevity, etc.  What do you look for in a good tungsten electrode?? and why do you prefer one over the other when comparing lanthanated to thoriated, for example?is there something more than gut instinct at play here?-----------------------Carmen Electrodewww.CarmenElectrode.comand the boss blogs at  www.JoeWelder.comall powered by  www.Arc-Zone.com
Reply:OK Carmen, just checking.   I'd like to see the results from the testing done by Weldcraft in the Miller lab.  Like you say, unless you have a lab results, the preference of electrode could be very subjective.  My gut instinct (MGI) is that an experienced manual TIG welder will see a distinct difference between pure tungsten and "doped" tungsten, but in a blind test, I doubt they'll see much difference between the various doped types.I do believe there are subtle differences between the doped types that may be picked up in a high production automated welding situation (or a lab), but I question how profound the differences may be since I have not seen real good data.As I'm sure you've seen, Diamondground Products ( http://www.diamondground.com/Guidebook0105.pdf ) has a great description of electrode work function (eV), grain size, oxide distribution, etc. and how these factors affect arc starting and life, but I've not seen data comparing the various electrode types that shows electrode degradation based on number of arc starts or current level.
Reply:This is getting way too technical..For me anyway.. I'll stay with the red......zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Red is all I've ever used as well.Just curious about what facts may be buried in the hype about these other electrodes.  Interesting too, that a bunch of people think the HF tungsten sucks.
Reply:i tryed the cerated and the lanthanated side by side and prefer the 2% lanthanated over the cerated in both AC and DC the 2%lanthanated held its  tip much better and after use looked the same as it did when i started. keeping the point alows the inverters to continue to use its ajustment advantages.as far as arc starts both lanthanated and cerated started realy nice. i have herd the try-mixes also work realy well in the inverters. as for the red i would just as soon avoid the dust isues and handeling problems so i have not used it nore do i intend to try it, i might like it.LOLfor the inverters i think the lanthanated and cerated are the most popular and from those i have herd of trying the try-mix (DG's) it was also realy nice. i'm happy with the 2% for AC & DC so odds are good i would not try another tungsten type unless it was a realy good price or a free bee sample, then i would try it. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:Give me red'Till I'm dead.. ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by pulserGood info here.http://www.diamondground.com/index.html
Reply:Originally Posted by pulserRed is all I've ever used as well.Just curious about what facts may be buried in the hype about these other electrodes.  Interesting too, that a bunch of people think the HF tungsten sucks.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterI use 2% Red End for... Everything...zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by phila.renewalI'm still wondering too.  I have very little TIG experience so I have nothing to compare to, but I am using the Harbor Freight 2% thoriated tungsten without any problems.  It grinds to a point like any other.  It doesn't melt.  The arc doesn't wander.  What am I missing?The only complaint I have is they were not really dirt cheap so I think I overpaid but it was convenient to buy a pack when at the store and now I have some on hand so fair enough I guess.  Would I really notice any difference if I bought some others (especially as a newbie?).  Maybe I should burn up what I have and go from there.  PS: oh and the only other complaint I have is when I dip it in the puddle or tap the wire into it, it gets crapped up pretty bad.  What's that -- that's not the electrode's fault?
Reply:Originally Posted by gnm109and another thing that that ruins them is getting the tip dirty and clogged with metal and having to re-grind shorter or break off and start over.
Reply:2%- There was some talk in the welding journal a while back about the dangers of using the Thoriated tungsten but I was told not to worry. We use the 2% for everything in our shop.who ever told you not to wory is out of his mind. breathing the grinding dust is extreamly bad, your are not even suposed to handle it with bare hands, and any cantact to open wounds is also a big no no.you should realy do a little more reserch on the subject if you are using them every day, i would consider it a big concern with regular exposure.like i said its not werth the truble when there are so many other tungstens out there that do not carie the same hazmat problems due to raideoactivity. there are better options from a performance standpoint any way, even the transformer guys are starting to utilize the new tungstens for there advantages. there was an artical about it in the miller blog or news letter one or the other a wile back.some just refuse to acept change and thats fine for some. as far at the dangers, i'll just stay clear of them and not have to worry, i dont car how they perform. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:From everything I've read there isn't any danger in grinding thoriated tungstens unless you are gonna be grinding them ALOT. Like all day every day without a respirator.Miller EconotigCutmaster 38Yes ma'am, that IS a screwdriver in my pocket!
Reply:Regarding safety...  check out the AWS:http://aws.org/technical/facts/They have a fact sheet on the thoriated tungsten...As to its radioactivity and if its dangerous, all I can say is if there are alternatives that are not radioactive, why not go with them?  (I'm of the better safe than sorry school)As far as whats the difference between one tungsten source and another, partly it has to do with the manufacturing process.  Jim has written up a nice technical article, Tungsten Electrodes: what's the difference, if you're interested in learning about what we've encountered in dealing with different manufacturers.Gut instinct is great, I'm a firm believer, but I agree with pulser. I'm looking forward to seeing more detailed info from Weldcraft on the rare earth blend.-----------------------Carmen Electrodewww.CarmenElectrode.comand the boss blogs at  www.JoeWelder.comall powered by  www.Arc-Zone.com
Reply:Jeesh!!!With all this "Dont breathe the dust..Dont handle it with bare hands..Keep it away from open cuts..Dont stick it up your nose..Dont pick your teeth..or remove metal splinters with it.."Another myth BUSTED!!!I should be dead and buried a long time ago if thats really the case.. Thats my story and i'm sticking with it.. ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterJeesh!!!With all this "Dont breathe the dust..Dont handle it with bare hands..Keep it away from open cuts..Dont stick it up your nose..Dont pick your teeth..or remove metal splinters with it.."Another myth BUSTED!!!I should be dead and buried a long time ago if thats really the case.. Thats my story and i'm sticking with it.. ...zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by gnm109And, if you can avoid sticking the tip into the weld, you won't have to grind it very often, eh?
Reply:i'm just putting out what the book said, if you guys want to pick your nose with it thats ok with me. im more of a snot rocket kind of guy any way so i dont need a tungsten for that.just the same i'm real happy with 2%lanthanated so i'll stick to that. easy to keep just one kind around and its working great for AC and DC for me. now if carman wants to send us all a stick of the new weldcraft stuff to try out i'll be happy to give my reviews juat as i did for miller and there new gloves, hey every one loves a free bee.i'll even take the time to type up a review when i try it out. whoi knows ZAP! might even switch fron the red stuff, well if its a good bugger grabber any way. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.