Experiment with TIG welding copper - it works

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It was a little slow today so I started looking around my little shop for something to experment with.  Couple scraps of copper water pipe , 3/4" looked promising enough.  I've read about welding copper and how for filler, if used, you need deoxydized copper.  I don't have any of that just laying around.  I've been specifically told not to use plain old electical wire as filler  , so of course that's what I used.Anyway, it works pretty well.  Not a whole lot different from welding steel.  It does soak up the heat and it's easy to get the filler stuck, but other than that, pretty much same as steel.  Start arc, get a puddle, weld away.If you've never tried it and need to weld up something made of copper, go for it.  No reason not to give it a try yourself.  Pics: first one is the bead (not so great but I that was my first attempt at welding up small round pipe like that).  Second one is inside of pipe showing what looks to me like very good penetration.Parameters: 101 amps DCEN, 1/6" 1.5% lanthanated tung., 15 cfh pure argon, butt weld just laid on the bench to align it. Attached ImagesLast edited by phila.renewal; 06-27-2007 at 05:48 PM.Favorite right now is a Miller Syncro 200.Tons of tools and I blame at least one of them when things don't go right.
Reply:Did u use the syncro 200 for that?63' Lincoln SA200 2008 miller trailblazer 302fibre-metal pipelinermiller camo BWEand all the guns and ammo a growin boy needs
Reply:Wheeeeeeeeeww whewwwwwwwww ...this is the Argon Police, turn your Argon down or we will confinscate your bottle!  Try turning your argon down to 10 or 11, don't need that much for non-ferrous. edit - other than that, great work! John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Yup, used the syncro 200.  It is totally my favorite.  What a machine.  To digress, something I wish I had bothered to take pictures of but last week I had to repair a very tiny cast steel window lock mechanism made so long ago that replacement wasn't an option and did it with the syncro in about 10 minutes.  There is no doubt no other process could have done the job.   I'm still a total newbie at it but it amazes me every time I use it.For the argon flow, I've been toying between 10 and 15 so I'll turn it down until I know it's too low.  Thanks for the replies.  It has been a little slow the past couple of days.  I'm waiting on a piece of stainless for a tank repair job and other than that it's all been finish trim woodwork lately.  Wood is great, makes beautiful things, but it can't be welded. Favorite right now is a Miller Syncro 200.Tons of tools and I blame at least one of them when things don't go right.
Reply:phila.renewal,darn good results for a pretty difficult weld!  Try it with an Argon purge on the inside, should come out perfectly shiny.Just incase you hadn't seen this before, here is some machine welding of copper pipe to a coupler (lap/fillet) without filler.  Kind of pain to get it set up just right, an added feed of wire would make it more forgiving.http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread...ght=copper+tig
Reply:Originally Posted by pulserJust incase you hadn't seen this before, here is some machine welding of copper pipe to a coupler (lap/fillet) without filler.  Kind of pain to get it set up just right, an added feed of wire would make it more forgiving.http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread...ght=copper+tig
Reply:until yesterday i didnt know copper could be argon welded thanks phila.top class bead work pulser.