Argon usage and grey welds

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Hi, new to Tig welding but Mig welding a lot past two years now. I have two questions: 1. Holy cow is it normal to use this much argon? (10 second fixed post flow, practicing every day for about an hour, 80cf tank, gone in about a month)2. My beads are gray in color. Guessing it’s too high heat am I going too slow? (I run about 15cfh) coupons 1/8” steel using 1/16 or 3/32 tungsten on about 90 amps. How are people getting those shiny beads I see? Thanks for your help. Tig welding is surely a diff beast than Mig holy cow.
Reply:Sounds like you're actually using too low amperage. With low amperage you have to move too slow and you have higher heat input into the part. Try around 120 amps and get moving quick and keep a tight arc.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power

) Hobart MIG
Reply:

Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

Sounds like you're actually using too low amperage. With low amperage you have to move too slow and you have higher heat input into the part. Try around 120 amps and get moving quick and keep a tight arc.
Reply:

Originally Posted by saltlick

thank you, never thought of that. Can a 1/16 tungsten handle 120 amps?
Reply:Are you cleaning of the mill scale before welding?DIY CNC Plasma table USB BOB Price THCHypertherm 65Everlast PowerTig 255 EXTMiler 180 Mig13" metal latheMill/ DrillECT, ECT,
Reply:I use a 3/32 tungsten for all things steel. Sharpened to a pencil type of point, you will not notice any difference between a 1/16th and a 3/32 for for 99% of your applications. Likewise, I almost never weld at over 200 amps for steel, so the 3/32 covers the full gamut. I almost always use a 1/8th tungsten for the aluminum as I don't try to weld sheet aluminum.A ten second post flow is nothing really. You can lower it for the purposes of practicing, but in reality, when the outcome counts, its not unusual to see up to 30 seconds of post flow. The rule of thumb is 1 second of post flow for every 10 amps of welding current. If you are going to do any amount of TIG, it will in the long run be much more economical to get the largest tank of argon you can, even if to just save on gasoline and time running to the LWS once a month. Where I get my gas, exchanging an 80 cubic foot tank costs around $50 (about 62 cents/ cu ft). Exchanging a $330 cubic foot tank costs about $100 (30 cents/cu ft).You definitely should run more heat on those 1/8th inch couponsMiller Multimatic 255
Reply:

Originally Posted by saltlick

Hi, new to Tig welding but Mig welding a lot past two years now. I have two questions: 1. Holy cow is it normal to use this much argon? (10 second fixed post flow, practicing every day for about an hour, 80cf tank, gone in about a month)2. My beads are gray in color. Guessing it’s too high heat am I going too slow? (I run about 15cfh) coupons 1/8” steel using 1/16 or 3/32 tungsten on about 90 amps. How are people getting those shiny beads I see? Thanks for your help. Tig welding is surely a diff beast than Mig holy cow.