My first TIG welds, advice...thoughts?

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Well, I finally got my Dynasty up and running - what a sweet machine! I sat down and started fooling around with some exhaust pipe and here's what I've got. When I'm not using any filler rod, I think the welds look great. When I do use filler rod, they look like poop - litterally, little piles of metalic poop. It looks nothing like what I think TIG welds should look like, not even what my O/A welds look like. If anything, they are closest to MIG welds, but not even that nice looking. Sorry about the poor quality pictures - cheap old camera.Anyway, I also noticed some "rusty" discoloration around the welds with filler that I'm not getting when I don't use filler. Any ideas? I have the welder set up with the factory default settings except for the post-flow that I turned down from 10 to 5 seconds. I am flowing argon at 20 cfh. Welder is set to 100 A and I'm using the foot pedal. 1/16" Ceriated Tungsten.Thanks!Jayno filler rod:with filler rod:
Reply:Hi JayLooks hot to me mate for tube (1.6mm) or 16 gauge in old speak, i wouldn't use anything over 60amps. Try it at 60amp and increase your travel speed, i still have to keep telling myself to keep moving! Another little trick i use is stainless filler wire on mild 309 is best but they all work, depending on the job of course, if it's a coffee table fine a roll cage maybe notThe stainless will pool alot cleaner.But the most important thing of all is practiceBest of luck
Reply:If that's aluminized tubing, it has to be ground off for TIG.9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:How do I know if it is aluminized? I just bought a couple of pieces of exhaust pipe from the parts store.Krum - thanks for the stainless tip!
Reply:Exhaust tubing from the parts store is not what you want to learn on..Go to a local machine shop or sheetmetal shop and offer to buy scrap pieces to play with..Tell the boss what you are trying to do and you will probably get what you need for free..Get some coldrolled plate..1/8"..Some stainless..Even some aluminum...Get what you can and then get ready...We are open 24-7 365 here.....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:I know we've gone over this in previous posts, let's touch on it again.Sorry Craig, but grinding off aluminum is a wive's tale that goes back to grinding off zinc coating.  With zinc, you do grind off, or you have to select the correct filler metal for it's non-deoxidizing properties.Do not grind off the aluminum coating on the pipe.  The aluminum acts as a deoxidizer on mild steel, and can be welded in the coated condition with no problems.  Refer to the AWS Handbook, "Metals and Their Weldability".And only Zap is here 24/7 365.  The rest of us sleep, sometimes......I r 2 a perfessional
Reply:kbnit:Oops. I just 'read on the internet' that aluminized MIG's nice but doesn't take well to TIG. It was just the last day or two, but I'll probably never find it. It was one of the better weldors or I wouldn't have bothered to memorize the post. My 'incorrect' filter failed.I stand corrected, no wive's tales perpetuated. 9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:kbnit:I missed the edit deadline.In my defense:Weldor 1:Yeah, most mild steel exhaust tubing is aluminized. It MIGs beautifully, but I've never tried to TIG it, I suspect it would give you trouble with that process. Light grinding of the weld zone should take care of the problem.Weldor 2:Correct, modern exhaust tubing is coated (Aluminized) and the tig doesn't like it....It will contaminate the tungsten pop and sputter.....Use your wire feedlike the muff shop guys...9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250