Didnt know this would happen

admin

I found out today that tig welders do not work when a magnet is near the torch. I have some positioning magnets used to hold metal parts together for tacking. The torch would not hold a arc and let out a loud buzz. Checked the machine thought it was on AC, all was set right, moved the magnet everything worked fine. Im probably the only one who does not know of this, didnt see anything in the book about it.  Opps!!!
Reply:Hmm... I did not know that. I'll have to try that and see if it happens to me also.
Reply:the magnet will effect the flow of electricity back to the ground.  It has to do with flux lines and such which i wont get into.  Alternating Current and heat destroy magnets...That being said, i have never had that problem.  How close are you welding to the magnets?
Reply:When this happened I was probably within 1.5 inches from the magnet.
Reply:Try to mig weld over a rare earth magnet, thats a blast. I use old hard drive magnets from time to time to hold sheet metal in place. Not thinking I tried welding right over one, pissed me off like no other, the molten metal would spray all over the work piece but nothing would build up right where I was trying to weld. Took about 5 minutes to figure out what was going on. -Dan
Reply:Huh...I understand the problem...  But with my Lincoln MIG 140 I have tacked within 1/2 inch adjacent to the angle magnet and never noted a problem. (Mild steel, FCAW and MGAW).   I might expect TIG could be problematic.Zapster:  I don't recall that we addressed this in the shop last Saturday.  Have you any comments?-MondoMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:I sometimes build fanning magnets, when tig welding near the magnets, the torch "fire" if you will, is drawn to the magnet making it very hard to control.Real PITA.Tim Beeker.