tig arc color

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i am not new to tig welding but have not picked up a tig torch in 23 years.  i bought a  thermal arc 185 tig welder and the arc even on a sharpened tungsten seems to have a ball type arc blue in color. i seem to remember the arc being more pointed and white in color. when i form the puddle the color of the arc makes it hard to see the puddle.  i am welding 1/16 mild steel with 2% thorated (sp) tungsten. i sharpen my tungsten on the side of a fine grit wheel on my bench grinder. thanks for the help.   robert.
Reply:Originally Posted by tortisi am not new to tig welding but have not picked up a tig torch in 23 years.  i bought a  thermal arc 185 tig welder and the arc even on a sharpened tungsten seems to have a ball type arc blue in color. i seem to remember the arc being more pointed and white in color. when i form the puddle the color of the arc makes it hard to see the puddle.  i am welding 1/16 mild steel with 2% thorated (sp) tungsten. i sharpen my tungsten on the side of a fine grit wheel on my bench grinder. thanks for the help.   robert.
Reply:Welding lense technology has changed over the past 23 years so it may just be the different materials used in the lense.  I don't know for sure, but could different gases change the color of the arc?  Since different gases give of different colors in plasma form in space, i'd imagine it's the same when welding.  But I don't know if this is true, maybe someone more experienced with TIG and different gases could shed some light on this.
Reply:Do you sharpen Lengthwise?  They tell me it has to do with the way the electrons leave the electrode.  I get a different color flame when I contaminate the tungston.  That is how I know to stop and grind it again.I put the tip on the face of the wheel pointing up and turn it.  I have a groove worn in one wheel.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:I think Welderboy might be on to it.What gas are you using?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:Originally Posted by David RDo you sharpen Lengthwise?  They tell me it has to do with the way the electrons leave the electrode.  I get a different color flame when I contaminate the tungston.  That is how I know to stop and grind it again.I put the tip on the face of the wheel pointing up and turn it.  I have a groove worn in one wheel.David
Reply:i bought a new grinding wheel today, and i hope this will fix the problem.  to get the puddle started i have to crank up the heat, then it wants to burn thru the sheet metal.  seems like the arc is not concentrated on a small area.  i'll try the new wheel and play around some more. thanks for the input.      robert
Reply:I had a problem like this, and it was me using to much current....
Reply:I use a gold #12 shade, my arc is normally a gold/white color and a pointed arc.Are you welding on AC?  that may cause what your talking about.Also, what kind of startup are you using, liftarc, scratch or high freq?  The blue color/balled tip makes it sound like your dipping your tungsten in the pudle or hitting it with the filler.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:welding on dc, on high freq.  i get the color even with a fresh grind on the tungsten.  i'll try my new grinding wheel tomorrow.  maybe the other wheel is contaminated.  i'll start with my heat even lower tomorrow and work up.  it is hard to believe i was a pipe welder 25 years ago, and now i can't even run a good bead on a flat piece of metal.
Reply:If you have the High Freq. set on continuous you don't need it.Make sure it's set to "start".You might be seeing the HF arc?- Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:When the arc turns blue/green with my gold mask the tungsten is usually contaminated.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:it must be the grinding wheel.  it has been welding like this since  i bought the machine.  i am going to check the high freq. as well.