Tungsten Grinding Poll

admin

With so many People recommending different ways to grind a tungsten I figured I'd start a poll and see what the general concensus is.
Reply:Used to ball it till I heard of pointing it and letting nature take its course.Tried it once and never went back.
Reply:Dang, Maybe I'll sharpen it and see what happens DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:see what i went and started.... ...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 picked pointed with a small flat.  But I have inverter machines, for the most part.  AC GTAW for aluminum with a transformer machine can still successfully be a balled pure aluminum.
Reply:On transformer and inverter alike on steels in DC...1% or 2% pointy with a flat spot.Transformer on aluminum in AC with 2%...pointy (but not as long a point as with steel) with a flat spot...it melts a little as you go and forms a smaller ball at the end of the point...balling depends on the amps really.Transformer with pure, in AC...pointy with a flat spot...weld...it melts into a ball as you go.  That provides better starting and puddling for me.Everything is ground on a dedicated P.O.S. black and decker wheel grinder using a drill motor to turn the tungsten.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:ZAP  an a can-0-worms but the piont is better, sorta
Reply:what?  ...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'm inverter based welder so pointed with a flat for ac and no flat for dc.i use 2% lanthanated and it dose not ball, its the same after the weld as it was befor.kinda nice to be ready to restart the next time without any redressing of the tung.  summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:Thanks for this1!I have tried welding aluminum in the past with balled tungstens with less than optimal results. Some of that may have been due to other variables like surface prep too though, and I was brand new to TIG at the time. The other day for the first time I tried a sharpened 2% thoriated and was very suprised at how much better it worked out. The welds actually turned out pretty nice, I had to carry the piece of scrap around all day showing it to friends  I'll post a pic as soon as I get my stinkin camera to U/L to my PC, the cable is giving me troubles.
Reply:Thanks to everyone that voted and/or took the time to actually post in detail. Lots of great tungsten grinding tips all in one place  I'm sure this poll will help many tig newbies on their way to grinding tungsten.I read the discussion on creating a welding FAQ list and I think this would make a good addition to it if the team or mod's are so inclined.
Reply:Originally Posted by teknitionThanks to everyone that voted and/or took the time to actually post in detail. Lots of great tungsten grinding tips all in one place  I'm sure this poll will help many tig newbies on their way to grinding tungsten.I read the discussion on creating a welding FAQ list and I think this would make a good addition to it if the team or mod's are so inclined.