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Hey guys. I'm a production tig welder, mainly focused on aluminum 1/8" and less, making hundreds of parts a day. Curious to know if there were others doing the same thing on the daily, and if so, what is your tungsten point life like? I use both 2% Lanthinated and LaYZR (3/32) with equal results. I'm running a Miller Dynasty 210DX and have it maxed all day when I'm doing the "thick" stuff (1/8"). At 210amps, 160hz, with 75-80 on my balance I can only get about 120" to 180" before my tungsten kinda "frays" out. Its manageable beyond that, but it isn't ideal. I just use a bench grinder to sharpen, nothing fancy. I've tried all the different tungstens and other sizes. The two mentioned above are what I've settled on, and using 1/8" tungsten didn't help any either. Are there ways to make the point on my tungsten last longer?
Reply:If I was in your situation I would have a dedicated tungsten grinder. They are not that expensive considering everything else in life these days. I have one and I am just a do it yourself/hobby guy. For me its all about convenience and also accuracy. Sure,You can use a bench grinder or a belt grinder or whatever you wantBut you wont get the consistent accuracy of a dedicated grinder once its set up correctly. Just my $0.02Miller 211Hypertherm PM 451961 Lincoln Idealarc 250HTP 221 True Wisdom only comes from Pain.
Reply:I've never owned a tungsten grinder. I have a Dewalt bench grinder laid on its back so the stones turn away from me. I have grooves worn in the stones to progressively remove gunk & shape the tip. If you are wearing the tungsten, I suspect it is too pointed. Many dip, contaminating the tungsten. If you are beyond dipping in skill level, you get Graboid tentacles forming on the tip. The fixes are balance & grind shape. You are balancing right, it has to be tip shape. Try a more blunt shape.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:
Originally Posted by Foothills Fab
Hey guys. I'm a production tig welder, mainly focused on aluminum 1/8" and less, making hundreds of parts a day. Curious to know if there were others doing the same thing on the daily, and if so, what is your tungsten point life like? I use both 2% Lanthinated and LaYZR (3/32) with equal results. I'm running a Miller Dynasty 210DX and have it maxed all day when I'm doing the "thick" stuff (1/8"). At 210amps, 160hz, with 75-80 on my balance I can only get about 120" to 180" before my tungsten kinda "frays" out. Its manageable beyond that, but it isn't ideal. I just use a bench grinder to sharpen, nothing fancy. I've tried all the different tungstens and other sizes. The two mentioned above are what I've settled on, and using 1/8" tungsten didn't help any either. Are there ways to make the point on my tungsten last longer?
Reply:
Originally Posted by shovelon
Need more info. What kind of gas, size cup, gas lens or not, gas flow, stickout, dirty metal, clean metal, alloy, filler alloy, and more if able. dirty metal pulls up those contaminants right onto your electrode. What is your waveform, and why the high hertz?
Reply:
Originally Posted by Willie B
I've never owned a tungsten grinder. I have a Dewalt bench grinder laid on its back so the stones turn away from me. I have grooves worn in the stones to progressively remove gunk & shape the tip. If you are wearing the tungsten, I suspect it is too pointed. Many dip, contaminating the tungsten. If you are beyond dipping in skill level, you get Graboid tentacles forming on the tip. The fixes are balance & grind shape. You are balancing right, it has to be tip shape. Try a more blunt shape.
Reply:If I was in your situation I would have a dedicated tungsten grinder.They are not that expensive considering everything else in life these days.I have one and I am just a do it yourself/hobby guy.For me its all about convenience and also accuracy.Sure,You can use a bench grinder or a belt grinder or whatever you wantBut you wont get the consistent accuracy of a dedicated grinder once its set up correctly.Just my $0.02
Reply:As a novice, I'm impressed that you can go 120 inches!If I can go 6" without sharpening, I feel good.CG
Reply:
Originally Posted by Foothills Fab
using 1/8" tungsten didn't help any either.
Reply:
Originally Posted by Oscar
I may not be a production TIG weldor, far from it, but from testing I've done (up to 400A DC and AC), the larger the tungsten, all other things being equal, the cooler it runs and the less the tip is subject to erosion. So I find it a little odd that the larger ⅛" tungsten did not fare better for you. Was it blunted similarly to the 3/32" tungsten?
Reply:I'm one of those people who still ball the tungsten. Way back, I tried sharpening, blunting, and letting the little ball form on the tip, but I got tired of the erosion and tumor formation that sometimes happens. Found no real advantage in "controlling the arc," so I went back to balling. The tungsten will grow shorter as it gets used, but the ball persists, stays shiny, and you just pull it out some more. The only time I have to stop and re-prep is when I stick it in the soup
Panasonic YC-300BP2Panasonic YC-200BL3Suzukid Arcway 180Lincoln Idealarc R3R-400Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Everlast Power i-MIG 230iEverlast PowerArc 300ST...and other assorted garbage
Reply:I think you've probably found the practical limits of welding time/distance between tungsten resharpens. Not much else you can do to make it last any longer than that.Murphy's Golden Rule: Whoever has the gold, makes the rules.
Reply:
Originally Posted by Foothills Fab
Pure argon, 6 cup with gas lens at 15-20 cfh, 3/16" of stickout, clean 6061 alu, 3/32 4043 filler. Ive played with all waveforms and settled on advanced squarewave for that particular fillet. The high Hz is so I can get a focused arc and it seems to help with the tungsten life. |
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发表于 2022-5-19 11:02:48