Talk about starting out small!!!

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this is the first consistent customer I have on my own. and jee-whiz is it difficult to do! since im more of a pipe fitter/ welder/ plumber than anything, I don't have a nice table or anything like that lol, I work off stands! (it still is round and hollow) and trying to keep this material in one place is a complete PAIN. I do thankfully have a tri-stand so I can lock it down and keep it from turning.material is 3/8"X .035 tube in 308ss, with 3/8" o.d. X about 3/16" i.d. thread-o-lets welded on per customers specs, luckily they are already coped to fit the tubing! im welding this with my maxstar 150, 3/32" tungsten, and 1/16" filler, at about 30 amps. I must say as much as I complain, this is improving my tig-work by miles and miles. tungsten is anything less than needle-point, im walking to the grinder! snapping off of this stuff (no, I don't have/ want a pedal) without oxidation or a fisheye feels like surgical work, that is the hardest partsteady as she goes!Last edited by 92dlxman; 07-01-2014 at 09:19 PM.bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:How many do you have to do? If it's like my jobs, I usually get it down on the last few I have to do.
Reply:Not much place to walk the cupJeff
Reply:A stronghand mag clamp may help you greatly to hold it in place while you weld.
Reply:Nice 92', I wondered what you been up to.What's the part used for?Lincoln SA 200Esab Caddy 160Thermal Arc 201TSMiller Dialarc HFI don't like making plans for the day because then the word "premeditated" gets thrown around the courtroom....
Reply:yea, no cup-walking here! this is my second string of 120', in 20' lengths 24" spacing on t.o.l.s. . . .im getting faster but I cant say they are getting any better lookingI have a self-induced 2 tungsten limit, to try and teach myself to be more steady. for my day-job I have enough tungsten to not have to sharpen for about a week lol, but im usually welding on stuff where I can afford a little longer arc.stuffs driving me up the wall, but like I said, after 1000' or so I should be a better welder than I am nowthese are actually pretty cool! they are for fogging systems. think misting system, but not mist-its fog. high-pressure through a very specific nozzle and the water comes out atomized. its installed for patio cooling, livestock, and a lot of people like it as an effect to use in their "tropical" themed back yards. . . .with a little bit of lighting it does look really neat. im thinking the next order I may have to take a trade instead of pay, im trying to find a pump that can run off of 12v, and have a system that I could string around the umbrella on my truck. THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!Last edited by 92dlxman; 07-02-2014 at 12:45 AM.bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:92dlxman,If it were me doing them I think I'd want to be using .045 diameter filler rod.   That will help you get a smaller, smoother weld.While I can understand your not having a foot pedal I'm afraid I don't get your not wanting one.   Using a foot pedal would really help with getting a smoother more consistent weld on them, cut down on your need to re-sharpen tungsten and over all increase your production capacity.Another piece of advice I'd offer you is to be careful with what you slide that stainless tube against while working with it.  If you get it contaminate with a bunch of carbon later on in service in that wet mist environment rust streaks will start showing up on it.  If you've got a carbon steel table top I'd get a piece of stainless sheet metal to lay down on it so the tube never touch the carbon steel.   And if you're using jack stands any where along those 20' lengths to support what's hanging off the table I'd get them duct taped so the tube doesn't get a chance to pick up any carbon from coming in contact with them.
Reply:92dlxman You need a rotational fixture [vise?] for quickly reorientation.For dexterity, rough-out leather TIG gloves are more supplethan chrome-tanned.Get a pedal.Your weld is too large.  Try .035 filler - but go no larger then .045.On .035 tube I have had the best results when orienting the thinner-wall tube above the thick-wall for a horizontal sweep.It's counter intuitive, but for me, horizontal works better thanflat, and; sequence your stop-starts for four passes.Opus
Reply:You know another thing that could be helpful is a 6" (or there about) rod that would thread into that fitting.  You could rest and roll your torch hand wrist around that.   That might give you a more comfortable and easier angle of attack at the weld progression than trying to work off the tube it's self.   Just a thought.
Reply:Get ur self some aluminum or copper solid round that you can slide up in it, it works like a heat sink. A lathe chuck mounted to a plate would make that go alot smoother. Work on pushing the weld forward, one dip of the rod on the start should be enough to flow right around each half.
Reply:I just got an ongoing contract for 7 cupcakes per day. I'm gearing up slowly.Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:SS can be fusion welded.  If the fit is good you can save a lot of money on filler = more profit and less time.  Remember,  this is not high pressure so reinforcement is not critical.
Reply:whew! lots of advice! I very much appreciate!my not wanting a pedal is because this is the only work I could ever need one for, and learning to "tail-off" on this stuff will make me much better at doing it at my day-job.smaller diameter filler would help me a ton, but 1/16th is as small as lws has, without me buying a roll of wire! 1/16th tungsten would help too, but that goes back to the pedal thing. . . .im skip-welding in 1/4's so a heat-sink is not all that critical, I know the welds leave some to be desired in the visual aspect. . . .getting the puddle to do what I want on this little stuff is the greatest challenge I have had.and as far as needing filler, the customer prefers to have it. his last welder did not, and I even criticized him for it. it IS high pressure (atomizing water: think common-rail diesel but not quite that high) so I feel most comfortable putting some in. I have seen (fixed) too many no-filler welds fail from vibration and stress. only thing I will fuse like that is process pipe.and as far as iron contamination, check!and your seven cupcakes per day, I just got the same order in drinks. . . . .another bit of stress to throw in but if I play all my cards right, should bring lots of smilesLast edited by 92dlxman; 07-03-2014 at 12:09 AM.bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:If you're talking swamp coolers you're not talking high pressure.  But, if the customer complained about the previous welder not using filler its because the previous welder probably did not back purge either.  If you back purge and fusion weld you will probably produce the best possible result.  And get a pedal silly.
Reply:Originally Posted by 76GMC1500If you're talking swamp coolers you're not talking high pressure.  But, if the customer complained about the previous welder not using filler its because the previous welder probably did not back purge either.  If you back purge and fusion weld you will probably produce the best possible result.  And get a pedal silly.
Reply:Nobody ever mentions Solar Flux Type B.  Yeah it could be a problem if the orifices are very small but it can also be pickled away.
Reply:but how do you get that stuff down a 20' joint of 3/8" tube?bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:You don't need to coat the entire tube, just near the weld.  You can do that before you install the weld-o-let.
Reply:Originally Posted by BurpeeI just got an ongoing contract for 7 cupcakes per day. I'm gearing up slowly.