TIG welding

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Quick question - would welding with NO shielding gas cause the Tungsten electrode to evaporate at an astonishingly fast rate??Because thats exactly what happened to my electrode!.  I was using a 2% Thoriated 1.6mm electrode at about 40 Amps... and the thing was just vanishing before my eyes!.  Is this normal when you don't use any Argon??
Reply:Yeah. That is what Tig means, tungsten-inert-gas.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Yes, if you forget to turn on the gas, the tungsten burns up and often the cup with it.  Don't ask how I  know this.  30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:that was probably the worst part of scratch start TIG: forgetting to turn on the gas.  LOL.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Originally Posted by Marek0086Quick question - would welding with NO shielding gas cause the Tungsten electrode to evaporate at an astonishingly fast rate??Because thats exactly what happened to my electrode!.  I was using a 2% Thoriated 1.6mm electrode at about 40 Amps... and the thing was just vanishing before my eyes!.  Is this normal when you don't use any Argon??
Reply:I had that happen too.  Now I purge some gas through the line before I start for the first time. The tungsten arc looked like a sparkler on the forth of July right before it burned up.Syncrowave 210HH140Victor O/A
Reply:I was just playing around with my new welder (i don't have all the gear to hook up the gas yet).  I really wasn't expecting that to happen.  My understanding of the world is still incomplete!. :P
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveJust out of curiosity, why are you trying to weld without shielding gas?
Reply:Play around with stick welding until you get gas.  The shielding is in the flux on the electrode.  What kind of welder is the new welder?Multimatic 200Ellis 1800Haberle S225 9" cold sawMM 300;  Spoolmate 30A w/ WC-24TB 302GDynasty 280 DX Tigrunner
Reply:CT516...AKA... Chinese Ebay toy.  10-180 Amps DC. Comes with TIG torch, SMAW clamp and Plasma cutter (40 Amps).  $360AUD.   I spent all this time and effort getting a nice pointy tip on my electrode... and it just went up in smoke... literally.
Reply:I went through a tungsten in the first 30 minutes.  That's with the Argon flowing.  dab, dab, hit tungsten with rod, grind tungsten, dab, dip tungsten in the puddle, grind, repeat.Syncrowave 210HH140Victor O/A