Argon purge dam help

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I am looking for some help in regards to fabricating some argon purge dams. In the past when TIG welding stainless pipe together I have had very poor results on the back side of the weld with sugaring. I would like to improve on the weld quality and believe that back purging the weld is what I need to do.I have no experience with building dams and I am wondering what you guys do. What material do you use and what methods do you use to secure the dams to the work? How sealed does the fitment need to be? I need to seal pipe from around 1 inch diameter up to 6 inches.Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.Thanks!Gordhttp://gordsgarage.wordpress.com/
Reply:Nitrile gloves held on the end with wire or rubber bands and a little hole made in a finger ? Would look pretty funny too....Weldandpower Lincoln 225 AC,DC with Briggs 16hp gas engine.WW2 era Miller TIG.
Reply:Some of the Sears hardware's sell rubber stoppers and cork plugs with holes in them. I've used these for any number of applications. They are usually in the little drawers, but some stores keep them all together, and other scatter them thru out the departments. You might also considder the rubber plugs that are used for temporarily plugging up plumbing pipes to do pressure tests. Most plumbing supply stores have them. HD and Lowes have the ones that just plug the pipe and don't have a fitting to introduce gas to the system. larger ones you may have to make yourself of have someone with a lathe turn you out a few tapered cones with thru holes that you can wrap with rubber tape to get a better seal..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Duct tape or foil tape works OK and there is high temp fiberglass tape that you can wrap your joints with that is easy to peel back as you weld.  Tape the ends of your pipe and poke some small holes at the top of the highest section to allow the atmosphere to be displaced by the argon.  Your argon hose coming from a wye valve or second flowmeter will go in the bottom of the lowest section.  Allow time for the purge.  Back when I smoked, I would hold a lit cigarette to the small holes that I poked with a weld wire.  When it would try to put the cigarette out the purge was ready."The man of great wealth owes a peculiar obligation to the State, because he derives special advantages from the mere existence of government."  Teddy RooseveltAmerican by birth, Union by choice!  Boilermakers # 60America is a Union.
Reply:If you use the bright Nitrile glove............. if you run out of purge gas, get an obstruction or some leak elsewhere.............. ' The Hand Goes Limp '..... Where the others give no quick visual indication of any of those types of problems... LOLWeldandpower Lincoln 225 AC,DC with Briggs 16hp gas engine.WW2 era Miller TIG.
Reply:how bout a handball or raquetball with a couple holes in it?tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:Originally Posted by brucerhow bout a handball or raquetball with a couple holes in it?
Reply:use a condom then tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:Blow a balloon up in the end of the pipe if you are far enough away from the heat, blue painters tape, pink foam, plastic pipe caps, etc.........Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Inflatable bladders, rice paper dams, stuffed in there or using water soluble glue, all depends on the application and cleanliness requirements.  Even if you have some leakage around the damn, you'll be fine.  Use foil tape to wrap the weld joint, put in part of the root pass, peel the tape back a bit more, weld a bit more, peel a bit more.
Reply:Originally Posted by GBMIf you use the bright Nitrile glove............. if you run out of purge gas, get an obstruction or some leak elsewhere.............. ' The Hand Goes Limp '..... Where the others give no quick visual indication of any of those types of problems... LOL
Reply:LOL, I did not see that movie... but heard it was very funny... Hope you video and share this technique... Various ' effects' are possible with different size escape holes in the fingers... as the pressure is gradually reduced different fingers are up , or not....Weldandpower Lincoln 225 AC,DC with Briggs 16hp gas engine.WW2 era Miller TIG.
Reply:Thank you to everyone for the recommendations. Lots of good ideas, I think I've got the information I need in order to make something work. I like the glove trick and the foil tape ideas. The plugs will work great for specific applications. I do have a lathe so I figured I could also spin down some hockey pucks to make fit.Thanks again, I will post weld pics once I get set up.Gordhttp://gordsgarage.wordpress.com/
Reply:I've used the toilet paper trick, football needle righ in the top of joint, purge for 10 mins and burn! I'm not the best with TIG so might not be the best info, hahaLincoln Power MIG 210 MP ( boat anchor )Lincoln Weld-Pac 100 HDHobart IronMan 230Cutmaster 42Jackson NexGenSumner Ultra ClampsDWM120
Reply:Originally Posted by MadMax31...I've used the toilet paper trick,....
Reply:I always use aluminum foil. But along the same topic how do you know when the inside of the pipe or tube is all cleared and fully argon?
Reply:By GBM;Nomex toilet paper must be pretty rough....at its original job....and septic systems....