Troubleshooting TIG welding

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I am doing welding using TIG process as part of metal sculpture class at Arts School, and recently run into a problem that I cannot figure out and nobody as school can help.The welding machine is MasterTIG MLS 2300 ADCD by Kemppi, it is used by students of different levels, so sometimes settings could be set completely wrong. One day I started the weld, and immediately saw that something is wrong. It is difficult to strike the arc, and once it's started it is very wide, not focused, hard to manage weld pool, it just burns through sheet metal, there is the orange layer of titanium contamination afterwords.Then I noticed that the gas tank was replaced, but instead of pure Argon, there was the mix that is used for MIG process. So I attributed the problem to the wrong gas, however, when the tank was replaced with pure Argon, the problem still continued.I was using 1.6 mm dia electrode and current of 60-90 A. I tried to vary the current settings and the gas flow, changing electrode, but it did not help. What could be the problem?
Reply:I would check the gas type, the gas flow, the electrode type, the shape of the sharpening of the electrode, and the polarity of the machine.
Reply:Originally Posted by jontheturboguyI would check the gas type, the gas flow, the electrode type, the shape of the sharpening of the electrode, and the polarity of the machine.
Reply:It is possible that the mixed gas had a percentage of co2 in it, and that could have contaminated the hose, regulator, and torch parts.It comes to mind that CO2  is compressed in an oily enviornment (non oilless compressors), and it is OK for mig but not for tig.Last edited by popspipes; 07-14-2011 at 02:31 AM.Reason: typomike sr
Reply:Originally Posted by popspipesIt is possible that the mixed gas had a percentage of co2 in it, and that could have contaminated the hose, regulator, and torch parts.