Scratch start TIG question.

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I was thinking about scratch start TIG today and thought "I wonder if theres some way to scratch start without contamination". I have never tried it but have heard people claim it doesnt take much contact to get an arc.So I thought what if you use a drop of water to start the arc? keep a small dropper next to you and drop a bead of water and use that to make an arc. Once the arcs going it should just blast the water. Obviously the water should conduct and you wont make contact with the steel.Only other I dea I had and didnt seem as good as water was some sort of conductive powder that wouldnt contaminate.What do you guys think?
Reply:Water and welding don't go together. You can cause hydrogen embrittlement in the weld. Some folks use thier filler wire and strike across the tungsten to initiate an arc.Last edited by welds4d; 04-18-2011 at 11:03 PM.Reason: misspell
Reply:Small piece of copper is what you need.Vinnie
Reply:Just scratch the tungsten on the work. I use red thoriated tungsten and have never had a problem scratch starting my arc or with contamination. Most people blow this out of proportion and many of those that do, have very little experience with it. X ray quality welds are made daily in large industry with scratch start.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:+1 to what snoepro said. Do it like that every day.
Reply:I have heard alot of people do what vinnie said.
Reply:Book recommends copper to start the arc on.   I have never had a problem with plain ol scratch start.  A pause with a dead short heats up the tungsten and makes the arc start even easier.  You will NOT get contamination shorting the electrode as long as you start cold.  Most everything is touch start or hi freq anyhow.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:I kinda figured it wasent as bad as people made it sound. I mean everything is cold when you first start so I dont see how metal could jump that fast. I think for what i would be doing regular old scratchin will be fine. Thanks guys.
Reply:Of course you do need a DC machine for that...
Reply:Oh yeah I'm am completely aware. My plans are to build one of those harbor freight inverter cheap-o tig setups just incase I ever get some really thin stuff. I will upgrade later if I ever need to.
Reply:The TozziWelding classic scratch-start tig rig thread:http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=38106
Reply:I have a 5,000 dollar welder and still have to scratch start sometimes........LMAO!  Miller Dynasty 350Twenty Six HammersThree Crow BarsBig Rock
Reply:Originally Posted by SkeluhtorOh yeah I'm am completely aware. My plans are to build one of those harbor freight inverter cheap-o tig setups just incase I ever get some really thin stuff. I will upgrade later if I ever need to.
Reply:You can use the tig wire to start your arc. Easy enough to do and works well.1981 Lincoln SA 200Miller Trailblazer 302gMiller 211 Mig Welder w/ AutosetI'm learning to stick metal together
Reply:I was using an old mig nozzle clamped in a pair of vice grips for a while to scratch off on