Cracks gone but

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Cracks gone but now I have these pock marks. The rail was probly removed because the cracks. I didnt make this anvil but did imbellish on it with an OA torch. My Tigging  xperiance so far is;   gone thru 300cu/ft of Helium, package of Tungsten (mostly from dropping/breaking) and a bunch of ceramic cups. I have a new full 300cu/ft He tank but wanted Argon this time so I broke down and payed for a hydro test on an old tank and xchanged for 140 cu/ft of Argon. The Tigging in the pics is Argon.  I also picked up a new set of gauntlet gloves so Im prepared to get flamed for my welds. I thought of a couple possibillities for the pock marks: 1) outgassing, 2) type of steel, 3) gas pressure (I usually try to keep psi low to save gas but went up to 20 with no improvement) 4) the loose nut behind the torch.Any comments? DSW, Im betting you know the answer.BTW, I picked up the He off of CL for $60. Thought I might have got ripped off when I got home but, my gauge shows full and the floating ballon saiz He. I will have to return the tank though.Tungsten inclusions starting at 9 1/2 " thru 12"Never had pock marks like this with He. Attached ImagesLast edited by Insaneride; 05-30-2013 at 09:51 PM.Reason: He
Reply:Leaky argon hose or bad gas. Looks like you cleaned the steel so I don't think that caused the porosity. Check for leaks everywhere with soapy water.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:InsanerideSerious cavitation  -  you've got to change the prop/pitch in your torch.Opus
Reply:Squirmy, Im gonna go check it nowOppus Fe, I think I was at about 45*, should I be more perpendicular ?7A, thanks for the confidence. I just wanted some TIG practice and to try the Argon. Im gonna finish with 7018. Thank you guys for the help. Can you imagine my welds without the help of this placeI forgot to mention; amps at about 210, and garage door wide open because the last time I TIG'd with it closed, I felt ill.
Reply:Originally Posted by InsanerideSquirmy, Im gonna go check it nowOppus Fe, I think I was at about 45*, should I be more perpendicular ?7A, thanks for the confidence. I just wanted some TIG practice and to try the Argon. Im gonna finish with 7018. Thank you guys for the help. Can you imagine my welds without the help of this placeI forgot to mention; amps at about 210, and garage door wide open because the last time I TIG'd with it closed, I felt ill.
Reply:7A, good idea. I will try different steel.  I used acetone to clean it but I like using 90% alchohol because I can dissinfect flesh wounds and dissinfect my home brew cutting fluid.  Whats your or anyone's opinion on using 90% Alchohol vs. acetone?I had some friends that lived in Vegas working for EGG. They used Everclear to clean their optics. My friends were from Texas and thought the Nevadans were crazy for drinking the stuf at company parties.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_%28alcohol%29
Reply:So then, Everclear is ok for prepping steel  but acetone for Aluminum. Acetone is more xpensive than Everclear Im thinking and I can get reg 92% alcohol at the dollar store.  Acetone gives me migrains.
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Switch metals & give it another shot.
Reply:If I were you I would use a stick welder.
Reply:I've had that sort of porosity happen to me before, I don't think it is an issue of poor gas coverage.If it were me I would first grind that porosity out.Then I would try preheating the metal, lower the argon flow down to around 10cfh. If that doesn't reduce some of the porosity switch to a nickle based rod.
Reply:I too think the voids are from sub surface contaminants driven deeply into micro-fissures from years of traffic.No amount of grinding, short of removing the entire stratum where the fissures are present.............will get these contaminants out.The same is true for solvent washing.  The fissures are simply too numerous, and the contaminant material packed too solidly into them, for superficial treatment.And you must also consider that the fissures were once a small open crack (however briefly before filling and packing) and as such, the grain of steel would also oxidize (rust).  Rust responds to no solvents (though acid will change it into other contaminant compounds).So, if you are practicing TIG, probably need to move on to some other scrap material where you aren't fighting contaminated base metal.And if you truly need to "build up" something on contaminated material such as this section of rail, use stick process.If you keep on Tigging onto the areas you have done so far, I expect that eventually the contaminant by products will taper off through outgassing of fumes and by the underlying stratum getting sealed over with deposit metal.  But this will be an incremental improvement process, especially if you are experiencing popping and spatter, which will contaminate the tungsten......which of course, continue to contaminate the puddle.You could call it a science project.
Reply:Like mentioned sometime you just get dirty metal that doesn't want to take a weld.I have had luck sometimes just running over the material at full power with the torch and no filler to bring out as much junk as you can. Grind back a little bit and then try again.
Reply:I'll bet the helium you are using isn't adequately pure for using it undiluted (100%) to weld with.  IME you'll need a pretty exotic (and expensive) Helium, like scientific grade (99.999% purity) to weld with undiluted.I'd get some 100% Argon and try using that.Consider keeping the Helium for using later.  It may still be of adequate purity for welding with if you were to dilute it down to about 25%-33% He (balance Argon), and this is a GREAT mix for TIG'ing aluminum and thicker metals.  I would get your learning done on Argon, though.Just set that Helium tank aside, and forget it's there for now.  Alternately, you could exchange it for Argon if you didn't want to pick up a second gas cylinder, but that'd be a waste of quite valuable, useful (if it were mixed appropriately) Helium.  Your call, though.--------------Edit: just read your original post more clearly, and saw you are actually using Argon on the above.  I'll bet it's something else to do with your technique.With a proper setup and technique, one stick of tungsten and one cup should last you many tanks.  Can't believe you're going through the tungsten and gas cups like you are.  I still think you may have gas contamination issues.  Please post picture of your tungsten and cup just after typical welding attempt.  How much gas flow are you using?Last edited by jakeru; 06-01-2013 at 01:31 PM.
Reply:Wrong filler rod, I guarantee it. And no pre heat! What kind of filler did you use? In order to weld on a rail you need a filler rod that is almost the equivalent of a hard face rod. You don't always need to pre heat a rail, but if your just using whatever you have laying around to dress it up, which is a bad idea to begin with, you will definitely have too.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:i agree with 7a749..its old grease cooking out..
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadi agree with 7a749..its old grease cooking out..
Reply:InsanerideI was being facetious because of your nautical avatar.This problem has little or nothing to do with the torch angle.I have experienced the same happiness, it only occuredon repurposed material, in heavily wore areas.  I cast all my votes for walkerweld.Depth of field can deceive, but in your 1st. photo the width of the weld looks as wide as the cup of the torch.Try narrowing your bead by half, and experiment by cutting a long grove with a narrow a cut-off wheel and run a bead.Compare the quality of the bead center with how the edgeswet.At best, you may experience reduced degradation because there are still contaminates at the margins.If it is notably better in the middle, and poor on the edges, this would support walkerweld's explanation.If you are determined to effect a weld repair, there may be fillers formulated: for this condition, and to empty your wallet.   Opus
Reply:Thanks you guysIve filled the porros city with 7018. 6010 doesnt build up very good.   I gave up on the TIG but might try the 90* (squirmypug) for cap using Argon.  Pics tommorow.  Thanks again
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Drink the Everclear now bro.