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I've read when you sharpen your electrode you should not contaminate it with your wheel. Does this mean I should designate a grinder just for electrode sharpening? Also I'm planning on general automotive use with my machine which would be mild steel/bodywork, 304 stainless exhaust and aluminium intake/intercooling piping. I don't know what type of aluminium it would be. What would some general guidance be for what type and size of filler rod for each? Also how do you size the electrode diameter you use compared to the thickness or type of material you're welding? Are there any charts available? The machine will be a PowerMaster 205 inverter tig, stick and plasma. I don't know if that matters. Thanks
Reply:Electrode size is primarily determined by the maximum current you will be running.  Diameter also affects arc starting and arc stability, so an over-sized electrode at a low amperage may give you problems.  And diameter may limit access into a tight joint.  Generally, use the smallest diameter that will handle the current.  Also, a larger diameter electrode can be ground to a longer taper if a smaller diameter is desirable but not available.See this Diamond Ground Products Tungsten Guidebookhttp://www.diamondground.com/Guidebook0105.pdf
Reply:Check this out http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/gtawbook.pdf and this http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...calculator.php the first one is a General Tig manual the second is a calculator to help ya size your consumables........BrandonLincoln Tombstone 225 A/C Steel StickerOld Victor O2/Acetylene setupMiller Syncrowave 250 Tig/PC-300 PulserMiller Millermatic 212 Mig HTP Invertatig 201 Giant Teck D50 Plasma cutterLots of HF grinders
Reply:Thanks pulser I read and downloaded the link. They talked about a using a diamond grinder to sharpen electrodes. Is it possible to use a designated electrode only bench grinder w/ an aluminium oxide wheel? Or are there any other options?
Reply:I bought a little 3 inch grinder at HF for 30 bucks or so and use it only for my electrodes and I use an old drill to get a nice point. works great and I didn't spend big bucks. BrandonLincoln Tombstone 225 A/C Steel StickerOld Victor O2/Acetylene setupMiller Syncrowave 250 Tig/PC-300 PulserMiller Millermatic 212 Mig HTP Invertatig 201 Giant Teck D50 Plasma cutterLots of HF grinders
Reply:Originally Posted by brandon113Check this out http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/gtawbook.pdf and this http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...calculator.php the first one is a General Tig manual the second is a calculator to help ya size your consumables........Brandon
Reply:ouch 32 hour day sucks.... But the opposite is worse....BrandonLincoln Tombstone 225 A/C Steel StickerOld Victor O2/Acetylene setupMiller Syncrowave 250 Tig/PC-300 PulserMiller Millermatic 212 Mig HTP Invertatig 201 Giant Teck D50 Plasma cutterLots of HF grinders
Reply:Originally Posted by jericho777Thanks pulser I read and downloaded the link. They talked about a using a diamond grinder to sharpen electrodes. Is it possible to use a designated electrode only bench grinder w/ an aluminium oxide wheel? Or are there any other options?
Reply:Thanks pulser that answers alot and I understand better. It will have it's own dedicated wheel in my garage because my regular grinder is in the cellar and it's not convenient to go back and forth. And brandon113 I'm on a 32 hour work week not a 32 hr. work day. My head would really be spinning! Things are alot tighter not working 45+ hrs a week. Mabey RAISING peoples TAXES will make us alot RICHER. They know how to spend our money better than we do! Just kidding the whole thing is really sad to see the greatest country go down the crapper like this. Sorry I misled you