What the hell happened here? I switched filler rods right where decent ends and WTF starts. I also increased stick-out and turned up the Ar. Standard #6 lens.
What the hell happened here? I switched filler rods right where decent ends and WTF starts. I also increased stick-out and turned up the Ar. Standard #6 lens.
Some sort of contamination is almost always the answer.
Looks like contamination of some kind. If it started with a new rod I would be looking at the rod. Was the new rod from a different package?
I will forward this to a friend that is a pro with all the certs and see what he suggests.
dean1484 said:Looks like contamination of some kind. If it started with a new rod I would be looking at the rod. Was the new rod from a different package?
New rod was from (a different) old bundle, and did indeed have some residue of an ozoned-to-death green rubber band on it. I think that was the problem.
It sucks but clean a few rods with acetone before starting. The are likely to be dusty, oily, or worse as you found out.
Clean rod with a scotchbrite and acetone is a must with the TIG game.
NOHOME said:Clean rod with a scotchbrite and acetone is a must with the TIG game.
I did not know about scotch brite, I was just gonna use a paper towel with acetone.
When I learned at a lincoln seminar they preached cleaning everything with scotch brite, especially on aluminum to get through outer oxide layers. Get a big pack and put next to the welder.
I hate cleaning filler rods before welding but it's a necessity for good welds
loosecannon said:I hate cleaning filler rods before welding but it's a necessity for good welds
Yup. A shallow tray that you fill with prep acid solution and lay the filler rods in helps.
Excellent info in this thread. Thanks y'all!
I sent the photo to my friend and he also said contaminated filler rod but he added water/condensation on the rod as a possible 2nd cause. You would think that would not happen but he explained that most rods are stored in a tube against a concrete floor and will stay cool compared to ambient temps. Pull a rod out and you can get condensation on it. This only happens at the start of a new rod. I never thought of this but it makes sense.
Increasing stickout on that small of a cup is risky too. If you want to increase stickout get a set of cheap gas lenses and run a real cup. Argon flow is very turbulent with the typical collet body and small cup. The tumbling flow leads to poor coverage and pulls atmosphere into the weld on longer stick out. You can run a bigger cup and in turn more stickout with a gas lens.
Shop towel and acetone is my go to for cleaning filler rods. The ends that are too corroded I clip off and don't bother with. I've never scotchbrited my filler because I don't like how scotch brite holds dirt and leaves some particles behind.
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