Tungsten spitting ac aluminum

[Jim Moser]

I know there has been discussions but see if I can get some help. Used to have a Synchrony 250 and had best results with zirconated tungsten, but now I have a Dynasty 300 ,and the inverter didn't like zirconated or these new mixed versions so best results I see is with 2% lanthonated but still not very good just welding up some 1/2 to 3/8 to 2 inch pipe about 200 amps actual but set to 300 to get started. More than 3 or 4 inches they start splitting and spitting. 1/8 inch tungsten with water cooled torch. Never see any problem with SS no matter how hot I run it. Maybe their is better brands?
Thanks

 

[akjeff]

I know there has been discussions but see if I can get some help. Used to have a Synchrony 250 and had best results with zirconated tungsten, but now I have a Dynasty 300 ,and the inverter didn't like zirconated or these new mixed versions so best results I see is with 2% lanthonated but still not very good just welding up some 1/2 to 3/8 to 2 inch pipe about 200 amps actual but set to 300 to get started. More than 3 or 4 inches they start splitting and spitting. 1/8 inch tungsten with water cooled torch. Never see any problem with SS no matter how hot I run it. Maybe their is better brands?
Thanks

Maybe try zirconiated tungnsten? I've had good results with lanthanated on aluminum, but my ESAB inverter machine maxes out at 205A, and I use a 3/32" electrode. I use a sharp tip not rounded also.

 

[Bondo]

I run purple (rare earth) tungsten

It's not the best, but it is the best "all around" tungsten. It handles crap better, but it will never be the best ac or DC tungsten.

 

[72bwhite]

Same here I use the purple stuff and a sharpe point

 

[Jim Moser]

I tried the purple, rare earth, didn't seem to last as long as the blue lanthenated and the zirconium, brown, I think worked good with my transformer synchrowave but not good with the inverter Dynasty. Dont undestand how the power supply could make so much difference but it does. I haven't tried Cerium yet but they say it is better for lower currents?

 

[plastikdreams]

Might want to move up to a larger tungsten...like .125

 

[seiner]

For aluminum I've always used pure. works best for me. lanthinated distant second.

 

[[email protected]]

Jesus, half the replies are suggesting things you already said you tried, and one suggesting pure tungsten for a Dynasty...

Check this out for an excellent reference: https://www.millerwelds.com/-/media...ure/3/4/3/dynasty-quick-reference-248988d.pdf

- Are you breaking your tungsten in half to fit a smaller back cap? If yes, how are you doing that?
- How are you grinding the point on the tungsten? Are you blunting the sharp tip before welding?
- Got pictures of your split tungsten?

- What are your balance and frequency settings? Electrode Negative/Positive amp ratio?

- 2% Lanthanated is what I settled on when I was welding full time, A/C from 5 amps up to probably 500 amps or so.

- Are you cleaning your aluminum and filler rod like a good boy?

 

[BT Fabrication]

was about to ask the same thing as above.
cracked tungsten can be multiple things.
mostly have found, shielding gas makes a difference, torch cooling makes a difference, 2% lanthinated makes a difference
if there is already a crack in it, it will keep spreading up the tungsten
if the ac balance is too much reversed it will do it also.
200A should be ok with DC, on 1/8" but 200-300 on AC you need to go next size bigger after you hit 250-275A

when the tungsten gets too hot on AC it turns to large balls on the end until its one large glob.

 

[SeeFair]

Check this out for an excellent reference: https://www.millerwelds.com/-/media...ure/3/4/3/dynasty-quick-reference-248988d.pdf

Thank you for that. Not just excellent, but concise! That should be in a sticky.

 

[Rob F.]

Can anyone explain why pure tungsten is not recomended with Dynasty? I only have an old 300/300 transformer machine for AC tig, the Maxstar 200 gets used for most of DC tig. Never used a Dynasty...

 

[Jim Moser]

thanks Matt, for reading my original post like some people don't ? and the link ,I use full length tungsten ,70%electrode negative and I found grinding a slight taper blunted on the end to be better than flat blunt. Tried different frq. 60 hz, 40hz. seems good for a wide fillet and 200 hz. is nice for small 1/8 inch material I make some instrument boxes out of but 3/32 tungsten and no problems at lower amps. I grind a notch and snap the tungsten to shorten after it starts to split to get back to good metal, I snapped off all my split ones but I will try to get a pict. 2% lanthanated does seem the best but I do push well over 200 amps but I think you need a bigger torch for a 1/4 inch tungsten ? Not using acetone but sanding the joints and scotch brite on the filler metal and still see impurities floating in the puddle so not perfectly clean.

 

[cyanidekid]

Can anyone explain why pure tungsten is not recomended with Dynasty? I only have an old 300/300 transformer machine for AC tig, the Maxstar 200 gets used for most of DC tig. Never used a Dynasty...

pure hardly runs at all, hard to start, arc jumps wildly all over the place.

as to the splitting, sure sounds like bad manufacture. what brand are you using, and have you tried switching? one size too small an electrode for the current shouldn't result in splitting after a few inches of weld. it would start balling up. oh, and 1/4 isn't the next size, 5/32 is then 3/16

 

[[email protected]]

pure hardly runs at all, hard to start, arc jumps wildly all over the place.

as to the splitting, sure sounds like bad manufacture. what brand are you using, and have you tried switching? one size too small an electrode for the current shouldn't result in splitting after a few inches of weld. it would start balling up. oh, and 1/4 isn't the next size, 5/32 is then 3/16

Agreed, probably bad batch of tungsten. I've done every bad thing you can do to tungsten I think, and the only time I've ever had splitting issues was before I learned not to snap them in half.

My recommendation: When cutting tungsten down, hold it at a 45º to your grinder wheel and twirl it until all the way through. That gets you two pieces with a (roughly) 45º end on each, and just a little bit of grinding to get your finished tip.

A coworker ran 3/16" tungsten in an air cooled torch, many years ago. That was on an Aerowave 700 maxed out. What a beast those were. Until they caught on fire...

Can anyone explain why pure tungsten is not recomended with Dynasty? I only have an old 300/300 transformer machine for AC tig, the Maxstar 200 gets used for most of DC tig. Never used a Dynasty...

A tip: You can use pointed Thoriated or Zirconiated (do your own research please, it's been a looong time for me) on Transformer machines in AC mode. The tip won't last very long, but it gives you so much better control than a big ol ball on a pure tungsten.

 

[cyanidekid]

I cut all my tungstens in half when I get them. I use a cutoff wheel in an angle grinder, put the tungsten in a cordless drill, spin against the mark I put at midpoint, you can snap them once you go around a few times, but they usually just fall apart.

 

[Jim Moser]

For $76.85 ten pack, thought they would be good at the local welding store.
Best Welds OKI Bearing Co, they do work better than the rare earth purple I also got from them. CK brand is avaliable for about 1/2 that price on Amazon, don't know if there is any difference?

 

[72bwhite]

i run a dynasty 280 never had any splitting problem with the purple
2 things happen with the inverters you turn the frequency way up,
and it’s a square wave not a sine wave.
One thing I don’t do is break the tungsten I cut it with diamond wheel.

 

[Graham Gott]

A tip: You can use pointed Thoriated or Zirconiated (do your own research please, it's been a looong time for me) on Transformer machines in AC mode. The tip won't last very long, but it gives you so much better control than a big ol ball on a pure tungsten.

I'm still running a transformer machine and have been using 1% Zirconiated (brown stripe) for a while. I like it much better than pure. It doesn't keep a sharp point...it does round over a bit, but then it's stable. It doesn't make a big ball like pure, so the arc is a lot more stable.

 

[akjeff]

As others have already mentioned, stop snapping your tungsten, and start cutting them with the corner of your grinding wheel, or a diamond wheel in a Dremel tool. And chemically clean after you mechanically clean, to include wiping down your filler rod. Bet things will improve, from just doing those things.

 

[moonlight machine]

I like 2% thorated, red tungsten for aluminum and steel on a Dynasty and whatever they call the Lincoln inverter welder. Between the red welder and the blue one the Dynasty wins hands down. On the ancient transformer welder in my shop I use pure on aluminum and 2% Thorated red on steel. Yeah I know I'm going to get cancer from the thorium in the red tungsten, been using it for 50 years, haven't got it yet. I am probably near expiration date anyway.