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Farmwelding wrote:...Steve-you use 1/8" on aluminum then or what? Just curiosity.
Depends on thickness. I use transformer machines, so it's pure tungsten. For 11 Ga. and smaller, I'm happy with a 3/32. I will even do a 1/4" with 3/32 if it's not a long run and I can pre-heat and/or add helium. Heavy sections, it's 1/8" tungsten every time.

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Farmwelding wrote:Maybe this analogy would be better than the last one I used :lol:

Would you use .045 wire if you did a bunch of sheet metal and would you use .020 if you were doing some 1/4" plate. Probably not. Now if you were in a pinch-it could work. Same with tungsten you don't want to use 1/8" if your tigging sheet metal a lot nor do you want to use .040" on 1/4" steel. Doable if you are in a pinch, but not with the best results always.
Not sure why you like analogies - just speak plain. Less reading.

And you are incorrect about using .040" on heavy welds.
I've forgotten to change my 1/16" tungsten out and blown the end off at 250 amps before.

The amp chart for sizes and types of tungsten is a very good guide.
Dave J.

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~

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MinnesotaDave wrote:
Farmwelding wrote:Maybe this analogy would be better than the last one I used :lol:

Would you use .045 wire if you did a bunch of sheet metal and would you use .020 if you were doing some 1/4" plate. Probably not. Now if you were in a pinch-it could work. Same with tungsten you don't want to use 1/8" if your tigging sheet metal a lot nor do you want to use .040" on 1/4" steel. Doable if you are in a pinch, but not with the best results always.
Not sure why you like analogies - just speak plain. Less reading.

And you are incorrect about using .040" on heavy welds.
I've forgotten to change my 1/16" tungsten out and blown the end off at 250 amps before.

The amp chart for sizes and types of tungsten is a very good guide.
When this goes-is it more of a slow gradual disappearance or is it a sudden flash and then gone.
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Farmwelding wrote:
MinnesotaDave wrote: Not sure why you like analogies - just speak plain. Less reading.

And you are incorrect about using .040" on heavy welds.
I've forgotten to change my 1/16" tungsten out and blown the end off at 250 amps before.

The amp chart for sizes and types of tungsten is a very good guide.
When this goes-is it more of a slow gradual disappearance or is it a sudden flash and then gone.
Depends what I've done wrong.

In one instance I was on the edge of amp rating for 3/32" tungsten on aluminum.
End was quivering and looked like it would make it - I was wrong.
Sprayed out like it was consumable.

In another I had the 1/16" tungsten in, put the hammer down at 250 amps - bam...gone.... :shock:
Dave J.

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I use 3/32" for everything and I do a bit of commercial stuff, fabrication & repair. Never bothered needing different sized electrodes and then collets as well.
if there's a welder, there's a way
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Olivero wrote:I use 3/32" for everything and I do a bit of commercial stuff, fabrication & repair. Never bothered needing different sized electrodes and then collets as well.
Is that on the dynasty 200? I'd bet it would never need a 1/8" tungsten with all of its adjustments

On my old Airco 300 with 50/50 balance only - it eats a 3/32" tungsten pretty easy.
It'll put a hurt on 1/8" pure as well.

The Syncrowave 350 I picked up is much nicer to tungsten with its adjustable balance. :)
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I have tried to grind an extreme taper on 3/32 for low amp use with minimal success. We were taught in school that electrons travel on the surface of a conductor, (with a limited search Google now informs me that this is more true for AC than DC). Perhaps this would explain the reason correct tungsten size is important for critical applications? Too much surface area on a large tungsten makes electron transfer too easy?

I like the theory of Reseda luteola, we are looking for electron transfer and this happens when cathode/anode are hot like in electron tubes. These only work when they have reached a certain temperature, at that point the electrons will "boil" off of the anode and travel toward cathode.
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Lots of good replies! Thanks!!
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MinnesotaDave wrote:
Olivero wrote:I use 3/32" for everything and I do a bit of commercial stuff, fabrication & repair. Never bothered needing different sized electrodes and then collets as well.
Is that on the dynasty 200? I'd bet it would never need a 1/8" tungsten with all of its adjustments

On my old Airco 300 with 50/50 balance only - it eats a 3/32" tungsten pretty easy.
It'll put a hurt on 1/8" pure as well.

The Syncrowave 350 I picked up is much nicer to tungsten with its adjustable balance. :)
Yessir, Dynasty 200 all the way.

Its so confusing with all that stuff, used to teach the guys coming to learn "This is the amps, this is the AC and DC, you use this for that and this one for everything else.... DONT touch anything else... I have no idea what it does :lol: "
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And then you open the owners manual and they have a page just for polarities and use words only an electrical engineer with a PHD would understand so you use it as kindling say screw it and play around and get some good hood time.
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99% of the time, we run 1/8” Tungsten on ferrous and non-ferrous materials ranging in thickness from 24ga (.025”) to 1/4”+. BLUE Tungsten for all Ally work, and RED Tungsten for all other materials. Inverter machines. The key is end preparation, tip profiling, and operator proficiency. We also micro-ball the tip for Ally work. Yes, even when using inverter power sources.

Watch Aaron @ 6061.com master 1/8” Tunsgten on thin/thin, medium, and thick Aluminum and Stainless.

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Here's some aluminum foil I welded at 10 amps DC- with a 3/32" tungsten :D

No light shined through when I checked, but it did have a tiny pinhole when I water tested it... :oops:

At 10 amps, when I first lit the tungsten on scrap the arc was just a buzzing large electrical field all over.
After the arc stabilized it didn't do that again and continued lighting up normally.
I had sharpened it on the belt sander, no polish - that's likely why.
Foil closeup
Foil closeup
image.jpeg (38.95 KiB) Viewed 1027 times
Machine
Machine
image.jpeg (32.42 KiB) Viewed 1027 times
image.jpeg
image.jpeg (46.55 KiB) Viewed 1027 times
Dave J.

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~

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@ MinnesotaDave - fusion welding aluminum foil is about about easy as it comes. Amps aren’t key, fixturing/fitup is crucial. Now, if you fused the surfaces via “open root” you’re a king.

Ron C shows his craft on 1thou Ally,

https://youtu.be/0p9s3DxMZ0A
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Arclight Ironworks wrote:@ MinnesotaDave - fusion welding aluminum foil is about about easy as it comes. Amps aren’t key, fixturing/fitup is crucial. Now, if you fused the surfaces via “open root” you’re a king.

Ron C shows his craft on 1thou Ally,

https://youtu.be/0p9s3DxMZ0A
Quite right, it's very easy :D pics are just a bonus - lol

Mostly I was just noting what happened with the 10 amps on my unpolished 3/32" tungsten.

I used two strips of stainless and sandwiched the foil with a little sticking out.
I went much slower than Ron C. because I wanted to watch the fusion take place.
I found it interesting :)
Dave J.

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~

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6061 had some recent videos about tungsten size.
Can't say I've seen his videos brought up on here though.

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79jasper wrote:6061 had some recent videos about tungsten size.
Can't say I've seen his videos brought up on here though.

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Well, he has posted many pics of his work and occasionally a video. He does have YT videos and a pay site
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I couldn't weld as good as 6061 "Aaron" in my dreams, guy has skills! ;)
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