ONDGAS wrote:i get a nice clean puddle happening but as soon as i put my filler in its turns to crap., through the mask it looks like the filler rod is melting "outside" of the puddle and then my arc gets a greenish type of colour to it almost like it does when i touch the electrode into a puddle by mistake, but the weird thing is i can go over to another part of the work piece immedietly and get a nice puddle going again, sometimes the rod will dip ok for a bit but then bam! it turns to crap. I've tried new tungsten and changed to different filler a couple times but it has me beat.
BTW im a beginer and have been doing Aarons course on 6061.com and he recommends balling your tungsten by turning the AC balance way down, thing is, I've been doing this and i can't get a really great ball on the end of my tungsten as seen in the pic,
16cfh
blue electrode
ck gas lens #7 cup
What amps and what material thickness (I may have missed it)
If the filler won't make it to the puddle, the puddle might not be formed enough yet due to low amperage.
If your puddle is ready in 3 seconds or less, you've likely got enough amps and have added them fast enough.
If amps are not a problem, then bad torch angle will do the same thing.
If your filler rod and tungsten are facing each other at approx the same angle, the filler will try to melt before it gets to the puddle.
Heat "bounces" off at the same angle it's put in, keep your filler rod under this bounce.
On outside corners, I shorten my stickout to help with shielding gas issues.
Of course, everything I've written is "in general" so there are always specific cases where I do something else.
My Airco has no adjustment so it's 50/50, my Dialarc I run 60% penetration, 40% cleaning.
I do not pre-ball the tungsten, they ball on their own as I weld.
Sometimes I use thoriated, sometimes pure.
Keep at it - it always gets better
Dave J.
Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~
Syncro 350
Invertec v250-s
Thermal Arc 161 and 300
MM210
Dialarc
Tried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.