A Little 350DX Project

[Mud Spaz]

Got another little project where I was able to utilize the VP function of my 350. These are a couple of longer tubes that go to a helo jack stand I did earlier this year. They use this particular stand for a few different birds and each arm has to be a different length.

Anywho, material is 6061. The tube is 3/8" where it gets welded and the cap is 1/2" except for the center web. I used a heat gun to pre-heat the parts for about 10 minutes before welding. Only cleaning was a wipe down with denatured alcohol.

I used a 1/8" tungsten sharpened to a point with a flat ground on the end. I set the machine to independent polarity and used a 100%/70% ratio of EN/EP. Total amperage was 260 wich equated to 281 amps EN to 196 amps EP. You can see the result of this in the last pic. This is a shot of the tungsten after welding both parts. as you can see, it has very little wear after welding at such a high amperage. The other settings were as follows:

Tig start amps = 60 amps @ 60 ms.
Gas flow = 18 CFH
Straight Argon gas
1/16" 5356 filler
Hz = 120
Balance = 75

[turboguy]

I'm new to TIG welding, but that strikes me as a lot of stickout. Is it the gas lens that allows you to run like that? (or was it extended just for the pics?)

If it is the gas lens doing it's thing, are you close to the maximum you could "push it" to with 18CFH Argon flow?

[Mud Spaz]

I'm new to TIG welding, but that strikes me as a lot of stickout. Is it the gas lens that allows you to run like that? (or was it extended just for the pics?)

If it is the gas lens doing it's thing, are you close to the maximum you could "push it" to with 18CFH Argon flow?
Stickout can be determined by a number of factors. The joint configuration is what usually dictates what I do. A gas lense provides a more consistent and diffuse flow so it's certainly more forgiving of a longer stickout. FWIW, I have used tungsten stickout of well over an inch on a very steep tube miters when I welded bicycle frames. The inside part of the joint was so steep that there was no other way to do it. Sometimes I would even use foil to create a gas envelope to help shield both the tungsten and the joint. The pic I have included shows the joint I am describing. It is the extreme joint just in front of the stoker crank on the tandem pictured. The same tube, where it intersects the front part of the frame, was the same way

http://www.co-motion.com/images/tandem_bikes/mocha.jpg

In order to weld all the way around the inside part of the joint, you had to stick the tungsten out over an inch or you would be unable to connect the two sides. Lost of things are accomplished by thinking outside the regular envelope.

[STwelder]

From what I can see of the welds they look great! And the bike looks like a factory made one, great job on it as well.

[Rojodiablo]

Great post and info Mud Spaz. Thanks!! BTW, I am cooking tungsten like mad on my latest project, and I am running a 1/8" tung. red. Sharpened basically the same way. Which type of tungsten is that one you showed?? Thanks in advance, Paul.

[Mud Spaz]

I use 2% lanthanted for steel and aluminum on the 350DX.