[pinjas]

Hello,

I have googled this idea about a thousand times, and searched the forum as many as well on this subject. I don't know if I am just beating a dead horse on asking this question.
Some people say 1.5 or 2% lanthanated is best, some say ceriated, some say thoriated, and once in a while I see mention of arctime.
So, what do you think? Is there really fact on this subject? I've heard some folks say that this tungsten or that tungsten is really horrible for this sort of application and I get a bit confused on what to believe. Right now, for me, it is either gather knowledge and perspective here or buy 10 packs of all of these types of tungstens and run them through. I saw some where that 1.5% lanthanated would allow you to use 50% more amps with it compared to pure tungsten. (source: http://www.thefabricator.com/article/arcwelding/guidelines-for-tungsten-electrodes).

 

[pinjas]

Have you read this thread, it has some discussion on this subject.
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=44935

Based on experience with 2% Thoriated, I would happily use it, but if I was going to do alot of AC Aluminum I would go with 2% Lanthanated.

I don't know if you are referring to myself pulser, I have definitely read that thread. In fact, I posted a few times in it. I have seen that video several times and I have used it for reference. I guess I want more information.

I am borrowing a friends inverter machine for a little while as he will be out of town, I've wanted to use one and get some understanding of how inverters work and what works best in them.
Yesterday I ordered samples of every kind I could from that diamondground website.

turbocad6, I don't know if balling is really ideal on inverter based machines, I could be mistaken but I believe I have read that it's important and of great use to keep a tip, truncated or otherwise, on a tungsten electrode when welding on inverter based machines. I know that some say that a balled tip is good for welding on a transformer machine, but I think when it comes to arc starting and arc stability that a tip is, probably, better than a ball.

I have both thoriated and zirconiated tungsten. I didn't do anything special to measure what I saw or I may not even have stayed within the ideal welding amps, I think I was a bit over 100 and these were 1/16ths. The zirconiated seemed to form a tiny ball on the end of the tungsten but otherwise it seemed to hold the tip, I didn't try repeatedly to restart the arc on zirconiated, but I was going to start an arc as I normally do. I hold the torch up a bit, and tap the peddle to get some gas flowing, it was at least an inch off the aluminum and the high frequency arc was getting to the material like a tiny bolt of lightning. I thought that was interesting, this would imply that arc starting is very good with this, I am sure I did the same thing with thoriated as I always do this before striking any arcs but I didn't see the event with it. Thoriated seemed to form a bunch of bumps all over the tip, it wasn't exactly as extreme as when using red on a transformer machine, but I certainly saw a degradation of the entire tip.

I would have put zirconiated but I didn't for two reasons, the first one is, I have zirconiated so I wasn't sure if I needed outside opinion on it. The second reason is I had hit the limit on pole articles, 5. In retrospect I could have removed 1.5 lanthanated and put zirconiated in it's place, oh well. Thanks for the replies guys. I've come across a lot of threads that seemed a bit intimidating to put my thoughts into, but I really wish that there wasn't some sort of fear like that, I am sure others have felt it before. If you have something to add beyond a vote, I'd love to hear it and I am sure others would appreciate the information sharing as well.

I wish there was some sort of empirical chart on specific findings for these types of things. Maybe I have seen this and am simply over looking it. That video made by the welding tips and tricks is the closest thing I have ever seen to any sort of study or findings on this subject. I am considering trying to assemble a similar experiment but two things seem to stick out in my mind as to reasons not to. The first one is that I lack the ability to perfectly repeat tip preperation, I don't own anything other than the more basic tools such as an angle grinder, hook and loop sander and 'chemsharp'. Second, of my experiments shared, all seem to have been frowned upon. I feel that many can easily scoff off my perspectives as skepticism and a strong imagination. I suppose that is fine and reasonable, but the reason I enjoy the sharing of knowledge opposes the idea that some form of study can be deflected by nothing at all.
I guess I will have to wait and see how things pan out once I acquire all of the tungstens I think I would need to perform my own test on this subject. I have come to understand that plenty of this is truly personal preference and that, maybe, it really doesn't matter how the heat gets to the piece, just so long that it does so in the way you want it to.

Sorry for the long post, hah.

 

[pinjas]

Dont do much ac welding but I do a lot of starts and stops on stainless tubing. Lanthanated has the best start charteristics of the different types. I get more starts from lanthanated before resharpening. Ceriated and thoriated seem to frost over and the hf just bounces in the cup until I resharpen. Once welding they all seem to work about the same.
To identify which tung I am using I will grind 1, 2 or 3 small grind marks in the center of the tung. Lanthanated no marks, thoriated 1 mark, arc-zone 2 marks and ceriated 3 marks. Doesnt seem to bother anything as I sharpen both ends. This way I always know which tung. is being used. If I had to use only 1 it would be lanthanated.
Most of what I weld is under 100 amps so a 1/16 works well and is quicker to sharpen than a 3/32. Especially when you stick it in the puddle. ( happens a lot for me)

Pretty smart. I guess this means you grind both sides of the tungsten, because I was wondering what you'd do once you got past half way, I assume your answer would be, flip it around. Hah.

 

[pinjas]

I guess looking at these poll results kind of freak me out. I am sure there is more than one way to skin a cat, but isn't there a best way as well? Maybe this is a case of, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[pinjas]

These are great for a transformer based machines in AC, but I don't think anybody uses them on an inverter in AC....

I've tried brown on ac with an inverter machine. The tip of the tungsten seems to form a lot of little nodules. I think there are better options.

 

[pinjas]

My God, do you realize you're "talking to yourself".

Hasn't enough been said/written about tungsten options when using a damn inverter.

Pick up the phone and have Arc-Zone send you a few samples. Try them. Use the tungsten that works best for YOU.

You and Krunch over on the Hobart board need to get together and come up with a bunch of new off-the-wall questions that don't have sh1t to do with tig welding or which you'll never encounter.

There's hundreds of posts out there on tungsten selection. Not one of them is going to tell YOU what works best for YOU.

I don't feel the way you do. I don't know this Krunch, I have never been on the hobart board. I don't know who pees in your cereal every day of your life, but I suggest you stop drinking, start exercising, change your diet, and drop the attitude. This is a forum, not the hallway outside your bedroom door. If you don't like a thread, feel free not to read it, it is -extremely- easy to do. Nobody cares for your negativity, I know I surely don't.

I contacted arc-zone, they do not give out free samples, they pointed me towards diamondground.com . I requested 4 or so 1/16ths samples, they didn't come. This morning I ordered some 2% lanthanated based on the votes of this poll.

This isn't a thread about ignorance or hate, this thread was an inquiry of opinion and clarity. As you may be able to see on this thread, the poll's results give truth to what I just said. A lot of different people seem to see this idea differently than others. Some people think it's ceriated, others think it's arctime, plenty find that they prefer lanthanated and so on. Why bother asking for opinions though, right sundown? I mean, why bother making threads at all? We should just pay you to write us a book on welding and if any of us idiots has any questions in the future, we can simply refer to your pages of wisdom and stop yelling outside your bedroom door at all hours of the night. I'll go quietly read now and stop coming up with TOTALLY CRAZzZzZzy questions about things like which tungsten electrode to use and ways to reduce the number of burning aluminum chips landing on my skin as I use a circular saw to cut.

Please feel free to personally attack me on any other opportunity you can find on any forum you may sundown, this isn't about ideas, perspectives, opinions or free thoughts of any kind, this is about you and me and how stupid and ignorant I am.

If you see a thread created by me, please do not read it, obviously my typed words are a bane to your existence, if you should come across a thread that I posted in, pretend I didn't. Ignore me as completely and humanly possible. You are better, smarter, more attractive and everyone loves you and hates me. And your ***** is bigger than mine. Get over it.

 

[pinjas]

If some of our posters spent 1/10th as much time in the shop with their welders on and their hood down as they do posting on a welding forum, they'd have their own answers.

As far as tungstens go, I can spend ten minutes of arc time and tell you which tungsten "Works BEST for ME" on either a transformer or inverter based machine.

Feel free to send me singles of various tungstens and maybe than your words will have some truth.