Tig ceramic cups

[echo8287]

I've got a Tig question and a flow meter question. Does anybody put anything on the ceramic cups to keep the crude off the inside of them when tig welding? The other problem I've got is, a Victor Medalist flow meter regulator and the little red ball doesn't rise in the glass tube. Are these things pre-set from the factory? Isn't this one screwed up? The adjustment knob ont the side doesn't seem to change the flow either. I think this ones defective. Any suggestions,Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving.David

[AAA]

David,

If you're getting crud in your cup it generally means the source metal hasn't been properly cleaned or you're not flowing enough sheilding gas.
When using tig, the area to be welded needs to be bright shiney metal. all blue, black scale, paint etc needs to be romoved.

As for you flow metal. Turning the flow knob left will increase the flow, right will decrease the flow. When it starts flowing the ball will rise. If yours ain't doing this, make sure the valve on the actual bottle may not be open.

Mike

[echo8287]

Flow Reg Problem

I think I'm flowing too much gas and the red ball on the flow meter doesn't rise in the glass. I was wondering if you can spray the ceramic cups with weld splatter spray? or nozzle gel? I still think there is something wrong with the flow reg. Thanks, David

[Fla Jim]

Echo:
If the ball on the flow guage doesn't rise, your probably not flowing gas.
Did you turn the needle valve on, (thats the knob on the oposite side of the guage from the tank).
Turn off the bottle, disconnect the hose. close the needle valve. open the valve on the bottle all the way. Slowly open the needle valve. The "red ball" should rise, and you should feel gas coming out of the fitting. If this doesn't happen take the regulator back to the dealer, and have it repaired. If you get flow the next thing to check is the solenoid valve in the welder.
I hope this helps.

Jim

[Roger]

Re: Flow Reg Problem

Originally posted by echo8287
I think I'm flowing too much gas and the red ball on the flow meter doesn't rise in the glass. I was wondering if you can spray the ceramic cups with weld splatter spray? or nozzle gel? I still think there is something wrong with the flow reg. Thanks, David

When TIG welding you should clean the work to bare metal and degrease with acetone an inch on both sides of the joint. You want to spray oil in your TIG nozzle. Don't do it. TIG welding is a clean process that should not spatter like MIG welding if your doing it right.

NO ANTI SPATER SPRAY OR GEL in TIG NOZZLE.

What kind of metal & position are you welding?

Edited to make clearer.

[echo8287]

Thanks Guys

Thanks Jim I'll check the flow, it was welding ok so I thought the gas was flowing. I had a pressure regulator on the argon bottle and when I was at a welding supply I saw a flow reg so I bought one and the other day was the first time I tried it.
Roger, I was just practicing on some 16 gauge tubing and some 1/8", all mild steel. As far as cleaning I just hit the edges on the wire wheel ,they weren't super clean(didn't use any acetone). Most of the welds were butt welds and a lap or two.When you say spray oil in the nozzle ,what do you mean by that? Thanks fellas ,David

[Dan]

Re: Thanks Guys

Originally posted by echo8287
Thanks Jim I'll check the flow, it was welding ok so I thought the gas was flowing. I had a pressure regulator on the argon bottle and when I was at a welding supply I saw a flow reg so I bought one and the other day was the first time I tried it.
Roger, I was just practicing on some 16 gauge tubing and some 1/8", all mild steel. As far as cleaning I just hit the edges on the wire wheel ,they weren't super clean(didn't use any acetone). Most of the welds were butt welds and a lap or two.When you say spray oil in the nozzle ,what do you mean by that? Thanks fellas ,David

David,

I think Roger meant the spraying oil into the nozzle as a question as to why you would want to do this. With TIG you want everything to be as clean as possible. So never put oil on your nozzle this will just create a possible contaminent for your weld.

A wire wheel is a poor choice for making your metal bright and shiny. Wire wheels actual embed contaminents into the basemetal. A sanding disc or abrasive buffing pad are much better choices. My personal preference is the abrasive buffing pad.

[echo8287]

Abrasive discs

Dan , the abrasive brushing pads ,where do you buy those?what brand are they ? I've got some flap disks. As far as sanding discs, are you using them on a grinder? I've got a couple of orbital sanders, could I use those? David

[Fla Jim]

David;
To clean material I use a flap disc on a 4 1/2" angle grinder.
When you check the flow You should read the flow from the top of the ball on the cfh printed on the tube.
If the argon regulator came with your welder. It should be calibrated in cfh on the output guage. It has an orfice on the output and is calibrated for so much back pressure is equal to flow in cfh.
When first starting its very easy to contaminate your tungston by touching it to the metal, or filler. have a couple of sharpened spares, and change it if it becomes contaminated. You can tell by a noticeable change in the arc. you don't want any oil or anything on your cups.
If you haven't already get the miller student package. The tig book with it is very good., plus the slide charts are helpful.

Good luck and have fun. Tig is probably my favorite welding.

Jim

[echo8287]

Fla Jim

Jim I've just been playing around with this 200dx. It works great on aluminum. I originally bought it to work on my boat. I'm practicing with it so that over the winter I can modify the boat. I changed the regulator the other day. A friend of mine taught welding at the high school and said most tigs had flow meters instead of pressure regs. He came over to try the inverter, as it is his favorite method too.The argon reg did come with the contractor kit with the 200dx. I did get the student kit and the free jacket,that was a great deal. I see where you weld those aluminum coolers all the time, they look nice. Thanks for the reply!!!

[Fla Jim]

We had a cold front come through here. I can finally wear my jacket.

Jim

[Roger]

Anti spater spray and nozzle dip gel is an oil. Some of it smells like fish. I have used cooking spray oil like pam. The spray is used on MIG nozzels and steel to make removing spatter easier. Nozzle dip is used on MIG nozzles. Too much of it in nozzel makes mess. Use least amount that will do job. Anti spatter only helps. It isn't like teflon making nothing stick.
Don't have to change rods MIG welding but cleaning nozzle makes up for it. Spatter in nozzel is only proplem when welding out of position.

[DEA]

echo8287
Did you get a jacket with your dynasty?The listing I got on the packet didn't list the dynasty.
Tell me more

[echo8287]

Jacket

If you buy the student kit($25,00 and lots of good info), it has a like coupon for the free jacket in it. I don't know if the 200dx is listed, but next week ask again and Rock will reply and give you the truth of the matter. I got it with the 251 but maybe it will apply to the Dynasty too.David

[Roger]

Flow meters are supplied by a regulator set at pressure the flow meter is calibrated for. The regulator adjusting bolt requires wrench to adjust and often has jam nut to lock setting. Some regulators are set for 35psi output pressure others are set at 50psi or 75psi... Flow meter or data sheet should specify needed supply pressure. Wrong gas pressure supplied to flow meter changes gas density and accuracy of flow meter. 35psi = 3.3ata, 50psi = 4.4ata, 75psi= 6.1ata
Needle valve on outlet side of flow meter adjusts flow rate. Turning valve counter clock wise opens valve increasing flow rate. Ball or weight indicator in flow meter should move freely when inverted. To indicate flow rate accurately indicator tube must be plumb.

Flow gage regulator has high pressure gage indicating inlet pressure and low pressure gage calibrated in cubic feet per hour flow rate (USA standard) assumes specified size orifice marked on flow gage face is in outlet fitting. Flow rate is increased by turning regulator hand screw clock wise (in) increasing regulated pressure.

When welder's solenoid valve stops flow a flow meter will indicate 0 flow and a flow gage will indicate increased flow. The flow gage is measuring increased pressure when flow stops. That pressure rise is called hysteresis.