tungstens, cups, and material

[junes]

Here is a little chart i made to help everyone out. It shows which tungsten you should use for which material and how thick of a tungsten for the amps your welding at. It also has gas flows and polarity. If there is anything that i forgot here just let me know and i will add it to it or if anyone wants another type of chart with different info just let me know. I hope this helps everyone out.
You can view it here or download it from the link below.

[bigtirekaw]

Thanks for the info. It will be great reference for me.

[Gadget]

Thanks Junes, that is perfect. I am betting this chart will be pasted on many welding carts in the future. I know it will be on mine.

[LONGEVITY]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for contributing this especially thanks to June for helping everyone out on here.

We will add this to our references for people to have a better idea on how to use our machines.

This information will also be updated in the upcoming manual.

Thanks,

Simon

[junes]

im glad everyone enjoyed it and if there is anything else i can do just let me know.

[jbman45]

Good job junes, it will come in handy for sure. Noticed you show magnesium! which is cool. I've worked with many metals but never tried to repair any of the magnesium alloys. Looks like you might treat it like AL. Any other tidbits on TIGing Mg alloys. Do they make a Mg rod, never actually asked. Mg can actually burn and catch on fire in the presence of enough O2 so would have to be careful.

[junes]

yes they do make mag rod but its not something to just mess around with. It is extreamly expensive and for some mag it will cost you a arm and a leg. As for welding it it is very much like alumium but jsut a few things are different. You have to clean it even more then aluminum and like minutes before. If you leave it out for a few hrs or a day you can actually see the oxides building up its really reactive. As for heat input well it soaks up even more heat then aluminum. Use a size larger set up for the matereial. EX if you would normally use 3/32 set up use a 1/8th you will use every but of it. As for catching on fire for the most part its safe. The thing that is really flamable is the chips or dust. If your machining it you need to remove all those chips away from the welding area. It takes alot for a hunk of mag to light. I have had a torch on it and it wont light. BUT if it does just get it away from anything flamable and watch it go. There is almost no way of putting it out due to the fact that it creates its own Oxygen. The biggest hurdle to over come is securing it to the table. When welding it expands about 3 times as much as aluminum does so it loves to warp and bow so secure it well. Other then that its a piece of cake.

[jbman45]

good info Junes, thanks a bunch. I'll give it a try one of these days but am aware of how hot it can get if it does catch on fire, you just can not put it out with an extinguisher, got to get it outside and let it burn out. think I'll do this one outside!

[junes]

yes there is little worry of lighting it if it is a block and prepare to empty out your wallet just to practice mag. Its lots of fun tho. BE CAREFULL

[Hamstn]

Tungsten A gray metal that is very strong at elevated temperatures. Tungsten is used to make nonconsumable electrodes.
Pure tungsten is a light gray or whitish metal that is soft enough to be cut with a hacksaw and ductile enough to be drawn into wire or extruded into various shapes. If contaminated with other materials, tungsten becomes brittle and difficult to work with. Tungsten has the highest melting point of all metallic elements and is used to make filaments for incandescent light bulbs, fluorescent light bulbs and television tubes. Tungsten expands at nearly the same rate as borosilicate glass and is used to make metal to glass seals. Tungsten is also used as a target for X-ray production, as heating elements in electric furnaces and for parts of spacecraft and missiles which must withstand high temperatures.
Tungsten is alloyed with steel to form tough metals that are stable at high temperatures. Tungsten-steel alloys are used to make such things as high speed cutting tools and rocket engine nozzles.

Pure Tungsten
A type of tungsten electrode made with 99.5 percent tungsten. Pure tungsten electrodes are primarily used with AC for welding aluminum and magnesium.

Ceriated Tungsten
A type of tungsten electrode that contains small amounts of cerium. Ceriated tungsten electrodes have good arc starting characteristics, work well with low amperage settings, and can be used for both AC and DC applications. Cerium oxide (Ce2O3 and CeO2) is a component of the walls of self cleaning ovens and of incandescent lantern mantles. Cerium oxide is also used to polish glass surfaces. Ceric sulfate (Ce(So4)2) is used in some chemical analysis processes. Other cerium compounds are used to make some types of glass as well as to remove color from glass.

Thoriated Tungsten
A type of tungsten electrode that contains approximately 2 percent thorium. Thoriated tungsten electrodes have higher conductivity and generally last longer. Thorium A heavy, radioactive element used in tungsten electrodes.

Lanthanated Tungsten
A type of tungsten electrode that contains small amounts of lanthanum. Lanthanated tungsten electrodes are nonradioactive and maintain a sharp tip very well. Lanthanum is one of the rare earth elements used to make carbon arc lights which are used in the motion picture industry for studio lighting and projector lights. Lanthanum also makes up about 25% of Misch metal, a material that is used to make flints for lighters. Lanthana (La2O3) is used to make the glass used in camera lenses and in other special glasses.

Zirconiated Tungsten
A type of tungsten electrode, which contains small amounts of zirconium oxide. Zirconiated tungsten electrodes combine the characteristics of pure tungsten and thoriated tungsten electrodes. Zirconium oxide A white, crystalline powder used in zirconiated tungsten electrodes.