All MetalShaping

Go Back   All MetalShaping > General Metal Shaping Discussion > Welding Sheet Metal
  Today's Posts Posts for Last 7 Days Posts for Last 14 Days  

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-12-2014, 12:36 PM
ojh ojh is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA
Posts: 674
Default Silicon bronze tig'g

I haven't done much welding with silicon bronze and I'm trying to use it now. I am having a problem 'seeing' it, I have a greenish flame and theres lots of carbon soot around the puddle.
I'm using a 1/16th 2% thoriated toungsten, standard smallish cup, 100% argon, upped the flo to 9ish, DC current, no freq, welding on clean mild steel.
Do I have the wrong settings or is the greenish flame & carbon normal.
thanks, oj
__________________
oj higgins
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-12-2014, 01:30 PM
TheRodDoc TheRodDoc is offline
MetalShaper of the Month Nov 2020
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: iowa, USA
Posts: 446
Default

Could be you have brazing rod instead of silicon bronze rod. That would do that for sure. Otherwise you could be just way over heating the weld.
__________________
The Rod Doctor,
Richard Crees
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-12-2014, 01:50 PM
crystallographic crystallographic is offline
MetalShaper of the Month October '14 , April '16, July 2020, Jan 2023
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Western Sierra Nevadas, Badger Hill, CA
Posts: 4,388
Default

Do you have a whitish residue, also? If so, it could be that you have used a yellow brass filler, instead of SiBr. Best to verify your filler before anything else.
__________________
Kent

http://www.tinmantech.com

"All it takes is a little practical experience to blow the he!! out of a perfectly good theory." --- Lloyd Rosenquist, charter member AWS, 1919.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-12-2014, 02:33 PM
dwood dwood is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Atascadero California
Posts: 52
Default

One other possibility is that you accidentally touched the tungsten with the silicon bronze rod and 'coated' it. Happens to me occasionally. I use a stationary 1" belt sander to "re-point" the electrode.

But from your description . . . I tend to agree with the others in that you might have a brass rod instead of silicon bronze.
__________________
Don
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-14-2014, 08:29 AM
ojh ojh is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA
Posts: 674
Default

I think you are right dwood, I'm blind in one eye and can't tell how far I am from the puddle and must've contaminated the toungsten.
I do have silicon bronze rod and as I worked with it I got better and the weld became cleaner, it is an odd color and has surface contamination.
I bet the RodDoc is right too, it wouldn't surprise me that I am way too hot and am cooking the rod. I haven't been able to work on it for a couple days - have customers stuff that needs to get done - but maybe this evening I'll be able to experiment some more with it.
__________________
oj higgins
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-14-2014, 11:21 AM
weldtoride weldtoride is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 896
Default For what it's worth

After reading about it elsewhere, I have experimented with Sil bronze TIG set on AC, but with the arc balance set at low cleaning levels, between 10-20%.

The cleaning portion of the arc helps with the wet-out of the puddle, it seems. It also yields nice clean beads.
__________________
Mark from Illinois
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-15-2014, 09:43 AM
ojh ojh is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA
Posts: 674
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by weldtoride View Post
After reading about it elsewhere, I have experimented with Sil bronze TIG set on AC, but with the arc balance set at low cleaning levels, between 10-20%.

The cleaning portion of the arc helps with the wet-out of the puddle, it seems. It also yields nice clean beads.
Interesting, I'll give that a try too.
My camera/computer aren't talking or I'd post a picture or two esp the surface contamination - it might be normal or it might be overcooked.
__________________
oj higgins
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-15-2014, 10:32 AM
John Buchtenkirch John Buchtenkirch is offline
MetalShaper of the Month October 2012
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Glen Cove, Long Island
Posts: 1,675
Default

I’m not so sure you can use silicon bronze as a filler rod for chrome plating steel. The guy I prepare parts for will not let me use anything except tig or gas welding on steel parts, mig welding is too hard , it doesn’t polish out correctly. I don’t know about silicon bronze but I’d certainly talk to your chrome shop before using it on those headers. ~ John Buchtenkirch
__________________
John
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-15-2014, 05:28 PM
Chris Bspoke's Avatar
Chris Bspoke Chris Bspoke is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: leicester u.k.
Posts: 297
Default

It will chrome plate fine John but needs someone really good at polishing for plating as in my experience the steel will under cut where it meets the silbronze
__________________
Chris cant
This site is only GREAT because people contribute , Show your project and ask for help because that will help all of us.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-17-2014, 10:13 AM
John Buchtenkirch John Buchtenkirch is offline
MetalShaper of the Month October 2012
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Glen Cove, Long Island
Posts: 1,675
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Bspoke View Post
It will chrome plate fine John but needs someone really good at polishing for plating as in my experience the steel will under cut where it meets the silbronze
Exactly my point, the differences in hardness don’t allow the joints to be polished to perfection . He would be better off filling his low seams with steel weld by using gas or tig. From what I’m told the problems are caused by the EPA closing down the cyanide copper tanks. I’m told the cyanide copper plating was the Bondo of the plating businesses, it had high buildup that covered over many sins / mistakes when followed up by an experienced polisher, however the fumes are deadly. I think in the USA the cyanide copper tanks only operate illegally now or that just might be my state, New York. I still stand by my earlier advice, he should call his platter first to get an opinion from the person who actually has to do the job. ~ John Buchtenkirch
__________________
John
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:34 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.