Today's lesson will not necessarily be on any welding but it is a very necessary lesson on knowing how to sharpen your tungsten. This is the very first thing to know when getting started on TIG. Lets see how it looks.
I was always taught to grind with the grain of the tungsten not across it. Which on the bench grinder worked but when you showed some guys using the side of the wheel or an angle grinder, that’s across the grain and I’ve found it definitely makes a huge difference in how the arc acts
I grind it like he did on the bench grinder but I showed it to some geezers and they started panicking that the electrode is supposed to be aimed in the opposite dirrection when grinding which I disagree with, because this produces sharper electrode and there is difference in arc stability
I like your videos, but, 2 of those 3 ways of grinding tungsten can drive it through your right hand. YES, I have seen it! 55years old. My best advise is buy the right tool. You wouldn't use a pair of vise grips as a stinger!? ( Yes, I have seen it here in South Carolina!) You're a professional at this level! Invest in the right tools! A lesson I learned when I first walked on a Snap-On truck back in the day. "Good tools aren't cheap, and cheap tools aren't good!" Holds true to this day young men, and women. But the right tool for the job!
last method circular pattern produce in tip of W so not used due to contamination occur at tip and gases are also absorbed. Only plane pattern is good in tip of W. Uddhav
Can you do a video on how to use a Lincoln 300d classic on heliarc, in other words how to know what gear to have it in and what fine tune, for root hot pass and cap
@redlock1815 The older welders would sometimes use a cutting torch to sharpen the tungsten electrodes. Pointing the torch away in the cutting stage (trigger in) and turn the electrode by hand over the nozzle, and it comes out pointy. The cutting torch doesn't melt the electrode, the host gases blasting past the electrode tip is kind of like an abrasive before it melts, especially since tungsten melting temperature is very high. Someone shows how it's done here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Dv58c37sX0k.html
My question is about the build up on the tungsten ABOVE the tip. I'm learning and I get a lot of crap (contamination) above the tip. Must it be removed? And if so. What is the best way to get rid of it? If I grind it. Then the electrodes become out of round and ugly. I haven't seen any videos that address this. Thanks so much for your videos. They are a great learning tool. Thanks JohnW
I was always taught that when using a bench grinder, to shift the tungsten from side to side to avoid making a groove in the wheel and wearing out the stone too fast. Also having the groove, makes the tungsten more round that straight point
@@bikesfightback it depends, for example the stone that I use is quite narrow and one edge of it was already round for some reason, so it is hard to change the grinding position...
Tungsten has almost the same specific gravity as gold. So, I save my tungsten dust from the fume extractor filter, and hope to sell it to some shady characters someday for beer money. Now, that's sharp.
Helpful thanks. Just wondering when the length of the tungsten gets very short. How can a person sharpen it on a bench grinder without getting too close and burn fingers or touch the wheel.
Im in welding school and having trouble with my 2g cert. Its a 3/8 plate 1/8 6010 open root no backplate. And the rest with 1/8 7018 with a 2 bead cap. Can you please do a video thanks man.
I would like to throw my two cents in really quick... If you rotate the angle grinder shroud to 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock in relation to the grinder body being 6 o'clock, leaving the 12 o'clock wide open... You can prop up your tungsten on the leading edge of the shroud and the dust isn't getting all over you as well as getting nice, straight lines on the Tungsten. Just prop the tungsten against the shroud at 3 o'clock and put the top at 1 o'clock and rotate the tungsten away from the grinder. If the grinder is upside down, the grinder is spinning counterclockwise and you rotate your tungsten clockwise for straight lines up the tip. Or buy a Scottsman tungsten sharpener and be done with it.... 👍🏼
Should go slow with the drill, it help makes the geometry consistent, but have to mind the grinding mark grain too. And be careful so it wont be red hot.
I have experience in thin like anywhere from 20 gauge to 10 gauge stainless flat, if your welding thin (depending on the welders preference) I tend to weld at 275 and 21 volts, I am going downhill on stainless so you have to go faster
When I took welding at the community college in my hometown they told me the opposite of what you said when sharpening by hand. They say that doing it the way you showed made it possible for the tungsten to stab into your hand if it got caught up. I just always done it that way because it’s how I was taught. Do you think it was just the teacher telling us to do what they did? Or is one way really better than the other? I don’t mean to offend at all...this is an honest question. Thanks
You get a better tip grinding into the wheel in my opinion, no sliver leftover. If you use common sense, this is a safe technique. If you tilt the tungsten up close to 90° it could kick at you. Why you would ever have it at that angle I have no idea. With that said, you school teacher just removed that variable by fliping it over, aka dummy proofin it.
that grinder sounds terrible. you know if you move the tungsten side to side while you spin it, you won't get those grooves on the wheel... flat wheels are more useful IMO. i use a 100 grit diamond coated disc on a bench grinder, so i'm on the side of the disc not the end (it's thin like a CD). that type of disc won't heat up the tungsten nearly as much either. i was told in welding school that grinding it red hot is not good for the tungsten....not totally sure if that is a real concern or just best practice.
The fast way is no good. You should never get your electrode red hot like that at the tip. Considering there is no shielding gas present, you are contaminating the electrode via the atmospheric elements that are present. This can lead to cracking and splitting of the Tungsten later on. Take your time with it and minimize heat input.
Maybe dip it in water before grinding, and then dip it again each few seconds so as to keep the temperature low, would be a good idea? My neighbour make knives, that's how he keeps the steel unhardened.
Flip that guard around and grind tungsten throwin sparks away from you..not at you. Thoriated dust is harmful. I've had that ssme rigid drill since 2010 and use it to sharpen bunch of tungsten as well..love that drill model n its lightweight.
