.035 / .045" filler

[LBHgti]

It's been a few years since I've been here....new site looks good.

Anyway, I've been doing some tig recently on relatively thin material (1/8" and 1/16" mild steel). I'm running about 65 amps on my TA185 on the 1/16", and having a **** of a time with the 1/16" filler...it just freezes the puddle as soon as I dab.

I straightened out a few pieces of mig wire and used that (.030") with much better results...nice fine bead, no freezing the puddle...made for a much nicer, easier, cleaner, better weld.

I stopped by a couple of the LWS houses yesterday and nobody seems to stock any tig filler in these sizes...they could order it, but looked at me like I had a 3rd eye on my forehead...wondering why I would ever need filler that thin. Granted...there's a reason they're selling welding supplies rather than using them.

Is use of filler in these sizes that much of a rarity? Is it common to just use more amps than necessary with .062 filler for thin stuff? I have a tendency to reinvent the wheel....just making sure I'm not going to out of line here.

Thanks.

Oh, and I'll post some pics of recent projects soon. Nice to be back.

[walker]

What size tungsten are you using? How wide is your bead coming out with the .035 filler? I haven't had any trouble using 1/16" filler on .065 steel. I wonder if your amperage dial is accurate. You might just try turning it up a little and moving faster.

[LBHgti]

I was using 1/16" tungsten.

I found a place that had some 045 filler last night on the way home...seemed to work considerably better, all else being equal.

[vwguy3]

I used some .035 mig wire to weld a bandsaw blade last weekend and it worked just fine.
I think what you are finding is that no to many people used filler smaller than 1/16 so the welding suppliers don't sell much so they don't stock it.Everything these days revolves around keeping inventory down......if they don't sell it every day they can't afford to stock it.

[papasloan]

For 16 ga stainless tube use .045 filler. Hard to get a good looking bead with 1/16 filler and not overheat the weld. I usually buy the .045 filler from www.tigdepot.net

[LBHgti]

I thought I replied but it looks like the interweb ate it.

I found some 0.035 and 0.045....at the last place I went to, of course...what a difference. Dropped the amperage about 20-30%, and the welds are much nicer and easier to run, with less distortion of the material.

[B_C]

I use .045 70-S2 with most steel parts although I have some .035 and use it on small stuff....You can use larger filler like .060 you just have to be less aggressive the way you feed it in to the puddle.......I like smaller filler because it melts way before the parent metal and you can run it in and NOT have that sticking problem your talking about.....

[donald branscom]

It's been a few years since I've been here....new site looks good.

Anyway, I've been doing some tig recently on relatively thin material (1/8" and 1/16" mild steel). I'm running about 65 amps on my TA185 on the 1/16", and having a **** of a time with the 1/16" filler...it just freezes the puddle as soon as I dab.

I straightened out a few pieces of mig wire and used that (.030") with much better results...nice fine bead, no freezing the puddle...made for a much nicer, easier, cleaner, better weld.

I stopped by a couple of the LWS houses yesterday and nobody seems to stock any tig filler in these sizes...they could order it, but looked at me like I had a 3rd eye on my forehead...wondering why I would ever need filler that thin. Granted...there's a reason they're selling welding supplies rather than using them.

Is use of filler in these sizes that much of a rarity? Is it common to just use more amps than necessary with .062 filler for thin stuff? I have a tendency to reinvent the wheel....just making sure I'm not going to out of line here.

Thanks.

Oh, and I'll post some pics of recent projects soon. Nice to be back.

You are on the right track. Smaller filler wire on thinner metal gets better results.
As far as the welding supply not stocking the smaller sizes just means that
welders in that area are not welding thinner metals, or are trying to use 1/16 filler wire on everything with sub standard results.
Keep some smaller size wire on hand for those thinner metals.

[B_C]

You can purchase a small spool of 70S6 mig wire .030 and cut it in short lengths for your thin material tig projects....the S6 wets out pretty good also.

[4sfed]

Arc-Zone.com sells small quantities of .035 and .045 ER70S-2 . . .

http://www.arc-zone.com/index.php?ma...oducts_id=8705


Although they call it TIG welding electrode, WeldingSupply.com sells 1 lb packages of their House Brand ER70S-2 in .030, .035 and .045 . . .

https://weldingsupply.securesites.co...:terms::PE#E02