porosity on mild steel

[caseman]

Hey guys,
Been welding for a while, but got a new problem that cropped up. I'm using a bobcat engine drive with a add on tig torch, around 85 -100 amps on 3/16" steel. 3/32 tungsten, #8 cup, newer weldcraft torch, with a collet body. For some reason i've got porosity on all my open root welds. Is this just the nature of the beast, or is there something i can do to fix it?
Thanks for the help.

[whateg0]

How clean is the joint? Freshly ground or cut with torch or plasma? I have seen first-hand that a TIG welded plasma cut joint can have a lot of porosity in it, as can other contaminants. Is this fresh material? Or has it been in use? If it's pipe or tubing that has had something running through it, there could be some of that absorbed by the metal.

Dave

[caseman]

it's clean metal, freshly ground to remove mill scale. only reason it was getting tigged together was for a cosmetic look, which i'm not ending up with. checked torch connections and all thinking i had a gas leak, no major drafts in the shop, etc.... just kinda scratching my head

[usmcpop]

Good prep, proper gas flow... ???

If it's a new cylinder of gas, maybe it's no good. What's the pedigree of the pipe in question?

[77 cruiser]

What kind of rod?