Original Posted By: Jack Phillips
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Welding questionHere is a question for the welding experts:: I'm no expert welder,(still learning) but have done ok, but lately when I start my puddlethere is a loud "pop". My puddle explodes and is gone. This happensevery time i get the puddle going. The welding eq. is set up the wayI've had it set in the past and had no puddle explosions. What am Idoing wrong? Leon S. in soon to be browned out hot Kansas.________________________________________________________________________________Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 09:23:37 -0400 (EDT)
Pietenpol-List: Welding question
Re: Pietenpol-List: Welding question
Original Posted By: nle97(at)juno.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Welding question
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Welding question
Re: Pietenpol-List: Welding question
Original Posted By: "Greg Cardinal"
Leon Stefan asked:> Here is a question for the welding experts:: I'm no expert welder,> (still learning) but have done ok, but lately when I start my puddle> there is a loud "pop". My puddle explodes and is gone. This happens> every time i get the puddle going. The welding eq. is set up the way> I've had it set in the past and had no puddle explosions. What am I> doing wrong?There are probably a lot more experienced welders here, butsince I got to it first...For a start, try cleaning the tip. It sounds like it could be gunked up,restricting the gas flow. Does the flame look at all "feathery?" Adistorted flame would pretty much confirm it.Idea 2: Are you by any chance working on heavier material now?If so, you need a bigger tip. Trying to use one that isn't really bigenough to do the job is the standard cause of popping.If neither of these does it for you, it may be worthwhile to makesure that your gas pressures are really right. Instead setting them with the gauges, try this:Open the acetylene valve on the torch full-open, light the flame,and turn the regulator until there is so much gas pressure thatit blows the flame off the tip. Now back it off until the flameadheres to the tip.Now feed in oxygen, again with the torch valve full open, usingthe regulator to control the amount of O2. Chances are thatit will blow the flame out, and you'll have to back off the acetylenesome more until you can feed in oxygen and keep the flameattached to the tip.With the acetylene still on max, add oxygen until you geta neutral flame.No matter what the gauges say, those are the right pressuresettings. Go through this each time you use the torch orchange the tip -- it only takes a minute -- and you'll alwayshave the pressures right.Now adjust the flame size with the valves on the torch.Chances are that this won't do a thing for your popping problem,but it pays to eliminate all the variables you can. My money ison one of the first two suggestions.Good luck with it.Owen Davies________________________________________________________________________________Date: Fri, 04 May 2001 09:02:14 -0600
Leon Stefan asked:> Here is a question for the welding experts:: I'm no expert welder,> (still learning) but have done ok, but lately when I start my puddle> there is a loud "pop". My puddle explodes and is gone. This happens> every time i get the puddle going. The welding eq. is set up the way> I've had it set in the past and had no puddle explosions. What am I> doing wrong?There are probably a lot more experienced welders here, butsince I got to it first...For a start, try cleaning the tip. It sounds like it could be gunked up,restricting the gas flow. Does the flame look at all "feathery?" Adistorted flame would pretty much confirm it.Idea 2: Are you by any chance working on heavier material now?If so, you need a bigger tip. Trying to use one that isn't really bigenough to do the job is the standard cause of popping.If neither of these does it for you, it may be worthwhile to makesure that your gas pressures are really right. Instead setting them with the gauges, try this:Open the acetylene valve on the torch full-open, light the flame,and turn the regulator until there is so much gas pressure thatit blows the flame off the tip. Now back it off until the flameadheres to the tip.Now feed in oxygen, again with the torch valve full open, usingthe regulator to control the amount of O2. Chances are thatit will blow the flame out, and you'll have to back off the acetylenesome more until you can feed in oxygen and keep the flameattached to the tip.With the acetylene still on max, add oxygen until you geta neutral flame.No matter what the gauges say, those are the right pressuresettings. Go through this each time you use the torch orchange the tip -- it only takes a minute -- and you'll alwayshave the pressures right.Now adjust the flame size with the valves on the torch.Chances are that this won't do a thing for your popping problem,but it pays to eliminate all the variables you can. My money ison one of the first two suggestions.Good luck with it.Owen Davies________________________________________________________________________________Date: Fri, 04 May 2001 09:02:14 -0600
Re: Pietenpol-List: Welding question
Original Posted By: "Leon Stefan"
Leon,What size tip are you using? If you're tip is too large and you try tothrottle it down too low for the thin work, you'll get the popping from thetip getting too hot from not enough cooling flow, like the other posts said,Think you have to go to a smaller tip.I use a 000 tip most of the time for brackets, unless the piece is thicklike the lower strut brackets, where alot of things come together.Think the largest tip I ever used on the Piet stuff was a #1.Things that I have learned through trial and error are,O/A gets some getting used to because its not instant heat like Arc welding.If you have a big enough flame to heat things up really quick, when youstart to lay a bead, you burn up the piece.Also a simple tip that sound unimportant is, the flame has to point downthe path that you are going to weld' right down the old chute".If you preheat you're work, you will get little or no distortion ( like Arcwelding on cold steel).walt---------------------------------------------------------- Original Message -----
Leon,What size tip are you using? If you're tip is too large and you try tothrottle it down too low for the thin work, you'll get the popping from thetip getting too hot from not enough cooling flow, like the other posts said,Think you have to go to a smaller tip.I use a 000 tip most of the time for brackets, unless the piece is thicklike the lower strut brackets, where alot of things come together.Think the largest tip I ever used on the Piet stuff was a #1.Things that I have learned through trial and error are,O/A gets some getting used to because its not instant heat like Arc welding.If you have a big enough flame to heat things up really quick, when youstart to lay a bead, you burn up the piece.Also a simple tip that sound unimportant is, the flame has to point downthe path that you are going to weld' right down the old chute".If you preheat you're work, you will get little or no distortion ( like Arcwelding on cold steel).walt---------------------------------------------------------- Original Message -----
> Pietenpol-List: Welding question
Original Posted By: leonstefanhutks(at)webtv.net (Leon Stefan)
Years ago, I was gas welding, and the constant pops were burning me to a cinder.This smart ass kid, fresh out of high school shop class told me how to adjust the regulators.He said to light the acetlyene gas, then open the valve on the mixing handle, until all the black smoke dissappears.If in this process, the acetlyene flame seperates from the tip,,, and/or blows itself out, before the black smoke dissappears ....your line pressure is too high.On the other hand.If you open the acetlyene valve, but can't get the black smoke to dissapear, then your line pressure is too low.When you have a acetlyene flame which has flared to the point, to where all the black smoke is gone, and the flame is still attached to the tip, you have the line pressuer just right.Next bleed in the oxy.Oxy hose pressure should be about the same, or a little higher than the acetlyene.Open the oxy valve until you get a neutral flame.Bingo, you are done.In truth, I sometimes pull the oxy back to a very...very...slightly carburizing flame. It burns a little cooler,....(a red puddle, rather than a straw colour puddle)..... it almost never pops, and I never get that nasty oxygen foaming in a weld.Bob>From: leonstefanhutks(at)webtv.net (Leon Stefan)>Reply-To: pietenpol-list(at)matronics.com>To: Pietenpol-List(at)matronics.com>Subject: Pietenpol-List: Welding question>Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 08:20:14 -0500 (CDT)>>Stefan)>>Here is a question for the welding experts:: I'm no expert welder,>(still learning) but have done ok, but lately when I start my puddle>there is a loud "pop". My puddle explodes and is gone. This happens>every time i get the puddle going. The welding eq. is set up the way>I've had it set in the past and had no puddle explosions. What am I>doing wrong? Leon S. in soon to be browned out hot Kansas.>>________________________________________________________________________________
Years ago, I was gas welding, and the constant pops were burning me to a cinder.This smart ass kid, fresh out of high school shop class told me how to adjust the regulators.He said to light the acetlyene gas, then open the valve on the mixing handle, until all the black smoke dissappears.If in this process, the acetlyene flame seperates from the tip,,, and/or blows itself out, before the black smoke dissappears ....your line pressure is too high.On the other hand.If you open the acetlyene valve, but can't get the black smoke to dissapear, then your line pressure is too low.When you have a acetlyene flame which has flared to the point, to where all the black smoke is gone, and the flame is still attached to the tip, you have the line pressuer just right.Next bleed in the oxy.Oxy hose pressure should be about the same, or a little higher than the acetlyene.Open the oxy valve until you get a neutral flame.Bingo, you are done.In truth, I sometimes pull the oxy back to a very...very...slightly carburizing flame. It burns a little cooler,....(a red puddle, rather than a straw colour puddle)..... it almost never pops, and I never get that nasty oxygen foaming in a weld.Bob>From: leonstefanhutks(at)webtv.net (Leon Stefan)>Reply-To: pietenpol-list(at)matronics.com>To: Pietenpol-List(at)matronics.com>Subject: Pietenpol-List: Welding question>Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 08:20:14 -0500 (CDT)>>Stefan)>>Here is a question for the welding experts:: I'm no expert welder,>(still learning) but have done ok, but lately when I start my puddle>there is a loud "pop". My puddle explodes and is gone. This happens>every time i get the puddle going. The welding eq. is set up the way>I've had it set in the past and had no puddle explosions. What am I>doing wrong? Leon S. in soon to be browned out hot Kansas.>>________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: Welding:
Original Posted By: Isablcorky(at)aol.com
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Welding:Thanks for all the input on my welding problem. I used the method ofadjusting the regulators as described by Owen. That works great. I amusing the larger tip that I used for my 13g wing fittings. Thatprobably is where I've gone wrong. I'm welding lighter steel now. I'llgo to the smaller tip and try the other suggestions you all gave me.We'll see how that works. Thanks again. Leon S.________________________________________________________________________________
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Welding:Thanks for all the input on my welding problem. I used the method ofadjusting the regulators as described by Owen. That works great. I amusing the larger tip that I used for my 13g wing fittings. Thatprobably is where I've gone wrong. I'm welding lighter steel now. I'llgo to the smaller tip and try the other suggestions you all gave me.We'll see how that works. Thanks again. Leon S.________________________________________________________________________________