Looking at some online TIG consumable sellers web sites it seems I can buy
TIG tungstens alloyed to make a universal electrode? I am new to TIG,
having just bought a used Migatronic MTE220. I have received red and white
banded electrodes, but I now wonder if the "grey" banded ones would allow
me to weld aluminium ally, stainless steel and mild steel without buying
several types of tungstens? I will be mainly doing light work on race car
chassis and plumbing / exhausts. Gas will be pure argon, not a mix. Thanks.

Chris wrote:
Looking at some online TIG consumable sellers web sites it seems I can buy
TIG tungstens alloyed to make a universal electrode? I am new to TIG,
having just bought a used Migatronic MTE220. I have received red and white
banded electrodes, but I now wonder if the "grey" banded ones would allow
me to weld aluminium ally, stainless steel and mild steel without buying
several types of tungstens? I will be mainly doing light work on race car
chassis and plumbing / exhausts. Gas will be pure argon, not a mix. Thanks.

You want Zirconiated electrodes (brown color code) for aluminum. They
are astoundingly better than EWP (pure Tungsten, green color code). I
tried the EWP and the electrodes became contaminated, melted, spattered
crud all over, and made poor welds. With the EWZr electrodes, I had
vastly less trouble with contamination and started making beginner's
grade welds. I can't find any grey color code in the Lincoln GTAW
book. If your machine only does DC, you have little hope of doing
TIG on aluminum. You need AC and continuous HF to get good results on
aluminum. Pure Argon is right for Al and most other TIG applications.

Stainless can be welded with Thoriated 2% (red code) on DCEN with
pure Argon shield gas. The same electrode and gas is fine for most
other steels, as well.

If the radioactivity of the Thorium worries you, you can use Lanthanated
electrodes in most applications where Thoriated electrodes are recommended.

Jon

Chris wrote:
Looking at some online TIG consumable sellers web sites it seems I can buy
TIG tungstens alloyed to make a universal electrode? I am new to TIG,
having just bought a used Migatronic MTE220. I have received red and white
banded electrodes, but I now wonder if the "grey" banded ones would allow
me to weld aluminium ally, stainless steel and mild steel without buying
several types of tungstens? I will be mainly doing light work on race car
chassis and plumbing / exhausts. Gas will be pure argon, not a mix. Thanks.

Oh, yeah, web sellers. I have bought a bunch of stuff from aglevtech,
and he has been very good about everything. Prices on eBay vary
depending on who is bidding against you, but he is good about delivering
the stuff even if it closes cheap.

Jon

On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 21:03:16 -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:


You want Zirconiated electrodes (brown color code) for aluminum.

My zirconiated tungstens have a white band.
http://store.aglevtech.net/zituel1.html

IF your welder does advanced squarewave (AC balance) then if you make
the balance heavy to the EN side you can use reds on aluminum from what
ive been told.

That having been said I own a DC Machine so confirmation would be good
Anything DC i've done fine with 2% thoriated (Red)

Chris wrote:
Looking at some online TIG consumable sellers web sites it seems I can buy
TIG tungstens alloyed to make a universal electrode? I am new to TIG,
having just bought a used Migatronic MTE220. I have received red and white
banded electrodes, but I now wonder if the "grey" banded ones would allow
me to weld aluminium ally, stainless steel and mild steel without buying
several types of tungstens? I will be mainly doing light work on race car
chassis and plumbing / exhausts. Gas will be pure argon, not a mix. Thanks.

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 19:41:14 GMT, Ignoramus20852
wrote:

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 14:26:45 -0500, Brent Philion wrote:
IF your welder does advanced squarewave (AC balance) then if you make
the balance heavy to the EN side you can use reds on aluminum from what
ive been told.

That having been said I own a DC Machine so confirmation would be good
Anything DC i've done fine with 2% thoriated (Red)

I have lanthanated electrodes (anyone needs 3/16" electrodes?) and
they are billed as pretty much universal, they can do steel and
aluminum, AC or DC.

i

Correct. Gray or Gold banding. Lanthanated tungstens are rated for
AC/DC and are just about as close to universal as can be. Stainless
steel, Alum etc etc etc.

I understand that 2% is marginally better than 1.5% for alum..but most
serious welders will use the slightly cheaper 1.5%.

Ive been collecting and using tungstens for a while..and while I
started out using pure (green) tunstens for alum, Ive pretty much
switched to the Lanthanated for just about everything. If its rough
work..Ill use the reds, cause I scored "several" boxes of various
sizes..from .040- 3/16"
G

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 14:02:39 GMT, Ignoramus4758
wrote:

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 09:28:11 GMT, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 19:41:14 GMT, Ignoramus20852
wrote:

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 14:26:45 -0500, Brent Philion wrote:
IF your welder does advanced squarewave (AC balance) then if you make
the balance heavy to the EN side you can use reds on aluminum from what
ive been told.

That having been said I own a DC Machine so confirmation would be good
Anything DC i've done fine with 2% thoriated (Red)

I have lanthanated electrodes (anyone needs 3/16" electrodes?) and
they are billed as pretty much universal, they can do steel and
aluminum, AC or DC.

i

Correct. Gray or Gold banding. Lanthanated tungstens are rated for
AC/DC and are just about as close to universal as can be. Stainless
steel, Alum etc etc etc.

I understand that 2% is marginally better than 1.5% for alum..but most
serious welders will use the slightly cheaper 1.5%.

I have 2% blue ones.

Ive been collecting and using tungstens for a while..and while I
started out using pure (green) tunstens for alum, Ive pretty much
switched to the Lanthanated for just about everything. If its rough
work..Ill use the reds, cause I scored "several" boxes of various
sizes..from .040- 3/16"
G

That's great!

I love tungsten, it is so heavy and hard.

i

Thats what my girl friend says about me...

Gunner
G
"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner

On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 21:28:16 +0000, Chris wrote:

Looking at some online TIG consumable sellers web sites it seems I can buy
TIG tungstens alloyed to make a universal electrode? I am new to TIG,
having just bought a used Migatronic MTE220. I have received red and white
banded electrodes, but I now wonder if the "grey" banded ones would allow
me to weld aluminium ally, stainless steel and mild steel without buying
several types of tungstens? I will be mainly doing light work on race car
chassis and plumbing / exhausts. Gas will be pure argon, not a mix. Thanks.

Great info guys, thanks a lot, i have bought a couple of boxes of ceriated,
and have some lanthanated on order, so I can now cover most bases with a
limited range. great reource, this newsgroup. All the best for Christmas
and a healthy New Year.