| Mild steel welds can be quite difficult to get right if | | | | on the purging process. This is due to the |
| you are not used to this kind of work. It can be one | | | | components of water which are hydrogen and |
| of the most difficult jobs to do when working with | | | | oxygen. Wait until all the water will evaporate. |
| mild steel tubes. Hats off, if you can do it well, but it | | | | 2. You can poke a small hole at the topmost part of |
| takes a real man to be able to do this job. You will | | | | the tube to allow the argon gas to flow continuously |
| need to wait for the mild steel tube to cool after | | | | inside it. Argon should freely flow inside the tube to |
| interval passes, while making sure that you keep the | | | | let all the air out of the tube, as argon is denser than |
| tip extremely hot and shielded with argon. You also | | | | air. Argon will also remove air out of the tube |
| have to make sure that you snip the tip of the | | | | because it has the ability to displace it. |
| welding rod if it ever gets crapped up so as to keep | | | | 3. Use a diffuser and place it at both ends of your |
| your tungsten sharp as it should be. | | | | argon hose to ensure a higher flow rate of the gas. |
| Purging steel is a very tough thing to do. Mild steel | | | | A homemade diffuser can be easily fabricated with |
| tubes and all the other types of stainless steel | | | | using stainless steel wool, perforated stainless steel |
| products need to be purged with argon gas to | | | | sheet and small piece of sheet metal. |
| prevent them from sugaring or granulation, which is | | | | If you are sure that a good purge was done, you |
| the effect of severe oxidation. | | | | can proceed with tacking. You can do this by getting |
| Mild steel welds cannot be complete without an argon | | | | the tape off to let the tack cool down, after which |
| purge on the inside surface of common mild steel | | | | you should re tape it. The tacking should be done 180 |
| tube. And this process is done by wrapping aluminum | | | | degrees apart. |
| duct tape around the ends of the mild steel tubes | | | | There are more tips that you can follow when |
| while argon gas is left to be trapped inside it. | | | | welding stainless steel pipe. |
| To be able to determine whether the tube has been | | | | 1. Instead of using a 3/32 inch rod, you should use a |
| purged enough, you need to use an oxygen analyzer; | | | | 1/8 inch wire to do better welding. |
| and to make sure that you do a good purge, here | | | | 2. Re-welding can be done on impenetrable areas. |
| are some tips that you can follow: | | | | 3. Prefer to use stainless steel wire brushes and files |
| 1. Check that there is no water left inside in mild steel | | | | which are for stainless steel alone. |
| tube. Even a single drop of water will cause damage | | | | 4. To avoid overheating, use enough amperage. |