Re: Welding rods in static gap considered bad

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Paul B. Brodie" <pbbrodie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Scot,
MIG welders do NOT use tungsten electrodes. MIG welders feed the wire 
filler material through the handpiece and it is used to draw the arc and 
then melts and fills the fillet. The MIG welder has a motor driven reel of 
this wire that feeds through the handpiece keeping a constant supply as the 
electrode is consumed. TIG welders, on the other hand, use a tungsten 
electrode to draw the arc that creates the heat used to melt the pieces 
being welded and the filler rod. In this case the tungsten electrode is not 
consumed. At least this is how it has worked for the last 30 years I have 
been welding.
Paul Brodie
Think Positive
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <<mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <<mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2005 2:28 PM
Subject: Re: Welding rods in static gap considered bad

> Original poster: BunnyKiller <<mailto:bunikllr@xxxxxxx>bunikllr@xxxxxxx>
>
> Hey  Willem...
>
> there are basically 2 different kinds of welding rods...   1: the common
> welding rod that is used to "fill" the material gap as it melts. and 2: the
> rod that is used in TIG or MIG applications...  in style 2, the rod doesnt
> melt to fill the gap, it produces enuf heat to allow the 2 metal sections
> to join and sometimes is used with a "filler" rod to add metal to a wide
> gap.    You are right to say that using style #1 rod as a gap material is
> not a good thing ( they are designed to get hot easily and melt) these rods
> are mostly an iron base material...  but as in case #2 the rod in TIG/MIG
> applications are tungsten or tungsten/thorium ( of 2-10%) which have a very
> hi melt point...
> and thats why we prefer that kind of "rod"
>
>
> Scot D
>
>
>
> Tesla list wrote:
>
>>Original poster: "Wim Bosma" <<mailto:wbosma@xxxxxxxxxxx>wbosma@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>>
>>Welding rods in a linear static gap will get quite hot; much hotter than
>>copper pipes. It should be tried only with a hefty blower, otherwise spark
>>quenching detoriates: after a few seconds the HF output will drop.
>>Construction of the spark cage will also be more difficult.
>>Regards, Willem, PA0TW
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Tesla list" 
<<mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>To: <<mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>Sent: Friday, April 08, 2005 1:27 AM
>>Subject: Re: tungsten carbide magnetic?
>>
>>
>>>Original poster: Lee Kohlman <<mailto:lwkksw@xxxxxxxxx>lwkksw@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>
>>>I am designing a static spark gap using 1/8" tungsten welding rods (yes,
>>>thoriated but to be used outside).  I have access to phenolic fiberglass
>>>to support them.  I have a total of 10 rods that I would like to lay
>>>parallel and still have some way to adjust gap length.
>>>Of course I would love to build a SRSG but that's too involved for
>>>now.  Any suggestions?
>>>
>>>Thanks,
>>>Lee K.
>>>
>>>Original poster: BunnyKiller
>>>
>>>
>>>but do you need that extra diameter? I am using 1/8" dia pure welding
>>>tungsten no thorium ( and you know what power Im dealing with ;) ...
>>>and have very little wear and erosion problems.. plus the minimal
>>>diameter makes it easier on disc design and dwell time...
>>>
>>>
>>>Scott D.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
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