electrode size for stainless steel

by robbee
(arkansas)

this may not be an actual tip, it may just be common sense for a good welder, but i recently bought some 1/16" thoriated tungsten, 1/16" collets, and a 1/16" collet body for my work.

all they will buy us at work is 3/32" tungstens, collets, and collet bodies. i have used the 3/32" for everything from 16 gauge stainless to 1/2" stainless pipe and flat metal.

when i changed to a 1/16" collet, body, and tungsten, the welds looked so much better. they were cleaner, no sugaring, burn through or anything that caught my eye as to be a defect.

i was welding on 16 gauge stainless. i even dipped my electrode in the weld pool a few times and to my amazement my metal didnt turn black nor did my electrode.

i didnt know if this would be helpful to anyone else, but just changing my electrode size improved my work in my eyes