How to Tig Weld Using the "Lay Wire" Method

"lay wire means you leave the wire in the puddle!.. "

"weave it wide and wish it well...thats what the pascagoula shipyard welder said"

This Tig Welding Technique is called "lay wire" by some people (especially Hobart training materials) because the tig welding rod is held in the puddle all the time and is never dipped in and out. The tig torch electrode is walked over the tip of the rod and the end result is a pretty weave that looks somewhat like boot laces. So whats the problem?

Most of the time, this tig welding technique works great. Pipefitters and boilermakers use it all the time to weld pipe, tubes, especially socket welds.

But there are situations where it does not work well at all.

Like tig welding aluminum or magnesium... and Thin Tee joints of any kind in the .032-.070" thickness range.

If you try to use the lay wire technique on a thin titanium tee joint like is required for aerospace welding tests, you will get lack of fusion in the root every time.

For Carbon and Stainless Steel pipe, the lay wire technique has proven its worth in the field with millions of x ray tests over the years.

The joint in the video is part of a car chassis and is called a fishmouth joint. In a joint like this, or a beveled pipe joint, or a socket weld, the tig cup is rested in the groove and kind of wiggled back and forth.

The tungsten electrode has to be extended to just the right length to keep the arc length tight. Too long an arc and the tip of the weld wire will get hot too far back and ball up and just blob into the weld. Keeping a tight arc length like you see in the video, lets the rod flow into the puddle nicely and precisely.

The proof is in the results isn't it? The finished weld here speaks for itself.
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