Copper Tig welding.

[Shield Arc]

This subject comes up every once in awhile, and I've never seen it done. So I thought I'd give it a try. Took four hundred forevers to get the filler rod from weldingsupply.com! Back ordered, and all.
Started on some 1/8" x 1" flatbar. Did some corner joints, lap joint, and a fillet weld. Used 3/32-inch Ceriated tungsten, at 150-amps, with 100 % pure argon. Took a little bit to get enough heat built up to form a puddle. But didn't take to long until I was backing out of the pedal. In some ways it reminds me of welding aluminum, except the puddle looks dirty. I used a brand new steel wire wheel on a 4-inch hand grinder to clean the base metal before welding. After welding I tried a new Scotch-Brite pad, but wasn't very successful, so I used a new stainless steel hand brush. I learned if I let everything cool to the touch, the black cleaned off easier. Soon as I lifted my hood after welding, every piece was glowing red hot!
I tried a couple welds on 1/4-inch material, it took all 300-amps to weld the 1/4-inch!
Kind of fun to do, learned something new today!

 

[sdkubota]

Nice looking welds...now go get a job maintaining the Statue of Liberty.

I have enough issues with aluminum although have produced some nice looking welds on it. I'll bet that copper plate was costly!

 

[flyerdan]

Just out of curiosity, do you think that you could use the solid wire out of Romex for a small job or one time use if the need ever arose?

 

[Shield Arc]

now go get a job maintaining the Statue of Liberty. I'll bet that copper plate was costly!

JOB?! That's the last thing I want.:laughing: That flatbar was $8.00 a foot.

Just out of curiosity, do you think that you could use the solid wire out of Romex for a small job or one time use if the need ever arose?

I've read on some welding forums where people have had good success with like 12-GA Romex wire.

 

[weldermike]

JOB?! That's the last thing I want.:laughing: That flatbar was $8.00 a foot.

I've read on some welding forums where people have had good success with like 12-GA Romex wire.

Shield you desribed it perfect bud, very similar to aluminum. Heres my filler wire, works perfect and blends and polishes great!

 

[muddstopper]

If it took 150 amps for 1/8in and 300amps for 1/4, does than mean I can do 1/16 with 75amps. Yes this is a real question.

 

[Shield Arc]

Sounds reasonable to me. But I would think copper is a bigger heat sink than aluminum, so the bigger the item being welded the more heat you'll need.

 

[weldermike]

That thin 28 gauge I just showed was welded if I remember correct at 90amps. Yowza, it was paper!

 

[magicheater]

Did you have it clamped in that huge heat sink vise when you welded it? or maybe I am not understanding something correctly.

 

[Shield Arc]

Did you have it clamped in that huge heat sink vise when you welded it? or maybe I am not understanding something correctly.

No I didn't, but I only have two hands. One to hold the Tig torch, the other to hold the filler rod. So the vice comes in real handy to hold things for me.

 

[Shield Arc]

If it took 150 amps for 1/8in and 300amps for 1/4, does than mean I can do 1/16 with 75amps. Yes this is a real question.

I played with some 1/16-inch wall pipe this morning. 120-amps seem to work fine to get a puddle going, but again it didn't take long before I was backing out of the pedal.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I wonder what kind of amps you'd need if you preheated. Do they have a flux cleaner for Copper?

 

[sdkubota]

I played with some 1/16-inch wall pipe this morning. 120-amps seem to work fine to get a puddle going, but again it didn't take long before I was backing out of the pedal.

Very nice!

 

[Shield Arc]

Do they have a flux cleaner for Copper?

What's that? Educate me!

 

[muddstopper]

I played with some 1/16-inch wall pipe this morning. 120-amps seem to work fine to get a puddle going, but again it didn't take long before I was backing out of the pedal.

Thats exactly what I was thinking about welding. Got to put together a moonshine still you know.

 

[deereman75]

Looks good. I don't think I would have bothered ordering proper welding rods though. With how cheap I am, I would have to try it with scrap electrical wire before spending anything.

 

[muddstopper]

From what I have read, copper wire has a tendency to make a porous weld. Havent tried it so dont know if thats true or not. If true, I think the copper wire wouldnt be a good choice if you where going to do any structual or pressurized pipe welding. For what ever I would be doing, it would be ortamental so I suspect the copper wire would do just fine. Now just where did I put those moonshine still plans.

 

[dstig1]

I've been following this. Though I have never tried it (on my welding "bucket list") regular copper wire is pretty much pure copper, so it should not cause any problems in a copper weld.... Protected from oxidation by the insulation too, at least to some degree...

 

[weldermike]

I've been following this. Though I have never tried it (on my welding "bucket list") regular copper wire is pretty much pure copper, so it should not cause any problems in a copper weld.... Protected from oxidation by the insulation too, at least to some degree...

It works perfect bud, trust me

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

What's that? Educate me!

They may not. I've never needed to weld copper. But in brazing and soldering they have it. I would figure that would be something that might help.