Ever since I switched from stick to wire feed for stainless pipe, I get way less sugaring on the root pass.

Used to fight with backgas purging for 20 minutes on every joint, then a oldtimer at the Local 37 hall showed me how to dial in a 3/32 wire setup with a tight drag angle. Has anyone else found that changing your filler metal size cuts down cleanup time by half?

2 comments

2 Comments

ivan_perez25d agoMost Upvoted

Get way less sugaring on the root pass" sounds nice, but I've never seen wire feed fix bad purge issues. If your gas coverage isn't dialed in right, changing filler size just gives you a different kind of headache. Wire feed has its place, but for stainless root passes I still prefer stick when I can get away with it.

the_david25d ago

Tbh I gotta disagree a little. I've seen guys switch to a smaller wire and get better penetration where they needed it, and the purge issues were still there but the sugaring backed off. Not saying it's a cure-all, but wire feed gives you more control over heat input if your hand's steady. Stick can work, but it's a different beast altogether.