Best Nozzle for Close Angle Merged Exhaust Tubing?

[Kempy]

When I have to get into very small places I us standard collects and holders with long cups preheat if possible and set gas flow differently for the small ends just test it on a part to see how it work before doing the big job. Use type B solar flux in side the pipe if stainless steel then you don't have to use argon in the pipe. The flux provents burn throught, ozide inclusions and aids controlled penetration also elimiates porosity. GOOD LUCK

[Spike]

When I have to get into very small places I us standard collects and holders with long cups preheat if possible and set gas flow differently for the small ends just test it on a part to see how it work before doing the big job. Use type B solar flux in side the pipe if stainless steel then you don't have to use argon in the pipe. The flux provents burn throught, ozide inclusions and aids controlled penetration also elimiates porosity. GOOD LUCK

lol... nozzle envy.

[Jason]

When I have to get into very small places I us standard collects and holders with long cups preheat if possible and set gas flow differently for the small ends just test it on a part to see how it work before doing the big job. Use type B solar flux in side the pipe if stainless steel then you don't have to use argon in the pipe. The flux provents burn throught, ozide inclusions and aids controlled penetration also elimiates porosity. GOOD LUCK

Do those require you turn the flow down a lot?

[Kempy]

I turn it down a little even when using smaller standard cups but if I get into tough spots I turn it up a little. You have to play around each cup and regulators are a little different and beening water cooled or gas cooled. The longer ones I some times turn it up if I am using a lot of power for the size of cup to help cool it. I use a long post flow to help cool the cup after welding.

[jakeru]

This guy gets good results on narrow angle stainless merge collector with what looks like something in the area of a #6-#7 gas lens, and maybe a cup width's worth of stickout; I'd say. (see his stickout @ 1:50)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...c3AQFHI#t=105s

Running a cup width's worth of stickout is not hard to do with a gas lens. You can run even more stickout than that if necessary, with the right conditions and setup. Note, if you can set up your workpiece so the tungsten is pointing straight down (1G position), the heavy argon will tend to fall down onto the hot weld metal.) You should of course try and do this work indoors in a still (non-windy) environment.

If you use a larger diameter cup, you'll probably need to stick your tungsten out further, and use more gas to have it work. A #12 cup may need 30 or so cfh to work best, where a #8 needs 15 or more cfh. A #6 can use 12 cfh or so. The area of the cup increases with the square of the diameter (cup size), and IME, the gas flow should increase proportionally to the area of the cup for best results. The wider cup will shield a wider area of hot metal than the narrower cup. Be sure to run enough pre and post flow. Proper torch angle is also very important. (Don't angle it so that you draft air in next to the hot metal)

Using a sufficiently small diameter tungsten (I'd recommend 1/16" for what you're doing, not 3/32") and having a pointed, clean, contamination free tip may also be necessary to keep the arc coming off the very end of the tungsten (not off to the side).

Also - make sure your filler rod is sufficiently small diameter to reach where it needs to go, because if it can't reach the puddle, then the puddles are going to need to grow in size until they can get bridged across by the filler rod. You may need to change your "angle of approach" with the filler rod to get it deep into the groove, where it's needed.