Am I having gas issues?

[Rodzilla]

Bad gas? Or leak I can't find? Not to sure, anytime I try to run a bead I start with a clean electrode, sharped parallel to the tungsten rod. I was going to buy 2% lanthanated but they didn't have it so I bought 2% ceriated 3/32". The machine is a brand new Everlast250EX and everything I'm using comes in the box. New 80cu/ft bottle of Argon. I have stayed away from foot pedal so far. Torch is in (-).
Metal has been mild steel 3/16" square tube, just running beads on one side, sometimes with filler. Filler is er70s2.
I have the tried gas from 5-40cu/ft/hr all with similar results. HF start works good almost always. I'm holding the torch about 3/16" from surface, and at about 15-20deg angle. I hear the purge of gas when I light off. I've put soapy water around line connections that I can see and no bubbling. I clean the tungsten and the metal ground off shiney with acetone.
So for now I'm lost. Mostly I've been trying in the 80-100amp range. I had some thinner plate I tried at 60Amps, all looks the same.
I've also tried some 3/16" aluminum plate on AC and it was pretty much worse then the mild steel. I couldn't even get filler to add to the crappy puddle.
Any thoughts? Can I open the machine to check for gas leaks inside?

My only somewhat decent bead. Still horrible

Most look like this


Heres the tungsten before a spot test

Here it is dirty after a 5sec light up and 10sec post flow.

Heres some spot test, one on the left I had it lit for 10 seconds.

[Grizzly1944]

Not an expert in this, but make sure your electrode is plugged into the negative connector. Could be bad gas also. Make sure your are using straight argon only.

[performance]

The main issue you are having is that the cup is far too small for the amps and the tungsten you are using. You need probably a 6 or something.

But you are also holding too far of a standoff. You should be barely able to put a penny's thickness between the tungsten and the work. You should also reduce your torch angle. Too much torch angle will introduce turbulence to the weld, especially with too much stand off that you are maintaining. And for the cup you are using, to get anywhere, you should suck the tungsten back up a little...with just a fraction above where the taper starts sticking out.

[Rodzilla]

This was same advice I received on another forum. I'm going to give that a try, thanks. Like I mentioned over there, I'm going to need new eyes to keep an arc that short and move fast enough not to overheat...lol.

The main issue you are having is that the cup is far too small for the amps and the tungsten you are using. You need probably a 6 or something.

But you are also holding too far of a standoff. You should be barely able to put a penny's thickness between the tungsten and the work. You should also reduce your torch angle. Too much torch angle will introduce turbulence to the weld, especially with too much stand off that you are maintaining. And for the cup you are using, to get anywhere, you should suck the tungsten back up a little...with just a fraction above where the taper starts sticking out.

[TheGary]

What performance has told you is all correct. If ,you do not have a gas leake where air is being drawn in. From what you said I believe there is a leak somewhere. Put your finger over the opening of the cup when on post flow and see if you can hear a leak from somewhere else. turn the gas pressure up quit high when you do this. If you still can not hear a leak you will need to systematically check every joint from the O ring on the torch all the way back until you find either a bad O ring or a loose joint, or a bad crimp on a hose. There is a chance it could be contaminated gas also. To check that you will need to change bottles. It would not be the first time some 90/10 or 75/25 was put in a bottle marked pure argon.

[Rambozo]

This was same advice I received on another forum. I'm going to give that a try, thanks. Like I mentioned over there, I'm going to need new eyes to keep an arc that short and move fast enough not to overheat...lol.

It's called a cheater lens. Get one for your helmet and everything will change. It sucks getting old for sure.

Also you might want to look into a gas lens setup for your torch. That will let you run the tungsten out farther than a normal cup.

[Rodzilla]

Thanks guys,,,I will give these ideas a try.

[Buggy Chief]

You can also get a flow meter at the torch to ensure you are getting the correct flow at the torch...they are relatively inexpensive...

I was having issues once and that really helped.

[Michael Ross]

I have bought a couple 3 packs of reading glasses at walmart for just under $9, the plastic frames are better, hard to top that. You can get mild or strong magnification (higher # = stronger), I like 1.25 - 1.5 for small work. As a glasses wearer for almost 60 years, they just seem natural and my helmet doesn't have a place for a cheater.