Lasers/Phasers - Tips and Tricks

[araucaria]

Any helpful hints from experienced users that may be of benefit to new users?
This is the way forward for welding.
Any problems that have been difficult to overcome?
Any unexpected occurrences?

popcorn

 

[Mark Jackson]

Test whatever unit you look at on samples TWICE as deep as what you think you'll be welding. Ours will not penetrate as deeply as we hoped it would. Practice a lot, and turn up the argon, no matter what alloy you are welding. FWIW

 

[JohnWilson]

Lasers are a great tool, pulse shaping is probably the biggest misunderstood feature on the better models.

Most new users can weld chrome inside of 5 minutes of practice if the machine is dialed in for the material. Setting up programs associated in memory for the type of alloy you are using is very very important. It can help less experienced techs from making rookie mistakes. The proper diameter wire will make you smile. If the gage is to small techs have a tendency to try and rush the fill. To thick and techs seem to try and over compensate and jack up the voltage and have to narrow the beam. Not what you want to do.

The number one thing to remember when you joining a sectioned joint it to have pin point contact and to then tack on all 4 sides one hit at a time to insure a passive weld. New techs often try and weld around a joint to quickly and just try and fille-er-up which leads to joints that warp and fail. If this joint was to be sectioned through the weld you would see that it was just not a solid weld but welding around a void.

Getting things dialed in takes a bit of time but after a while and some practice its amazing what you can do with the tool. I have said it a million times its by far the best tool I have every purchased for my laboratory.

 

[AJEL]

I really miss using my Crawford I think I have to send in the rail. I replaced the photo tube this year (got 13 years out of the first) but when reinstalling I must have bumped something and haven't been able to get the focus back. Have been using my old torrit & ticonium PGP triple for repairs since. Now that the taxes & easter dentures are almost out of the way I shall try again.