Finally got that forge weld to stick on my third try

I've been messing around with damascus billets for about 6 months now and kept getting cold shuts or just bad fusion. Wednesday night I turned the propane up to 12 psi and soaked the steel for a full 8 minutes before hitting it, and it actually held together clean. Anyone else find they were welding too cold for too long?

3 comments

3 Comments

williams.jenny23d ago

Man, that 12 psi thing is interesting. My buddy Dave runs his forge way hot for damascus but I always thought he was crazy. One time I was trying to weld a billet of 1095 and 15n20 and I must have had it in the fire for like 15 minutes because I got distracted by the neighbor's dog barking at a squirrel. When I finally hit it, the whole thing literally exploded in sparks and I had to sweep up little pieces of steel from the garage floor for an hour. So yeah, getting the temp right is tricky. I think the soak time is the secret sauce, especially with those thicker stacks.

wesley38523d ago

I had something similar happen with a 1080 and 15n20 stack last year. Ended up pulling it too early because the color looked right in the dark forge, but the inside was still cold. That first hit sent shrapnel across the shop. After that I started using a thermocouple to dial in the temp more precisely, around 2200°F for my setup, and letting it soak for a good 8-10 minutes before the first tap. It's made a huge difference in how clean my welds come out.

the_oscar12d ago

Feels like everything in life takes that extra minute past when you think it's ready.