Let's talk about welding temperature

[Jason Fry]

I will start by saying I have "some" Damascus experience, maybe 20 billets worth.

The guy who taught me showed me how to judge welding temp basically by color. We used kerosene for flux on all welds, although everything we did was just straight stacking.

Since then, I've used kerosene on all initial welds, then a bit of borax on the edges for the second welding pass, and I tend to judge welding temp both by eye and by the bubbling of the flux.

I've also considered upgrading to a pyrometer.

When it comes to "welding temperature", what are you shooting for, and how do YOU judge it?

 

[Willie71]

I will start by saying I have "some" Damascus experience, maybe 20 billets worth.

The guy who taught me showed me how to judge welding temp basically by color. We used kerosene for flux on all welds, although everything we did was just straight stacking.

Since then, I've used kerosene on all initial welds, then a bit of borax on the edges for the second welding pass, and I tend to judge welding temp both by eye and by the bubbling of the flux.

I've also considered upgrading to a pyrometer.

When it comes to "welding temperature", what are you shooting for, and how do YOU judge it?

I’m in the same boat as you. I have been doing exactly the same, but will upgrade to a pyrometer and pid. I want to do stainless and high alloy steels, and those require better temp control.

 

[Leon Husock]

I use the same benchmarks you do, kerosene flux too. When it comes to welding HC to HC (no mild or stainless), I was taught that it should be the same color as the inside of the forge, and if it's a thicker billet leave it to soak for a while after it hits that color. I haven't had much trouble as long as everything was clean and pretty flat when I tack welded it.