I am trying to weld two 1.5" copper tubes together. they are the same material and have the same wall thickness (.065). I am doing the welds in a 6 inch weldhead so that the heat will have disapated somewhat by the time it reaches the weldhead. i have tried putting 150 amps into the weld and it either out gasses so badly that the copper contacts the electrode or doesn't do anything at all. I am using argon as a sheild gas and am using recomended purge times. Is there another type of gas that is more apropriate for welding copper? I was going to try helium, but aparently it is extremely difficult to stike an ark in helium. I can't find anybody that even welds copper, surely there is somebody that has done this kind of a weld before. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

-- Andy Patterson (nick69666@hotmail.com), October 07, 2003