We have collected many frequently asked questions and answer them here.
The microscope is equipped with an eye protection filter that is controlled electronically and is DIN-certified. This ensures triple protection for the eyes. Permanent protection against dazzling by UV and IR light and an LCD eye protection filter that is controlled electronically.
The angle is extremely important.
You can achieve the greatest depth of penetration at a 90° angle to the workpiece.
If the electrode is at an angle, the metal tends to flow towards the angled electrode. This means that the metal (e.g. applied wire) follows the electrode's direction of movement; it is pulled towards the hand piece.
One exception to this rule is silver. (Also see point 17)
The basic rule is that all precious metals and precious metal alloys made from gold, silver, platinum and palladium can be welded. In addition, all metals that can also be welded using the laser welding process or the common TIG welding process can be welded.
This includes: Numerous types of stainless steel, titanium and many titanium alloys, steels, and non-ferrous metals and alloys.
Maintenance is not required!
In normal operation, there are only minor costs for shielding gas, and wear and tear on the electrodes.
The technique of PUK welding is easy to learn. However, you should take enough time to familiarise yourself with the device. The PUK course that is included with the device may be of help here. You can use the supplied stainless steel plates to practice material application, play with the power and welding time regulators or weld a clean joint. Change the electrode's angle to the workpiece and see what happens. With a little practice, you will achieve very good results very quickly. In addition, it may be sensible to attend a PUK welding seminar to refine the techniques further.
There is a brass mode in the current model; it can be used to weld brass alloys with a low zinc content well.
In the average goldsmith's workshop, one fill of a 10 litre cylinder lasts around 6 to 12 months, depending on the frequency of use.
The period between two welding points is between 0.8 and 2.0 seconds. It is automatically adjusted to the operator's working speed. If the welding sequence is fast, the period automatically reduces to 0.8 seconds.
In general, you can say that the power controls the diameter of the welding point to be achieved.
As the energy increases, the penetration depth does increase but the welds remain comparatively flat.
The basic rule in jewellery manufacturing is that soldering is more often than not the ideal joining technique, where it makes sense. However, there are numerous applications in which soldering is not possible or does not make sense in jewellery manufacturing and repair. These applications are normally situations where excessive heat must be avoided or the retouching tasks required by soldering must or should be avoided.
In these situations, the PUK precision welding device is the perfect solution. It can be used to create local weld joins with minimum heat input or to apply metal with the same alloy using welding wire. Time-consuming surface treatment for the entire workpiece or damage to heat-sensitive areas can be easily avoided.
Solder tends to burn during welding due to its additives; it is therefore not suitable as a filler material. If possible, you should not weld at solder points. Alternatively, remove the solder beforehand. In specific exceptional cases (e.g. when carrying out difficult repairs or if using alloys that are difficult to weld), it may be helpful to add one piece of solder with the highest possible melting range. If used at the right time and with enough experience, this can certainly produce a good result.
Visit the website of our "PUK master", Jeffrey Herman, at http://www.hermansilver.com and his new blog at http://www.silversmithing.com/puk.htm. You can find numerous applications in the silversmith area here.
It is an inert gas and is naturally present in the atmosphere. As with all inert gases, it does not react: It cannot burn and is not poisonous.
However, there must still be sufficient ventilation in small rooms. For more information, contact your gas dealer.
(The gas consumption is very low: A flow rate of approx. 2 - 3 litres per minute is optimal. This corresponds to a pressure of approx. 0.4 bar.)
If the workpiece's material thickness at the point of break is greater than 1.0 mm, the welding device's penetration depth is not sufficient. The point of break must be prepared specially for welding: The edges are filed into a V shape and only the remaining material that is directly touching is welded together. The joint that results from this is continually filled with filler material (welding wire).
The pulse time is mainly responsible for the welding point's penetration depth. The longer the time, the deeper the point, the work piece is heated up at the same time.
If the material is very thin, always use the shortest possible pulse time to reduce the risk of melting a hole through it! Always use the shortest possible pulse time close to stones, in order to control the weld.
Metals with a high thermal conductivity do not generally weld well; however:
The thermal conductivity of silver reduces as the temperature increases.
Therefore: Silver welds better when it is warm!
Hold the workpiece with tongs, finger stalls, etc.!
In contrast to most other metals, silver has a lower viscosity welding behaviour; therefore, it is pushed away by the electric arc and not pulled towards the electrode.
The electrodes used are made from a special alloy of wolfram and metal oxides.
These electrodes were designed especially for use in conjunction with Lampert precision welding devices. The electrodes have excellent welding properties but are hard and brittle.
If the electrode is bent, e.g. after it has got stuck accidentally to the workpiece and then "broken off", it may become split.
The extreme temperature differences between the electrode tip and the electrode shank which occur during welding also cause great mechanical stress in the electrode. We cannot therefore guarantee that the electrode will not break or fan out (split) in individual cases.