Troubleshooting
Why is my tig welding sugaring?
Quick answer
Sugaring (stainless) in tig welding usually means the back side of a stainless weld oxidising because it receives no shielding gas. For this process, back-purge the joint before touching anything else.
The specific fix
Back-purge the joint. The general rule: purge the back of the joint with argon or apply a backing flux paste before welding.
Process checklist
- Dipping the tungsten into the pool — contaminating the electrode and the weld
- Too much torch angle: 10–15° from vertical is plenty
- Forgetten post-flow gas: tungsten oxidises and turns black as it cools
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