I've found that around 950°F to 1050°F is usually my sweet spot for TPO, but honestly, ambient temperature and material thickness can really shift things around. Even after years of doing this, I still occasionally tweak settings depending on conditions—it's never totally set-and-forget. One tip I've learned (the hard way, trust me...) is to practice on scrap pieces first. Out of curiosity, what type of welding gun are you using? Hot air or something else?
I'm usually hovering around that same range, maybe a tad lower (900-1000°F) depending on the day. You're spot-on though—ambient temp is a sneaky little factor. I've had mornings where settings from the previous afternoon suddenly make me look like I've never welded before...fun times.
And yeah, scrap practice is key. I learned that lesson after turning a perfectly good sheet into what looked like melted mozzarella cheese. Boss was thrilled about that one.
I mostly stick with a hot air gun (Leister Varimat), but I've tried others. Hot air just feels more forgiving, especially when I'm multitasking or zoning out a bit. Curious to see if anyone here swears by something else though.
"I've had mornings where settings from the previous afternoon suddenly make me look like I've never welded before...fun times."
Yeah, been there. Ambient temperature swings can really mess with consistency, especially early mornings when the membrane's still cool. Personally, I've found hot air welding pretty reliable too, though I wouldn't completely dismiss other methods. A buddy swears by induction welding—claims it's faster and cleaner—but I'm still skeptical about the practicality on smaller jobs. Might give it another shot someday, but for now, hot air feels like the safer bet.
Yeah, those surprise mornings can really throw you off your game...been there more times than I'd like to admit. Honestly, induction welding sounds cool in theory, but I'm with you—seems a bit overkill for smaller projects. Hot air's been my go-to as well, though I've had days where even that feels like wrestling a greased pig. Hang in there, man, we've all had those "rookie" mornings.
Speaking of rookie mornings...I've been there too, trust me. Quick question though—when you're using hot air on TPO, how do you gauge when it's just right? I've had moments where it seems perfect, then suddenly it's like I'm melting marshmallows over a campfire. Is there a sweet spot temperature-wise, or is it more about feel and experience? Still trying to dial in my technique without turning my roof into a gooey mess...
