Tig welding tips, questions, equipment, applications, instructions, techniques, tig welding machines, troubleshooting tig welding process
Gas lens back cap
Post Reply
225256
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Feb 23, 2017 12:35 am

I recently bought a Lincoln PT225. It came with a PT17(150A air cooled) torch. I also bought 2 Prostar(Praxair) tig accessory kits to give me availabilty to use from .040 to 1/8" tungston. These kits included amongst other things, a short back cap.

Today I bought a gas lens setup in 3/32" to enter the gas lens world. I also bought the appropriate nozzles and insulator.

The salesman told me that I can use my existing collets. Is this true?

He also told me that I will have to use one of the short back caps included in tig accessory kits rather than the welder supplied long back cap. Is this true?
Top
dirtmidget33
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Tue May 13, 2014 5:22 pm

As for the collets working with your gas lens depends. If you have stubby gas lens kit or regular kit. If you bought a stubby lens you will need a shorter collet. Here is a picture of a regular 17 collet the long one and a stubby collet for a 17 the short one. The stubby is a wedge collet in this case.
0228172043_HDR.jpg
0228172043_HDR.jpg (38.07 KiB) Viewed 1359 times
The back caps don't matter. The length of back cap has to do with how long your tungsten is or if you need to make torch smaller to fit in tight location. If you need to make torch smaller just use smaller length tungsten are cut a tungsten down to size and use smaller back cap.
Last edited by dirtmidget33 on Tue Feb 28, 2017 10:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
why use standard nozzles after gas lens where invented. Kinda of like starting fires by rubbing sticks together.
Top
MarkL
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Wed Jun 15, 2016 7:09 pm
  • Location:
    Far west Chicago burbs

225256 wrote: The salesman told me that I can use my existing collets. Is this true?
If it's a medium gas lens, yes it's true.
He also told me that I will have to use one of the short back caps included in tig accessory kits rather than the welder supplied long back cap. Is this true?
No
You can look at aftermarket parts for #17 torch on this page, it makes it easier to see the difference between collet bodies.
Lincoln Square Wave 200
Lincoln 225 AC/DC
Harris Oxy/Acetylene torch
Top
dirtmidget33
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Tue May 13, 2014 5:22 pm

This might help you identify what you got and help you put it all together. It's a flow chart of parts that work with each other for 17, 18, and 26 torches. This first pic is regular cups and collets. Notice the longer collets.

Screenshot_2017-02-28-20-59-09.png
Screenshot_2017-02-28-20-59-09.png (415.56 KiB) Viewed 1355 times
This is the stubby cups and collets
Screenshot_2017-02-28-20-59-36.png
Screenshot_2017-02-28-20-59-36.png (195.37 KiB) Viewed 1355 times
why use standard nozzles after gas lens where invented. Kinda of like starting fires by rubbing sticks together.
Top
225256
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Feb 23, 2017 12:35 am

Thanks guys. Upon further looking, i believe I have a Series 3 torch. The gas lens i bought is 45V26(medium). Therefore from the CK chart the collets should work.
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:40 pm
  • Location:
    Near New Orleans

One tip...

Unscrew the back-cap before screwing a collet body or gas lens on. If your collet is in there and your back-cap is tight, the collet body/gas lens will "feel" tight before it's fully seated. This screws up more welders (in hurry mode) than you'd expect.

Steve S
Top
Rick_H
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Sat Feb 08, 2014 1:50 pm
  • Location:
    PA/MD

Otto Nobedder wrote:One tip...

Unscrew the back-cap before screwing a collet body or gas lens on. If your collet is in there and your back-cap is tight, the collet body/gas lens will "feel" tight before it's fully seated. This screws up more welders (in hurry mode) than you'd expect.

Steve S

The guys at my work do that shit all the time, drives me nuts...And they wonder why they destroy collets.


I recently swapped out some reg collets for wedges, I keep finding them on top of the welder since the so called "welders" on other shifts have no clue what's they are. I wish I could lock out the welders in the main shop, and they wonder why my lil Maxstar 150 is locked in my cabinet
I weld stainless, stainless and more stainless...Food Industry, sanitary process piping, vessels, whatever is needed, I like to make stuff.
ASME IX, AWS 17.1, D1.1
Instagram #RNHFAB
Top
noddybrian
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Jan 24, 2013 12:13 pm

Been said many times - you can't fix stupid !
Top
Poland308
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Sep 10, 2015 8:45 pm
  • Location:
    Iowa

Rick_H wrote:
Otto Nobedder wrote:One tip...

Unscrew the back-cap before screwing a collet body or gas lens on. If your collet is in there and your back-cap is tight, the collet body/gas lens will "feel" tight before it's fully seated. This screws up more welders (in hurry mode) than you'd expect.

Steve S

The guys at my work do that shit all the time, drives me nuts...And they wonder why they destroy collets.


I recently swapped out some reg collets for wedges, I keep finding them on top of the welder since the so called "welders" on other shifts have no clue what's they are. I wish I could lock out the welders in the main shop, and they wonder why my lil Maxstar 150 is locked in my cabinet

Lol !!! My 280 and my 150 meter leave my truck. Unless I'm carrying it. If there lucky I'll let someone roll the cart there on.
I have more questions than answers

Josh
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding”