Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey Folks,

I use a CK17 Flex air cooled torch. I've been getting my stubby gas lens 'stuff' (#7, 3/32") from Amazon. Some of them are short lived. I looked at CK's site and they say I need to go to a weld supply.

Where do most of you get your consumables like this?? Being on 'lock-down' I need to order them.

See Ya, bye,,,

I am loyal to HTP America (www.usaweld.com). They carry a lot of the CK line-up.

Jody has kits, not sure about individual parts, here are some other outlets

Jody's store
IOC Welding
Arc Zone
Bakers Gas
Cyber Weld
HTP
Amazon

Burning Filler Rod wrote:Where do most of you get your consumables like this?? Being on 'lock-down' I need to order them.

I originally bought one of these kits from Jody: (linky image)



I was buying some of my consumables locally from my LWS like CK tungsten, gas lenses, collets, et al, when I needed them, but as you've mentioned with the shelter-in-place I just ordered a 10-pak of CK tungsten, gas lenses and 3/32 and 1/16 collets along with a box of alumina #8 cups from Weldmonger. Great service, ships quick, responsive in email.

Had one small problem and Garret is taking care of it. I like to use the wedge collets and they did send me the 3/32 wedge collets, but the 1/16 are slotted as they didn't have them. To their credit they are getting some 1/16 wedge collets and will send them when they get there.

I will add this, I originally ordered the 9/20 collets as I thought that is what I needed for the stubby kit, but added a comment for them to check, and they did swap out my order for wedge collets, I just didn't realize they didn't have wedge 1/16 for the stubby kit, so they are getting some from CK. Stubby kit uses series 4 collets.

That's the type of service that makes me go back to a vendor.

I would order anything you can from Weldmonger and go to other vendors on the web if needed. I ordered some filler from Jegs off Amazon as they would sell me 1 lb. tubes. I normally don't care for Amazon, but the shipping was slightly cheaper than going to Jegs direct. At Weldmonger you can get free shipping with a $75 order, but they don't sell filler.

I use Jody for kits, and Weldfabulous on either amazon or Ebay for low-quantity orders of replacements. They have good prices and quick free shipping. Of course, I also use my LWS quite often to ensure they always stay an option for me! Furick has also added more and more consumables to his online shop, so that is starting to look like a good option also. Especially when we are already there buying big fancy cups we may or may not actually need

https://www.amazon.com/s?me=A2OK1WAI6L8 ... PDKIKX0DER

http://www.ebaystores.com/weldfabulous

https://furickcup.com/furickshop/

Burning Filler Rod wrote:Hey Folks,

I use a CK17 Flex air cooled torch. I've been getting my stubby gas lens 'stuff' (#7, 3/32") from Amazon. Some of them are short lived.

it begs the question why are they short lived?

if your getting fouled screens due to splatter, then i suggest going to CK gas saver range. they do make a stubby gas saver for 17/26. the advantage is cheap replaceable screens. just replace the the screen instead of buying a whole gas lens.

https://www.ck-worldwide.com/gas-saver-kits.html

Oscar wrote:I am loyal to HTP America (http://www.usaweld.com). They carry a lot of the CK line-up.

Hey,, thanks to all for the recommendations. Great stuff and they will keep me off Amazon.

Oscar: Happy you chimed in. Got a question... I'm working with Dave and Gary at tigcontrol.com about a finger button for my Weld Pro 200. I'd like to know how the button fits your torches. I have a CK17 Flex air cooled. Any other comments would be appreciated.

Sorry for this getting 'off topic'... it's just difficult for me to spend $$ sight unseen....

(I sent this to Dave and Gary)

The button itself is on a circuit board type of material (not sure what to call it), but it is very rigid, and that is mounted to a C-channel type of "extrusion". Therefore it cradles the torch very nicely. My old one on my Invertig 221 is mounted to a WeldTec i-head Roto-head water cooled torch, and my new TIG Button is mounted to a CK Worldwide Trimline 18 water cooled torch. Both use velcro to hold it to the torch. Just have to make sure they are tight so it doesn't slide around. I think the new one uses a hard plastic type of material, as opposed to SS like the early version. Pics in a few minutes.

found them:








The new iteration is better IMO. But nothing wrong with the older version either.

Oscar,,,

Is the torch on the right in photo 1 the tigcontrol.com finger button? The ones to the left appear to be a 'slider' and a 'caterpillar' type control.

Tell 'ZOD' that I'm kneeling ... and thanks

Oscar wrote:....mounted to a CK Worldwide Trimline 18 water cooled torch....

Sorry, getting way off topic here, but how do you like that Trimline 18 from CK? How does it compare in size to a regular 18 and a 20? Worth it?

That Trimline 18 is on my short list along with the W-310 for a torch upgrade.

Burning Filler Rod wrote:Oscar,,,

Is the torch on the right in photo 1 the tigcontrol.com finger button? The ones to the left appear to be a 'slider' and a 'caterpillar' type control.

Tell 'ZOD' that I'm kneeling ... and thanks

Yea, it's just that this forum doesn't automatically re-size hot-linked pictures (what I use), so you almost always have to right-click my pictures and open in a new browser tab to see the whole image.

Spartan wrote:

Oscar wrote:....mounted to a CK Worldwide Trimline 18 water cooled torch....

Sorry, getting way off topic here, but how do you like that Trimline 18 from CK? How does it compare in size to a regular 18 and a 20? Worth it?

That Trimline 18 is on my short list along with the W-310 for a torch upgrade.

I really like it. A bit bigger than a 17 air cooled, but not by much.

Oscar

Got the photo.... thanks for the help...!

Mike

I bought one of those tig buttons. It definitely takes some getting used to, but once that happens, it's great. Hard to believe that it only takes very little pressure to make a difference. The darn button doesn't move and doesn't squish,,it just works. I had the velcro take a crap on mine so using plastic zip ties...seems the velcro has too many moving parts for me to make work

BillE.Dee wrote:I bought one of those tig buttons. It definitely takes some getting used to, but once that happens, it's great. Hard to believe that it only takes very little pressure to make a difference. The darn button doesn't move and doesn't squish,,it just works. I had the velcro take a crap on mine so using plastic zip ties...seems the velcro has too many moving parts for me to make work

Hey BillE.Dee,

Ya gots a photo of the button???

Thanks

it is the same button that oscar is holding in his left hand. there are other parts that go with it that are mounted to the welder to power the button. Dave Vogel has a video how to connect the tig button. I don't know how to post pictures on this thing. and the grandkids are not living here to show me, sorry.

BillE.Dee wrote:it is the same button that oscar is holding in his left hand. there are other parts that go with it that are mounted to the welder to power the button. Dave Vogel has a video how to connect the tig button. I don't know how to post pictures on this thing. and the grandkids are not living here to show me, sorry.

Excellent and thanks.

My confusion is that the 6061.com advertisement shows a 'different' torch button than you and Oscar have. I've been working with Dave and Gary providing them ohm and voltage specifications for my Weld Pro GD200. Gary thinks he can offer a button for it. I just would like to see a current one.

Thanks again,,

Mike