Welding Tips and Tricks

I want everyone's opinion on which nozzle size you like to run for everyday steel light work. I got an Everlast machine and it came with #4 nozzles and I do not remember the size of the one on the Hobart I learned on but the #4 just seems really small. What is everyone's opinion? Is a #4 to small to see? What size do all of you recommend. I will be welding horseshoe nails, sheet, and up to 1/4" steel.
Thanks,
Matt

I use a No.8 cup for everything except when outside or a restricted access joint like a cluster.

I mostly use a #7 on steel. It is universal enough for most anything. I would look at having a 6,7,8 and 10. A #4 has its place so don't get rid of it.

I was looking at #8 or #7. I am going to keep everything that way I have it when I need it. I just feel that it is a little small and hard to see the tungsten. The collet that came with the machine said 24 I think or may have been 2.4 so I am assuming that is 2.4 mm or 3/32".

Rule of thumb is 4 times the diameter of the tungsten and I usually add one size for aluminum and you can add a size if adequate shielding is an issue. If you have more cup than you need you are just wasting shielding gas.
1/16" tungsten = 4/16" = #4 cup
3/32" tungsten = 12/32" = 6/16" = #6 cup
1/8" tungsten = 4/8" = 8/16" = #8 cup

I look at this as bare minimum for cup sizes. Do not hesitate to go larger if needed.

Your tungsten should be sticking out far enough to see no matter what size cup you are using.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, that does really help. I am new to tig so I am still getting acquainted to everything. I have oxy welded for a few years so it came easy to me. I just don't know what size tungsten, nozzles or filler to use. My brother in law who has welded for years recommended 3/32" tungsten for what I am planning on doing. I am just planning around that recommendation. Thank you for your advice.

you got a 17 torch Matt?

I've started buying torch parts from HTP.
They say there comparable to CK, but branded HTP.
there gas lens are very good quality.
here's a stubby gas lens kit for a 17.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stubby-Gas-Lens ... 20dab56630

Anybody want to say if Matt should buy collet bodies or gas lens?
What applications should a guy use a collet body over a gas lens?
~John

I believe it is the 17. It came with my Everlast SuperUltra 205. I am pretty sure it is the 17, I know it is one of the 17, 18, 26. It has everything but tungsten. I just think the nozzle is small. As far as gas lens and collet body is concerned, could someone please educate me. I would love information. Again, I am new to tig. I know how to stick two pieces of metal together but as far as everything else I am relatively new and am open to any information.

I to, sometimes wonder if I should use a gas lens....
I'm sure there's nothing wrong with using a gas lens most of the time....
Those HTP parts are pretty good quality, I bought about 70 bucks worth of them a while back....
But for starters, those torch parts from china will hold you over. "beginner parts"
Anybody have a favorite tungsten brand?
~John

AKweldshop wrote:I've started buying torch parts from HTP.
They say there comparable to CK, but branded HTP.
there gas lens are very good quality.

For what it's worth, I got all the torch parts in this organizer for about $75.
http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... f=5&t=4398
A good selection of #4 through #8 cups in regular, long, and gas lens versions. A bunch of collets, gas lenses, etc:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261264994655
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171104122324

Cheap stuff from China, for sure, but it's been working well enough for now and it arrived in less than a week. Even if it turns out to have issues, this gives me enough selection to figure out what parts I really use so any money I spend on quality parts will be focused on those I actually use a lot.

These two stores are run by the same outfit. I wouldn't buy their tungsten (more chance of quality problems vs simple parts), but their large kits are a good price and they'll let you request the sizes you want in the kits.
http://stores.ebay.com/riverwelder/
http://stores.ebay.com/plasmacutterconsumables/

HTP does seem to have good prices & selection on tungsten. I bought from them recently.

Cheers,
Richard

That picture pretty much sums up the benefit of a gas lens. You can have further stick-out with more coverage and less/no cyclone effect (which will draw in the atmosphere and contaminate the weld). I generally run a #8 stubby gas lens at school. I want to get a #10 or #12 just for giggles. I do occasionally use the standard cups when welding a really tight gap.

That really helps. I like the picture I am a visual person so that really helps me. I won't be doing anything xray or really weight baring so it isn't that critical but I still want to do the best I can after all perfect practice makes perfect. I really appreciate the help and advice. I am brand new to tig so I'm still learning it. I taught myself how to mig weld and I couldn't stand my teacher so I decided to reach out to yall for advice on tig. Glad I did.

mcoe wrote:That really helps. I like the picture I am a visual person so that really helps me. I won't be doing anything xray or really weight baring so it isn't that critical but I still want to do the best I can after all perfect practice makes perfect. I really appreciate the help and advice. I am brand new to tig so I'm still learning it. I taught myself how to mig weld and I couldn't stand my teacher so I decided to reach out to yall for advice on tig. Glad I did.

My teacher isn't the best TIG welder out there either, so I've learned a lot from looking around the internet as well. Being able to stick your tungsten out much farther than with a standard cup is really helpful in seeing what you're doing. My welds seemed better, probably because I could CLEARLY see the entire tip of my tungsten when running beads.

I finally got everything to set my machine up last weekend and luckily was on spring break all week. I really liked the way it ran and ended up doing all my welding this past week with tig. I just got my gas lens kit in the mail today and am anxious to try it out.

I only had one problem with my machine and that is that I have gas leak. The thing that told me I have a leak is when I shut the machine off and shut the valve on the bottle, in a couple minutes when I looked at the gauge it had zeroed out. I completely tore my flow meter apart and put it back together with thread seal tape and it still leaked off. The machine has an internal gas solenoid so I am assuming that there is a loose fitting because every time I go to connect the hose for my air compressor or argon to the back, the fitting turns so I think it is loose and may have to take the machine apart to tighten stuff up.

Other than that it seems to be a great little welder for multi process. I would highly recommend this machine to anyone who wants a good machine to put on a service truck or for people like me who does metal art and is cheap. I will be buying a separate tig and plasma machine in the future because it gets a little annoying switching back and forth between the two but for right now it is a great machine. I was also able to play around and weld razor blades with it doing manual pulse with the thumb button. I am impressed with the machine, but since I only have about 8 hours tig torch time, take that for what it's worth.

A gas lens distributes the gas more evenly than a collet body does. For shop use i like my stubby gas lens with a 7 or 8 for most work. A collet body works great for learning cause they are cheaper. Its pretty easy to burn up the screens on a gas lens when you are learning. Once you get it figured out buy some gas lenses and give it a go. Don't get rid of the collet bodies, they have more cup options for length and such and will come in handy. I'm sure once you figure it out you'll end up with a collection of random cups,gas lenses, collet bodies and maybe even some of the pyrex goodies. If you get the pyrex don't try walking the cup. They can't deal with the heat.

The first thing I did when I decided to set the welder up was go out to Lowes and buy a little clear plastic organizer for 3 bucks and labelled it with a sharpee and I have already filled it up. lol

Good call Mcoe. I have a cheap but large box just for tig parts. Some of those parts are easy to lose.

This is a small organizer that is about 2 inches thick so it fits on my welding cart without taking up a lot of space and it is easy to grab parts without having to guess what size they are.