Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm just getting started with my AHP Alphatig 200 and was watching a couple of instructional videos when I came across a video demonstrating an ultralight torch/Argon hose. Since I seem to be having trouble manipulating the stock hose, I was wondering whether or not I should spend another $75-$100 on the ultralight. If so, what are the options, sources, and costs? The stock torch is a 17 style, but I guess I could change that too if necessary. I would appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. Thanks for responding.

Welcome!

Since you said "hose", singular, I assume you're running an air-cooled torch. The ultralight/superflex type hoses are (in my opinion) a big improvement. When shopping, read the fine print carefully for any de-rating of your duty cycle... When the hose gets too light, it gets hot faster.

As for whether to change from a 17/26 torch to the smaller 9/20 series, it depends on what you intend to do. An air-cooled -9 will typically be rated for 150A DCEN and around 125A AC on a short duty cycle. You can use it higher, but for much shorter periods. Enough of my work requires the clearance the smaller torch gives me, so we use the WP-20 exclusively, but it's water-cooled so we don't have duty cycle issues. I do have my own -9 air-cooled flex-head torch for special circumstances, but I rarely have to run it over 85A and it takes a while to get warm in my hand.

When I learned to TIG weld, I was working in the field, doing lift-arc with no remote, on sch. 10 stainless (non-critical drain line) using an air-cooled -17 torch with gas valve. The guys on the main pipe crew kept blowing me static about welding pipe with that "huge" torch, until their supervisor looked at my welds and asked me how long I'd been doing TIG. When I said, "a week", that shut up a lot of people.

The -17 can do a fine job, and can take large cups (great for walking the cup on pipe, and gas coverage in general), so unless you have a specific need for a smaller torch, I wouldn't be in a big hurry to change.

Give it a little time, and someone here will likely know where to find a deal. There's also likely more advice to follow.

Steve S

having used all three types of power/hose setups, I have to ask: why are you having trouble manipulating the stock hose you have now? Is it really because of the weight of the hose or because of the lack of flexibility of the hose? Where does the hose's first few feet (from the torch end) go to? Does it rest on the welding table? Are you letting it drop straight down to the ground?

All my life I have wrapped the lead one wrap around my arm, (Stick and Tig) so I am not carrying the drag from the lead when I am welding.

Word of caution..... When 85 feet in the air on top of a tank welding, and you have tied your lead off in two spots on the stair handrail and a painter decides to undo both of them and releases all the lead weight, not a good time to have the lead wrapped around your arm.

The 16 model torch (Orange hose) is pretty flexible, The only way to see a big difference in flex is going to a 3 hose water cooled setup, but that is actually heavier because you are supporting the weight of the water flowing too. And more fiber and nylon to make the hoses. A model 9 being a smaller body may help, but it sounds like you just need more practice

If you have a #17 style it shares the same thread / power connection in the handle with a #9 so you could buy just a head & swap them over as needed - but the big question is what is your power cable made of - some import machines come with a Chinese sort of superflex but many low end spec machines come with a vinyl power hose that is as stiff as fire hose - improving slightly when warm - if you have that then you really do want to swap for something flexible.

DLewis0289 wrote:All my life I have wrapped the lead one wrap around my arm, (Stick and Tig) so I am not carrying the drag from the lead when I am welding.

I recently purchased a "superflex" hose and 9 series torch. While they were both improvements for welding small diameter tubing, the biggest help was the tip above. I kind of figured it out on my own and then noticed Jody and others doing it in their videos. It's one of those things that you don't think about once you start doing it so you forget to mention it.