Okay, "knowing" what I need with a 250EX, I have a good idea, seemingly now,

This is a great thread, I know I am learning a thing or two, from the pro's and those in the know. I surmise the wp18 torch is great, so be it with coolant cooling, be it ethylene or propylene glycol I surmise. And a lot of previous tig weldors(those who've welded for years) may have not been associated or trained with the new technology, it runs a little hotter, and I surmise a lot of folks want to shell out a lot of money for a machine then don't want to heed torch capacity, or have trouble initially attending the school of hard knocks with burned down torches, I mean, I have no problem buying what I need, its the knowing what I need, I mean, I don't plan on burning down a torch.

I know I could also get a air cooled torch extra for all those smaller projects making sure not to over amp, I also like that talk of those short flex head torches with tungsten limitations, that would be great for tight work spaces, if I run into any anytime soon. If I choose a spare torch right now, air cooled it would only be for thinner or small ferrous items not high amperage, and maybe easier to manipulate if possible, nothing wrong with having a water cooled torch and cooler for say, maybe making some items to help me in my welding "work", I can think of some things right now with two long aluminum girders I have, they are about more than a 1/4 inch to almost half inch thick, thinking about making a fancy coffee table for my den, or maybe some sort of table for the shop, I knew it was best to hold onto those for the future. I just don't want to have multitudes of torches hanging over a hook in five years with that strange layer of "never used" dust, so embarrassing when entertaining company, not to mention money that can be geared elsewhere.

Right now, I know I can be set up good enough with the wp18, its just whether or not what else I need, maybe just one other, and wait and seen what I need, apart from I am gonna have to buy some electrodes ferrous and aluminum if I want to practice.

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Originally Posted by budbd

Right now, I know I can be set up good enough with the wp18, its just whether or not what else I need, maybe just one other, and wait and seen what I need, apart from I am gonna have to buy some electrodes ferrous and aluminum if I want to practice.

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Waiting and seeing is a great plan. You can also add a stubby kit (gas lens or regular) to your 18 to give you a pretty small package for little cost. Lanthanated or Thoriated tungstens will work for both ferrous, and nonferrous metals, so all you need to get is one type along with proper filler metals for whatever you are welding.

for the most part it makes no difference to me which torch i use. i got rid of a WP9 flex head, i had no need for it (a 17 will do anything it will do). i have a CK-flex loc (air cooled/no gas valve) that's kind of nice. i also have a WP17 (with gas valve/very handy in the shop and field) in addition i have a WP26 set up with momentary contactor and rubber sheathing, and lastly a WP20. when i choose a torch to use it is for one of two reasons. 1. it is already connected to the machine i am going to use and will be sufficient for the work at hand. or 2. i need it because it will work best for the particular demands of the job. the one thing i never, ever, take into consideration is the size or weight of the torch or the bulkiness of the cables. for the most part a tig torch will be the lightest thing i pick up during the day.

personally, i could care less what extends beyond the handle. i am not so old that i have to grunt and groan trying to pull the tig torch into position as though it were the size of a hawser that secures a freighter. i will say this, i do a lot of aluminum work and if it's thick and i have a lot of welding to do, then i use the 20. you just can't beat it for comfort and size but if i have to switch to a different one it will be soley because it is better suited to what i want to do and will have nothing to do with cables or covers. just my 2 cents.

i agree about setting up a tig welder in the field. it can be a pain but that's the way it is so what are you going to do. i could show a pic of my setup for the field off of my trailblazer.
when i 'm running the water cooled torch of the high/frequency box. there are so many connectors and lines along with a foot pedal that i sometimes wonder, looking at it, how i remember to put it all together. lol what are you going to do? nothing. if you need it you use it. i keep a cooler on the trailer adjacent to the TB.

i should ad that as important as the torch is it is also important how you regulate your amperage. it would be a good idea to get used to scratch start, lift arc, rocker switch, momentary contactor, sliders N/S E/W. of course if all your work is bench type then the old foot pedal should get you by but leave the shop to work and you might find knowing about some of these other methods will serve you well. of course it's about personal perference but how can you have an opinion if you haven't investigated the options that are available to you.. many new users would be surprised to know that a good deal of field tig welding is done using scratch start with power block, argon line, torch with gas valve and hot lead.

Our default WP-18 and a stubby kit and you have it all, high amps, plenty of tungsten diameter, size of WP20 (add short cap too), and water cooled.

But I also agree with fdcmaimi, we have more than one TIG and different torches on them, I am not going to move them round, I use whichever ones on that machine, and so do my sons. To me, a torch is a torch, just need to get the welding done. I admit CKs flex-loc is nice ($$), but it will not make or break TIG welding with the Everlast default torch. Nor a 18 or 20.

When I talk to people, I sometime recommend they see if they can exchange the torch and I am sure Oleg takes care of them.