Gas lens?

I understand that using a gas lens reduces consumption of Argon. Is this accomplished automatically, or can you dial your argon back from 7ish lpm?

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Originally Posted by Buggy Chief

I understand that using a gas lens reduces consumption of Argon. Is this accomplished automatically, or can you dial your argon back from 7ish lpm?

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It "uses" less because it puts out a more uniform argon blanket, which allows you to turn your flow down on your regulator. You can google them and find some pretty cool comparison pictures between the standard cup and gas lens.

One problem with a gas lens is that they are bigger than the normal cup. Makes it hard to use them in tight places

Even though they are bigger sometimes depending on the place you trying weld you can extend the tungsten out about and inch with a oversized cup. You can see it done here. http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/...eel-parts.html

Thanks for the information

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Originally Posted by CGCINC

One problem with a gas lens is that they are bigger than the normal cup. Makes it hard to use them in tight places

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Not really since you can hang the electrode out from the cup a lot further that without a gas lens.. I haven't used anything but a gas lens in the past 30 years.. They are dirt cheap now days and far Superior to the other way..

I don't understand what you mean. Are you saying you can stick the electrode out farther with or without a gas lens?

You can extend the electrode out more With a gas lens because of the better flow... This will help compensate for the size of the gas lens.

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Originally Posted by Cippee

I don't understand what you mean. Are you saying you can stick the electrode out farther with or without a gas lens?

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You can stick the electrode out farther with a gas lens since it directs argon out of the torch in a smooth straight column... gas lens on right>Attachment 5141<picture from CK Worldwide.

Yeah his post gave me the impression he was saying that you could stick it out farther with a regular collet body. I have stuck the electrode out over an inch to get into tight places before.

I have never seen anybody that has spent the 12 dollars for the small gas lens setup or 20 dollars for the large gas lens setup go back to the standard cups.

In the 20 series torch, the small gas lens is short and compact. The large gas lens is longer like the 18 series gas lens.

The 18 series gas lens (small and large) are about the same length as the standard cups. I run very large cups, and want the largest area of coverage. The last thing I need is to have someone at the other end of the shop open a door, and have a gust of wind ruin a chassis with an ugly weld that I have been working on for a month.

I posted pictures of a large 18 series gas lens, #12 cup and a short cup that will allow the tungsten to be pushed out 2 inches if needed. The short cup can be used for titanium as well.

http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...Gaslens002.jpg
http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...Gaslens003.jpg
http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...Gaslens001.jpg

Thanks for posting the pics!!

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Originally Posted by srp

I have never seen anybody that has spent the 12 dollars for the small gas lens setup or 20 dollars for the large gas lens setup go back to the standard cups.

In the 20 series torch, the small gas lens is short and compact. The large gas lens is longer like the 18 series gas lens.

The 18 series gas lens (small and large) are about the same length as the standard cups. I run very large cups, and want the largest area of coverage. The last thing I need is to have someone at the other end of the shop open a door, and have a gust of wind ruin a chassis with an ugly weld that I have been working on for a month.

I posted pictures of a large 18 series gas lens, #12 cup and a short cup that will allow the tungsten to be pushed out 2 inches if needed. The short cup can be used for titanium as well.

http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...Gaslens002.jpg
http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...Gaslens003.jpg
http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...Gaslens001.jpg

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Good tip!
Where do you buy those cups and lenses for $12 and $20?

thank you,

Doug

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Originally Posted by Cippee

Even though they are bigger sometimes depending on the place you trying weld you can extend the tungsten out about and inch with a oversized cup. You can see it done here. http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/...eel-parts.html

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Good to see someone else who uses that sight. I subscribe to their videos to get my "fix" of welding every week.

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Originally Posted by zoama585

You can stick the electrode out farther with a gas lens since it directs argon out of the torch in a smooth straight column... gas lens on right>Attachment 5141<picture from CK Worldwide.

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A picture is worth a thousand words!

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Originally Posted by DWSD

Where do you buy those cups and lenses for $12 and $20?

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Unless Everlast sells them here ...ebay!

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Originally Posted by jp2code

Unless Everlast sells them here ...ebay!

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It's actually much cheaper... http://www.weldingcity.com/?subcats=...search&x=6&y=4
When you click on any of those parts you'll see a chart with what part numbers fit what or follow this link> http://www.weldingcity.com/tig-consu...llet-body.html

It's all very simple, the gas lens just replaces the regular collet body and you'll use the standard collets with them. Alumina cups for gas lenses screw on to the gas lens and use the same insulator that came with your torch.
If you have any questions just ask. Edit: Here's a nice poster from CK Worldwide to illustrate http://www.ckworldwide.com/CK_POSTER.pdf If you need a pdf reader to open it, I like free file viewer http://www.freefileviewer.com/ it's very small and safe... decline on all the add ons when you install it, works great.

I found Welding City and their graphic on eBay originally, but placed my order through their website.

http://www.weldingcity.com/tig_parts_selection.JPG

i think im going to make a order for these for my wp9 and wp17 what size should i get, im still very new to the tigging so a overall good size would be best for me to start with?

now lets say your run 7 L/MIN what do you run with gas lenses?

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Originally Posted by rab

i think im going to make a order for these for my wp9 and wp17 what size should i get, im still very new to the tigging so a overall good size would be best for me to start with?

now lets say your run 7 L/MIN what do you run with gas lenses?

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On the large flood cups I run use about the same gas as the standard cups, the wp9 with the standard gas lens and a 7 or 8 cup will save about 2 L/MIN. On the wp17 I like the large gas lens with a 12 or short cup but you may like an 8 cup.
The large gas lens are harder to find for the 9/20 torches and are the most expensive of all gas lens, I paid 32 dollars for mine at the weld shop. Some gas lens take a special insulator and the large 9/20 takes a special collet. I could post some pics if needed.

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Originally Posted by srp

On the large flood cups I run use about the same gas as the standard cups, the wp9 with the standard gas lens and a 7 or 8 cup will save about 2 L/MIN. On the wp17 I like the large gas lens with a 12 or short cup but you may like an 8 cup.
The large gas lens are harder to find for the 9/20 torches and are the most expensive of all gas lens, I paid 32 dollars for mine at the weld shop. Some gas lens take a special insulator and the large 9/20 takes a special collet. I could post some pics if needed.

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yeah some pics would be great.

One thing to note is that you really don't need to get different sized collet bodies. A .040" or 1/16" collet will fit and work just fine in a 3/32" body.

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Originally Posted by sportbike

One thing to note is that you really don't need to get different sized collet bodies. A .040" or 1/16" collet will fit and work just fine in a 3/32" body.

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I drill gas lenses to a larger size sometimes but the collets don't interchange... or are you saying that an .040" or 1/16" tungsten and collet will work in a 3/32" body.

FWIW...my experimentation has told me that, at least for a 17/18/26 type torch with the gas lens collet body, the largest diameter full length cup (which would be, only the #8 cup) allows better and more reliable gas coverage than the "stubby" cup #12. The results may vary depending on which gas lens collet body you are using. But generally, the OD of the "mesh" diffuser screen matches the ID of the #8 cup. If you use a "stubby" #12 cup, the gas flow coming out through the mesh diffuser seems to (with some different gas lens collet bodies more than others...) encounter turbulence and screw up the gas coverage. You may find you have no better gas coverage, or even worse gas coverage with the "stubby" #12 cup than with the #8, despite the fact that the #12 is much larger ID. Getting good coverage is about more than just the cup ID... you want to keep the gas flow from going turbulent as well.

CK Worldwide's proprietary brand of the "gas saver" diffusers are a little different, however, because they extend all the way to the inside diameter of the cup at the cup's widest portion. So you could use a "straight walled" cup on one of those, potentially also very short in length if desired, without the gasflow going turbulent.

But just as a general rule I would say, with a gas lens collet body, if you want the widest gas coverage, go with a cup with an ID that matches the OD of the mesh diffuser. Just my 2c.

PS - there are definitely situations where I would avoid using a gas lens. Any welding on "dirty" materials, such as rusty panels, zinc, etc that could "split" or spatter out junk like molten metal back at the torch when welding it, can quickly ruin a gas lens diffuser. I install a standard collet body (non-gas lens) for that type of welding, which are pretty much spatter resistant.

With the #12 you need to use some kind of diffuser. A stainless screen, chore boy, or a scotch brite pad. I like to screen the best but all of them suck when you are putting in the tungsten you have to be careful it doesn't move.

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Originally Posted by zoama585

I drill gas lenses to a larger size sometimes but the collets don't interchange... or are you saying that an .040" or 1/16" tungsten and collet will work in a 3/32" body.

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I was referring to using smaller collets in the 3/32 body. No need to spend the extra money to get teh smaller bodies. I'm not even sure why they make all of the different body sizes. :confused:

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Originally Posted by sportbike

I was referring to using smaller collets in the 3/32 body. No need to spend the extra money to get teh smaller bodies. I'm not even sure why they make all of the different body sizes. :confused:

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With a tungsten that matches the collet, correct ? I don't mean to be aggravating, I just wanted the info to be clear for everyone who reads the thread.

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Originally Posted by rab

yeah some pics would be great.

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I posted a picture of the 9/20 torch large gas lens and one with all of the 9/20 setups for reference. (standard set up, small gas lens and large gas lens)

http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...Gaslens20L.jpg
http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...rp/20torch.jpg

At one of the local trade schools here, I noticed that all their TIG equipment had gas lenses installed - standard issue for the TIG welding students. It was likely because of the volume of welding that happens in a school as well - one class with 20 welders going at it all day can consume a lot of gas, so if you can reduce the flow a bit, it can really add up. The welding is usually pretty clean as well, since they are focused on technique first, especially for new students.

Cheers,

Mike

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Originally Posted by jakeru

FWIW...my experimentation has told me that, at least for a 17/18/26 type torch with the gas lens collet body, the largest diameter full length cup (which would be, only the #8 cup) allows better and more reliable gas coverage than the "stubby" cup #12. The results may vary depending on which gas lens collet body you are using. But generally, the OD of the "mesh" diffuser screen matches the ID of the #8 cup. If you use a "stubby" #12 cup, the gas flow coming out through the mesh diffuser seems to (with some different gas lens collet bodies more than others...) encounter turbulence and screw up the gas coverage. You may find you have no better gas coverage, or even worse gas coverage with the "stubby" #12 cup than with the #8, despite the fact that the #12 is much larger ID. Getting good coverage is about more than just the cup ID... you want to keep the gas flow from going turbulent as well.

CK Worldwide's proprietary brand of the "gas saver" diffusers are a little different, however, because they extend all the way to the inside diameter of the cup at the cup's widest portion. So you could use a "straight walled" cup on one of those, potentially also very short in length if desired, without the gasflow going turbulent.

But just as a general rule I would say, with a gas lens collet body, if you want the widest gas coverage, go with a cup with an ID that matches the OD of the mesh diffuser. Just my 2c.

PS - there are definitely situations where I would avoid using a gas lens. Any welding on "dirty" materials, such as rusty panels, zinc, etc that could "split" or spatter out junk like molten metal back at the torch when welding it, can quickly ruin a gas lens diffuser. I install a standard collet body (non-gas lens) for that type of welding, which are pretty much spatter resistant.

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The screen on the large collet body (.7540) is almost as large as a #12 cup (.76) and is smaller than a #short. The ID of the large gas lens is (.8180). The #8 cup is only (.5).

The large flood cups will not really save any on gas, but will give a lot better gas coverage. I use them on titanium (#short cup) and they do work good.