Tungsten size question.

[Paul Moir]

Grinding both ends lets you flip the tungsten over and use the other point after you dip it.

Getting up to regrind it every time you dip it helps teach you not to dip it.

You're choice!

EDIT: Ugh, sorry, "Your choice!".

[Buggy Chief]

great point (no pun intended)

[Brian Ski]

Grinding both ends lets you flip the tungsten over and use the other point after you dip it.

Getting up to regrind it every time you dip it helps teach you not to dip it.

You're choice!

Another great tip... (bad pun) thanks.... I never though about grinding both ends.

[Paul Moir]

Yeah, but when you get a big ball of stainless gobbed onto your tungsten, it's hard to cram it back through the collet. So you take the back cap off to flip it, even though the grinder is just right over there. Just a few steps away. Then you gob metal all over the *other* end of the tungsten, so you have to take the torch all apart to get it over to the grinder.

So I force myself to get up and grind, and learn not to dip (or to drill vent holes before trying to close!). It might be less efficient, but thank God I don't need to feed myself being efficient with the TIGger.

[JBnID]

I keep a quiver of sharpened tungstens and a cup to hold the goobered ones. Sometimes the set-up and pre-heat is important and it's a PITA to be interrupted too much by a lurch into the molten pond.

[Paul Moir]

Very good point! (Cred to Buggy Chief)

[Brian Ski]

Yeah, but when you get a big ball of stainless gobbed onto your tungsten, it's hard to cram it back through the collet. So you take the back cap off to flip it, even though the grinder is just right over there. Just a few steps away. Then you gob metal all over the *other* end of the tungsten, so you have to take the torch all apart to get it over to the grinder.

Good point... Nice to learn tricks from people who have been there...

BTW Did check ebay.. There is a guy who has diamond laps for $10 60-3000 grit. Just need to keep them from being used for other things. Don't want to contaminate the tungsten. I think my step father has an extra grinder I could toss it on. I already have 2.

[NRM]

I use 3/32 2% ceriated between 80 and 120 amps 90% of the time and the other 10% is 1/6 ceriated <80 amps.

[redbeard]

I did some butt welds on 23ga wire (pics in the gallery) that would have been pretty much impossible without .040. Teeny tiny welds need teeny tiny tungsten.

[JBnID]

Where did you hang the ground clamp?