Tig torch size selection etcetera.

[theKbStockpiler]

Hi, I'm planning on taking up tig welding and need advice on what tig torches I will need. I want to do sheet through 1/4" steel and 1/4" aluminum. What size torches would be prudent to own.

Also ,could someone inform me of how the tig torch Numbering System works? Some of the numbers for a higher amp torch is lower than a low amp torch. Another question I have is will different sizes electrodes fit the same collet or do you need a specific collet for a specific diameter electrode?

Thanks for your expertise!
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My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[Northof49]

For 1/4" aluminium you need a torch good for 250 amps. Some choose air cooled others prefer liquid cooled. I prefer a liquid cooled torch as it is more compact, and mine has better hoses which translates into less tugging and fatigue. You choose collets by electrode diameter. One torch should do it all, but with different electrodes, collets collet body (to match collet size) and gas cups. Luckily those components are relatively cheap. I have a miller Synchrowave 250 with a Lincoln cooler and some brand of torch I've forgotten the name, but it takes standard parts I can get at the local supplier. I started with a cheap air cooled torch, but don't use it anymore. Crappy vinyl hoses that got stiff in the cold. Just remembered, it's a weldcraft torch good for mucho amps 330. Takes 13n parts, whatever that means.
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1958 Karmann Ghia owner

[Northof49]

Just choose a torch by specs and availability of supples.
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1958 Karmann Ghia owner

[theKbStockpiler]

Thanks for the advice!
_________________
My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[raul arrese]

If your really serious about learning to tig , getv the biggest welder you can afford , I have been beating on my syncrowave 250 for 20 years or so , no problems , also the hw 20 water cooled torch is hard to beat , its small and can weld just about anything , fits into tight places .. the 20 size torch will take any size tungsten you will ever use , the collets are sized by what tungsten your using , u can weld almost anything for automotive and custom work with 3/32 nd tungsten , pure tugsten is for aluminum and thoriated for steel ..

[theKbStockpiler]

As of today I have a Everlast ex250. I'm still getting my setup together but the packaging and exterior quality look impressively good. The plastic on the cabinet is really thick and strong . I'm modifying a cart to hold the argon tank right now. I bought their 26 torch because no one else makes one for it that is plug and play and now is not a good time to hack one together.

I assumed that the higher amp tig torches would have a overall larger body but the everlast torch I got just seems to have a longer handle. Is that for when it starts to glow my hand will be farther from it. I might get a water cooler for it but I'm I have to learn some tig and make sure my Chinese welder is not defective at the same time so I bought a all purpose torch for now.
_________________
My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[Northof49]

I've been using these 2% lanthanated electrodes and they are good for both steel and aluminum. Non radioactive, and take more heat than pure tungsten. You can grind a dull point on them, use them with AC for aluminum, and they stay pointy. Good for fine work like sheet aluminum. Just tossing that out there as an alternative to pure tungsten and thoriated. Thoriated does work very well on steels though.
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1958 Karmann Ghia owner

[raul arrese]