I can buy Profax torches and parts wholesale. I need to buy a tig torch for an old Lincoln Idealarc 300/300. I know nothing about tig but am about to learn. I assume (by reading here) that I probably want a water-cooled torch and an air-cooled one. Could someone familiar with Profax give me some part numbers and also of the spares/consumables that I will want?
I will probably be wanting to weld from the minimum to the maximum thicknesses that the machine is capable of in both STAINLESS AND ALUMINUM.
Where can I get a deal on tungstens and what kind and thicknesses and quantity do you suggest?
Thank you.
Can I get any Profax stuff for anyone? It will have to be quick as I am leaving town soon and they are local.
Sci.engr.joining.welding is a better place to ask.
My own opinion is that if you have a water-cooled torch and have the cooling water, there is not any reason to want an air cooled torch. The water cooled torches are smaller than the air cooled ones.
Do a search on s.e.j.w on tungstens. Some one on Ebay sells them at reasonable prices. Read Ernies posts on types and sizes.
Once you've spent for a water-cooled torch and the cooler, I can't imagine you'd need the air-cooled one except in the most intricate interior micro-welding situations.
Then you definitely need the water-cooled torch.
Aglevtech sells a LOT of TIG items on eBay, and he has been very good with me. I got some items for WAY below wholesale. First you want to get all gas lenses (again, except in the most constricted situations) for your torches. They improve shielding effectiveness at much lower gas flow rates. And, you will soon find that Argon is one of the most expensive parts of TIG work.
Don't let anyone sell you pure (EWP) Tungsten, unless you are doing certified aerospace welding, or similar critical stuff. Zirconated electrodes (EWZr) are a huge improvement over pure. They remain free of contamination to an amazing degree over pure. When you are starting out, you will touch the work with the electrode many times. With pure, the electrode will have to be ground for an inch or so back of the point to get the splatter off. With the Zr, you can just keep working, there will be a bit of a blemish where you touched, but that is all. I hope your machine has AC and HF, at the minimum. Square-Wave is a lot better for Aluminum.
For SS, Thoriated electrodes (EWTh2) are best. Pure Argon is best for both, except when you are stretching your machine to the top of its thickness capacity. Then you use Argon-Helium mixes.
For general guidelines, Lincoln has a book called GTAW, edited by Michael S. Flagg, 48 pages, that is pretty good at general info. It has tables of currents, electrode diameters, etc.
I bought my last batch of tungstens from (seller handle) tungsten-direct on ebay. Cost an order of magnitude less than several of the local places for large zirconated tungstens. I spoke to the guy on the phone and was able to mix and match half a box of one alloy with another alloy for a couple projects I was working on. Decent guy.
I can offer but a pittance in the way of welding advice compared to another regular here. I'd recommend Googleing the archives for answers to the same questions from Ernie Leimkuhler here in r.c.m. and the welding newsgroup.
I think Ernie recommended LANTHANATED tungstens ONLY.
I really need to know what spares and sizes to get for the torch for when I break/use them up.
I also forgot to mention that I do want to tig some mild steel, too.
So, as it stands, per you guy's input, I will get the Profax 350 amp, water-cooled torch and use it on everything due to its smaller size that the air-cooled. They offer 12 and 25 feet. I suppose that the 25 will be the most useful.
I still would appreciate anymore comments on this subject.
Most common is 1/16" and 3/32" I don't know much about the Profax torches, Weldcraft is sort of the industry standard, and for each of their torches (the WP 20 is the most commonly used water cooled torch) they have a basic accessory kit that has an assortment. Pretty sure the parts will fit the Profax torch
It depends on how far it is to the store. And how important it is not to have to stop welding and go get another or wait until Monday.
I try to keep plenty of everything on hand so that I can finish the job rather than stop. I would think a couple each of the sizes you use should do it. If you life farther, maybe more. Remember, it costs for the gas to there, and you will always buy stuff you don't really need when there.
Steve, While I appreciate your willingness to respond and help, it actually tells me nothing.
I need specifics. I have a new (to me) tig machine of 300 amps. I don't know how to tig but I want to learn to weld aluminum, stainless and mild steel with the tig process.
Heck, I don't even know all of the parts of the torch. I am ordering a Profax Px18, 25 footer.
Ernie told me that I need LANTHANATED tungstens but I don't know what size and if LANTHANATED is used for the above metals.
I want to try the capabilities of this old Lincoln Idealarc 300/300
Get one of those Assortments from Anglevtech on Ebay. Its a good starter pack. Just buy one with NO 100% tungstens in it as they are largely useless.
In fact..if you email him..he will indeed set you up with a useful assortment of collets, electrodes, cups and whatnot. I suggest 1.5% lanthanated electrodes for all your work.
Gunner
"If thy pride is sorely vexed when others disparage your offering, be as lamb's wool is to cold rain and the Gore-tex of Odin's raiment is to gullshit in the gale, for thy angst shall vex them not at all. Yea, they shall scorn thee all the more. Rejoice in sharing what you have to share without expectation of adoration, knowing that sharing your treasure does not diminish your treasure but enriches it."
If your torch (and Ive never heard of the brand) is a #18 size...which is a usual standard...a bit larger than a #20..then check these out...
A size 17, 18 and 26 torch all use many of the same common consumables.
For normal everyday welding up to about 150-175 amps..a 3/32 tungsten is normal. 1/8" gets you up to 250-275 amps
Personally..I would buy a pack (10) of the 3/32, and see if the gent will make you up an assortment of 1/16 and 1/8" tungstens, 1.5% Lanthanated all of the above.
And tell him you need collets, holders and cups to fit your torch in those sizes.
Ive gone though (4) 135 cf tanks of argon so far and have only had to replace one (1) cup after I dropped the torch off the welding table on a chunk of rail road track. So they are not all that fragile, or need to be replaced often. Ill take that back..I did melt one down..I mistakenly set my pulser to 100% with 300 amps full tilt boogie on my
300 amp square wave machine, with a 3/32 red electrode and struck an arc with the pedal all the way down, and start curret set at 100%
While nothing evaporated..it didnt take but a few seconds of utter surprise to melt down the electrode and bust the cup from thermal shock. Didnt hurt the collet, or the holder.
Here is a very good read on the types of electrodes that the gent so kindly puts up on the web
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Gunner
"If thy pride is sorely vexed when others disparage your offering, be as lamb's wool is to cold rain and the Gore-tex of Odin's raiment is to gullshit in the gale, for thy angst shall vex them not at all. Yea, they shall scorn thee all the more. Rejoice in sharing what you have to share without expectation of adoration, knowing that sharing your treasure does not diminish your treasure but enriches it."
This and your other post is the kind of info that I need. Another poster gave me some info on a fellow selling stuff on Ebay but I really didn't know what I needed. Your info will get me started.
Thanks, Gunner and the rest of the folks who helped.
Depnds on what you arte welding the most. I like to have 3 - 4 of each size of collet body (1/16", 3/32", and
1/8") and collet. At least 2 extra back caps. Since I only use gas lens collet bodies, I only stock 2 sizes in gas cups, #4's for really tiny stuff and #8's for everything else.
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