[Thatkid2diesel]

I just got the primeweld together and welded some yesterday and today. I didn't know if I'm doing something wrong or if it's standard that a full size tungsten sticks out at least an inch with my stubby gas lens kit. I have a couple shorter pieces that I can work with for now but looks like im gonna have to cut some of the new pieces if I can't figure something out. BTW I am using long back cap.

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[v5cvbb]

Longer back cap or shorter tungsten. Only options.

[Thatkid2diesel]

Longer back cap or shorter tungsten. Only options.

Do they make a longer back cap than I have? I assumed the 300L (57Y02) was longest. I have 3 of those I believe. All of the long back caps are the same size.

I'm not opposed to cutting the tungsten just unsure of the best way to go about it.

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[Spartan]

Take 90% of your new tungstens and cut them in half with an abrasive cutoff wheel. Don't snap them on the bench. Take 10 minutes and sharpen both ends of each piece to a nice point, and now you have upwards of 40 fresh points from a single pack of tungsten and it will be a long time before you ever need to leave the welding bench to resharpen. Repeat the 10 minute sharpening party once most of them are in need of sharpening. Keep a fresh pile and a used pile. The remaining 10% of the tungsten is a good candidate to either cut into 1.5" pieces or so for when you need to use a button back cap or to keep at full length for whatever else you may need.

Technically, doing this wastes about an inch of each tungsten, but I assure you it is well worth it in time saving.

[tweake]

I just got the primeweld together and welded some yesterday and today. I didn't know if I'm doing something wrong or if it's standard that a full size tungsten sticks out at least an inch with my stubby gas lens kit. I have a couple shorter pieces that I can work with for now but looks like im gonna have to cut some of the new pieces if I can't figure something out. BTW I am using long back cap.

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thats pretty normal.
i cut a piece of tungsten off that will fit in the shortest cap. that way you use long length for most work and have a tiny one for the hard to get to places.

[Thatkid2diesel]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll plan on cutting mine. I just kept thinking I have to be doing something wrong but wanted to be sure. Thanks again.

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[Oscar]

Yes, it's "normal" for the stubby kit, because the longest backcap was never designed for it. It was meant for standard 10N parts or 45V (long) gas lens parts, which "cover up" the tungsten at the front end because those consumables are simply longer than the stubby's.

[Thatkid2diesel]

Yes, it's "normal" for the stubby kit, because the longest backcap was never designed for it. It was meant for standard 10N parts or 45V (long) gas lens parts, which "cover up" the tungsten at the front end because those consumables are simply longer than the stubby's.

That was my other thought. The only other Tig welder I used had a standard gas lens kit on it. So I figured I'd need to cut the tungsten or get a standard gas lens kit until the tungsten got short enough lol.

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[TraditionalToolworks]

I don't recommend sharpening both end of the tungsten. I have done it and if you sharpen without a drill it can be dangerous as they get small. I use a small dremel adapter most of the time and spin 'em by hand.

[Spartan]

I don't recommend sharpening both end of the tungsten. I have done it and if you sharpen without a drill it can be dangerous as they get small. I use a small dremel adapter most of the time and spin 'em by hand.

Certainly follow all general safety practices and only do things you're comfortable doing based on your own experience. I always sharpen my tungstens in either a drill, or a pin vice for the particularly short ones. I, also, of course, would choose not to sharpen a double-pointed tungsten using only my fingers.

Don't let a logistics dilemma hinder you. Take control of your own efficiency. Personally, I couldn't imagine only having one point on the end of a tungsten...it's just such a convenience to be able to loosen the back cap and flip it around when needed...but to each their own.

[TraditionalToolworks]

Certainly follow all general safety practices and only do things you're comfortable doing based on your own experience.

Indeed, I agree. That is especially true if sharpening tungsten on a bench grinder, having a point on both ends could be a real disaster. I put this on par with using a file without a handle.

Personally, I couldn't imagine only having one point on the end of a tungsten...it's just such a convenience to be able to loosen the back cap and flip it around when needed...but to each their own.

I have found that in different cases, this is just not so as you can't easily get a contaminated tungsten in a collet, so this requires taking the back cap off completely to insert it. Now lies another problem. Let's say you contaminate the tungsten again, DAMHIKT...now you have a tungsten that is stuck in the torch that won't come out on either side without cutting it. The obvious solution is don't stick the tungsten in the rear by removing the back cap entirely. So now you've removed the advantage of having 2 sharpened ends to begin with.

When you say you can't imagine not having a sharpened tungsten on both ends. I don't look at it that way. If you cut your tungsten in half you have 20 electrodes from a pack of 10. You also have 20 electrodes that will always come out the front of the torch if you only sharpen one end.

I think you have more experience than I do, so I believe it works better for you, but for me it is too tempting to use the 2nd sharpened end by putting it in the rear of the collet by removing the back cap. When you add the danger in sharpening with a point on both ends, it just doesn't stack up for me. I'm pretty sure it's because my lack of experience. (which goes for contaminating my tungsten to begin with )

This also all depends on how one contaminates their tungsten, in the best world you only need 1 tungsten and never contaminate it.

[LtBadd]

Indeed, I agree. That is especially true if sharpening tungsten on a bench grinder, having a point on both ends could be a real disaster. I put this on par with using a file without a handle.

My comment assumes you're using a bench grinder to sharpen tungsten.

It sounds like you're sharpening the tungsten with the point up, I know some do it that way and yes it could be dangerous, I've never done it that way and so for me its like driving without my seat belt on, just seems unnatural.

[TraditionalToolworks]

My comment assumes you're using a bench grinder to sharpen tungsten.

I haven't been, have in the past I have and I have done both ways on top and on bottom. I say haven't been as I just ordered 2 diamond wheel plates and will put on on the side of a grinding wheel so I can use it when needed to remove some of the aluminum boogers when I get them, that stuff is hard to get off also and prevents the tungsten from fitting in the collet on the dremel attachment I use.

It sounds like you're sharpening the tungsten with the point up, I know some do it that way and yes it could be dangerous, I've never done it that way and so for me its like driving without my seat belt on, just seems unnatural.

That's just one example, here's another one. I grab a file to knock something off the end, now I'm holding a tungsten with a point on both ends. In short whatever you do with the tungsten where you have to hold it with your hand can present a higher danger if it has been sharpened on both ends.

And here's the irony...I do have tungstens with points on both ends, but I'm trying not to create any new ones as I don't think it's good practice. At the end of the day we only have ourselves to please, so I do believe what Spartan said previously:

Certainly follow all general safety practices and only do things you're comfortable doing based on your own experience.

[Thatkid2diesel]

The teacher that taught me did say in the field you will never hardly see any welder without both ends of the tungsten sharpened. I can see it both ways.

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[Poland308]

In the field it’s more about productivity while in position. If you climbed down from a pipe rack every time you stuck your tungsten, you would be tired or fired.

[Thatkid2diesel]

In the field it’s more about productivity while in position. If you climbed down from a pipe rack every time you stuck your tungsten, you would be tired or fired.

Yeah I think that's what he was getting at.

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[Spartan]

For me, it's not just about productivity, but also about maintaining focus. For my workflows I find benefit in not having to get up from the bench and rummage through tool boxes or even worse having to stop and make a trip to the sharpener. Having fresh tips always at the ready keeps my gloves and hood on where they belong, and my mind on the welds.

Similar reasons for why I prefer the analog machines. Can check my settings at a quick glance without ever having to break that focus on the the job at hand. The digital interfaces certainly do have some benefits, though.

[TraditionalToolworks]

In the field it’s more about productivity while in position. If you climbed down from a pipe rack every time you stuck your tungsten, you would be tired or fired.

Yeah, that part I get...but somehow just suspected that if a guy is good enough to be a tig welder how many tungstens does one need? I just figure if a guy would have about 6 tungstens that should be fine, and if he's sticking 6 tungstens maybe he does deserve to look his job. I also could see some places buying tungsten that is already sharpened. I don't think they sharpen both ends on those...so I guess someone would sharpen the other end.

Anyway, to me the tungsten is just slightly dangerous as they're sharp, so even cleaning them with acetone presents a possibility to poke myself and 2 points presents twice as much pokage danger.

Luckily I'm not climbing up any pipe racks, but if I need to I'll keep that in mind!

FWIW, I was welding last night for about an hour and a half and didn't stick one tungsten! Probably not good to say that, now I'll stick about a dozen of them if I go out welding tonight.

[Spartan]

In the field it’s more about productivity while in position. If you climbed down from a pipe rack every time you stuck your tungsten, you would be tired or fired.

Yeah, that part I get...but somehow just suspected that if a guy is good enough to be a tig welder how many tungstens does one need?

Apparently, I need exactly this many

That's my "active" stash, anyway.

IMG_2023.jpg (73.05 KiB) Viewed 2927 times

[TraditionalToolworks]

Apparently, I need exactly this many

That's fair, I probably have that many, but keep several of my small ones in my little case I keep my tig parts in. I have some shorter than those. I normally cut them in half when new.

That's my "active" stash, anyway.

Do you take your entire stash with you up a pipe rack if you need to go?

I stand by my comments, if a tig welder needs to take that many pieces of tungsten up a pipe rack, he probably won't be using all of them anyway. If he does need them, he might not be keeping his job too awfully long

BTW, some of yours don't look perfectly sharp on both ends, what gives?

[BillE.Dee]

FIRST....for all of you who have served, do serve or have loved ones and friends that served, THANK YOU !!!
As far as tungsten goes...IF you should find need to use different types of tungsten, sharpening both ends MAY cause a problem as you wouldn't know what type of tungsten you are loading into the torch, however, I have sharpened both ends for convenience. So far all of my work has been in shop so I keep the tungsten segregated, now.

[Poland308]

I have a small SS tube that’s about 3/4 inch id. It’s long enough to hold tungsten that’s been cut in half and pointed on both ends. It’s usually half full of 3/32 and half 1/8. Some days if I’m working clean steel or SS I can weld all day on a couple of points. Other days if my hands aren’t steady, or if I’m stuck upside down in a pit under a pipe ( wearing all my safety gear, harness double tie off and too many other things) or if the pipe is contaminated either inside or out. Then I might need to regrind at lunch. Or even morning break.

[Spartan]

BTW, some of yours don't look perfectly sharp on both ends, what gives?

Some are ground bluntly for aluminum on both ends. Others will sometimes get one end that is very sharp (15-20 deg), while I grind the other end to my more standard 25-30 deg. Depends on the situation, and my mood.

Of course, some of the points in that pic may have been crashed at some point, which may contribute to some of them not looking so sharp

[Spartan]

I have a small SS tube that’s about 3/4 inch id. It’s long enough to hold tungsten that’s been cut in half and pointed on both ends. It’s usually half full of 3/32 and half 1/8. Some days if I’m working clean steel or SS I can weld all day on a couple of points. Other days if my hands aren’t steady, or if I’m stuck upside down in a pit under a pipe ( wearing all my safety gear, harness double tie off and too many other things) or if the pipe is contaminated either inside or out. Then I might need to regrind at lunch. Or even morning break.

Exactly. Sometimes I'll swap out a point after welding with it for only 30 minutes or so, even if it didn't crash. Just need a fresh tip sometimes.

The crashes certainly do happen, and they happen somewhat often when I'm way out of position, reaching over something, holding the torch upside down by the very back end with just the tips of my fingers in my weak hand, and trying to feed filler wire in backwards

Always nice to have lots of fresh points on those days.

[TraditionalToolworks]

I have a small SS tube that’s about 3/4 inch id. It’s long enough to hold tungsten that’s been cut in half and pointed on both ends.

One of my points in this discussion is that a tube like yours will hold twice as many tungstens in it that are sharpened on only one end. Doesn't take too much longer to only sharpen one end, you still have to sharpen them. Nobody has really made a good argument for having the tungsten sharpened on both ends, although I admit to having a number like that myself.

And this is just discussion, nothing more. I know you guys are more experienced than me, but at the end of the day we only have to answer to ourselves, so we all get to decide on what we do in our own shops.