Welding Tips and Tricks

dirtmidget33 wrote:Rocketsurgeon let us know how riverweld stuff is. I have been tempted to buy a couple of there sets cause price is so cheap. I however worry about them not being up to my standards. I keep CK stuff on hand and buy a lot of stuff from HTP, the stuff I have gotten from them is CK except for stubby lens. Those are not marked.

I've bought stuff from them. They work good for a hobbyist. Can't say whether they will hold up to the abuse a pro would give them through a 10hr shift, 7days/week. At that point, you should be buying CK brass wedge collets, or WeldTec Tellurium-copper parts.

River weld is the bargain basement of gear, but be wary of supposed "mid range " which is often cheap crap re labeled /boxed.

weldin mike 27 wrote:River weld is the bargain basement of gear, but be wary of supposed "mid range " which is often cheap crap re labeled /boxed.

Exactly. For a hobbyist/enthusiast it works out just fine, might as well pay the lower price without the middle-man. Even then, it's nice to have some quality stuff like CK/Weldtec parts. Kinda like having an expensive champagne for the occasional hot date to impress, but mainstream wine for the not-so-hot-dates, but enough to lower the inhibitions and get the job done.

Oscar wrote:... Kinda like having an expensive champagne for the occasional hot date to impress, but mainstream wine for the not-so-hot-dates, but enough to lower the inhibitions and get the job done.

I think that may tell us more about you than your intro and profile combined!



Steve S

I have the same problem!

mcoe wrote:
I am addicted to weldingcity.com because they are cheap and good parts. I had to replace my torch head on my 26 torch so I changed it from rigid to flex head.


The teflon insulator is on the wrong end of your torch head (or so it seems)
HTP Invertig 221 DV w/ Arctic Chill cooler DV.
Eastwood MIG 175 w/ spoolgun
Eastwood Versacut 40A Plasma cutter
Oscar
Ace

its for overhead welding .lol
craig

RocketSurgeon wrote:Hi. I'm RocketSurgeon and I'm a TIG partsaholic. It's been 3 days since I bought/ordered parts.

(60+ parts for my 26 torch.)

The package came in yesterday. Everything was there. It all looks good. I'll have to find a reason to test the gas lenses to make sure they are good.
Other than that, I'd say it is a good buy. It took two weeks to get from China to Louisiana. It was free shipping.

Hello, I'm Larry and I believe that I'm on the way to becoming a TIG partsaholic. I just bought my first TIG machine, which I've been told is a gateway act to parts addiction. The dilemma I'm facing is how to divide my meager disposable income between my new TIG addiction and my existing addiction to the products of companies such as Ruger, Rock Island, Henry, RCBS and others. The magnitude of the problem is increased by the fact that my LWS and my LGS are within 1/4 mile of each other and on the right side of the road on my way home each day. Also, both are within a mile from the house. I think I'm doomed.

Sometimes "pinko red countries" can be a good thing. (See my posts on Chinese TIG parts in this thread).

And yes, we do NOT have a 12 step program...unless it is that many steps from your house to your local push-...welding supply.

ldbtx wrote:Hello, I'm Larry and I believe that I'm on the way to becoming a TIG partsaholic. I just bought my first TIG machine, which I've been told is a gateway act to parts addiction. The dilemma I'm facing is how to divide my meager disposable income between my new TIG addiction and my existing addiction to the products of companies such as Ruger, Rock Island, Henry, RCBS and others. The magnitude of the problem is increased by the fact that my LWS and my LGS are within 1/4 mile of each other and on the right side of the road on my way home each day. Also, both are within a mile from the house. I think I'm doomed.

The way I see it: just about anyone without a criminal background can buy a gun. Hell even if you are a criminal, you can acquire a firearm, LOL. Not just anyone can become/is a proficient TIG weldor.

ldbtx wrote:Hello, I'm Larry and I believe that I'm on the way to becoming a TIG partsaholic. I just bought my first TIG machine, which I've been told is a gateway act to parts addiction. The dilemma I'm facing is how to divide my meager disposable income between my new TIG addiction and my existing addiction to the products of companies such as Ruger, Rock Island, Henry, RCBS and others. The magnitude of the problem is increased by the fact that my LWS and my LGS are within 1/4 mile of each other and on the right side of the road on my way home each day. Also, both are within a mile from the house. I think I'm doomed.

In unison ""Hi Larry""

Yep, you've made your first step towards impending doom - lock down your wallet because it can be a bumpy ride

Dont listen to the others.
Get into the denial phase and just let it flow

ldbtx wrote:Hello, I'm Larry and I believe that I'm on the way to becoming a TIG partsaholic. I just bought my first TIG machine, which I've been told is a gateway act to parts addiction. The dilemma I'm facing is how to divide my meager disposable income between my new TIG addiction and my existing addiction to the products of companies such as Ruger, Rock Island, Henry, RCBS and others. The magnitude of the problem is increased by the fact that my LWS and my LGS are within 1/4 mile of each other and on the right side of the road on my way home each day. Also, both are within a mile from the house. I think I'm doomed.

The LWS will understand. They've seen this scenario many times. I take offence if they snicker though. Just don't try to straighten them out. The prices go up.

I think I'm in the right room, here...

(cough) Hello all, my name is Josh, and I know I have a problem...


I just acquired a Chinese TIG/stick machine in a trade with a friend after locating and asking him about a Dialarc HF on CL (that I had neither the space nor power for.)

I have yet to even get a suitable power run installed for the little TIG welder and already have located the local CK Worldwide plant, and hauled home a water cooled torch, started putting together a cooler to feed said torch, and made my LWS happy with TIG consumables purchases...

I have to say, I think I made my situation worse since now I can use large AND small consumables!

Hey allen...now you did it! Barbie aint got shit on us TIG welders she just appeals to a bigger crowd. I thought boats and Harleys were expensive until I got back into Tig welding. My MIG has paid for itself several times over but Dang, that TIG machine is a suckhole

My wife made me come here for support. I have a problem that I'm honestly not really ashamed of. It started with just a toe in the water with an old Lincoln 110v FCAW. That was upgraded to mig and sold. Got a Millermatic 211 but that wasn't enough. I just couldn't stop. My LWS had some inexpensive classes to get your hands dirty and all I could do was smell the fumes and I was hooked on tig. Bought a big green Tig and I haven't looked back. Three boxes of tig parts and counting. I've got steel leaning everywhere in the garage. I'm watching videos at night about doing things "out of position". Jody's tig fingers are so smooth I can't put them down. My wife misses me.

What am I to do?

Alright jdranchman, you just might have crossed over into a little creepy. And no I don't ever want to borrow your Tig finger no matter how hot the pipe gets, just sayin.

Len

Dad, you are one sick unit lol

Len - I have no idea what you are talking about...

We are not here to share in our shamefulness of our addiction. We are not here to seek recovery support. We are not here to encourage self control.

We are here to brag, boast and revel in our wanton desire for cups, gas lenses and tungsten! We share our website links and addresses of LWS's so that we all can "tap a vein" and enjoy the rush of a new flex head!

RocketSurgeon wrote:We are not here to share in our shamefulness of our addiction. We are not here to seek recovery support. We are not here to encourage self control.

We are here to brag, boast and revel in our wanton desire for cups, gas lenses and tungsten! We share our website links and addresses of LWS's so that we all can "tap a vein" and enjoy the rush of a new flex head!

AMEN!

Recovery programs are for QUITTERS!

Steve S

Hello, I'm Paul and I'm a TIGaholic,
For Christmas I bought a 1200 buck Piranha 3tungsten grinder.
Last week I had am Amish craftsman make me a leather tig finger.
Yesterday I ordered titanium filler wire. Why? hell if I know...


hElP

Got a picture of that leather tig finger?

Jesus Tapdancing Christ! $1200 for a tungsten sharpener?

I think we have our "poster child"!!!



Steve S

RocketSurgeon wrote:

RocketSurgeon wrote:Hi. I'm RocketSurgeon and I'm a TIG partsaholic. It's been 3 days since I bought/ordered parts.

(60+ parts for my 26 torch.)

The package came in yesterday. Everything was there. It all looks good. I'll have to find a reason to test the gas lenses to make sure they are good.
Other than that, I'd say it is a good buy. It took two weeks to get from China to Louisiana. It was free shipping.

Two weeks is FAAAAST shipping.

It's usually a month or more.