Welding Tips and Tricks

Anyone interested in the WP-225 Kit with the HTP 19 & 20 gas-saver kits?
This stuff ran me about $375 and I'm not using it anymore. Figured with the head attachments (rarely used 'em) the new guys might enjoy the flexabilities

I've got to be honest, I felt a few tingles (got shocked) using this torch. I can't say its the torch at fault BUT rumor has it, the body on the 20-series are too damn thin!
So we gotta wrap 'em up with tape or something. I've always been interested in CK's tig torches and thats where I'm going next - CK350 w/ gas saver kit.

http://www.weldcraft.com/pdfs/AK-225MFC ... ec-Sht.pdf <-- WeldCraft kit
I'm sure HTP has their 20 and 19/17 series gas lens kits on ebay - I found these a little too cheap for my taste. They work but, shouldn't have cost what they did.

I've used a CK 350 amp watercooled setup, (on an old transformer machine) and it was pretty nice! Just make sure to plug in the watercooler (and don't cheap out on the cooler either... you need 4 quarts per minute coolant flow if you are really going to feed the heat to the torch.)

Personally, I would go with the "trimline" series torch/handle option, the flexible neck option, the superflex hoses, and perhaps the CK goatskin black leather cable sheath to round out the package.

That is very strange about you getting shocked. I'm guessing you are using a hard-starting type of tungsten (pure or zirconiated.) You will get much easier arc starts (and less probability of handle shocks) I'll bet if you switched to ceriated / lanthanated / thoriated / "rare earth" style. You may also want to check the high frequency gap on your machine (miller aerowave, right?) There is a specification probably in your machine's owner's manual on what the high frequency spark gap dimension is supposed to be. You can check and set it with a cheap set of feeler gauges.

I sure would not stand for getting shocked!

Well, thankfully the Miller Aerowave came with its mate, Miller 1A water cooler. I'm not super sold on having a shorter handle (and the .20 difference in the torch body diameter) but surely worth considering.

With the aforementioned welder above, I'm not using pure tungsten. The arc starting isnt where I'm being shocked. it's well off into the welding process.
I'm still in the "weld, reposition, weld, reposition" ::rinse and repeat:: mode so I am likely doing something in that to enable me to get a jolt of "oh fuck!"
Since day one I've used sylvania electrodes (tried a pack of cheaps, no thanks!). I hope those aren't giving me problems.

The superflex hoses are a must for me. I sometimes might wrap 'em around my forearm once (this keeps the sheath from rubbing on me / getting in the way).

Might be a better idea to pack this torch up and store it - might need the straight-attachment one day.

I don't know enough about your machine to know if the High-frequency in AC mode is "start only" or "continuous", however I supposed it doesn't really matter. (Even if it's "start only", it might automatically re-engage whenever the arc went out.)

Therefore, if you are getting shocked through your TIG torch handle, I would check your high frequency spark gap. Instructions can be found here on page 28 of your machine's manual (32 of the .pdf):
http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o319k_mil.pdf

The gap is supposed to be set to .008". It is located behind the machine's lower front panel. It looks easy enough to adjust if it's not set properly. A feeler gauge set should get you in business. I'll bet you could even dress the tungsten gap material down even, if you had a diamond wheel. (Just like dressing a TIG torch's tugsten electrode right?)

I am using a diamond wheel grinder (TurboSmart to be exact).

The machine is most likely just fine, I've read elsewhere that WC torch users have had similar experiences with them.
About the machine, its absolutely wonderful. It gets light-duty usage from me. I really do enjoy having all the `fluff` that came with it (probably common place stuff now days).

I love toying around with EP & EN amperage individually. I typically have 10% more EP amperage than EN.