Welding Tips and Tricks

I have 2 #9 torches...1 was given to me an I think it's a CK...The second I know is CK...An I'd gotten a small say #6 pyrex cup with the stubby collet body...It has the screw on screen and the collet wedge. I had tried it once but I didn't have an insulator on my first unknown torch...So I bought a heat shield, and now my tungsten won't get tight??? So I bought a new CK torch and I have the same problem even with gas lenses. The only ones that work are the old school no screen collet bodies and I don't care for them...I'd rather use a lens or my pyrex cup that wasn't very cheap!!! Anyone have a solution?? I mean you need a heat shield on your torch right??? I've never had the problem with my #17 torch...Thanks for any help with this fristration

Adam's Got Skills wrote:I have 2 #9 torches...1 was given to me an I think it's a CK...The second I know is CK...An I'd gotten a small say #6 pyrex cup with the stubby collet body...It has the screw on screen and the collet wedge. I had tried it once but I didn't have an insulator on my first unknown torch...So I bought a heat shield, and now my tungsten won't get tight??? So I bought a new CK torch and I have the same problem even with gas lenses. The only ones that work are the old school no screen collet bodies and I don't care for them...I'd rather use a lens or my pyrex cup that wasn't very cheap!!! Anyone have a solution?? I mean you need a heat shield on your torch right??? I've never had the problem with my #17 torch...Thanks for any help with this fristration

I was having this same problem yesterday....
Still haven't figured it out.

I had a similar problem once. The cause turned out to be the back cap. The brass piece of the cap was counter bored such that if slipped over the collet. It was less than 1/16" deep but it was enough that the collet was not pressed against the front of the collet body and thus the collet did not pinch the tungsten. I would recommend you inspect the back cap and try a different one if you can.

Ken

taylorkh wrote:I had a similar problem once. The cause turned out to be the back cap. The brass piece of the cap was counter bored such that if slipped over the collet. It was less than 1/16" deep but it was enough that the collet was not pressed against the front of the collet body and thus the collet did not pinch the tungsten. I would recommend you inspect the back cap and try a different one if you can.

Ken

Also make sure you install the collet body first then the collet and last the back cap. If the back cap is installed the collet can seat against the back cap without the collet body being seated all the way. If this happens you might not be able to tighten the back cap eunough to secure the tungsten.

WTFH wrote:
Also make sure you install the collet body first then the collet and last the back cap. If the back cap is installed the collet can seat against the back cap without the collet body being seated all the way. If this happens you might not be able to tighten the back cap eunough to secure the tungsten.

Yep - collet body gets screwed in till it bottoms out - drop in the collet and tungsten, screw on back cap.

Adam - Post a pic of what works and what did not so we can see what you are doing.

I will make a note to try and get it figured out tomorrow...Thanks again for being so helpful

Ok I got some actual CK collets...I was using some cheap lws brand ones...an it did work for my gas lens but not on my pyrex cup...that kinda sucks i can feel the collet wiggling back an forth. I do have some pics...