[noddybrian]

Just an observation - if your lucky enough to be welding with blue or red I don't think grind quality is a big deal - BUT for all those saddled with imported low cost welders it seems to make a huge difference - I cannot explain why but using a wheel slightly too course generally gives a large erratic wooly arc that wanders just about anywhere you don't want it - every bit as bad as sharpening the wrong way - sometimes worse - using a very fine diamond wheel so the tungsten is almost polished completely eliminates it - I used to sharpen tungsten on anything close to hand when working in a shop with a decent old transformer set - since I don't have access to that & get by with a Chinese "POS" I now have a dedicated diamond wheel.

[Otto Nobedder]

The point I was trying to make in my last post was this:

The perfect grind may be valuable and useful in a great many situations, but the average weld does not depend on it.

I can complete the average weld with whatever's in the torch, and sharpen later.

Like cleaning aluminum, surgical grade is not always required to complete the job.

Of course, the more "perfect" every variable is, the fewer places one must look when it doesn't go right, so I'm not making suggestions. I'm just saying, you don't always have to stop and sharpen if you get crap on your electrode.

Steve S

[Jared]

Several years ago the company i work for employed a new Health&Safety officer...After a few weeks it was decided that we needed a tungsten grinder for safety reasons when grinding Thoriated tungstens..

The tungsten grinder was duly purchased ( an Esab version ) for some stupid amount of money , and was used by 2 of our 8 Tig welder for a while , until the diamond encrusted wheel wore out . When the price of the replacement wheel was mentioned to the management , we went back to using a bench grinder with a suitable wheel on it and have carried on with it to this day .

[noddybrian]

Agreed - often tungsten makes little difference to the job especially with a quality power source - I think TamJeff once posted a picture of the torch he was using which looked like a lesson in how it should'nt be done - but his welds are always excellent ! I rather think though that Zank is more picky on all prep aspects & it shows - as to these silly priced grinders - no chance I will ever be getting one or see the need - my dedicated tungsten grinder is a mini bench grinder which is on a swing out arm fixed to the trolley the Tig sits on - price of grinder from Aldi I believe was £19.99 & the diamond wheel from Ebay was £12.99 ! so not a big investment - bonus is it's alway to hand even when I move the trolley & I don't use it for anything else so the wheels are not contaminated.

[geo]

The point I was trying to make in my last post was this:

The perfect grind may be valuable and useful in a great many situations, but the average weld does not depend on it.

I can complete the average weld with whatever's in the torch, and sharpen later.

Like cleaning aluminum, surgical grade is not always required to complete the job.

Of course, the more "perfect" every variable is, the fewer places one must look when it doesn't go right, so I'm not making suggestions. I'm just saying, you don't always have to stop and sharpen if you get crap on your electrode.

Steve S

Ya I get what your sayin'. When I only had O/A often I wouldn't bother to remove the cutting head. Just turn down the knobs and weld away.
I did find digging deep into the closet for older coat hangers did make things more consistent.

[zank]

I love my piranha ii. Yes, I am very picky about my prep. The main reason is I want/need every trick I can use to compete with the other builders in my little niche industry. It's a tough nut and weld aesthetics go a long way to sell bikes. Like I said, I need every possible trick in the toolbox.

[taz]

I have an ESG Orbitalum



I cannot fault it but to be honest it cost a lot more than someone should have to pay to grind their tungsten.
Apart from its obvious use it helps me showcase the difference tungsten angle makes in the arc.

However I have just ordered an attachment for a Dremel that some bloke in the UK makes which is even cheaper than the Sharpie especially is you already own a Dremel. When I receive it I will try and put up a small review compared to the Orbitalum.

[motox]

zank
i would not consider your tungsten grinder a trick in the box.
its a tool that gives you consistently ground tungsten every time
you use it. tools help all of use make a living and in your the case the
confidence you get from having a perfectly ground, ready
to go tungsten very time you pick the tool up makes it
worth every time you paid for it.
just my two and one half cents......
craig

[Otto Nobedder]

The point I was trying to make in my last post was this:

The perfect grind may be valuable and useful in a great many situations, but the average weld does not depend on it.

I can complete the average weld with whatever's in the torch, and sharpen later.

Like cleaning aluminum, surgical grade is not always required to complete the job.

Of course, the more "perfect" every variable is, the fewer places one must look when it doesn't go right, so I'm not making suggestions. I'm just saying, you don't always have to stop and sharpen if you get crap on your electrode.

Steve S

Ya I get what your sayin'. When I only had O/A often I wouldn't bother to remove the cutting head. Just turn down the knobs and weld away.
I did find digging deep into the closet for older coat hangers did make things more consistent.

LMFAO!

Ever O/A weld aluminum with a 3-0 cutting head?

I'll bet at least one woman in your family could do this in the 1940's, and make you look the fool.

Steve S

[weldin mike 27]

I saw a Russian guy with a plasma cutter adapted to weld aluminium, he was feeding about 1/4 " filler rod to it.

[d.smith]

Did not read through all the posts but at my shop, we have a TechSouth hand held tungsten grinder that has a diamond wheel in it, has an attachment to put the tungsten through so it hits the wheel at the right angle and sharpens it in seconds. Was already here when I started working here but I just looked and they're about $250. has some other attachments and spots to insert tungsten so you can grind down the ball on the tip if need be.

Hope this could be helpful.

Dave S.

[dirtmidget33]

That tech south bench mount grinder looks pretty cool. They don't have pricing on the website which kind of sucks I don't have a tungsten grinder but thought it might be a decent investment. A luxury item but could see it as a time saver too.

[geo]

The point I was trying to make in my last post was this:

The perfect grind may be valuable and useful in a great many situations, but the average weld does not depend on it.

I can complete the average weld with whatever's in the torch, and sharpen later.

Like cleaning aluminum, surgical grade is not always required to complete the job.

Of course, the more "perfect" every variable is, the fewer places one must look when it doesn't go right, so I'm not making suggestions. I'm just saying, you don't always have to stop and sharpen if you get crap on your electrode.

Steve S

Ya I get what your sayin'. When I only had O/A often I wouldn't bother to remove the cutting head. Just turn down the knobs and weld away.
I did find digging deep into the closet for older coat hangers did make things more consistent.

LMFAO!

Ever O/A weld aluminum with a 3-0 cutting head?

I'll bet at least one woman in your family could do this in the 1940's, and make you look the fool.

Steve S

Actually one summer job did have me repairing irrigation pipe with a cutting torch. Seem to work just fine for all I knew. I guess ignorance is bliss.
I'm also sure there are plenty of women that would make me look like a fool (lots of experience here) in many more things than welding.

Sorry to bend your nose if I did. I'm not a pro like you just a hobbiest who's glued things together for about 45 yrs many different ways. You use what you got and as you get older you get what you wish you had when you were younger.
You don't need no fancy grinder but I didn't get a new welder with more bells and whistles to just set it and forget it. Half the fun is the learning process.
Making a jig (or buying one) to try different grinds, consistent grinds and ease of grinds (especially the shorties) has been a huge benefit to me. Not a financial or production benefit, because that is not my goal or need. It just makes a purdier picture from behind the lens for me.
I can say that can't I?

[Otto Nobedder]

No "nose-bending".

All I meant was that we make do with what we have (do the best with the available technology), and some can reach the top of the craft on equipment we would consider obsolete. During the "Rosie the Riveter" days of WW-II, thin-wall aluminum fuel tanks were welded mostly by women entering the workforce for the first time, and they did not have GTAW as an option.

Your comments about "not removing the cutting head" and "digging deep in the closet for older coat-hangers" sounded like sarcasm to me. (Text is a hard medium to communicate humor, sarcasm, and irony.) If it were, I wanted you to know that I actually have dug out the better coat hangers for O/A (they're scarce now). If it was not sarcasm, then I presume it's agreement about making do with the circumstances.

Either way, no offense was intended.

Steve S