At Arc-Zone.com we frequently get inquiries from customers looking for other TIG torches, or want to know the difference between one brand versus another. They’ve seen a Weldtec torch, or heard about CK or their local welding supplier sells Best Welds. At Arc-Zone.com we sell Weldcraft TIG Torches.

Not all TIG / GTAW welding torches are created equally. One difference is in the quality raw materials used and the quality of the manufacturing process. I can’t think of a specific example with a tig torch, but I have seen, for example, a cheap gas lens that basically was not brazed and the screens were just stuffed in so the gas flow– well– didn’t. And then the thing fell apart.

Both Weldtec and CK are fine brands. I haven’t heard much about the Best Welds brand. It should be noted, however, that many of these TIG Torch brands call themselves “Weldcraft style.” Bottom line is that Weldcraft is an industry leader and innovator, known for quality products.

Weldcraft® is not the cheapest brand in the marketplace, but using the best engineered torches will get you the best performance from your TIG welder.

When it comes to cables and hoses, it’s not just rubber / braided versus vinyl. The tubing all looks the same, but if the insides are not constructed to spec, and are not taut on the inside (which is difficult to see from looking at the cable) you’ll not get good power flow and if the fittings are not constructed well the cable could in fact pull out.

We recommend the rubber mostly because vinyl is really just a fancy word for plastic, and heat and plastic is not a good combination.

There are a lot of options from Air-Cooled (great for TIG Welding in the field) or Water-Cooled (smaller, lighter and stays cool longer in your hand), from Micro-TIG (for small work) to Flexible Head TIG torches (for– well, flexibilty!) . If you need some help deciding, you can always call Arc-Zone. We have a toll free number 800.944.2243 (US) or call 760.931.1500. Ask for Jim Watson, he’s our TIG Torch expert.

The bike on the left is a photo of a custom chopper done by one of our favorite customers, David Anthony Customs…
check out some of his other handiwork. He has become quite good at TIG welding and some of his designs are  pretty extreme!

If you’re into building custom choppers, or want to learn how it’s done, check out this website, Custom Chopper Guide:

The most common problems metalworkers and custom bike builders encounter can cost them countless hours of frustration, and thousands of dollars in wasted material. ‘9 Problems Metalworkers Face When Building A Chopper Frame And How To Overcome Them’ is a special ‘mini course’ that reveals the solutions to these problems.

Novato, CA (PRWEB) June 22, 2007 — Building a chopper frame from scratch is not an easy task for any metalworker or motorcycle builder. Fortunately, the most common problems that metalworkers face as they build a custom chopper frame are answered.

Custom Choppers Guide and BCC Orlando have teamed up and put together a mini-course called ‘9 Problems Metalworkers Face When Building A Chopper Frame And How To Overcome Them’. This valuable new resource will help metalworkers save time and money on their frame-building projects. For example:

Problem #1: What is the difference between common pipe and tubing?

Answer…. read the full press release….

The site offers lots of articles and information and while it appears they have an ad revenue business model (you’ll see lots of adsense ads from Google) they do sell Ron Covell videos and some books as well.

And when you’re ready to fire up the TIG welder, and you’re looking for a high-performance TIG torch set up, check out our lineup of Weldcraft TIG torches, from the super small MicroTIG WP-50 or WP-125 to the popular WP-20 water cooled TIG Torch. We also carry a complete line of tungsten electrodes, welding water coolers, and much more! Give us a call at 800-944-2243.

What do I need to get started in TIG Welding? This is a question we get asked often at Arc-Zone.com, and it’s really hard to answer unless we know exactly what you’re hoping to accomplish.

I can offer a few tips here, covering the basics.

First, you’ll need a welding machine. There are several welding machine manufacturers, the most popular being Miller Electric (a member of the ITW family), Hobart Welders (also a member of the ITW family), Lincoln Electric and ESAB.

Each of these manufacturers offer a quality product, but Miller has a terrific online tool they just launched called the Smart Selector which you can use to determine which machine is right for you.

Next, you’ll need a TIG torch. TIG torches are either water-cooled, and require some sort of connection to a water source, or air-cooled, and require no additional air or gas hookup other than the shield gas you’ll already be using.

Several manufacturers offer some sort of start up kit to go along with their machine. Not a bad place to start, but not necessarily the TIG package that is the best for what you’re going to be doing. Miller, for example, offers a “Contractors Kit” which includes a 17 series TIG torch, a basic accessory kit,
a regulator, a remote amperage control, a DINSE plug, work clamp, gas hose and gas hose coupler. And it comes in nice carrying case, for out in the field.

Don’t get me wrong. The 17 series is a fine torch, just not necessarily the best torch for you. If you’re working in a shop, and have access to a water source, you may want to consider a water cooled torch, for example. Maybe a WP-20 TIG torch– it’s lighter weight, smaller and easier to handle and allows you keep welding without having to stop to let your torch cool off.

One of our customers, David Anthony of Empty Tomb Choppers got tired of burning his hands on his air-cooled TIG torch, “Especially when you’re doing a long run on a seam. I’d be in a hurry to finish before my torch got too hot,” he said.

We upgraded his set up to a WP-20 and he hasn’t looked back since. We offer a complete Cool Kit(TM) for a water cooled TIG torch set up.

When buying a TIG torch, make sure you get the front end parts (nozzles, collets and collet bodies) for welding, and the connectors you’ll need to hook up to your machine. Often welding suppliers offer what is called a Torch Package, which only includes the torch body and the cable set. Be sure to ask if you need an accessory kit for your torch. At Arc-Zone we sell a TIG Torch PRO kit which has 3/32″ front end parts already installed, and comes with a DINSE connector and a cable cover. Our PRO TIG Torches are fully loaded and ready to weld. You may also want to consider adding a gas lens to your TIG torch set up. This will provide a more coherent sheild of gas over your weld zone, which means less turbulance and less contamination. Arc-Zone’s PRO Accessory Kits all include gas lens collet bodies.

You should also have a TIG Welding Flowmeter / Regulator to improve overall welding performance and regulate the flow of gases.

Which tungsten you choose to use, and how you prepare it is an important step, and often overlooked. There is a huge difference in quality of tungsten electrodes out there in the market. At Arc-Zone we not only sell our own premium brand of tungsten electrodes, Amplify(TM) we also offer Weldcraft(R) Tungsten Electrodes. Ceriated or Lanthanated tungsten is recommended for use with the newer welding machines, or for even better performance check out the our own ArcTime(TM) All Purpose Hyperformance tungsten, or Weldcraft’s Rare Earth blend. Whichever you choose, go ahead and spring for the 10 pack– as a new welder you’ll need it.

Other accessories you may want to consider: a fingertip remote amperage control or a foot pedal, a water cooler (if you’re going with a water-cooled TIG torch). And last, but not least, you may want to prepare your tungsten electrodes with a dedicated tungsten grinder.

If you want to take welding lessons, check with your local adult education program, community college, or here in California we have the Regional Occupation Program. The American Welding Society has a Welding School Locator on their website.

And finally, you’ll need a gas tank as well as a good relationship with your local welding supplier for gas (that’s one thing we don’t sell online yet– argon!).

Don’t get me wrong, we like Weldcraft. Their products are great, their customer service is awesome (Hi Mark!) but I have to wonder if this Modular Flex Kit really solves any problems for welders.

From Weldcraft’s press release:

APPLETON, Wis. 6 February 2007-Weldcraft designed its AK-150 Modular Flex (AK-150MF) Kit to provide maximum flexibility on a wide range of TIG welding applications. The AK-150MF is an “all-in-one” kit that allows operators to convert their standard 17F or 17FV TIG torch into 20 different torch styles using an existing cable. By delivering multiple configurations in a single package, the AK-150MF eliminates the need to purchase and carry extra torches and reduces downtime associated with torch changeovers

Continue reading about Weldcraft’s AK-150 here over at the ThomasNet Industrial News Room….