Some standard parts are required if you want to turn your stick welder into a Tungsten Inert Gas welder. A flowmeter, power block, torch, TIG welding accessories, wiretypes and gloves are all required for the transformation.
- Many stick machines will not support AC welding, so any aluminum would have to be run on DC with different gas...which is not good for thin aluminum. In other words, this isn't going to let you weld thin aluminum. You can also use most of these parts to convert many MIG machines to TIG.
- First, you will need a flowmeter. I prefer Victor brand flowmeters, but they're not the cheapest one. Aside from the brand loyalty, I prefer the kind with a ball that rises vertically, indicating the amount of flow. The kind that looks like 2 guages isn't as good. It's more of a pressure regulator, but will work if you want to get one.
- As you turn up the gas flow, the ball rises. There's other kinds of flowmeters, but these are my favorite. I won't call them the best or somebody will probably want to argue the point.
- This end screws into the flowmeter. If the flowmeter you choose doesn't come with a hose, you will need one that's long enough to go from the location of your bottle to your work location (a bit shorter is ok though). The small end goes to your "power block."
- You also need the actual torch. Here is a Weldcraft WP-17 torch. It's kinda the average size/shape torch. There are bigger ones, smaller ones, and some that are made to flex on the end, but this is pretty much the "standard" torch used in more places than others.
- The money won't be wasted, as you'll use these occasionally, even if you buy more. The collets will work with any cups you may buy, and the collet bodies will work with any cups but the gas lens style. As you can see, it comes with tungsten also. You may want to buy a few pieces more if you've not done any tig welding before, as you'll stick it a lot and it will get used up more quickly than an experienced welder would use it.
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