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I recently invested in some gas lenses to replace the cups on my Miller tig torch. They made quite a difference. If anyone is interested I'd be glad to explain the details. If not, my feelongs are not hurt.

Ray- email [email protected]

Curious - post a photo doing a comparison please.

Dan Bentler

I also use them, but can't say I see that much difference.
Better in some applications I presume..

Grigg

Grigg, I'm an amateur not a professional welder. I first learned tig in a welding class in the 1960s and then didn't touch it until 40 years later.

I tried it again when my wife wanted a lightweight aluminum cart for her dog to pull in competition. I bought a new Miller Synchrowave 200. By then I had totally forgotten the technique and my welds were awful.

After trying to relearn the skills on my own and no longer being even close to the "stack of dimes" bead I took the same welding class again that I had taken 40 years earlier. In the class I used squarewave machines like my Miller and inverter machines and simple cups and gas lenses.

I found that the less techy and cheaper squarewave type machine was easier for me to use. I also found that the gas lenses gave me two distinct advantages. First, I could stick the tungsten out farther to access the inside corner joints and control the puddle much better. Also, to my amazement, slightly touching the tungsten to the puddle or the filler rod did not contaminate the tungsten, requiring regrinding. If the contamination was very minor I could simply keep going. Doing the same thing with a cup sent me to the grinder every time to maintain weld quality.

Again, I'm an amateur and need all the help I can get, especially at age 66 next month.

I don't know how to post pictures here but if anyone wants to see an example of my work I can send a picture to a regular email address. To me, the value of forums like Stovebolt is guys helping each others do tasks themselves rather than spending a ton of money with "professionals". If I can relearn tig, anyone can learn or relearn it.

In fact I have never understood how car guys or anyone else can take personal pride in work done by others, whether it's welding, metal straightening, painting or mechanical work. That view made me an oddball in the VCCA and I finally dropped out after being a member for over 40 years.

i agree, do it your self is what it's all about. even if the cost is the same, i would still usually do it myself. because at least i learn how. only if i can't do it at all, do i pay someone. i am also in the market for a tig. i don't want to spend the cash for new right now. i will just wait til a deal comes along. i had a smaller weldcraft one for a while but was not happy with it. i am not happy with my oxyacc aluminum welding i have tried either. so i am going to start looking for a mid range tig setup.

Hoggyrubber, my Synchrowave 200 cost about $1800 delivererd to my doorstep. An old friend of mine in the auto industry bought it for me at a SEMA show in Las Vegas. There was no sales tax or shipping charge. I did have to add an argon cylinder. Otherwise it was complete.

When I learned tig the first time in the 1960s the machines were much more primitive and hard to use. For example, it was necessary to scratch the tungsten against the workpiece to get an arc. That often contaminated the tungsten. With my new machine I just bring the tungsten close to the workpiece and an arc starts.

I like using the machine so much that I often wish for some aluminum or stainless item to break so I can fix it.

haha, if you are wishing for something to break, you must really like it! i have come close on a couple of trades to getting a miller tig, but both fell thru. i have plenty of bottles, have 2 co2/argon and one straight argon. oh well, the right deal will come along someday. i am alergic to buying stuff brand new. tried it once, broke out in a sweat and fever, been buyin good used ever since.

I hear you on buying new hoggyrubber. In my case, my wife was asking for an aluminum dog cart and it seemed like a good time to take the leap because it was actually her idea.

Keep in mind my good experience with the gas lenses. They are really inexpensive at Arczone, an online seller. I'm not a gadget person and I was skeptical at first but using a gas lens in the welding class sold me.

Working in the Canning industry for 35 years we just used DC just switched the cables around or if you had a machine that was AC_DC reversed the polarity hooked up your bottle of Argon and attched your cable to the Tig Torch and away you welded. Now if you want to weld Aluminum then you need a good AC_DC machine that will do both. We also used a OYX. torch to weld Aluminum too.
62Blue
Don