TIG consumables

[Rambozo]

I just got a box of goodies from River-Weld, and I thought I would post a review for anyone on the fence about them, like I was. A few months ago I knocked over my tray of TIG parts and was never able to find them all, plus there were some things that I didn't have anyway. It was time to buy some cups, so I figured I would fill in the gaps and get what will probably last me my lifetime, if I don't lose them.
The price was right and everyone has said they have good parts for plasma cutters. The best way for me was to buy a few assortments to get a little of everything. The parts here are all WP-9/20. I also got some WP-17/18/26 parts, but I left them at the shop. I will compare these to the equivalent Weld-Craft parts, most of which are around 20 years old, so they may not be what are sold today, but pretty close.



First let me say they were packaged very well and were sent DHL and got here in about a week. The website had some issues with other shipping methods and I like DHL anyway. The fit and finish is good to very good. There are a few differences, so I will list them. Nothing major, but just so you know. The collet bodies are machined very nice, and are free from burrs and extreme tool marks. About equal the the WC. Dimensionally they are nominally the same except the gas holes are 3/32" on the WC and 2mm on the RW. I doubt this will be noticeable and is more an issue of standard sizing for metric tooling vs imperial. The difference is about .4mm, also the holes are indexed to the wrench flats on the WC but not on the RW. Again a non-issue and probably due to one being totally automatically machined vs manual loading. Neither index the threads, and both threads fits are about the same. The machining on the collets is not quite as good on the RW and they are slightly bigger at the base. Again this is more of going with a metric standard. The WC use a back cap bore of 3/16" with a collet of .177" or .010" clearance. The RW use a back cap bore of 5mm and a collet of 4.9mm or .1mm clearance. This means the RW collet is .193" and won't quite fit all the way into the WC back caps. As long as you use the matching parts you have no problem. It would be a very simple matter to adjust either the back cap or collet to make them fit, but if you expect them to interchange and plug and play, they will not. I have no idea if this is true of other brands, it may be that everyone has slightly different standards, as all I have ever used are Weld-Craft.
I just chucked the collets backwards in a drill and kissed them with a file to take off a few thousandths, until they fit.

The cups seem identical and only time will tell how well they hold up, but they fit nice and have good threads. The insulators are again virtually the same and interchange. The back caps have slightly different shapes, but fit well with either collets. The extra short one (what a coworker calls the "toothpaste" cap) is a little bigger and has an extra thread or two and a taller cap, so it's not quite as svelte as the WC model. However, I know even WC has changed that cap a few times over the years, too.

The gas lenses are the one place where the low cost shows. I got them on a whim and to see what they look like. I'll have to see if they perform. They fit well and it looks like more cosmetic issues than anything else. I looked at WC at my LWS, and they didn't look much better. I also got some 2% Lanthanated tungstens, since I see an inverter in my future.

[Scotty1]

Spares are always handy to have (If you don't misplace them before you need to use them)

[everlastsupport]

Thanks for the info. I have used their cups before and the work well. You bought enough for a lifetime it looks like. Store the boxes somewhere where you can find them. Let us know on the gas lenses.

[MoparCar]

Thanks for the rundown on the physical parts. Please give us a review in use on the major items. Sure does look like your supplied for a while! Way to go!

[Rambozo]

Thanks for the info. I have used their cups before and the work well. You bought enough for a lifetime it looks like. Store the boxes somewhere where you can find them. Let us know on the gas lenses.

I guess that will be downside to changing to an inverter welder, no more 30" x 40" shelf to pile welding stuff on. With the handle and everything, I'll be lucky to pile a couple of sets of gloves on top of an Everlast.

[Brian Ski]

I guess that will be downside to changing to an inverter welder, no more 30" x 40" shelf to pile welding stuff on. With the handle and everything, I'll be lucky to pile a couple of sets of gloves on top of an Everlast.

There you go... I have all my clamps on top of my MIG... The Everlast TIG only has room for my gloves... Like you said. Everyone is working on making a cart... I found it just as easy to keep the welder on the bench next to my welding. Maybe someday will make a cart.

[MoparCar]

I guess that will be downside to changing to an inverter welder, no more 30" x 40" shelf to pile welding stuff on. With the handle and everything, I'll be lucky to pile a couple of sets of gloves on top of an Everlast.

I can't recall what are you running for a TIG machine? What model? (or wish list like many of us!)

[redbeard]

I guess that will be downside to changing to an inverter welder, no more 30" x 40" shelf to pile welding stuff on. With the handle and everything, I'll be lucky to pile a couple of sets of gloves on top of an Everlast.

Even the 250EXT is piled high enough that stuff slides off and the PP doesn't even have room under the handle for a small box of consumables. Dammit Everlast, make your welders bigger!

[Rambozo]

I can't recall what are you running for a TIG machine? What model? (or wish list like many of us!)

Blast from the past, a 1980 Hobart CyberTIG 300 with advanced programmer.

[everlastsupport]

My cart is 30" wide, so I drape the lines over the welder and throw a welding jacket on the front (cheap cover), but the 30" cart allows tons of storage on the side of the welder. I have 3 tiers, and keep related items on the shelf that unit is on. Works well. That is a monster, like the old Syncowaves.

[5440]

The big question for me is I have CK200 and WC WP 20 torches and the back cap that came with the WC is longer and can take a full electrode with a gas lense and the 41V24 I got online and the one that came with the CK200 is too short for a gas lense?

[performance]

They make medium length ones. Sounds like what you got.

[everlastsupport]

The WP20 will not take a (if you want to call it standard) 7" tungsten, so I cut them in 1/2 OR make a short cap piece and a piece to fit the WP-20 longer cap. You can also buy medium ones as Mark mentioned. Have not used one in some time, they are like 4" range (guess).

[Rambozo]

Tungsten comes in 6" and 7" and WC has made back caps for both, not sure about CK, but they probably do, too. Then again if you have a 17/18 torch, you can get stubby parts for the front that might make 7" not fit. Have a look at the parts book for your torch and see what is available.

WC has had at least 5 different length caps for the WP 20 that I know of.

[everlastsupport]

OK, Just checked.

I have packs of ceriated at 3" long still in the package. I check the mid size container I still have the container, I put WP-20 collets in it since it was a nice plastic box, even though the electrodes are long gone. It measures 4.25 deep, so they were 4" thoriated in that package/box.

The Everlast WP-20 ships with a 4 1/2" (not counting threads) cap. So a 6" will work just fine, but a 7" you will have to cut (maybe 3/4" off).

Why I mentioned I make a short cap piece and use the leftover in the WP-20 long cap we sell. Or cut it in 1/2", either way.

The LWS here all carry 7" (prax, wsi and AG).

[Rambozo]

Then the one from River-Weld should be perfect for you. It measures just under 5.5" (without threads). I also have WC ones in the same length, plus 4.5", 4", 3" 1.5" and the shorty.

[everlastsupport]

Then the one from River-Weld should be perfect for you. It measures just under 5.5" (without threads). I also have WC ones in the same length, plus 4.5", 4", 3" 1.5" and the shorty.

Rambozo is responding to 5440's post. A 5.5" cap (River weld sells them and they have great prices) that will handle the 7" tungsten with no cutting/work.

So you can buy short electrodes (Mark), cut the 7" down (me) or get a 5 1/2" cap (Rambozo). I might actually, next purchase from RW, get a 5.5" myself. But it all works.

A 5.5" and a short cap would be perfect, but we ship a 4.5" and shorty.

[5440]

Yes the Weldcraft cap is about 5.5". A comparison attached showing the 41V24 I got from WeldCity which is the same size that came on the CK200. I want an extra 5.5" cap for the CK200 for new 7" electrodes using the smaller gas lens and don't want to rework the tungsten....I just want to sharper the tip and weld...but I will check out River Welding for the longer 5.5" caps.

[everlastsupport]

5.5" caps are the way to go since 7" electrode around here are standard. At least for us. Cut on up for the short cap if you need the headroom.
You will like the CK200 with super flex..