whensparksfly
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just wondered do any of you use gas lence when tig welding aluminium ive tried it the weld dosent look great let me know what you all think
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gas lence with aluminium
- Thread starter whensparksfly
- Start date
You need to define 'doesn't look great', a pic is the easiest way
Gas lenses have sweet FA of an affect on the shape/profile/general neatness of a weld*, the only thing they do is 'straighten' out the argon flow which improves the quality of the gas shield. Sometimes that makes no difference to the colour/shineyness of stainless or ally welds respectively, sometimes it can improve things a chunk. All depends on the joint geometry, tungsten stick out, gas flow etc.
The only practical downside to gas lenses is that they're bulkier but most of the time that's not an issue as you can increase the tungsten stickout with them and still get better shielding than with a regular collet body. When you're not taking advantage of that can save a few quid by reducing the gas flow a bit
99% of everything i weld is done with a gas lens and a # 7 cup (occasionally a #5 or 6). About the only time it comes off the torch is to fit a bigger one with a giant #12 gas cup. The one thing i don't use a gas lens for (at least a newish one) is magnesium due to the soot that ends up all over the torch head
* granted, when the shielding is better the weldpool is nicer/easier to control but unless there's shielding problem it makes a minor difference in that regard
Gas lenses have sweet FA of an affect on the shape/profile/general neatness of a weld*, the only thing they do is 'straighten' out the argon flow which improves the quality of the gas shield. Sometimes that makes no difference to the colour/shineyness of stainless or ally welds respectively, sometimes it can improve things a chunk. All depends on the joint geometry, tungsten stick out, gas flow etc.
The only practical downside to gas lenses is that they're bulkier but most of the time that's not an issue as you can increase the tungsten stickout with them and still get better shielding than with a regular collet body. When you're not taking advantage of that can save a few quid by reducing the gas flow a bit
99% of everything i weld is done with a gas lens and a # 7 cup (occasionally a #5 or 6). About the only time it comes off the torch is to fit a bigger one with a giant #12 gas cup. The one thing i don't use a gas lens for (at least a newish one) is magnesium due to the soot that ends up all over the torch head
* granted, when the shielding is better the weldpool is nicer/easier to control but unless there's shielding problem it makes a minor difference in that regard
