gas lens

[namerif]

whats the largest gas lens i can buy for my wp20 water cooled torch

 

[Tom Orrow L]

IIRC its around 4mm but it may be only 3.2mm

 

[Piero]

When u say largest.
Are we talking it's body size or its electrode size

 

[Richard.]

When u say largest.
Are we talking it's body size or its electrode size

My thoughts exactly.
Re electrode size would be 3.2 I believe but with regard to cup and lens size I've seen some that look like a big bore exhaust.

 

[AndersK]

3,2 mm or 1/8" is the largest I've seen too.

At least CK makes a large version gas lens for bigger cups. Dont know if it is the same size (1" ?) as the larger lens for a 17 torch head though.

 

[hotrodder]

If you're talking about cup size then a #8 is as big as they go for a 'regular' gas lens body. There's a larger dia gas lens body for cup sizes upto #12 (12/16" i.e 3/4" nominal bore), theoretically there's also a #15 but it's a short ceramic and not really suitable for use with HF start as the end of the gas lens body is partly exposed. A large gas lens body needs a different collet and an additional insulator, search the internet for wp20 exploded drawing or wp20 parts list and you'll find a bunch of exploded drawings with every combo shown along with 'universal' part numbers

There's various other types of large gas lens that go even bigger which can be useful for Ti jobs that don't lend themselves to a trailing shield and/or *cough* impressing *cough* the uninformed masses on twitface... the CK stuff mentioned that uses push fit cups on their specific collet bodies, champagne nozzles*, even more insanly priced stuff some bicycle framebuilders came up with etc that go upto something like 1.25" bore or maybe even bigger

If you trawl through the forum search results for gas lens you'll also find some home made examples, both cups for gas lens and by stuffing something up a 'regular' #10 or #12 ceramic to improve gas diffusion with a standard collet body

* massive cups with an additional diffuser screen that are made for a regular sized gas lens body

 

[AndersK]

... the CK stuff mentioned that uses push fit cups on their specific collet bodies

I didnt mean the gas saver units, they do a regular lens with larger body too for the 9 and 20 torches.

It does require a different collet and teflon insulator though.

https://www.arc-zone.com/index.php?...th=13_728_908_1566_1568_1573&products_id=8936

 

[Richard.]

I use a standard ck/Weldcraft 2.4 gas lens with a no7/8 cup for almost everything. I don't even bother with 1.6 lenses i just swap collets over if I want a 1.6/2.4 tungsten. I've never welded titanium before so there for never had a need for such large lenses and cups. I've recently bought a couple of the furwick no 8 push on clear cups which are nice things. Much thinner side walls and shorter than the ck cups and they fit straight over my lenses so I don't need to splash out mega bucks on the whole ck gas saver kit. Whist I've used and owned the ck gas savers the lens type itself doesn't allow reduction in gas flow over any other quality lenses I have so it's a pricy clear cup tbh. The angled collets are good mind better than the split type. The two set ups below cover all my needs and more. The clear cup is a nice visual thing with the short cap as the two make tight fillets and inside box section welding much easier.

 

[hotrodder]

I didnt mean the gas saver units, they do a regular lens with larger body too for the 9 and 20 torch

Gotcha. That's a CK branded version of the weldcraft style large gas lens. Everyone does them (although the cheapnese versions are often properly nasty quality) hence me assuming it was their gas saver type

 

[namerif]

3,2 mm or 1/8" is the largest I've seen too.

At least CK makes a large version gas lens for bigger cups. Dont know if it is the same size (1" ?) as the larger lens for a 17 torch head though.

thanks everyone for replys on gas lens sizes very helpful off to do some shopping now better not tell the wife though she thinks decorating more important

 

[westcoweld]

my wife seems to think that too!
when you buy some, just cover it in dust before you take it in the house. That way, it looks like you had it for years!!!

 

[Brad93]

I have on of Mikes #8 pyrex cups too Richard, came.from West Country Welding supplies.
Nifty little things and not too expensive.