0 items in your basket
Total £ 0.00 EX VAT
MIG Gloves
TIG Gloves
Baseball Caps
Armguards
TIG Heat Blockers
Shop 55,000 Products
SERVICEDEPT.
RAPID BLOG
FEEDBACK
HIRE
The Flex-Loc™ series torch is a variable-angle torch that locks into any position within a 360-degree rotation. Interchangeable heads allow different size tungsten and head sizes to be quickly and efficiently changed. The patented Flex-Loc™ TIG Torch is available in water-cooled and gas-cooled models. Great for applications requiring a unique angle yet allowing the user a rigid torch. Ergonomically designed to help eliminate fatigue. Applications: Cup walking on pipe root welds, welds that require a mirror to access weldment, and welds requiring different tungsten sizes.
For parts for this torch, click here.
Answers to common questions about complete air-cooled TIG torch packages with a flexible one-piece cable and a machine connection.
Duty cycle is the percentage of a set period, commonly 10 minutes, for which a torch can carry a stated current without overheating. For example, a 60% rating at a stated current means the torch can be used at that current for about 6 minutes in every 10, with the remaining 4 minutes as cooling time.Ratings depend on the maker, the test method and whether the figure is for DC or AC, so read the torch data plate or manual rather than assuming. Running above the rated current or duty cycle overheats the handle and cable and can shorten the life of the torch.
Aluminium and magnesium form tough oxides, so TWI says an AC power source is typically needed to weld them. Makers' data sheets for air-cooled torches usually list a lower current for AC than for DC at the same duty cycle, so the figure that matters for aluminium is often the lower one.Check the AC rating, not just the headline DC figure, when you plan to weld aluminium. If you need to run close to the AC limit for thicker material or longer welds, a higher-rated or water-cooled torch is usually the safer choice. The data plate and manual give the exact figures for your torch.
On an air-cooled torch the shielding gas and the welding current usually travel together in a single combined cable. Heat is shed to the surrounding air and the flowing gas, so there is no separate water circuit to set up, which keeps the torch simple.The cable carries a lot of copper to handle the current, so it can be heavier and stiffer than a water-cooled cable, and it cannot carry away much heat, which is why air-cooled torches have lower current and duty cycle ratings. Keep the cable free of tight kinks and crushing, and replace it if the outer cover is cracked or the lead feels unusually hot in use.
A longer cable gives more reach from the machine, which helps on large fabrications or when the machine has to stay put. A shorter cable is easier to manage, less likely to tangle or get trodden on, and has fewer places to kink.Choose the shortest length that comfortably reaches your work without pulling on the connections. Extra cable can be coiled loosely, never in tight loops, and should be kept away from sharp edges and heat. Always keep within the current rating given by the maker for that cable, which is on the data plate or in the manual.
