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Answers to the questions buyers ask when specifying a made-to-order TIG torch: rating, cable length, handle controls, connectors and care.
Work through the choices in the same order as the page. First settle the cooling type and rated current you need, then the head style (flexible or rigid), the cable length, the handle and switch, and finally the connectors that fit your machine.Have your welder's data plate and manual to hand. You need to know the current range you will really use, whether the machine is AC or DC, what power and gas sockets it has, and what control socket it uses for a torch switch or remote. Makers publish torch options as separate choices for exactly this reason: hose pack length, handle controls and head style are all selected independently. If you are unsure, our team can help you choose.
A torch rating is a current quoted together with a duty cycle, meaning the proportion of the working time the torch can carry that current without overheating. A higher rating at a lower duty cycle is not the same as the same current held continuously.Makers usually publish separate figures for DC and AC, and the AC figure for the same torch is normally lower. Water-cooled torches are generally given higher continuous ratings than air-cooled ones. Torch construction and testing requirements are covered by the harmonised torch standard for arc welding equipment, so compare ratings on the torch data plate or maker's data sheet, and choose a torch comfortably above the current and duty cycle you will weld at.
Think about how you control current. A simple on/off switch in the handle starts and stops the arc, but the current is whatever is set on the machine, so you rely on slope settings for any ramping. A handle with up/down or a rotary amperage control lets you change current while welding without a foot pedal.TWI notes that designs with the on/off switch and current control in the handle are often preferred to foot controls, though a foot pedal still gives finer control for thin or heat-sensitive work. Whichever you choose, check that your machine has a remote or torch control socket and that the control plug on the torch matches it.
Check the cooling circuit every time before you strike an arc. Make sure the cooler has enough of the correct coolant, that the hoses are connected the right way round and not kinked, and that coolant is actually circulating through the torch.A water-cooled torch depends on coolant flow to carry heat away, and welding without it can quickly damage the torch and cable. After fitting a new hose pack the circuit may need bleeding of air, so follow the cooler and torch manuals. Each torch has a minimum flow, pressure and maximum coolant temperature, so check the technical data in your manual rather than assuming a figure.
Three things have to match: the power connection on the machine, the gas arrangement, and the control plug for the switch or remote. Look at your machine's front panel and manual to see what socket sizes and thread types it uses, and whether the gas passes through the machine or is connected separately.A machine with an internal gas valve can feed gas through the power connection, while one without may need a separate gas hose or a torch with its own valve. Thread sizes vary between regions and makers, so do not assume. Compare the data plate or manual for both the machine and the torch, or ask our team to help you confirm the connector before ordering.
Most TIG machines start the arc with high-frequency (HF) sparks that ionise the gap between the electrode and the work. TWI notes this is the usual method and is preferred for high-quality work, but HF can interfere with nearby control systems and instruments.Where that is a concern, a touch-start or lift-arc method that avoids HF can be used instead. The torch must be built for the arc ignition voltage of your machine, so check that its insulation and cable are rated for HF use in the maker's data. A damaged torch lead or handle is a particular risk with HF, so replace any damaged parts rather than taping them up.