Create your own CK Diamond Torch FAQs
Answers to the questions buyers ask when specifying a made-to-order TIG torch: rating, cable length, handle controls, connectors and care.
What do I need to decide before building a made-to-order TIG torch?
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.
What does the rated current on a TIG torch mean, and why does duty cycle matter?
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.
What should I check on a water-cooled torch before I start welding?
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.
Do I need a high-frequency start, and does the torch affect it?
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.