Miller Electric

Poor condition of your tungsten can be compared to putting bad gas in your car; it’s that simple. TIG or GTAW is a precision process that requires attention to all areas in the system, but the tungsten is the last piece that the electrons flow from, and if it is not maintained in a sharp or clean condition, it will affect the arc. Two of the most important areas are arc staring and directional control, which can have an effect on increased heat input when it is critical to keep this as low as possible. Whatever you do, take the time to recondition your tungsten if you touch it to the work of the fill material.

Mark Kadlec, Welding Technician
TIG Product Development

Many people ask…why or when should I use a gas lens? The main reason is to allow you to flood the area you are welding with the best possible gas coverage to ensure you are reducing the possibility of oxygen contamination. Another great use of the gas lens is reaching difficult areas that need to be welded. A good example of this is a tight cluster of tubing that you may encounter on many of today’s sport utility and race vehicles. By this, I mean that it allows you to stick out the tungsten much farther while still maintaining gas coverage to access these hard-to-reach areas (see photos).