Air Cooled Tig Torch?

By Blaster (***)

Date 03-22-2013 18:20

Actually I just found some CKs that are rated 130 @ 100%... so I my new question is, anyone know first hand if that rating is realistic? Or will I be pulling threads out of the torch heads like with some 200 amp rated air cooled torches when running at their claimed duty cycle?

By weldwade (***)

Date 03-22-2013 22:45

I have seen a couple good reviews on them for what that's worth. Never used one but I do have a water cooled CK and it is a good torch. I also have some of their clear gas cups/gas lense and they are awesome for hard to see areas. My air cooled weldcraft 20 is a flex head and I had to build a few different "back straps" braces for certain positions that snap on to keep the head from moving when it gets hot. So I hope someone chimes in to let us all know if the CK's are as advertised.

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 03-23-2013 00:05

The last time I used my dry torch that neck got as soft as licorice on a summertime sidewalk. I agree the so called 200 amp jobs ...well you cant do a whole lot of welding with em before they are smokin. I have heard of guys with portable (hand carry) WC rigs they carry around but I never seen one....I have considered trying to build a compact and light as possible homemade rig for that. I wonder if something as small as a heater core with a kick butt fan (maybe only a gallon capacity) could keep up? I got a friend that has a dedicated tig rig on a trailer with a pump+tank and everything but it is not setup with long lines for any reach. Course I reckon if a water supply is handy you could always rig something up to connect to regular yard water hose and Volia instant capacity!

Not to derail your thread Blaster.....I have not found a dry torch I could not burn up easily either.

By MMyers

Date 03-25-2013 16:56

That would keep up fine. You might want a little more than a gallon, but a heater core size radiator (maybe 9" square, and a fan equally as large so you get good air flow across the whole radiator) is the largest I've seen in automated equipment designed for 400 amps continuous duty cycle. For pumps, there's a company called Truhill out in CA that made the pumps that are in the equipment I use. There's also Shurflo and Flojet which both make diaphragm style pumps that I've used for other applications that I think could possibly work for something like this. I bet with some clever rigging you could get this pretty small and not too heavy. Maybe small enough to fit into one of those rolling Coleman coolers.

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 03-26-2013 03:27 Edited 03-26-2013 03:37

well Mike Ya think? I have got those blue coolers and my torch pretty warm before but...that is mostly cause the flow/pressure on that pump was not set correctly from the factory. I am willing to experiment with it for sure. I will tell you an old oversize Ford radiator like off a 300 six equipped truck with a cheap box fan strapped to it and a cheap 110v water pump makes a pretty dang good cooler compared to some factory options. :grin:

If I did this dependent on weight I may just go with like a dolly axle/tires and a handle. Probably a little cage on it all would be a good idea for flying it up where it needs to go. No better way to figure it out then to just do it. Heck I will post some build pictures as soon as I can get some down time to start on one.

300 amp Weld Craft AC?!?! Anybody road tested one of those? Have to be stiff as a marine's p*******R at the strip club I bet!

Blaster have you checked the Pro-Fax catalog yet? I think they may have what your looking for..not 100%

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 03-26-2013 05:00

The Lincoln cooler uses a diaphram type pump like the Shurflow or Flowjet Mike mentioned. These are like a boat or camper freshwater system pump but with a 120 VAC motor.

The commercially made cooler on My TIG machine uses gear pump that operates against a 30-50 PSI relief valve. The 30 PSI range is well within the capacity of the diaphragm pumps mentioned, and I think the flow rate is sufficient.

I used tap water to cool My first TIG before I got a cooler. With a solenoid valve that only flows water when the gas valve flows, the water waste was not an issue. I just ran the discharge into a bucket to test it out, had I rigged a more permanant system I would have used old A/O torch hose, one for feed & the other to the drain. I soon found a cooler I fixed up & used.

By MMyers

Date 03-28-2013 14:48

If your torch is getting hot, see if you can disconnect the hoses off the torch and see if it's clogged. When I set up a job I almost always spend the first day screwing around with getting good water flow because of alge buildup in the tiny little passage ways in my weld heads.

If you go shurflo or flowjet, you will find some 12v options intended to be run off an automotive battery. Not sure if you're doing alot of field work or not, but it's an option.

I went back and double checked some specs. This is probably very over kill for what you're doing, but it's nice to see what's out there. Procon Pumps is the manufacturer who makes the pump in the machines I run the most (hardest and longest, continuous for hours sort of welds), they have a section on their site with pumps that are used for welding applications. The series 1 pump is what is in my machines, it's set for 60 psi and according to the specs it's low end low rate is 15 gpm. If you scroll down, they've got a section called "chillers and heat exchangers". I don't see anything that looks like a chiller or a heat exchanger, but I see a "Mag 2" option which has the pump and the motor shown, and a picture of a guy welding (whatever that means). It looks to have comparable pressure and flow rates to the Series 1 pump.

While you're setting up a system, I'd definitely encourage getting some in-line filters to protect whatever pump you get and keep junk out of the torch body. The Procon pumps have what looks to be a 200 mesh (or there abouts) filters on them. Placing some courser filters in line (like maybe 80 mesh) certainly will help keep the miles down on the finer mesh filter (that you can't see and requires a wrench to get to). The shurflo and flojet pumps are just wide open, they don't have a built in filter. Something like this is all you need: http://www.blowsion.com/products/54-water-filter-inline-38.aspx

And last but not least, when I was shopping for pumps for my personal stuff, eBay was a savior. Really good prices on new or lightly used stuff. Not sure if it's the same way now, but worth maybe checking out.

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 03-28-2013 22:06

Mike on my "homebuilt" rig in my shop I am using a 1" 1 hp vane pump :eek:

I got a good price on it so what the heck....it has way too much pressure so I just use a large valve and return hose for a bypass to set my pressure/flow with. I agree with having screens in the lines because no matter what coolant you use...you always get trash or buildup in there just from added water or pump wear. I am going to check out heater cores when I try this and see what sizes and shapes I can find in stock. I can find all kinds of small reliable fans with pretty good CFM....even some large quality PC fans may do ok. It would sure be nice to use my favorite WC torches out on the next SS pipe job.

By Chris2626 (***)

Date 03-26-2013 01:13

most powerful air cooled I have seen is weld craft 300 amp http://www.weldcraft.com/products/crafter-series/hand-held-air-cooled/ not sure if there is a valve that you can get for it. I have the weld craft WP-26V straight head and also the flex head 200 amp air cooled which I'm using on my syncrowave 250 and i like it a lot. Some guys don't like it because it's just overall a little bigger where the handle is. It came with a ribbed handle which I bought the knurled handle for it to make it a little smaller. http://www.weldcraft.com/products/wp-series/wp-26/

By 2006strat (***)

Date 03-26-2013 02:21

My flex head came with the small handle, i put a bicycle grip on mine. Its easy griped and has lil softer feal to it. In dow you have to tig alot of large bore pipe. Makes it easier when you want to run with it.

By Chris2626 (***)

Date 03-26-2013 12:11

Forgot to add something else, my nephew was screaming to watch his wild krats on youtube here so had to post quickly but anyway the weldcraft straight head is slip on and some reason weldcraft went with a screw on handle with the flexhead with valve and haven't tried it out yet but looks like good quality so hopefully it won't want to unscrew itself as I use it. We sell the CK torches in our store and my boss was gonna sell me one of there flex heads but I didn't like the quality of it, the weldcraft brand just felt like a better quality tog torch in my hands now i'm not gonna lie I'll use all the ck consumables but just didn't like the tig torches themselves. I say go look at there stuff and decide for yourself, i'm just anal retenant and if I'm gonna buy something I'm gonna buy what might be a little better i feel. The CK torches that were a straight head or flex head all used a handle that could slip on. The weldcraft flex head I found it to be a little stiffer and hard to flex it then the ck torch which i felt was better. Anyway just wanted to pass this little bit of info on.

Chris

By 2006strat (***)

Date 03-26-2013 15:36

Some times in this buisness you have to weigh both sides on quality and cost. Not all employers will replace broken tools. They considder tig rig a tool for the welder. Though you might like the quality of one, but the other is cheaper and it will do the same job. That helper or fitter might not give a shizit about your tools and throw or step on them. After couple years in the buisness you will know.

By Chris2626 (***)

Date 03-28-2013 23:06

I understand I just know what I like and use it at home so I bought what I felt was a good product. I just simply want to tell all I can about what I have to maybe help someone else decide on what torch is best for them.