Micro TIG welders

[ddmckee54]

Shawn:

Once I was finally able to convince Google Translate to actually TRANSLATE, I went through that thread. That welder appears to be much better than the Sparkle welder, but then it's almost twice the price. It appears to have a retractable electrode similar to the Orion and Sunstone. All of the electrodes seem to be touching the work when the pulse is fired, do all of them scratch start the arc?

Don

[Krewmember]

I think so, from what I have seen Orion, Sunstone and Lampert welders all use the some process. Touch the tungsten to start the current flowing and then retract and quickly increase the current simultaneously to create arc, so maybe something like a lift arc or lift start welder. It may be better and cheaper just to get a small high frequency start tig machine and run at low amps and use the smallest tungstens you can get (I believe you can get 1/16" and 0.040") to keep the arc small and then just start and stop creating a chain tack welds without filler rod just like the "jewelry welders" do. it's looks like a cheap high frequency dc machine can be had for about $250 - $300. I however do not any tig welding experience so take what I just said for what it's worth.


-Shawn-

[Blender]

Originally Posted by ddmckee54

Shawn:

Once I was finally able to convince Google Translate to actually TRANSLATE, I went through that thread. That welder appears to be much better than the Sparkle welder, but then it's almost twice the price. It appears to have a retractable electrode similar to the Orion and Sunstone. All of the electrodes seem to be touching the work when the pulse is fired, do all of them scratch start the arc?

Don

Sunstone says the default ignition retracts the electrode at the same time the arc fires. There is an option to have the arc fire after the electrode has retracted. The final setting is "pre heat" which sounds like a combination of the two with a smaller discharge when retraction starts, then the main discharge after retraction occurs.

Initiation can be automatic from workpiece contact or a manual foot pedal

No idea how critical any of this is.