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Hi Kennyp, As the other posters pointed out 3/16" is way too large. I only like 3/32" for 99% of my Tig work with 1/8" for AL welding only. 1/16" is very easy to bend as when you "stick" it or it'll break. You'll do that a few times when you first get started learning Tig. How you sharpen your tungsten determines what kind of arc is produced at the tip. Using 3/32", I tapper the last 3/8" to a very sharp point as this gives the best arc stability. Let it protrude 1/4" to 5/16" past the cup lip. This gives you a very adaquote visual on your arc. 3/32" works well down to 30ga metal and unlimited thickness. I break the tungsten in half then sharpen both ends. Score a line with the becnh grinder before breaking. I use a piece of 1/2"CU pipe 7" long with two CU ends caps, Tig tack weld one cap leaving the other loose, for a great tugnsten holder. I use one for each type and size of tungsten to keep them seperate. Argon makes the best all around cover gas and is the cheapest. Mixed gases cost about twice more and have an advantage when welding some metals but for home shops it's not needed. You'll want about 10cfh or approx 3psi. Use your cheek to test gas flow, hold the torch close (NOT touching LOL) and you should feel a gentle gas flow on your cheek. That is if your inside a shop, outside takes what ever gas it takes to over come the breeze. Purge gas should be 1/3 flow of the cover gas. A #7 cup is the best all around cup size. Only when I'm welding pipe do I use a different Tig set up. I'll cover that another time. A HF box is not needed nor required for 90% of Tig work but if you have one use it as it makes starting a weld puddle easy with less tungsten contamination. There's alot of other uses for a HF (high frequency) control that I won't cover here. Be sure and preclean your weld zone with a SS wire wheel 1/2" on either side of the weld, to white metal. The wire wheel will grab when you hit the white metal base. Besure to use all glass lens for your welding hood both colored glass and clear glass. While Tig welding you will see the double weld puddle I've talked about in the past from using plastic lens caused from distortion. T_Bone
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