TIG welding relies on a handful of small consumable parts inside the torch that have an outsized effect on how the arc behaves. The tungsten electrode itself doesn’t melt into the weld; it simply carries the arc, and different tungsten types, distinguished by their alloying elements, suit different current types and materials. Getting the wrong tungsten for the job typically shows up as arc wander or poor arc starts long before it shows up anywhere else.
Keeping a stock of the right tungsten types, collets and gas lens sizes for the work you do avoids a lot of avoidable downtime, and it’s the sort of consumables range worth sourcing from a specialist supplier like https://google-pluft.nl/forums/viewtopic.php?id=242999.
If you’re weighing up options for your own workshop, from portable units to fixed installations, it’s worth talking through the layout with a supplier who stocks a range of systems, such as https://google-pluft.nl/forums/viewtopic.php?id=242999.
The practical difference comes down to what a machine can draw and sustain. A single-phase supply has a ceiling on how much continuous power it can deliver before tripping breakers or overloading domestic wiring, which is why the highest-output welding and cutting equipment is frequently three-phase only, or offers noticeably better duty cycle performance when run on three-phase. For workshops without an existing three-phase supply, bringing one in usually means an electrician and, in some cases, an application to the local distribution network operator.
Getting the air supply, cutting capacity and portability right for your workshop is easier with some guidance up front, and that’s the kind of buying question the team at https://google-pluft.nl/forums/viewtopic.php?id=242999 are set up to help with.
Space and power supply are the other two practical constraints worth checking early. Confirming that a chosen machine will run comfortably from the electrical supply actually available in the workshop, and that there’s room to work safely around it with materials laid out, avoids the common mistake of buying a machine that then can’t be used the way it was intended.
