Tungsten Grinders & Tungsten Sharpeners

TIG welding, otherwise known as GTAW welding, is a method of welding using a tungsten metal electrode. In fact, TIG stands for Tungsten Inert Gas, GTAW standsfor Gas Tungsten Arc Welding.

The key component of TIG welding is the tungsten electrode itself. The electrode is the point where the welding arc, the electric arc that melts the parents material, originates from.

Typically, electrodes are supplied unsharpened. Therefore, they are completely flat at the end.

If left flat the tungsten electrode will be unsuitable for welding. Why? Because the arc will bounce around, it will be very wide & it will not lend itself to a quality weld.

The degree to which a tungsten is ground / sharpened can affect important factors, such as heat affected zone & penetration in to the material that is being welded. For instance, a more severe grind angle like 60 degrees will give a larger heat affected zone than a less severe tungsten grind, such as 15 degrees.

Why do I need a dedicated tungsten grinder?

Many TIG welders will use a power tool such as a bench grinder or angle grinder to sharpen their tungstens. These methods can be flawed and cause inherent issues with tungsten welding electrodes.

Tungsten electrodes must contain minimal contamination to ensure consistent performance. Bench grinding wheels can leave behind trace material which causes imperfections on the TIG welding electrode. Thus causing poor welding performance.

In addition to this, the user must use their own judgment as to the angle of the grind, therefore removing any consistency of grind. Lack of consistency = non repeatable welds.

Tungsten grinders & tungsten sharpeners eliminate these issues. How? by utilising a diamond grinding wheel to sharpen the tungsten & having a settable angle, usually on the grinder head, for the tungsten electrode tip grind.

These factors mean there are many advantages to using a tungsten electrode sharpener instead of conventionally available power tools.

Also, our tungsten grinding machines utilise a sharpener head which allows for minimal wastage of the tungsten. For example, the Inelco Ultima-TIG can sharpen tungstens that are as short as 8MM in length.

It would incredibly difficult for a person to sharpen a tungsten that short using a bench grinder without risking serious injury.

Our Tungsten Electrode Grinders

Welding Supplies Direct offer a wide product range of tungsten grinders / sharpeners. Our range includes hand held versions, such as the Inelco Neutrix, or the Inelco Ultima-TIG which sharpens electrodes from a bench top.

The Ultima-TIG model is perfect for wet grinding of tungstens, which prevents them from overheating. The Neutrix is the ideal "carry around" tungsten sharpener. It is a popular choice with welders who are out in the field, rather than being workshop based. It weighs in at a mere 2.8KG's, which means it can easily be carried from job to job.