sanding vs diamond sharpener

by Roy
(Oregon)

Ive been TIG welding for about 18 years from home shops to BF Goodrich Aerospace on plane parts. Most shops dont have a diamond wheel, too spendy and easy to mess up. Most of my welding is on thin metals and I do see a difference in arc stability and control on very thin gauge metals. But it is a slight difference. If you sharpen to a nice clean point properly either way works. But, if you do use a diamond sharpener, please please clean any other metal off your tungsten with a sander or grinding wheel before you use the diamond wheel. Stainless boogers on a tungsten will gum up a diamond wheel. And dont press hard, let the diamonds do the work, the more pressure you use the faster the wheel wears out. Just my 2 cents.
By the way Jody, great vids! Ive learned a couple new tricks here myself...

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