The collet and collet body hold the tungsten in place and need to match its diameter exactly. A worn or incorrectly sized collet allows the tungsten to shift slightly during welding, which affects arc stability in ways that are easy to blame on technique when the actual cause is a consumable that needs replacing. CK Worldwide and Furick are two of the ranges we stock here,  [[https://code.stephenscity.gov/index.php/User:EldenMacaluso0|Tec Products Ltd]] and these are inexpensive parts, but neglected ones cause a disproportionate amount of frustration at the torch.

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.

Abrasive discs look interchangeable on a shelf but perform very differently depending on what they're made from and what they're used on. Cutting discs are generally thin, designed to slice through material quickly with minimal heat build-up, while grinding discs are thicker and shaped to remove material from a surface or clean up a weld, rather than cut all the way through it.

Plasma cutting uses a jet of ionised gas, usually compressed air, forced through a nozzle at high speed and heated by an electric arc to a temperature hot enough to melt through electrically conductive metal. The molten material is then blown clear by the same jet, leaving a narrow, clean cut. Unlike oxy-fuel cutting, plasma works on any conductive metal, including stainless steel and aluminium, not just carbon steel. Hypertherm is the plasma cutting brand we get asked about most, and it's worth understanding the basics before comparing specific units.

A gas lens sits in place of the standard collet body and uses a fine mesh to straighten the shielding gas flow into a smoother, more laminar stream around the arc. This generally allows a longer stick-out from the cup without turbulence pulling in surrounding air, which is particularly useful when working in tighter joints or awkward positions where the torch needs to sit further back from the work.

The abrasive material itself matters as much as the shape. Discs formulated for steel typically contain aluminium oxide, while stainless steel usually calls for an inox-rated disc that's free from iron, sulphur and chlorine contaminants that could otherwise cause surface corrosion on the stainless. Aluminium and other soft, non-ferrous metals need their own dedicated abrasives too, since standard steel discs tend to clog quickly and produce a poor finish on softer materials.