The first way Kevin recommends to get into an angle you normally can’t reach is to simply extend your tungsten a little bit more than usual and turn up your flow rate on your regulator. A little more gas flow will help you get better coverage.
Another thing that will help is to take off the usual number 7 cup and put a number 5 or even a number 4. Kevin then shows a number 5 compared to a number 7 cup and how the 5 fits down into that tight angle so much better.
Kevinthen shows an even better method: he removes the cup, collet and tungsten as well as the ring. He puts on a flatter version of the ring, adds a stubby gas lens, the tungsten and a really small cup, and tightens everything. Now things are smaller still and it gives you a better angle, too.
Now Kevin shows the best way to do it: use a micro torch from CK. It has no problem at all getting into that angle. The one he’s showing is gas cooled, so it’s good up to about 70 amps. You can also get a water cooled version, which is good up to about 120 or 130 amps so you can really push some power through it.
Kevin puts on his welding safety equipment and fires up his Everlast PowerTIG 255EXT. He has it set at about 90 amps and he’s using the foot pedal. He runs a quick bead up the inside joint.
While he was welding, Kevin also thought about approach that might help: use some scrap to make a dam to block off one end of joint to keep air from blowing in there and keep your argon contained.
You just have to play with it – starting with scrap! Then work on your actual project.
Well, you might want to stick around to see how his big fingers help with precision work ….