When TIG welding, once you’ve selected the right tungsten for the job, the next step is to prepare it for the weld.

Before you start, make sure to prep the end of the tungsten that isn’t coloured. Tungstens are colour coded so that you can tell which is which, as they’re otherwise almost identical in appearance.

Preparing Your Tungsten

There are several ways that a tungsten can be prepped for a weld, and they each produce different results.

A balled tip is usually recommended if you are using a pure or zirconiated tungsten and welding aluminium. This is an easy shape to make as you can set your machine to AC, turn it on, and the tungsten will automatically form a ball on the tip.

A point is the most common tungsten shape used to weld stainless and mild steel. This produces a focused and stable arc and works for all DC applications. To get the pointed shape, you’ll need a tungsten grinder or a bench grinder. We recommend using a dedicated diamond wheel as well.

Press your tungsten vertically to the grinder at a 30° angle and rotate consistently until a point has formed.

For a truncated or flat tip, follow the same preparation as a pointed tip, but once you’ve made the point, grind the tip so that you get a flat top.

It’s essential to grind with the tungsten’s grain (lengthwise) and not against it (horizontal).

This is important because it lowers the number of ridges in the tungsten’s point. More ridges mean more surface for the arc to cover, which increases your chances of the arc wandering or the tip melting off. Your tip will also stay sharper for longer.

In our quick video guide, we’re prepping a 2.4mm gold lanthanated tungsten to have a 30° point.