Metal Fabrication Shop Owner

by Brad
(USA)

We do all sorts of welding, mostly stainless and aluminum from 1/2" down to 20 gauge sheet metal. I am the primary welder at my shop as we are a small, new company and I do not have a welder I trust to do most of the parts we make. I have been welding for about 16 years. I have been TIG welding professionally for about 5 years.

I personally do not find a $200 or up tungsten grinder of any value in what my company does.

Although we do some small welds that require precision, I still use a drill and a grinder or sander to sharpen my tungsten.

I put the tungsten in a drill (to spin it giving a uniform point) and guide it with my hand, hearing gloves and face shield of course.

I mostly use 3 tungsten sizes (1/16"-3/32"-1/8") I can get very uniform and VERY sharp points doing it this way.

I do like using a diamond wheel for 2 reasons.

1. they do not where down as fast as a stone or sander belt/wheel when grinding tungsten.

2. they tend to make it a bit easier to get a sharp point, as stones and larger grit sanders tend to break off the fine points. Although with the right stone wheel or sander and some practice you can get basically the same results as a diamond wheel.

I do plan on making a diamond wheel sharpener in the future for my shop. It will basically be a motor of some sort (angle grinder probably) with a diamond wheel mounted on it.

Then it will be mounted for ease of use.


I am in no hurry to do this as my method now works well and I do not NEED to change it but I do feel it will make life easier to have a diamond wheel to sharpen on but can not justify buying an expensive "tungsten sharpener" to fill this convenience.

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I'm with you bro.

jody @ welding tips and tricks