TIG Cup basics
A TIG cup is sometimes called a "tig nozzle".
Welding Sales people or engineers might call it a nozzle but experienced welders call it a "TIG cup".
Standard pink ceramic tig cups are usually what come with a tig torch or tig welding machine...and the torch is usually a 17 style air cooled torch.
Standard tig cups thread onto something called a standard collet body.
There are also gas lens style tig cups that use a gas lens collet body with fine mesh diffuser screens that provide a smoother less turbulent flow of shielding gas.
This video should give you a good idea about the uses of different tig cups
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Some people have also asked...
What is the TIG cup?
A tig cup is also known as a tig nozzle by some.
Most seasoned welders call it a tig cup but some sales people and engineer types sometimes refer to a tig cup as a tig nozzle.
A tig cup is the end piece where the tungsten electrode protrudes.
Tig cups are usually made from ceramic material, but are also available in clear glass like pyrex, quartz, or Borosilicate.
Tig cups are sized in 1/16"s of an inch so a #5 tig cup is 5/16", a #12 cup is 12/16" and so on.
There are different styles and types of tig torches so when ordering tig cups, you need to know what style tig torch you have.
Because a tig cup for a 17 style torch won't necessarily fit a #20 style tig torch.
click image below to shop tig cups and kits
This video will help you know what style torch you have and also which tig cups will fit your torch
What are glass TIG cups used for?
Glass tig cups are used for better visibility.
Not necessarily because of being able to see the arc and puddle right thru the cup, but more because a clear cup is like a light bulb that lights the path of the weld making it easier to see.
I personally started using clear glass tig cups for filming the arc.
we can all see what is going on better than with pink ceramic cups.
But I soon learned that clear cups help me see where I am going better.
With larger cups and longer stick outs, this becomes less of a a factor and I typically use ceramic cups.
What are Pyrex cups used for in TIG welding?
Pyrex is a trademarked brand of Corning and the terms "Pyrex" and
"Borosilicate glass" are often used interchangably.
Pyrex cups can be used for tig welding applications where seeing better is important. (personally, I can usually see much better with a clear cup)
Pyrex cups are not suited well for walking the cup but work very well for certain situations like welding into corners.
Why are TIG welding cups pink?
TIG welding cups are pink because factories add a pink color.
Alumina cups are naturally white but have been colored pink for a long time now.
Some newer specialty cups like furick ceramic jazzy 10, fupa 12, and moose knuckle 14 are white ceramic.
The Real and Original TIG Finger® and XL model
