Michael D. Porter wrote:
>
> A water-cooled torch is my preference, because I used one for years, but
> they do stay cooler than an air-cooled torch, and for long, continuous
> work, they are clearly better (air-cooled torches seem to be the item
> most often bundled with hobbyist machines which have low duty-cycles).
> Note that a water-cooled torch cannot be readily adapted to a machine
> designed for an air-cooled torch, but it is possible.
I don't think it's difficult but it is expensive. Rough quote was
1000 for the cooling system, 200 for the torch and lead.
Whatever feeds the
> shielding gas solenoid can be used to engage a water solenoid, too. If
> worse comes to worse, one can always use the city water supply with a
> pressure regulator and turn the water supply off by hand (of course, one
> must then remember to shut the supply off, or the water bill goes up).
This seems very attractive to me. It's going to take a while to
run 1000 dollars worth of water through a torch. The other disadvantage
of this system is that the water degrades the lead faster than the
coolant. So you'll be replacing the lead more often. (So I've heard)
Steve Shipley
Seattle, WA
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