How many TIG ceramic cups have you broken?

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Hey guys,So I've been having some bad luck lately with the pink ceramic gas cups for my TIG torch at work.I've overheated a few, dropped one, coworker bumped me while i was welding, rammed the whole gun into the work piece...so all said and done from 3 weeks ago I've broken 5-7 of those things, my boss is getting a little angry.Now we recently discovered our water cooler for the TIG torch wasn't working, so I fixed that I attributed the overheated cups breaking to the fact that the torch got too hot to hold a few times (thick aluminum job), but how ****ing fragile are these things? and are there better kinds that aren't as fragile? and could it be the brand of cup? because before working for the state I used to Tig every day, 10 hours a day, 6 days a week for 2 years at a job site, i maybe went through 1 the whole time i worked there. This problems got me beat, any suggestions would be awesome, I've become the butt of a few funny jokes at work over this, like im using the torch to lasso  people, and just generally being careless about it when i am everything butMiller Spoolmate 200 w/t S-52 WirefeederMM 211'09 Miller Trailblazer 302
Reply:Are you sure the cup isn't getting to close to your gas lense? They can be close then when you get on a t- joint type weld can get real hot and it can expand into the gas lense and somthing must give. Get a different or another white insulator. I had the same problem. I was braking them left and right until I did some investigation.
Reply:Ive never had a problem with overheating causing them to break, used the same size 8 cup for months welding up to 240 amps dc walking tge cup, broken a few whacking them on various things, Sent from my LG-P716 using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by Ian Duffinso all said and done from 3 weeks ago I've broken 5-7 of those things, my boss is getting a little angry.
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyveromG!!!!! that's like 30 cents a day how DARE youtell your boss to gobble a big one lol Buy a different brand. I buy mine on ebay, im sure they're chinese. They're shorter than the 'merican ones and they are surprisingly tough. They usually last me like half a year before they break.
Reply:I've only broken one in the last 2 years or so. And that one was because of my own mistake. I use all Weldcraft consumables.-DoogieMiller 350PMiller Trailblazer 325 EFI w/ Excel PowerLincoln LN25 suitcase welderXMT 304/22a feederMiller Syncrowave 350LXMiller EconotigHobart Handler 140(2) Uni-Hydro 42-14Hypertherm 65 plasmaWEBB Gap bed lathe
Reply:In 10 years time I've never lost one.  I have dropped and bumped them around.  I've tig'd in the shop at a bench and in the field off of the rig doing scratch start.  I do stick with Lincoln and Miller products and consumables which always seem to have better quality.Lincoln Weldanpower A/C 225 D/C 210 /6kw auxiliary (code 9113 & 9108)Lincoln Weld Pak 100 MigMiller Maxstar 150 TigLincoln Scratch Tig 200 ampMiller 8-VS Suitcase Flux CoreHypertherm Powermax 30Victor Torches / Regulators
Reply:You can have the best parts in the world but if there setup wrong or mismatched they won't work
Reply:My welder came with 1 each of 3 sizes, broke the #6 first thing. (dropped torch). Went to lws & bought "1", broke it soon thereafter. (banged against table). Went back & bought 6, havent broken one since, like in 4 years. -c-What is the sound of one knee jerking?
Reply:Originally Posted by cornemuseMy welder came with 1 each of 3 sizes, broke the #6 first thing. (dropped torch). Went to lws & bought "1", broke it soon thereafter. (banged against table). Went back & bought 6, havent broken one since, like in 4 years. -c-
Reply:I am out of fingers and toes to count any higher......zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyveromG!!!!! that's like 30 cents a day how DARE youtell your boss to gobble a big one lol Buy a different brand. I buy mine on ebay, im sure they're chinese. They're shorter than the 'merican ones and they are surprisingly tough. They usually last me like half a year before they break.
Reply:Ian: you could have just a bad batch of cups, try getting some weldcrafts from arc zone or another site. The cups are so cheap buy a box or two.
Reply:Originally Posted by That Guy ThereIan: you could have just a bad batch of cups, try getting some weldcrafts from arc zone or another site. The cups are so cheap buy a box or two.
Reply:Originally Posted by walkerWouldnt a "1" be an 1/16" cup?
Reply:I think he meant "1" as in he purchased 1 piece, not size 1.Mike ZanconatoZanconato Custom Cycles @mzank on Instagram
Reply:couple years ago i was popping the ends off left and right, went through like 3 in a day. 17 size torch with medium gas lens and #7 with spacer.i finally changed the spacer and quit screwing them on so tight. . . .all better ever since.bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:Originally Posted by Ian DuffinThat was my thought, they break like nothing, its actually kinda sad, anyone try those Pyrex cups? any better?
Reply:I think I've only broken one in my 5 years of tigging. I was a total noobie to tig, and I had been stick welding, and I forgot to switch the polarity from DCEP to DCEN and I stomped on the pedal and about 1/2" of the tungsten instantly vaporized and the cup broke and it made a loud noise that scared the crap out of me!
Reply:I had a boss like that, so I bought my own for 1.35/piece and told him to shut up. I had access to a wide variety of sizes for walking the cup, and could change out as needed without having to hear his mouth. I have broke five a week, then gone a few months on one. The Chinese ones are ok, they got sharp edges and are sometimes out of round, but you can sand them up, and get them cheap in big kits. The pink ones are the most durable, the pyrex ones are so delicate its ridiculous. A gas lens helps alot, I put my own on for $20.Constant Current Weldor.
Reply:Never broke one but I am sure one day I will, The china cups are surprisingly well made.
Reply:Nothing else to add, heat, ceramic and impact=kaplow! They are dirt cheap and it happens. I could go 6 months without breaking one, or break 3 in a week. They are cheap so no biggie.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Yeah, and in the cramped closet of a shop that we have its really easy to bump into someone and **** it up! I think i was using too small of a cup for the welding i was doing, it was a number 7 on that aluminum i was talking about, the tungsten ball started to like, idk vibrate with the hertz of the AC, then popped and so did the cup end, kinda scared me!Miller Spoolmate 200 w/t S-52 WirefeederMM 211'09 Miller Trailblazer 302
Reply:Originally Posted by zankI think he meant "1" as in he purchased 1 piece, not size 1.