Metal Cased Tig Cups

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Thursday I went to the LWS to pick up 50# of 3/32" Atom Arc 7018 for a job and some Weldcraft #6 cups for a #17 tig torch, for home, a box of 10 was $13, they also gave me a box of #6 cups that are metal jacketed. The LWS has expanded greatly in the past few years, buying out small welding stores in NY, VT and PA, after they inventory the store, all odd or discontinued stock gets sent back to the main hub in Syracuse, where they sort through it and either find a user or buyer, or sell it for next to nothing. These cup were part of a store stock that got sent back, they have no idea who the user was or where they came from. I would think they were used in a mechanized tig process, but as I've never seen them used I don't know, has anyone here ever used or seen them before? they were handed to me and said used or throw then away, they have a few more boxes of them.Jack Attached ImagesLast edited by platypus20; 05-03-2008 at 05:22 PM.
Reply:Hu...Got me?Me!
Reply:If I wire wheel a cup, it looks like the ones you have.  The pink comes off and it has a metallic look.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:David,these are metal jacketed, attached is a pic of one being picked up with a magnet.jack Attached Images
Reply:I can recall reading about those a couple of months ago, but for the life of me can't remember where or exactly what they were used for. I checked the weldcraft catalog and they don't show them.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:These were used on robotic welding applications to prevent electomanetic interference from causing the torch from going off track from interference.First on jet engine compressor sections that were tack welded.. This my best knowledge of it but you can check with the American Welding Society archives if you have a new computer.Does the metal shield spin around on the outside of the cup?i ask that because ceramics do expand slightly.
Reply:Donald,No, the metal cover is tight to the cup, and its appears to a form of steel tubing (no visible seam).Jack
Reply:I wonder how well they'd hold up to cup walking.  Sometimes, a cup can get slick and difficult to walk without it sliding.  Maybe these will prevent that.Maybe it's there to keep spatter off the cup.
Reply:I would say if the cup expands a little the metal will expand with it.  Just use them, they seem to have some additional strength to them and will most likely last.  I accidentally tightened a cup and week and the cup cracked and went into the weld bead.  This was after running 3 - 4 beads on some 1/4" MS.Build a Barstool Racer at BarFlyRacers.com!
Reply:What you have there is a great find, as I've been unable to find a manufacturer that makes those any more. We used to buy those from Weldcraft, but they quit making them, those jacketed cups take the heat a lot better than the standard cups. Weldcraft makes the HPN nozzles but they don't come close to lasting as long as the metal jacket versions. I've got two customers that ask me every time I see them if I've found another source, how about it? anybody got a source for me? I've checked with the following manufacturers:WeldcraftTEC TorchCK TorchESABBinzelThanks!