Is price the major factor in the Tungsten you use?

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Since I got my welder hooked up I have quickly burned up the handful of consumables I picked up at the LWS and need to replenish.I have been reading many posts about the different types but have only had my limited experience with the Thoriated.I would like to have just one type on hand that I can use for everything (al,ss,ms) and it seems from the reading I have done many members use either Thoriated or Lanthanated for all.My Lincoln welding book seems to list the Lantanated as good or better than the Thoriated but with out any of the health risks associated to the Thoriated.My question is if you could buy Lanthanated for the the same price as Thoriated would you pick the Lanthanated or does the Thoriated simply work better for you? Being a newbie I would hate to buy a bunch of stuff I can't make work or make my learning curve steeper.TIASrLincoln Squarewave 255Miller Coolmate IIISpeedway 320Lots of melted mess so far
Reply:my  experience is the price seems to br similar for the different types, and increases with the diamter. i pay around  $3 for a 3/32 lanth which is similar to a 3/32 thor, but  either in 1/8 is 2-3 times that. i have settled on lanth because it seems to be as well liked as thor but no particles being emitted..
Reply:It doesn't matter how much I pay for the tungsten when I dip it.I have tired them all except the  blended ones.  They all seem to pretty much work the same.  I buy them on line because my LWS has 2 kinds .... red and green.  Both are double what I can buy them elsewhere.  Gold seems to work the best, but its all pretty much the same for me.Right now I have some red, some black and some gold.  I prefer the gold, but it all welds.Smaller IS cheaper, quicker and easier to sharpen.  Sometimes I use larger because I can see the point better and this keeps me from dipping it as often.Wat ever you are using, 2% is 2% weather you pay $20.00 for a pack or $60.00.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:I use the red tungs I got for free when my old job shut down.   I got a whole tool box drawer packed full of them, so I will be using reds for quite awhile...  Free is always good. MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:I just bought a bunch of tungstens from welders4less on ebay cheap prices they combined shipping and shipped real fast, I would buy from them again..
Reply:Great, thanks guys!My local LWS is at least 3x the money of some of the on line places I have seen on ebay, etc but wasn't sure if there was a difference in quality or?Lincoln Squarewave 255Miller Coolmate IIISpeedway 320Lots of melted mess so far