Guide
How to choose a tungsten electrode (without overthinking it)
Four decisions cover 95% of purchases: what metal you weld, what current you run, what diameter the amperage needs, and how you want it packed. Everything else is preference.
Decision 1 — base metal sets the family
| You weld… | Start with… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium, magnesium (AC) | WP or WZ8 | AC needs a balled tip; zirconiated holds the ball at higher current |
| Carbon / stainless steel (DC) | WL20 or WT20 | DC wants a pointed, stable emitter; lanthanated is the non-radioactive default |
| Thin sheet, low amps (DC) | WC20 | Ceriated starts at the lowest voltage — fewer sputters on thin gauge |
| Stainless / nickel, mixed jobs | WL15 / WL20 | One family across DC and occasional AC keeps the counter simple |
| Critical precision DC joints | WY20 | Tightest arc at high current, lowest erosion (made to order) |
Decision 2 — current type confirms it
AC → balled-tip types (WP, WZ8). DCEN → pointed-tip types (WC20, WL, WT20, WY20). If your machine does both and jobs vary weekly, WL20 is the pragmatic single stock item.
Decision 3 — diameter follows amperage, not “bigger is better”
A rod too thick for the current wanders and starts badly; a rod too thin erodes and spits tungsten. Use the diameter & length tables and match diameter to your typical amperage band — then buy that size in quantity and keep one spare size for edge cases.
Decision 4 — packing decides your real cost
10 pcs tube boxes suit retail and benches; 20 pcs shop boxes cut handling in production; OEM printed boxes carry your brand, barcode and SKU into retail. Neutral export packing is our default and adds nothing to the price. Details on the packaging & OEM page.
The three buying mistakes we see every month
Running WP on DC steel
It “works” until the ball migrates and the arc wanders mid-seam. DC steel is lanthanated or ceriated territory.
Stocking only red tip
One compliance-driven customer or insurer letter and the whole counter needs replacing. Keep a conversion line (grey or blue) in stock before you are forced to.
Buying 6.4 mm “to be safe”
Thick rods at low current start worse and waste money. Diameter is an amperage decision — check the table, not the instinct.
Still torn between two types?
Send both candidate types, your metal, thickness and amperage to Tockson by WhatsApp or via the quote form. You will get a straight recommendation — including “the cheaper one is fine here” when it is true.
Send your electrode list today
Type, diameter × length, quantity and packing — mixed sizes welcome. You get a specification-confirmed quotation with lead time, normally within 24 hours.