Welding Tips and Tricks

It is my understanding that on some of the new Inverter machines you can stick weld using the TIG foot pedal to control amperage.............anyone ever do this ???

I've stick-welded with a dedicated TIG machine. An eighth-inch collet will hold an eighth in rod just fine. Don't need gas, of course. Same for 3/32 rod and collets.

I did not have the luxury of a remote amp control, though, so I can't speak to the possible benefits from experience.

My thoughts are: With a 1/8" 7018 for example, I never weld below 105A or above 120A, so that is a very narrow window of heat to control. It seems impractical, unless you make some modifications in the foot-pedal circuitry (not too challenging) where the pedal becomes the top portion of a voltage-divider, so that zero pedal is, say, 80% of full current and full pedal is 100%.

A typical foot-pedal has a 1Kohm potentiometer. If this were replaced with a 100 ohm pot. in series with a 900 ohm resistor (yes, electronic buffs, I know that's not a standard size--it's an example) on the "ground" side, then when the machine is set for 100A, the pedal would vary the current between 90 and 100.

I'm not sure there would be a practical advantage, though, as it adds a level of complexity to stick-welding that it hasn't seemed to need.

I'll be interested in what others have to say.

Steve S.

Hello guys, iam a new here, and I dont speak english so good, but i hope
that you can understand even a half what i am trying to say.

I am a welder in northern europe, we use remote controls allways when we weld with stick welder.
We have a remote control in other hand and a stick holder in other, so we can change amperage when we weld.
This is very usefull especially when welding, a 2mm thin stainless steel pipes.
Personally I wouldnt weld anything without a remote controll.

I hope that you understand what i am trying to say here
I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Your English is just fine. Better than some native speakers (writers) in fact.

Hey there,

I have seen pictures of using remotes in one hand while stick welding. Mainly in catalogs of esab and sandvik. May i say that it takes stick welding skill to a whole new level. My hat comes off to you, sir.

Mick

Well thank you very much for your compliment, but I really think that I have a lot of learning, in speaking and writing english

I just cant understand why remote contols are not used worldwide.
It improves welding quality, and makes it a lot easier to weld.
Just cant see no reason why not to use it.

I have a CC/CV multiprocess welder. For CC (constant current SMAW or Stick) there are two settings. 1) With foot pedal and 2) Without foot pedal. I don't have a foot pedal, even for TIG welding. I use scratch start or lift start for TIG or GTAW. My understanding is that on my welder CC-Foot Pedal only controls the arc on and off. That is, there is no amperage adjustment. I understand that the same 14-pin connector can accept a rheostat that would control the amperage remotely from 20 amps below the machine setting up to the machine setting. I think that would be great if you were up on a ladder or scaffold and can't position the welder near you. I don't weld that regularly and I have gotten somewhat used to controlling the weld using travel speed and arc length. Having the foot pedal would probably really confuse me. I admire those guys who are true artists and can manage all the variables, welding upside down in cold blowing wind and make it look perfect.

Have seen Tig, Stick & even Mig done with a foot pedal remote. In most cases, the machine doesn't know what type of remote you're using - it sees contact closure telling the arc to start & then looks at the remote voltage reference to control the output. The benefit? I've seen some pretty nice tail-outs ... And some awesome aluminum Mig welds made with a foot pedal. The trick was to keep the remote constant or steady throughout the weld & back off during the crater. This was on a Fronius unit ... And it made some nice welds.

Some new equipment may not allow it. Depending on the unit, manufacturers will sometimes ignore a remote in Stick mode or will limit functionality. In the old days, machines were toggles & relays ... But today's machines use software to control just about everything.

I cant understand everything you say. Machines we use in europe have finger remotes, that works from 0-100 % and you can change amperage just how you want while you weld.
The benefits are great, personally I wouldnt weld without a remote. Especially if I have to weld open root weld, pipe welds, stainless steel.. etc.
I havent got a change to use a foot pedal. I weld at factories and I havent ever even seen one and I dont know how it works.
Welding machines that I have used are made by Kemppi, Esab and Fronius.
Great machines all, but best stick welder I know is Kemppi, especially Kemppi minarcs.