Welding Tips and Tricks

During my weld class this morning, taught by Professor Nils, I discovered a new little detail of what I am doing wrong. I noticed, while sitting at my weld table, just about chest high, and leaning over to see my tip, I tend to lean on my hands somewhat. This tendency makes it more difficult to slide my hand as I move the puddle along, making it jerk and lunge slightly instead of gliding. My feedhand also is restricted somewhat by this. Now I am trying to devise ways to mitigate this situation and still be able to see what I'm doing. I consider this one of my major problems in the TIG process. My gloves are a very soft deer skin and work the rod great, but they don't slide very well on the smooth stainless surface of my table. Yeah TigFinger! Thanks Jody. The TigFinger slides very easy as long as I'm not putting weight on it.

Yep, that's right up there with "death-grip syndrome". Subconciously putting weight on your hand(s) to keep your body steady. Like DGS, I don't realilze I'm doing it until it begins to interfere with my movement.

The more aware you are of it, the faster you catch it when you do it, and through habit, I rarely do it now, unless in a very awkward position where I tend to "shake" a bit.

Steve S

Otto , You and the previous poster both bring up a great point. I to have noticed myself doing the death grip and then having that same problem you talked about when its time to move. Maybe by putting myself in a better position I will not have to lean in as much to the work leading to the death grip on the torch etc... this all leading to the problem at hand. Its amazing what reading other peoples scenerios can do. like a goes on and you realize some of problems you have been having all seems to make sense now.

We all have little things stand in our way that we're sometimes not even aware of. Reading the experience of others does help us see these things.

Just one of many things that give value to a forum like this!

At my last job I was primarily MIG welding and that is where I got my start on TIG. A guy I worked with said it all came down to making yourself comfortable. I too grip the torch too tight ........I am trying to consciously have a looser grip on the torch............for me it makes a big difference!!!

I have gas / arc / mig welded since age 15 & got on well - but only just got into TIG ( aged 50 & eyesight not what it used to be ! ) as previously most of my welding was outdoor repairs on earth moving / agricultural equipement - I have the same problems your having with keeping steady & not being too tense - don't think there is a quick fix for it ! I did find 1 thing that helped - I have a load of off cuts of " Paxolin " & " Toughnell" ( also known as phenolic laminate - it's like printed circuit board but thicker ) in assorted thicknesses from 1/4" up to 2" - I lay a piece of that down either on the bench or workpiece & find it resists heat transfer & is very smooth / shiny allowing the hand to slide quite easily on it - it's also usefull when clamping down stainless as it does'nt mark it ( been doing boat hand rails & they always want them mirror polished. The question I'd like to ask without causing offense ! watching Jody Tig is like watching a robot - he never touches the tungsten on the job & never gets filler rod on the tungsten - is he like the coolest ever welder with the worlds steadiest hand & eyesight better than mine or does that get edited out - or slightly less likely is he related to " Bishop of Weyland Industries" from the fillm Aliens ? !!!!

One thing that has been helping me lately (even though not welding related) I am a heavy equipment operator (local 150) and Im currently trying to get my crane license, for those of you have never run a crane finness brings on a whole new meaning! So grabing a handful of the controls like an animal just creates more of a snowball effect on trying to smoothly place a load at a destination. So alot like crane work, tig welding is a finess I think we all could agree on that, and to compare the two your using your eyes, hands, and feet to do the job of both. With that being said Im kinda getting double training lately with the whole smooth eye, hand, foot corridination thing.So hopefuly my trade will help with my hobby or vise versa. The crane thing is going well so far, now if I can only get my tig techinique to come around a little better.

noddybrian, I have actually seen the guru touch the electrode slightly. Robot, knaw, but he does seem to possess extraordinary dexterity. His eye/hand movement is very precise in whatever he's doing, fitting up, measuring, cleaning, welding. I've seen other tradesman with the same skill in movement, but the numbers are very few. Smooth is a gifted talent to some and a goal for others.

<<<< guilty of the death grip more often then even i know.....especially on ally where i need to git up an go