Welding Tips and Tricks

I bought a new Dynasty 200 DX with a finger control, but I can see now that maybe a foot control would have served me better. It seems that moving the finger tip wheel back and forth leads to unwanted hand movement when I am trying to hold a steady hand. Any thoughts on foot control vs. finger control?

Chuck

Chuck,
You summed it up when you said the finger control causes unwanted movement. It has a place but for everyday use at a bench, I'll take a foot control any day. I have both and seldom use the finger control.

I'm curious to know if anybody has tried the spring loaded ones from CK. They looked like they would be easier to use since they return to zero more like a trigger. I just haven't had $170 extra cash to find out.

Len

Braehill wrote:Chuck,
You summed it up when you said the finger control causes unwanted movement. It has a place but for everyday use at a bench, I'll take a foot control any day. I have both and seldom use the finger control.

I'm curious to know if anybody has tried the spring loaded ones from CK. They looked like they would be easier to use since they return to zero more like a trigger. I just haven't had $170 extra cash to find out.

Len

Hi Len,

Yeah,...I believe that to learn best practices, I'd better use the best equipment for the situation. Most of my welding will be at a bench.

Thanks for your response,..

It all depends on your dexterity and how well you forge your muscle memory. Even though I am a hobbyist, I plan to get a hand amp control (not sure if I want the slider, or the rotary type). Been playing guitar for 23 years, and my left hand dexterity in my fingers is awesome.

For most work, I can see foot control being the more sensible choice, unless you're lying sideways inside a roll-cage, partly upside down trying to get to a joint. In that situation I can see a hand amp control having some benefit.

Bare handed I would do just fine with hand control, and I spend too much time thinking about a glove that would feel less like a boxing glove. Foot throttle is something I'm very familiar with. It works well for me. I've not used a wireless remote. If it's like my garage door remote, you can keep it! less dependable than a $50. truck!

As stated, for bench work the foot-pedal wins, hands-down.

There are cases where a torch-mount remote is very usefull, though. I'd go with a slider in this case, as the rotaries are cumbersome to operate in a circumstance awkward enough to preclude a pedal in the first place.

At work, the thumb remotes are rotaries, and I will go WAY out of my way to find a way to use a pedal before I use the thumb control. The slider is less awkward to operate when you're standing on your head...

As for the wireless models, I have an idea for one that operates on watch batteries embedded in something like an athlete's mouth-guard, that starts/adjusts with jaw pressure. Naturally, it would be called, "Gotta Hold Your Mouth Right".

Steve S

Chuck,
I would have to agree that a foot pedal is best for bench work and finger control for field work. I actually use both almost equally. I do a lot of small widgets where the finger control works best but when I am doing precise SS of Titanium work I use the foot pedal. If you were to ask my favorite I would have to say the finger control. I have used all the different kinds and personally have the rotary amperage control, RCC-14 and LS1712R that came on my Diversion. I absolutely love the torch on the Diversion (this torch is no longer offered on new Diversion). It is all in what you are most comfortable with. For the beginner I highly suggest going with the foot pedal and when you are comfortable with that, move up to a finger control. Also I would advise against the rotary as they are cumbersome and take some getting use to.
2 cents
-Jonathan

Thanks for all the input, this is great stuff! I will pick up a foot pedal tomorrow, and continue my quest of learning tig welding. I remember from 25 years ago, getting a tip from a guy regarding vertical stick up hill,..just that one statement from him made me a better welder, and I feel that this forum is a wealth of knowledge.

I ordered my foot control this morning,..the folks over at Airgas here in Fairbanks are great to work with!

Otto Nobedder wrote:As stated, for bench work the foot-pedal wins, hands-down.

There are cases where a torch-mount remote is very usefull, though. I'd go with a slider in this case, as the rotaries are cumbersome to operate in a circumstance awkward enough to preclude a pedal in the first place.

At work, the thumb remotes are rotaries, and I will go WAY out of my way to find a way to use a pedal before I use the thumb control. The slider is less awkward to operate when you're standing on your head...

As for the wireless models, I have an idea for one that operates on watch batteries embedded in something like an athlete's mouth-guard, that starts/adjusts with jaw pressure. Naturally, it would be called, "Gotta Hold Your Mouth Right".

Steve S

Many years ago when I had only an ac stick I bought a loader someone had welded the bucket pins in place. It had a broken cutting edge. I went to the best welder I knew, asked if he could weld upside down. He replied "for a few minutes, then the blood flows to my head, and I get all confused."

Charles_Karl wrote:Thanks for all the input, this is great stuff! I will pick up a foot pedal tomorrow, and continue my quest of learning tig welding. I remember from 25 years ago, getting a tip from a guy regarding vertical stick up hill,..just that one statement from him made me a better welder, and I feel that this forum is a wealth of knowledge.

I ordered my foot control this morning,..the folks over at Airgas here in Fairbanks are great to work with!

Chuck,
Just a hint to you, check eBay before you buy anything locally....
No matter what.

~John

AKweldshop wrote:

Charles_Karl wrote:Thanks for all the input, this is great stuff! I will pick up a foot pedal tomorrow, and continue my quest of learning tig welding. I remember from 25 years ago, getting a tip from a guy regarding vertical stick up hill,..just that one statement from him made me a better welder, and I feel that this forum is a wealth of knowledge.

I ordered my foot control this morning,..the folks over at Airgas here in Fairbanks are great to work with!

Chuck,
Just a hint to you, check eBay before you buy anything locally....
No matter what.

~John

Thanks for the heads up John,...every now and again I'll check ebay for deals but I kinda like going into a welding supply store to look around even if I'm not buying. Sort of like a hardware store on steroids,..LOL. The foot control was only $175.00 though.

Every day when I come home for lunch, I 'lite up' (per Jody) on some aluminum and or steel pieces using my finger control. I am getting the hang of this after a learning curve that didn't last too long. I still am looking forward to my foot control, however, my intent is to master both.

I only have a simple machine with no pedal support but made my own - just having all your fingers free to control the torch without distraction helps a lot.

I have been doing all my welding so far with only a foot pedal. At my son's auto shop we have needed a finger control when welding on auto frames in places that are close to the floor, very limited room for the foot pedal. I am going to order a sliding style finger contraol and will use practice with it so it is not clumsy to use when the foot pedal can't. Gives me a perfect excuse to buy more TIG toys!!! You can never have enought welding equipment.

Jim

I got a foot control for my tig, I found that using it backwards works well for me, I position it where I have to use my heel to light up, seems to give me more control when tapering off, im a newbie to tig BTW

I've got both and have found a few occasions where the finger control worked better than the pedal but not many. I end up using my knee, elbow, shoulder, whatever, to run the pedal sometimes. My fingertip control is an east/west style and really moves the torch around when being manipulated. I think a north/south style or slider would be easier to control. A spring loaded switch sounds like a great idea...

A wireless mouth control, or chin control, would be pretty handy in tight situations when your are lying down. I have never seen one, but anything is possible. One thing that may get in the way of that, is if you chewed tobacco while using one,....could get messy.

They make a chin operated welding helmet so why not a chin operated amp control.

Len

Charles_Karl wrote:A wireless mouth control, or chin control, would be pretty handy in tight situations when your are lying down. I have never seen one, but anything is possible. One thing that may get in the way of that, is if you chewed tobacco while using one,....could get messy.

But nobody would be asking to borrow your rig.

I have an Everlast machine and the finger control on it is a lot like a mig switch in that you set the amps and its all or nothing. That being said I cannot speak for the wheel control and an unsteady hand. The machine also came with a foot pedal so I immediately took the finger switch off the machine and used the foot pedal. The problem I had is that I don't have a stool so standing and using a foot pedal was a little difficult for me since I am just starting out. I put the finger control back on and have used it ever since. I like the foot pedal because you can control fish eye a lot easier and if it gets too hot you can cut down the heat but as far as control I love the finger switch. Just set the amps and go. There is no right answer with welding, everyone is different and has different taste. I only used a foot pedal until I got this machine and now I only use a finger switch and I work from a bench. If I was to give an answer, get both and keep both because like others have said they both have their place and time.

Matt,

You keep saying, "thumb switch", or something like it, and describe it as "set the amps and go". That's the approach TamJeff uses very effectively, but I'm referring to a thumb control that has the exact same functions as a foot pedal.

There's a "rotary" style, like the volume knob on an old radio, and a "slide" style, more like the adjustment on your stereo's equalizer.

I will go out of my way to set up a way to use a pedal, but being able to use a thumb-remote is usefull. Sometimes it's the only practical option. I'm trying to convince my employer of the value of the thumb-slide, particularly the one sold by CK.

Steve S

Someone should invent a pistol grip TIG gun like an AL spool gun. I bet the torch control would be much better than with any fingertip control.

With this prototype remote, the foot welders could tie it to their big toe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMGPfrb3k0M

I finally connected my new foot control,...the difference in the controllability is amazing! I don't believe I will be going back to the finger control anytime soon.

Just received my hand amperage controls from HTP. Yes, controls as in plural---I ordered the sliding control, as well as a rotary one, both are made by CK worldwide. More fun toys.