Welding Tips and Tricks

Okay, so lets face it. I sorta suck at TIG welding. I'm pretty decent at getting good puddle control, but alas, I'm a two or three inch welder. I can do two inches of bead really well, but not too much beyond that. I really have issues moving feed wire.

So I started this journey watching Jody's 2009 video pumping the wire with a full hand pump. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rVqWeS4rbA I spend a lot of time practicing that. Now that I'm doing the fill the aluminum plate drill however, I'm realizing using that technique gives me a lot of trouble controlling placement of the rod into the puddle. I can hand pump pretty fast, without too much thinking, but its way sloppy. I often wack the tungsten with the filler. ouch!

On the other hand, in reviewing Jody's later stuff, I see a totally different hand technique. Check out the 19 Nov 2013 video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hALlkI4iwzE where Jody is filling the large slot in a big 'ole piece of aluminum. You can watch is feed hand at video time 5:08 thru 5:30 and 10:35 to 11:00 That doesn't look anything like the techniques on the 2009 video. I'm thinking that technique is way more controlled.

I'm self taught TIG welder, but I've studied all I can find online. Jody has been an immense help. Right now I'm working on "filling up the aluminum plate with bead drill". One thing I've learned in life... when you want to learn a new task involving muscle memory, break the task down into smaller steps, then practice each step slowly. Continue to practice, then blend the steps together. do practice correct actions, else you'll end up creating bad habits. (Practice Perfect!) As your body learns the motions, then you can speed them up...

What I'm not clear is on the sequence here for aluminum. I think its
1) move torch , 2) heat puddle, 3) pause, 4) feed filler into puddle, 5) pull filler back a bit, repeat.

Two questions:

A) Do I have the sequence right? (i.e... do you 'pump' wire into the puddle when you feed or is feeding wire thru your hand a separate step?)

B) What hand feed technique should I be practicing? (My tendency is flip from the 2009 full hand pump to use the Jody Nov 2013 technique / the UK Mig Forum technique.. see http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/tig-technique.htm)

Many thanks,
Zip

In general after the puddle forms, while pinching the wire between my thumb and index finger, I add filler wire to the puddle. Then around the time I'm backing the wire out the puddle, I use the technique in the 2009 video to regain the amount of filler wire that was added to the puddle. I do this to try and keep my filler wire hand from getting too close to the arc or puddle. Followed by moving the torch forward to start the sequence over again.

In the 2009 video on pumping wire, I use the second technique with the 3 fingers and thumb.

I'm basically walking up the wire in tiny increments while the torch hand is moving forward, when the torch stops I dip.

The filler wire is not moving through my hand while I dip though, I found that to not be precise enough for me.

I move up the rod between every dip, that way it's only a tiny bit each time.

I taught both methods to my kid when I taught him to tig aluminum. He preferred the three finger/thumb walking method over the wire pump method as well.

One thing though, I use a really thin deerskin work glove, the cheap kind from my local hardware store. This method requires a glove with good feel.

I learned to use the technique Minnesota Dave refers to...maybe it's cause my hands are big, or the fact I just got tired of burning the shit outta my hands with tig gloves so I switched to stick gloves. It was the only way that would work with those thick stick welding gloves.

Just gotta find what works best for you, just like the rest of welding. What works great for one won't work at all for another.

Zipzit wrote: What I'm not clear is on the sequence here for aluminum. I think its
1) move torch , 2) heat puddle, 3) pause, 4) feed filler into puddle, 5) pull filler back a bit, repeat.

Two questions:

A) Do I have the sequence right? (i.e... do you 'pump' wire into the puddle when you feed or is feeding wire thru your hand a separate step?)

B) What hand feed technique should I be practicing? (My tendency is flip from the 2009 full hand pump to use the Jody Nov 2013 technique / the UK Mig Forum technique.. see http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/tig-technique.htm)

Many thanks,
Zip

Zip,
I actually use the technique from the 2013 video. I can do both but for me the 2013 technique works best for me in most cases.
If I am understanding your question correctly, I do it like this. I wrote it out just to see it in person.
1) Light up and let cleaning action do its thing
2) heat puddle until shiny circle appears
3) dip filler into puddle and remove
4) move forward
5) dip filler
6) repeat (except 1)
Your sequence is the same. The amount of wire you "pump" will be determined on the joint or how big of a weld you are going after.
-Jonathan

I also use the 2013 technique, I feed the wire to the puddle, instead of stopping then feeding. It's the only way I can keep up on alum. Because you dip so much. Have only been tig welding for little over a year now. Filler hand still freezes up for that first rod, then I get into a rhythm and things go better. Actually got that movement from the same vid. Just couldn't keep the wire steady enough the other way. Kinda Pushing the wire with my thumb guiding between my fingers. Had the whole ahh ha moment when I tried it. Still need practice though... still grind tungsten too much