Welding Tips and Tricks

This won't come as any surprise to the experienced welders here, but I thought it might be worth a mention for fellow beginners.

When my TIG machine arrived, the first couple beads I laid down were on 2T. But very shortly after, I plugged in the pedal and kept it that way, for two reasons - it made it easier to tame aluminium, and, well, it seemed to me that Real TIG Welders Use A Foot Pedal.

So I stuck with it and started learning.

Today saw me tearing into a fabrication project using small diameter steel tube. The job took up my whole welding table and couldn't be moved about. I couldn't reach any of the necessary positions seated, using the pedal. So I had a think. I've learned a little bit about amp settings over the past weeks so I set up the 2T - start amps, up slope time, all that - and made a start.

What a revelation! I am still working with an enormous, crappy 26 size torch, but on 2T and able to stand, lean, kneel or whatever, suddenly I felt a lot freer than I had in ages seated using the pedal. With the amps sorts, I welded reasonably well (by my very humble standards) and really enjoyed 'moving the welder instead I moving the job'.

From now on I will be more open-minded rather than always considering 2T/4T as a last, desperate option. I've learned what I suspect many of you have known for ages - in the right situation, running without a pedal is, of course, a great choice rather than just a fall back.


Kym

I use a dry rig at work that only has a thumb wheel for gas. Once you get used to it you gain a lot of freedom. Watch out when you go to stop a bead. I have trouble remembering to pull out slow and walk your arc to the edge of the puddle while starting to long arc. This will let the puddle cool for a bit. You can get a sort of snap wrist move that will let you stop the arc at this point so you can then hold your cup on the area for a good gas shield.

I've welded in many positions with a foot pedal. I've been flat on the floor with the pedal behind my knee, I've had it behind my head, under my elbow or behind my shoulder. I've welded roll cages in several cars and welded the bottom of boats in lots of weird positions, always with a foot pedal. I've never used an inverter machine, so I've never had the chance to use those settings. Sounds like a nice option.

I have a rig that has a thumb wheel instead of a peddle. That works good to.

It's funny - foot pedal seems to be the norm these days & if you watch much YouTube stuff it's easy to believe that's the only way but I hate using a pedal & will only use it as a last resort usually on thin material - guess it's what you get used to - for years I had only scratch or lift start with only amps set on the machine panel - got used to that & now I have a machine with knobs everywhere but seldom use them - an amp control on the torch that works smoothly would be great though I've yet to find one.

If you can find a diagram for the pins on your foot control you can get a thumb wheel that zip ties to your torch and you just run the cable along your lead. Or try eBay for some premade rigs. They make some that will fit anything.

Poland308 wrote:If you can find a diagram for the pins on your foot control you can get a thumb wheel that zip ties to your torch and you just run the cable along your lead. Or try eBay for some premade rigs. They make some that will fit anything.

I've seen these but not sure how they would work for me as I find the only way to gain fine control of my enormous torch is to grip it right up by the neck...not sure the thumb wheel would work there.

I really like the pedal but the freedom of 2T has been an eye opener. I feel that as a first-timer I am very fortunate to have so many options open to me. Now...to get my hands on a small, nimble torch. That really WILL be a revelation.



Kym

Poland308 wrote:I use a dry rig at work that only has a thumb wheel for gas. Once you get used to it you gain a lot of freedom. Watch out when you go to stop a bead. I have trouble remembering to pull out slow and walk your arc to the edge of the puddle while starting to long arc. This will let the puddle cool for a bit. You can get a sort of snap wrist move that will let you stop the arc at this point so you can then hold your cup on the area for a good gas shield.

Hey Poland.

Happily, settings on my machine make this easy for me (I'm probably learning bad habits as a result...). I just set down slope time, down slope amps and final crater amps. When I let go of the switch the 'closing down' sequence happens automatically, so to finish and let the puddle gradually cool, all I have to do is loiter over the area, generally making small circles.


Kym

Used the Miller 55D to tig on a SS plate to cap off a carbon sch 80 14 in pipe. Ran off stick mode and had to drag out 200 ft of lead. Some times you don't get fancy options.

MosquitoMoto wrote:.

I really like the pedal but the freedom of 2T....

Kym

Wait, don't you mean "from 2T"? As in getting away from it and using more 4T?

Oscar wrote:

MosquitoMoto wrote:.

I really like the pedal but the freedom of 2T....

Kym

Wait, don't you mean "from 2T"? As in getting away from it and using more 4T?

I don't think so, but I'm no expert, so I might just have my terminology mixed up.

2T on my machine is 'hold down torch button to start, release torch button to finish.' What I mean is that using the torch button frees me up from using the pedal in the seated position. I'm not smart enough to use the pedal standing, kneeling etc. yet.

4T on my machine is 'press torch button to initiate arc, press again to initiate upslope, press a third time to initiate downslope...' Etc. haven't had a shot at that yet.


Kym

Your 2T is the common 4T setting. Your 4T is a unique hybrid.

Coldman wrote:Your 2T is the common 4T setting. Your 4T is a unique hybrid.

Dammit!


Kym

Keep up the good work man! John

Cheers John.

One foot in front of the other and all that!



Kym

Ah I betcha now. I made the mistake of thinking you went to 4T, when really you just switched to a momentary on/off switch in 2T mode. Got it.