Welding Tips and Tricks

only problem is I'm used to having foot pedal and my foot keeps wanting to floor an invisible pedal. the torch switch is taking some time to get used to but is certainly getting easier. one less thing to drag around inside car.

Excellent!

I found the same thing. I'm not making cages, but had a recent tube project too big for my bench. Had already been welding on it as it 'grew' so I had a good idea of the settings needed...just built in some up-slope and got going with the torch switch. Worked a treat.



Kym

I used to use a torch switch on a cheaper machine. It was simply on off. I am sure the 2t function is much better. I recently got my Dynasty and I am never going back. I actually much prefer the foot pedal. Sure it sucks to lug it around everywhere and positioning takes some time but my welds have been turning out allot better. If you don't mind me asking, are you using the 2t like a pulse or just setting a downslope?

2T is on/off
Combined with slope its great on thinner stuff and when you cant just slide straight if a pedal is hard to use.

@andersk he means that the machine he used just used a contactor to establish and extinguish the arc. 2T uses a momentary switch, and you control starting and ending amps. With the machine he was speaking of, you hit the switch and it goes from 0-100 amps with no in between. When you hit it again, it just stops the arc

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I see what you mean Sam, just never seen that before. All machines I have used that has a 2T / 4T selector worked the same. Press and current is on untill released in 2T mode.

I believe I was confusing 2t with 4t a bit. I know you can set a downslope and use it like a manual pulse on some machines

So here is the setup. At first I didn't like the button position but then I learned to position my hand differently. This is the position I didn't like because everytime you push the button it would transfer to the tungsten moving downward. The next picture is a way I figured to hold the torch more comfortably with no tip movement when the button is pushed. The next picture is how I hold the torch when I'm using the foot pedal. The last picture is the connectors that I change either for torch switch or for foot pedal. Thanks John.

Back in the shipyard we did a lot of scratch start. Mostly just root and hot pass then stick with 8018 or 11018.
My first home shop rig was a Miller HF-20 hooked to a 250 amp Lincoln Idealarc. We rigged a couple contactors,
a 40va transformer and a torch switch to break the arc without having to snap out. Crude but it worked.