Anyone have tips on how to keep the torch steady when welding? I cant make a steady straight pool to save my life unless I brace my arm/hand against something. Are people resting the cup on the metal or do I just need to keep putting in the time to get a steady hand?

always rest your hand/wrist on something
if you dont then you add too much ffreedom to torch movement.
I have a few aluminum blocks in different sizes I use to rest my hand on.

so you use blocks to rest on? sounds like a good idea. what about on round pipe what are people do for hand placement and holding the torch? Like a pen or on the handle like a bat? I know everyone will have a different style.

Well you wouldnt be able to stack pipe, so unless you had a different height piece of pipe for each thing you're welding then it would suck.

Blocks sound like a good idea thou

i think you just ********** about 7 times prior to welding. If that doesn't calm you down enough to keep your hands steady see a specialist.

Maybe his shaky hand is a good thing...kinda like walking the cup without even trying

drink a few, take a pill or two.. something to keep you steady... Not that I use these methods, but it's worth a shot.

i usually try to atleast brace my elbow or forearm on something.

i sometimes like to drag my pinky finger it seems to help me some

i know this wont help you as i havent learned tig as a dicipline yet, but even stick welding, my instructor says post up when ever you can. i always keep an extra set of chain vice grips, or reg grips around for that.

few friends smoke a bowl before they go at it. seems to work good for them

I hang rope from the ceiling and tie it around my wrists to maintain stability. But thats only on the weekends... when Im welding however, I use said aluminum billets laying around, makes life easier.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RedneckRicer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">few friends smoke a bowl before they go at it. seems to work good for them</TD></TR></TABLE>

Or heroin, or snort a line of coke.

I'm all naturally baby, congress did a few hearings on me to prove other, but Brian brian Mcnamee had no leg to stand on.

wtf happend? Im going to try draging my pinky and see if that helps at all.
this is what im talking about. I think woring on my heat control will help too.

up for more ideas.

I always brace my wrist against something when I weld, allows for a much more precise weld. I also sometimes hold the torch by the t-section, not the handle itself, makes me more steady. Those two things alone increased the look of my welds by 30%

I dont get how you do so withsomething round.

I do the pinky outrigger thing sometimes...use vice grips or bar clamps...scraps of steel...a block of wood...or at least lean my shoulder or elbow on something.

I use my welding mask as a guide sometimes.
Or I do what the guy above said. Lay off the sweets and sodas, drink a beer. lol

Bowl + Beer + BJ = good to go (in that order).

So how long of a bead can you guys lay down when your wrist is supported?

My current frustration is welding irregular shaped tubing/piping where it takes time to position it between welds.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G2turbo_terror &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So how long of a bead can you guys lay down when your wrist is supported?

My current frustration is welding irregular shaped tubing/piping where it takes time to position it between welds.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I learned to weld from old timers....It's tough to keep steady, but it IS possible....They showed me!

Tubing is a completely different beast. You always need to be aware of the direction of your heat, location of your wire, & of course keeping the puddle consistent.

One thing that really help me was to just keep going, even if I felt uncomfortable. Eventually you'll get used to moving & repositioning yourself.

However, one thing I do that helps is position my body in a place that I know I'll be welding towards. Then I wrap my torso around the tube so that it's easier to lean back to my original position & keep going.
Clear as Mud?

I learnt welding in high school for an incredibly experienced old bugger. his words of advice were "beer is your friend" i've never tried it but maybe i will next time i weld because im terribly shakey.
having a bowl usually makes me worse for the shakes but i have more patience (welding is incredibly fun stoned IMO) so i usually weld a bit better anyways

For certain welds (like pictured) I'll actually "pen hold" the torch up near the cup, then just rest my hand on the material. Your consistency (width) is what appears to be the issue, but it doesn't appear to be because of unsteady hands. Your weld is hot, and your fill contributes to width consistency.

It just appears you have a mixture of problems, that aren't significant really, but since they're all together that's what you got. Work on better heat control, hand stability, more consistent and quick fill (from a low approach angle when poss.), and maintaining proper torch angle.

Keep practicing...you'll get it.

I use a blind midget. As long as I remember to give him food & drink at least once a day, he helps out a LOT.

i either rest the cup on the workpiece and drag it or rest my wrist somehow on the workpiece and rotate my hand with it... i dont know if its right or wrong nor do i care... it works...









<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G2turbo_terror &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So how long of a bead can you guys lay down when your wrist is supported?

</TD></TR></TABLE>

If your hand is steady enough ull just run out of rod... iv had people pass me rods in the middle of a weld when i run out...