Ok I got my fillet welds down pretty good so I tried some pipe. My biggest problem is getting a comfortable position with the torch, no matter what I do it just seems akward. any tips/tricks?

 

anyone?

 

i put my pipe in a flat table top vise but dont clamp it. and rest my hand on the edge of the table and go about half inch, turn the pipe and continue

 

vise grip chain clamp. i havent gotten to pipe with tig yet, but using a chain clamp while stick welding to post up, makes it a little easier.

once i get my damn overhead done ill be on pipe. again he hee.

 

I kind of lay it on/in a clamp or something on the table, whatever is lying around. How are you holding the torch? Do you always wear gloves? Sometimes I hold the top closer to the cup and it's harder to rest your hand on something, I can see having trouble with that (I also don't have very steady hands normally). I also don't generally wear gloves, so I can't really rest my hand on the piece or get it too close. I have had some days when I just can't do it, and some days when I get on a roll and kind roll the pipe over as I weld and don't have to stop so much.

 

Big tip, get comfortable, lay out on the table if you have to. The key is also to support your arm, or wrist, there really is no other secret.

Get comfortable
Support wrist and arm
Rotate wrist as far as you can around the pipe

 

hate to say it... practice

 

We just got a variable speed welding turntable at our shop. I havent had a chance to use it yet...

 

I forgot to add that I am practicing all positions 1g, 2g, 5g, 6g so I would like to not lay it on the table and roll it. thanks for the input so far tho

 

when ur doin the 5g and 6g its helpfull to use a like a pair of vice grips that u clamp to something els or use something to steady your hand, when i do any pipe welding i always use something to brace my hand on, then as i go around i will keep re-pisitioning it as i go so that i always have a stable place to rest my torch hand.

 

yup, that awkward feeling will only go away with practice.. like learning to eat with chopsticks

if my hands are shaky from drinking energy drinks or coffee i throw on a kevlar glove hold the torch at the head and lightly rest my pinky on work piece, works really well.

 

I remember seeing someone who was testing at my class doing that, ill give that a try thanks

 

walking the cup on a fillet is stupid easy. Can I explain it with words though? Hell no. Anyone want to give it a try? Better yet someone make a video of it. It's 10 times easier than walking on a butt weld.

You can skid the cup over your weld to help steady your hand on your butt welds until you can figure out how to walk the cup. It's pretty straight forward. Stick your tungsten out 3/16-1/4 lay the back edge of your cup on the pipe and just slide it along while you STUFF filler into the puddle. Don't be a pansy and dab it.

 

 

lol so true... dabbing is a time waster

 

agreed. i keep my filler wire in the puddle all the time.

dont use that skinny filler wire **** either, use 3/32