Steadying a rod while welding ?

[DiverDarrell]

Just don't become the ground. Back in my commercial diving days a bad ground would give a good shock. Learned to weld with the mouth open so filings wouldn't weld together. Always had a guy on a switch topside to make it hot or cold. When they herd you screaming they would make it cold.

 

[chad22]

I sometimes steady the rod with it between my fingers. I've got bit a few times but nothing serious.

Most times I use one hand, and I'm getting pretty good at it now.

I straightened my backhoe bucket out a bit a few days ago and I steadied the rod at first, but then let go and used one hand. Laid a pretty bead too.

Normally my welds aren't as pretty, but this one amazed me. :thumbsup:

I couldn't take my eyes off of her. "I mean it" :laughing:

Chad

 

[Jeff Lary]

Yea i know what you me when i make a mistake and make a nice bead i am kina proud too.

 

[Transit]

Just don't become the ground. Back in my commercial diving days a bad ground would give a good shock. Learned to weld with the mouth open so filings wouldn't weld together. Always had a guy on a switch topside to make it hot or cold. When they herd you screaming they would make it cold.

Mig is constant Voltage, set to 5 to 35 volts. Stick is constant current and the open circuit voltage when there is no arc could be as much as 150 v or more.

 

[DiverDarrell]

Mig is constant Voltage, set to 5 to 35 volts. Stick is constant current and the open circuit voltage when there is no arc could be as much as 150 v or more.

You stick weld underwater.... and depending on lead length minimum amps I have found are in the neighborhood of 500+ amps. Due to the rapid cooling of the water you have to run hot anyways. When topside makes it hot as in energized circuit. You have a steady stream of bubbles emerging from the end of the rod. If one were to pass a body part between the rod tip am ground. Well let's just say that's electrified. But a bad ground does make it feel like chewing on tinfoil.

 

[DiverDarrell]

Also when I stick weld I hold the rod on top of a finger too. I have learned to place some old leathers down between the work and my body (elbows) just for those times you complete the circuit.

 

[EuropaChris]

Jeff I've been doing it for decades when making critical welds / testing.:thumbsup:
Especially when welding small bore pipe!

LOL, I've been doing for months when making ANY welds. It's the only way I can even have a chance at a decent weld with a new (long) rod.

It comes from starting out learning to weld on MIG and two hands with one to steady the torch is pretty much standard, it seems. I've found, though, that stick is a bit more forgiving of a little wiggle so long as you've not got the DTs or doing the Bugs Bunny twitch.

 

[framer]

Cut rods in half sounds like a good idea. Haven't tried it.