Welding Tips and Tricks

I am on the cusp of success, but there are a few challenges I could use help resolving.

1. The stinger snags my hood as I travel from the 6 o'clock to 9 o'clock and 6 o'clock to 3 o'clock positions. Do I just need to get used to seeing the puddle from a distance that will allow for clearance?

2. If my arc length is too tight, I have problems seeing where I am going out in front of the electrode. Would you foresee any problems with trying to keep a tight arc length, but not so tight that I can’t see where I am going?

3. Do you position the electrode in the stinger at a 45 degree angle for all interpass and cover pass welds? I have noticed it is a little difficult for me to adequately tie into the top bevel with the 45 degree angle.

Any other lesser known suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Everyone has a "style". I am right handed most of the time so mine is like this.....I stand off in front of the pipe looking at it when I do the right side and put my rod just a little past 90 in the stinger and stand off to the side and just start with my palm facing up at the bottom and just roll my wrist as I come up and around. This is where I different a little bit from Jody. On the left side I stand on the left, my rod is straight up and I do a thumb/pinky prop starting a little past bottom to get my feathered out tack and collapse my thumb/pinky prop and get to the 9 O'clock. Then I stand on the back left of the pipe slightly and do it like I did on the right with the wrist just rolling around to the pipe.

And to REALLY confuse you, I reverse that procedure on a 6GR lol. Just dry run practice, move your head, get comfortable. One thing I like to use on pipe is my twist stinger so I can position my rod and it stays there. Just be careful on your stops and start tie-ins, stay out of the straps.

You might just need to change or clean your cover lense more often to maintain a clear sight picture. Or if you have an auto dark hood that has a variable adjustment try tweeting it a bit less as your cover gets dirty. Angle wise I sometimes start with a rod that's only 1/2 as long as a full one. This allows you to move your hand less as you travel around yet still maintaining good angle.

What about the blue filter lenses? Would that help?

It really helps me see how big my arc is, and really just everything I can see better with it.

Its only 25 on eBay.

I have always been a gold guy, but I am old never tried any others.

DLewis0289 wrote:I have always been a gold guy, but I am old never tried any others.

You use it with gold or auto dark lense. Its just a filter that goes behind your gold. Its only 1/2 a shade.

Didn't know that, I will pick one up for a try next time I'm in the LWS.