Getting hard to reach hunks of steel to stick together. Also ROBOT

"Josh Welton" (watchtheprettylight)
08/07/2013 at 14:01 • Filed to: welding, repair, tips, brown dog welding, robotlopnik, tig, stick

It's a simple trick, but one that's really handy and yet flies under the radar. But first, some background:

Stick and Tig welding are both done with constant current machines(as opposed to constant voltage mig welders). That's why many tig machines available(like my Miller Dynasty 200DX) are also stick capable. When tig welding you've got the torch, which on top of supplying the juice is also plumbed for gas. Your electricity goes through the torch, runs down the tungsten electrode, and completes an arc on the steel(provided it's grounded to your machine). In this case the gas shields the molten puddle from the atmosphere and you add the filler rod separately.

You can initiate the arc several ways, but the most common way is by remote...either via a foot pedal or finger control. And remote activation is gonna be the key to this trick.

Stick welding, on the other hand, doesn't require a "torch." The electrodes not only carry the arc, but they are also the filler rod and covered in flux...so there is no need for shielding gas. You just need the juice, so instead of a torch you'll usually use a "stinger;" a simple holder at the end of a power cable plugged to the machine on the other end. You're "on" all the time. That stinger is always hot, which is why it's insulated. As soon as you get the electrode to the work piece it's go time, no need for a pedal.

Understanding the "why" and "how" of these two processes can come in handy.

Using the tig torch as an electrode holder is more of a matter of convenience. If I've got a quick stick job and I don't want to swap out set ups, I'll just tighten a stick electrode into the collet, just like I would the tungsten for tig.

Now the other part is much more useful. You could do it with either the stinger or the torch. A nice thing about stick welding is that the flux right on the rod...which means you don't have to worry about gas coverage...which(along with the long, flexible stick) means you can get to some hard to reach places. The difficult task is actually getting the business end of the stick into the tough spot without it arcing out. But here is how:

Set the machine so that the remote output is "On." If you've got the capability leave the Tig HF start on as well. Now your electrode won't get juice until you hit your pedal.

In this case I needed to weld to bolts together to hold the arms in for my nephew's 4th birthday robot. It was at the bottom of this aluminum body, and there's no way I could have tigged down there. So I sneak the electrode to where it needs to be, step on the pedal, get some fusion, step off pedal, and pull out.

(tip: leave the ceramic tig cup on torch. Less chance of arcing out and destroying copper collets. Do as I say, not as I photographed)

(Note: Blurry photos are mine. Clear photos courtesy of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )

DISCUSSION (8)

desertdog5051 > Josh Welton
08/07/2013 at 14:36

Another fine piece. Thank you.

I don't weld much. I have a Lincoln 140C mig. I bought it to do a bunch of battery boxes for 2 friends electric cars. My net cost for the welder was $150 after they paid me for the welding.

If I send you some pics of my practice welds, would you critique them for me?

Telumektar > Josh Welton
08/07/2013 at 14:42

Ha! I really like your posts, they are quite handy, even for someone who can only stick noodles to noodles. I think I'll be taking a course on basic electric arc welding and oxy welding soon :) (Tig, Mig, Mag will come later).

Lovely Robot!

Josh Welton > desertdog5051
08/07/2013 at 14:49

Often hard to do via pics, but feel free to email me at Josh@browndogwelding.com and I'll help if I can.

desertdog5051 > Josh Welton
08/07/2013 at 14:59

Thanks.

desertdog5051 > Josh Welton
08/07/2013 at 15:31

You got me to thinking. Maybe I will take them to a local fab shop that I have do stuff for me. That way he can take a look at them in person. Thanks for the offer and advice.

VincentMalamute-Kim > Josh Welton
08/07/2013 at 19:27

Thanks for the tip. I think you're teaching welding, 0.01% at a time.

Funfabricator > Josh Welton
08/09/2013 at 00:51

Thanks! My favorite ever welding tip. You solved a problem for me, even though the solution was staring right at my face the whole time. I stick weld in holes right on top of my TIG machine. And cuss, jerk, & wince as a stick arcs on it's way in.

So obvious now, but invisible to me before. Can't wait to try it.

Cool art, too. I've been building a pile of interesting bits for a while, to do something similar. I'm inspired that your creations are rather impressionistic, like the spokes on your motorcycle sculpture. Not super accurate if looked at closely, but conveying the object clearly and with more style than 'correct' spokes.

Josh Welton > Funfabricator
08/09/2013 at 11:37

Right on!

And yes, I always laugh when people say my work is "detailed"....it's not! The trick is to make people see something that's not there...that's art!