im taking baby steps learning tig and it seems to my my biggest problem with a gloved had is feeding a rod ive read that many just dont wear a glove so i wonder why aren't tig rods knurled seems it would add some grip in a gloved hand and be easier to feed than a smooth slippery rod ??350P 30A spool gun cut master 51 syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:Typically I wipe my tig rods down with acetone. If you use a paper towel and acetone on a knurled rod, you're likely to wind up with paper stuck in the rod (dirt, fuzz, etc) that will contaminate the weld.KevinHobart Handler 210Tweco Fabricator 181iLincoln Squarewave Tig 175
Reply:keep a glove and rod by the couch to practice with when you are watching tvDynasty 200DXPassport plus w/ spoolmate 100victor 315c oxy/(act and prop)Miller digital elitemilwaukee power tools
Reply:Hi guys just looking around when i came across this thread. I just wanted to say that i have been using a Tig Rod Steady for about 4 months now and it has helped me tremendoulsy, I was no slouch before with 8 yrs prior tig experience but always struggled and was looking for a simple aid. I found the tig pen too expensive. It looks like they are starting to sell them on fleabay, I bought mine locally. Great site by the way loads of good clear knowledge. cheers http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TIG-ROD-FEEDIN...de19f3:waving:
Reply:I never have been able to roll the rod through my fingers. I just feed 6-12" at a time and then reposition. I never run tig beads much longer than 6" anyway.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Its ok doing that to start with but don't you find on thin gauge rod it gets a bit wiggly? and fouls the tungsten.
Reply:I usualy use 2 different gloves when tig welding.Since I am left handed, I will use my usual heavy welders glove on my left hand that holds my gas/air cooled tig torch. On my right hand I use a thinner glove which provides more dexterity for feeding filler rod.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
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on't fall into the trap of welding bare handed. It's a bad habit to get into, and a hard one to break. Just take it easy on yourself and eventually it will all come together. I'm like Boostinjdm, never could feed the rod through my fingers. Just re-position when I run out of rod. As far as the idea of a knurled filler rod...gunk and grime trap for sure.
Reply:also you will have NO UV protection for the skin on the rod hand if you wear no glove. Thats a LOTof UV ..... if you smell your hand afterward you can smell the burned skin from UV !I would think that would be a fast lane trip to skin cancer - like a vacation to FukashimaAlso a thing I noticed the teacher doing - instead of feeding the rod in for dips using a piston type action - hold the rod way farther back - maybe 8 - 12 inches so you haveyour rod hand about 8-12 inches from the puddle - then have a resting position for the TIP of the rod near the edge of the cupmaybe 1 inch above the puddle. When you want a little rod added into the puddle you tap like using a drum stick - and then backup to the upper resting position. The rod really doesn't have to move in your hand at all. It works the best with aluminum when youae traveling relatively fast ( compared to steel ) The tapping motion and rythim seems very natural once you do it a little. I have allwaysthought the other way was a little bit of an un-natural motion for your fingers unless you are Kresskin !TimLast edited by jethro; 04-17-2011 at 02:34 AM.
Reply:If the rod slips in the glove while I am trying to feed into the puddle, I stick the rod to the work and slide my hand back to grab more rod, then continue as usual.
Reply:Originally Posted by turkkeep a glove and rod by the couch to practice with when you are watching tv
Reply:Originally Posted by WeldingMachineBest answer yet.It's a needed skill for TIG, you will eventually be able to feed continuously (never having more waving around than you need). Just keep practicing, & you'll get it.Stay away from the rubber dog-nut thingy, it's a crutch that will cause bad habits in the end.The "smoothness" of the rod actually helps you to feed it, it's not catching on your index & middle fingers when releasing it.heres a vid of a guy describing it:I have no idea why he calls it a tungsten though..
Reply:I make a point of not knocking something untill i have tried it. I am an experienced fabricator, mostly in 316 stainless for marine use. After 8 years of welding to a high standard without the tig rod steady thing, i think i would know a "crutch" when i found one, It isn't designed just to help to start welding with but should rather be used at all times.
Reply:Here is a good video well done.http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/...eding-rod.htmlVinnie
Reply:Originally Posted by snoeproeI usualy use 2 different gloves when tig welding.Since I am left handed, I will use my usual heavy welders glove on my left hand that holds my gas/air cooled tig torch. On my right hand I use a thinner glove which provides more dexterity for feeding filler rod.
