Question regarding body positioning on pipe welds.

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Apologies if I missed a thread that went over this subject prior, but I have been having a difficult time adjusting my positioning for 6G pipe passes on different types of pipe stands.I'm all good when it comes to amps, gaps, lands...all that jazz, but I feel less confident when trying to conform to a new vice, stand or whatever situation I encounter holding the test piece.  Sometimes it's a bulky clamp/arm type deal that disturbs my normal positioning, and this seems to throw my whole game off. If any of you pros have tips for varying types of setups that are encountered over your years at testing facilities, the know-how would be greatly welcomed. I'm just exiting school and am really mostly trying to combat the pre-job testing nerves on this particular subject.  And it's all pipe for me at least.Thanks guys.Last edited by BobVilaWithBurns; 03-03-2014 at 07:03 PM.Reason: misspell
Reply:Know what you are saying.  A welding school booth is as good as it will ever get.  Done a number of tests where you are told to just tack your coupon to free column.  Seen it where guys take this too literally and find themselves bound up at the top.  Make yourself some cheat sheets.  On a fixed coupon, measure and record what a good height is.  Know what a comfortable clearance is on top....coming off a column, give yourself an angle iron standoff.  While you're measuring, get your distances for overhead.  A lot of the time, bossman will say there's your overhead, where do you want the staging?  Have an answer of what's comfortable when standing and a 'lay on your back plank' for overhead tig.
Reply:Your gonna realize that your body can move in ways you never thought.  Once you start working in a shop or esp. in the field welding for a few years you will be able to teach yoga!  Just try to get as comfortable as you possibly can bud.
Reply:It's called pipe pilates and I've been doing it for 20 plus years.  My wife still cringes when I tell her some of the places I squeeze in to make a weld. Sent from my SGH-M919 using TapatalkLast edited by Adam Arc; 03-04-2014 at 09:30 PM.Long after the price is forgotten, the quality will remain.Both of my Poppy's 1954 Short Hoods -Third generation to weld with it and teaching a fourthSA 2## - Bought and sold more than I can remember or care to list, 8 in the shop right now
Reply:I appreciate the replies.  Yeah, my main problem is that I will do practice movements before I strike up, but once that arc gets going, I feel like I start focusing too hard on my puddle, and lose track of where my body is, ending in a tangle.  And I think to myself, if this little clamp or whatever is bugging me, what happens when you are in a real tight space?Perhaps it's just an experience thing, or maybe I am over thinking it with school ending and jobs testing beginning.  Either way, thanks for the thoughts.
Reply:I went from welding wide open unrestricted 6G to being stuck in a restricted box with the weld zone 6" from the back wall and 12" from the right wall and ceiling. For a big guy, trying to cram into a 12" space with enough room to maneuver a tig rig is humbling. You just have to do the best you can. There's no real "trick" to body position. You eventually find ways to accommodate yourself, or get around a tough spot. As a general rule, for me, if I get to set up the coupon I put it just above waist height. Usually around my belly button area. I'd rather have to crouch or kneel to get the bottom side and stand up mid-weld than get to the top and be stuck welding blind or not able to reach. If you can mirror weld, I suppose that would come in handy. I used to do it for the top back side of the 6GR pipe until I found ways to get around it.