Body positioning?

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I've had problems with this ever since I started welding around 2007-2008. (Just about skipped 2008-2009, and the former year was 30-45 minutes a day in a high school lab.)Right now I'm doing 2F, 6-bead fillet welds with 7018 and 7024 (separately).I... can never seem to get completely set sometimes. Either I can't brace myself enough, or I'm tweaking my wrist, or I'm getting tired holding my arm up in the air in a strange position just to complete the weld. My instructors tell me my welds look good, but there are small hiccups here and there, and I know those are because I keep putting my body in extended or weak positions where I don't have as much control, or where I can't see as well. Thing is, I don't know what to do to make it feel right- I just know it feels awkward or wrong when I end up having to stop and tie back in.Sometimes I try bracing, and then going back and forth over the line as practice (without striking the arc), and trying to see if I'm capable of pushing the rod all the way in at the end, but when I do strike the arc, it's different. I have to hold my hand this way, or turn my wrist, or lean here to keep the puddle going, or the gauntlet on my left hand gets caught on the table, and suddenly things get real uncomfortable (and you can see it in my welding!)Is there a way you approach a weld to do it properly? Like, uh... set it up around chest height, or stand at this angle, or brace your elbow against the pole here and draw this line... you know?My instructors can just brace up against the pole or the wall of the booth and knock it out... though, as most of the time I'm watching them demonstrate the weld (and watching how their puddle is looking, their travel speed, the way they manipulate the electrode, etc.), I don't have enough time (and it's not safe to take my helmet off) to look at how they're setting their body. (Plus, sometimes it gets crowded in those little booths doing demonstrations... I can hardly look at where they're leaning or where their legs are positioned if I'm trying to peek on my tip-toes.) Sometimes they'll adjust the height of the table on the pole but I have no idea what they're looking for when they're doing this (and attempting to experiment with it isn't the best idea, as the pole is usually never smooth to move the table up and down for me, and the thing's heavy as %^&$!)I asked and was told it's mostly experience... but that sounds like a whole lot of trial-and-error! I'm fine with doing the work if it comes to that, but nobody's made a system for this or something at least?! Some... general outlines or something?I mean, I'm used to... taking these awkward, wide-legged horse stances, leaning this way and that to see close, having my arms to and fro... There's gotta be a better way!Last edited by Drake Aldan; 09-30-2009 at 06:11 PM.Keeping it down in the hood...literally!
Reply:One thing that I did when learning to weld was to watch others body position. I would take off my hood, and shield my eyes with the hood to check out what they were doing and how they were positioning themselfs, I could care less about watching them actually run a bead. That part was later.  You have to be comfortable. In our welding booths at college I would lean up against poles, walls, or if that didn't work, even switch to the left hand ( Im right handed ) and try it that way. It really all comes down to the position of your body, and by taking off your hood, and using it as a "shield" you can gain a tremendous amount of knowledge on body positioning. This was especially helpful in running pipe.Owner - Certified Welding & Fabrication / 22yrs in businessSteamboat Springs, Co(970) 879-5491AWS structural shopHMI 70t iron worker2 field trucks specailizing in structural steel, aluminum and stainless steel
Reply:Start in a bind and end comfortable.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Practice, Practice, Practice.  You won't always have a nice tidy booth on the job.  Tozzi's advice is good too.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Originally Posted by TozziWeldingStart in a bind and end comfortable.
Reply:When you are under that helmet you lose all reference to the outside world.  By leaning against something or resting your free hand on a stationary object you gain that reference.  Pilots cannot fly an airplane without a horizon or instrumentation as a reference.  It is the same for welding.  The other thing to keep in mind is that when you weld standing without any reference other than your feet all your muscles are working overtime attempting to hold you steady.  By leaning you remove the complexity of the task and your body only has to work with a few muscle groups in your arm.  Dry run before you start to make sure you have range of motion to complete the weld bead.
Reply:I did previously have a mantra back in 2007... "Start with the end in mind"...though, I guess I just had forgotten to apply it or forgotten how serious it was.I guess not welding for a year will make you forget little things like that... it's most certainly not "like riding a bike", is it?Well, I did what you said (focus up close at the end, then lean and bend and twist to get to the start before welding) and my instructors said I did better today, so, I suppose that's all you, then.Thanks a lot.Keeping it down in the hood...literally!
Reply:Originally Posted by TozziWeldingStart in a bind and end comfortable.
Reply:Some real good pointers so far. Another thing that helped me, is not to grip the stinger with a tight grip. Loosen up......6"XX P5P8 6G
Reply:if your down low bone to bone is the steadiest way, like elbow to knee or forearm to pipe just as long as its a solid surface
Reply:A big part of ending comfortable is being sure that your lead isn't going to hang up on you. Try to position your lead so that it is supported and will not catch up on anything while you are running. It is not real good practice to wrap it around yourself, but a lot of guys will give a loose drape around the stinger arm so it doesn't hang up as they move. This helps let you move smoothly throughout the bead rather than have to consciously reposition all at once mid-bead.
Reply:Are there any videos on this site that show these hints/topics.
Reply:Originally Posted by enlpckA big part of ending comfortable is being sure that your lead isn't going to hang up on you. Try to position your lead so that it is supported and will not catch up on anything while you are running. It is not real good practice to wrap it around yourself, but a lot of guys will give a loose drape around the stinger arm so it doesn't hang up as they move. This helps let you move smoothly throughout the bead rather than have to consciously reposition all at once mid-bead.