Why don't they put a safty on the trigger

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Ok well normally I see when I set the Mig gun down and the wire starts spooling out because the trigger is pressing up against something but this time what the dead give away was was when I felt a nice strong bolt of electricity shooting through my sweaty body as I was setting up my next piece of metal for welding and when I looked down there was about 20 feet of wire already spooled out of the gun. Luckly I didn't establish an arc causing me to weld my flesh to my mig stand.Anyway it would be nice if there was a little safety of some kind that would prevent the trigger from being pulled when it was set down.
Reply:There is a way to get around this problem.  If you take a metal ring with about a 2in inner diameter and weld it to the side of your table so that the ring is flat then when you are done with your welding gun, just place it in the ring and it will be held without pressing the trigger.  It is very difficult to describe this setup, and I don't have a picture...maybe someone else does.
Reply:Bah, safety smafety.    Just gotta be careful.  There are guys at work who stick their gun through a hole in the boat when they are done for the day and don't turn off their feeder.  They come back the next day with 25lbs of wire melted on the other side of the bulkhead.  I've been zapped a few times myself.  Keeps me on my toes!  Much better than a cup of coffee!
Reply:The safety is between your ears.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Here is what I did to prevent unwanted MIG trigger pulling. It didn't cost me anything but about two hours of fabrication.   It's mild steel, brazed together. I used to set the gun in my lap when I was setting work up and I would run about ten feet of wire and some gas before I realized what was happenng. I never got shocked, though. Yes, it works with welding gloves. No charge for this idea. Heh heh.  Last edited by gnm109; 08-08-2007 at 09:23 PM.Miller Millermatic 252Miller Syncrowave 200Liincoln AC-DC 225Victor O-A Set
Reply:Originally Posted by TozziWeldingThe safety is between your ears.
Reply:Originally Posted by gnm109Here is what I did to prevent unwanted MIG trigger pulling. It didn't cost me anything but about two hours of fabrication.   It's mild steel, brazed together. I used to set the gun in my lap when I was setting work up and I would run about ten feet of wire and some gas before I realized what was happenng. I never got shocked, though. Yes, it works with welding gloves. No charge for this idea. Heh heh.
Reply:Originally Posted by lewrayMan that is cats as$
Reply:Gnm109,That's gonna be my next little welding project!!!! Outstanding idea!!!! Yes,safety is between your ears. And I firmly believe "big brother" has mandated enough interlocks,safety switches,guards and on and on. I think we as a nation have become so "safe",we are now braindead!!!                                JMHO,                                        MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:I like that safety you built.  Would be nice for hobby stuff at home but would be a PITA for tight spots in the shipyard.  I will be building one of those for home though!
Reply:Originally Posted by gnm109Here is what I did to prevent unwanted MIG trigger pulling. It didn't cost me anything but about two hours of fabrication.   It's mild steel, brazed together. I used to set the gun in my lap when I was setting work up and I would run about ten feet of wire and some gas before I realized what was happenng. I never got shocked, though. Yes, it works with welding gloves. No charge for this idea. Heh heh.
Reply:My LN9-GMA has an interlock feature.  Set it and pull the trigger once and it welds till you pull the trigger again.  I also did a "trigger job" on a new Tweeco 200 amp gun.  Now I don't have to squeeze the heck out of it.  Just touch it.  On my LN-25, the wire is always hot,so I have to be real careful where I set the gun.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:If you normally work at a table just round up a scrap piece of tubing or conduit. Just weld it to either end of your table at whatever angle works for you. Homemade holster for your gun neck, you're in business.That's a nifty trigger guard there gnm109.Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:yup, a small piece of tube or pipe works good for us too.  its also good for holding drills, die grinders and air powered belt sanders that we use alot.  Just play around with different ID's till you find something you like.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Originally Posted by pinklilly11So, can I order one from you? I don't have the time or skill to make one and I'm about to move.  I'm serious though, I'd love one.
Reply:Yeah, I agree I usually run wasted wire too.  I don't know how to braze though.  I can figure it out later.Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husband
Reply:Laura - what is your gun handle diameter? I'll try to make you one up in my spare time. John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Originally Posted by pinklilly11Yeah, I agree I usually run wasted wire too.  I don't know how to braze though.  I can figure it out later.
Reply:Take a piece of tube/pipe/whatever and weld it to the side of your welding table, at an appropriate height and angle.  Then, you just stick the tip (and gooseneck) of the gun into the 'holster'.  No more wire spewing out of the gun because the trigger was resting on something, no more looking around for where you laid the gun THIS time, etc, etc.And look at David R's above posted review of the MIG gun holder.  Then buy or make one.
Reply:Moonrise - that's exactly what I did, much easier. Took a 1.5" piece of 16 ga. exhaust tubing, tacked it to my metal surround welding table. On the other hand, I figured if Laura wanted one, I could fiddle faddle around and make her one.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:someone mentioned hanging a tig torch.  What ive found that works very well is a c clap clamped near where you are working.  With the longer part sticking up just drape your torch over it.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Originally Posted by MicroZoneLaura - what is your gun handle diameter? I'll try to make you one up in my spare time.
Reply:Originally Posted by gnm109You could either silver solder the parts or TIG weld them if you are good enough to do really thin stock. I just brazed it because it was fast and easy.The clamp portion was turned in a lathe and is about 3/8". I split it and tapped one side for a 10-32 screw and  drilled the other side 3/16" to let the screw fit.
Reply:Originally Posted by pinklilly11YOU ROCK!!! I would really appreciate that.  I will pay you the shipping.  Okay, I hope this is what you need, right under the bottom of the trigger it's 4.5" where I grip it.at the widest part around the trigger it's 5.5"the narrowest part is 5.25"I have the MM 180, kinda a skimpy gun handle.  Not as beefy at the MM 251.
Reply:Ok, blond moment.  I guess I did the radius.  Let me go check again.It's 1.25", see I was going to ask what the diameter was...now you know why I have such a terrible time with the friggen math!Last edited by pinklilly11; 08-09-2007 at 10:07 PM.Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husbandOriginally Posted by pinklilly11Yeah....you're waaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy ahead of me.  That's a neat design.  Of course you'll weld a holder or whatever on your table but if your bldg something on the ground or standing up you don't always have a table to put the gun.  I typically drape it over my project or the machine when I pause.