Copper trick when tig welding? Huh?

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Was talking to friend today over email who did some tig welding in college. He asked me the following:Do you know anything about the copper trick? I used to hold the tip above a piece of copper. Not sure what exactly it ddi, but made it easier to get the weld i was looking for.
Reply:it some times helps start the arc, doing Tig with  lift or scratch start copper won't comtaminate as bad as steel can/will on first startidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tigidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tig #2 used for sticklincoln sp100hh125dual arbor grinder polisher30 yrs of hand tools52 pitch blocks 6p-26prake gauge -pitch gaugeG&D prop repair 918-207-6938Hulbert,okla 74441
Reply:So you put a piece of copper on top the aluminum and start the arc on it and then move your arc to the aluminum?Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:balling your tungsten when doin ac work ?I forgot how to change this.
Reply:Yea its an easy clean way of putting just the right size ball on the tungsten. When I used to do daily repaires I would have a box of little bars and rods and shapes of copper that I had made up for daming aluminum . The copper carrys the heat away so fast that your aluminum generaly will not stick to it. Of course you can also use iron or steel because the aluminum will realy not stick to it. You can lay a bead right against it and as long as you dont let the arc disfigure the steel badly it will not stick.  Mac