Free hand Tig

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I been dipping my rod in the molten pool. I have been doing this on alot of things. My night school for welding, tells me to "walk the cup" on about everything. Is this a good thing?
Reply:While walking the cup is a valuable tool to learn, particularly for welding piping and large grooves, it is far more important to learn proper freehand techniques, which will be used on a much more frequent basis and is key to learning the fundamentals of TIG welding.
Reply:^^^^^^^^ what he said. --Gol'
Reply:try to steady your torch by straightening a finger of that hand to touch the work.Keeping you torch steady will help a lot.if your torch hand is steady then so is your torch.G
Reply:All nooo, not more "walkin the cup" the cup should be tired by now eh?Don't let that iron in your lungs, turn to lead in your @$$!!!!
Reply:I been dipping my rod in the molten pool.
Reply:Thank you soo very much guys!!  I have been dipping my filler in the pool.
Reply:I have been dipping my filler in the pool also!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:I have been dipping my filler in the taco sauce.
Reply:Walking the cup is a crutch. The torch dosent weigh 50 pounds nor do you need two hands to manipulate it. Learn to freehand especially on pipe and youll be much further ahead. I get all these new kids coming up and asking me if i know how to walk the cup and i just laugh. Dont learn bad habits this early in the game!!
Reply:walking the cup is a technique, not a bad habit.
Reply:Dang,All along I though dipping my filler in the puddle was how you did tig.Where the he11 are you "supposed" to be putting it?Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Walking the cup is for groove welding usually on pipe.  I tend to "ride" the cup, or drag it along on the plate if I can especially for a fillet.  It just makes things steadier, but it all depends on the job.  Freehand is the way to go for most odd jobs that come in the door.  Learn all techniques and fit them to the job.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by Pressure_WelderWalking the cup is a crutch.
Reply:Ok all you free hander's.     Do you really free hand OR is there a finger on the pipe?????????I'd rather be hunting........USE ENOUGH HEAT.......Drifting around Aussie welding more pipe up, for something different.....wanting to get home.
Reply:I think that they all their place... just like there is a tool for every job.  Now you can use several tools on different jobs, but technically speaking there is a specific tool for that job.  Can you do it without that exact tool, more times than not, yes you can.. but by the book, you should do it that specific way.That all being said, I walked the cup for everything that I could when I learned it...  Now in the real world and not in the classroom, I am learning more and more that freehand and non-text book techniques come in handy more frequently.  Like adding filler from other directions. and dragging the torch,  backhand welding.. and lastly my favorite currently is manual pulsing...  My instructors in school all said not to do it..  But I can weld so much faster on aluminum with pulsing than with continous feed.. Not everything that I have learned is a good habit... but necessity is the mother of invention..  Anyways, I said all that to say, learn as much as you can... and personally I think for all deep "V" grooves walking the cup is the way to go... but learn to freehand also, and when you get all that mastered, learn it all again with the other hand...
Reply:spent months when i began tiggin on fillets  on a table..foot pedal..then i needed to do something that didnt fit on the table,,lo and behold i had to stand up..found that i was wobbling like a drunk pig standing on one foot trying to use foot pedal with the other..looked in the book to see how to use machine without foot pedal...thers lots to learn, it never stops..
Reply:Drunk pig, huh.I have to see that.
Reply:Originally Posted by smokeshowI think that they all their place... just like there is a tool for every job.  Now you can use several tools on different jobs, but technically speaking there is a specific tool for that job.  Can you do it without that exact tool, more times than not, yes you can.. but by the book, you should do it that specific way.That all being said, I walked the cup for everything that I could when I learned it...  Now in the real world and not in the classroom, I am learning more and more that freehand and non-text book techniques come in handy more frequently.  Like adding filler from other directions. and dragging the torch,  backhand welding.. and lastly my favorite currently is manual pulsing...  My instructors in school all said not to do it..  But I can weld so much faster on aluminum with pulsing than with continous feed.. Not everything that I have learned is a good habit... but necessity is the mother of invention..  Anyways, I said all that to say, learn as much as you can... and personally I think for all deep "V" grooves walking the cup is the way to go... but learn to freehand also, and when you get all that mastered, learn it all again with the other hand...
Reply:Unless the work piece is just to hot I all most always rested and slid my wrist along to help steady the torch... and I have used a finger out like a feeler. I never was good at full on free hand...
Reply:Thanks again guys for all your help! I'm still a long ways to go, before I'm a welder.