Erm maybe I amI'm reading this as you're attempting a down hand fillet around a piece of tube/pipe, I find what works for me is touch welding, that is, allowing the electrode flux to touch the work piece, position yourself so that you're able to move your arm freely and to turn your wrist: as I'm left handed, I'd reach around the pipe, and arc up at 3 O'clock, soon as the arc has been struck, use only one hand this allows you the freedom to turn and adjust the electrode angle as it proceeds around to 9 O'clock
That was my impression - plate flat on the bench with the pipe vertical - if that's the case then the technique described above works well. It is trickier with smaller diameter pipe as your hand has to turn more quickly to maintain the rod angle. If you've got any offcuts of larger pipe and some odd pieces of flat, try a few practice shots with those to help you get used to the hand/wrist twisting involved.I'm reading this as you're attempting a down hand fillet around a piece of tube/pipe, I find what works for me is touch welding, that is, allowing the electrode flux to touch the work piece, position yourself so that you're able to move your arm freely and to turn your wrist: as I'm left handed, I'd reach around the pipe, and arc up at 3 O'clock, soon as the arc has been struck, use only one hand this allows you the freedom to turn and adjust the electrode angle as it proceeds around to 9 O'clock
That's why I prefer to do pipe vertical up.That was my impression - plate flat on the bench with the pipe vertical - if that's the case then the technique described above works well. It is trickier with smaller diameter pipe as your hand has to turn more quickly to maintain the rod angle. If you've got any offcuts of larger pipe and some odd pieces of flat, try a few practice shots with those to help you get used to the hand/wrist twisting involved.
If its a big tube, then a length of braided wire (or return with the insulation pulled off) wrapped around it and the clamp onto that works well. Like a brush contactorI've done it by securing the earth clamp to the tube and turning the tube by hand instead of the rod, positioning is important, that's you, you got to be in a comfortable position or it won't help
thats RAF standard, ruff as f---Practice, practice, practice.
What size tube? The bigger the tube the easier it gets. You have to keep pointing the rod to the centre of the tube/pipe so on a small diameter tube you have to adjust the rod angle very fast which makes it a pain in the *ss.
I'm not saying I'm realy good at it, but after years of practice this 5" pipe went sort of allright. Still struggling with small diameter tube though.
I like running them vertical up beter then in the flat position.
View attachment 277428