Electrode Holder recommendations please

[Stingray]

eBay item number:
193431559574

 

[ned]

Lads some great suggestions, very much appreciated. The Fuji one is a beaut!

Is that wood?... probably not. Personally I don't like the protruding bit, but I might buy one and try it.

The mechanism on the ESAB does indeed look simple

Chucke9000 or whatever his name is, That guy is cool, it would be a loss if his stuff dissappeared. I think he had the comments turned off on some of his vids due to trolling comments. Dunno. He is good though.

That Esab Prima is lovely too

Impressed with this one, looks simple and like it would work, again its got the protusion, I might buy one and try to get on with it, as someone said )

 

[Mark 2]

Oddly enough I find the heavier ones feel more stable, if that makes sense.

 

[mdr]

Oddly enough I find the heavier ones feel more stable, if that makes sense.

I know what you mean. Something with a bit of heft to it feels more stable.

 

[Turbo]

I acquired a Myking one many years ago, it was left behind by some welders installing refrigeration pipework. Do I like it? Every time I get a new welder the Myking holder gets swapped onto it. I now have it fitted on a short length of lighter cable that I can connect to any welder using dinse plugs.

What I like is it really grips the rod well & the rubberised handle means that you don't need a death grip to stop it slipping from a leather clad hand.

 

[Munkul]

I have a couple of Esab twist types, I like them but only one of the holes works properly on both of them - the 45deg hole can't get the rod seated properly... maybe just me.
The 200a one can only just fit 3.2's into the holes, the 400a one can fit much bigger... if this is any factor.

I've came around to like the Bernard short stub type is better, even the cheap knock offs. Never had any problems with them.

Hate the spring clamp type. They never feel secure, to my mind. They also usually have more metal exposed... so possibly more risk of stray arcs.

I agree on the heft side of things with stick welding. A slightly heavier stinger "feels" better. All these 400 or 600 amp rated holders... let's be honest, most of us will NEVER use more than 160 amps anyway, but it's more about this:

 

[Memmeddu]

So in the First picture you'll be able to see the two most used electrode holders used nearby my city
Same picture up above it's a sacit Parva 2 , the original one not the Chinese or awelco copy which are very far I'm terms of quality respect sacit
It's the one I use and I like ,and it's the same given with the Fronius TransPocket ,akkupocket and probably someothers .
The Parva 2 should be 200A 60% if I remember correctly
Electrode capacity 1.6 up to 3.2mm (4mm fit very thigh)
I don't know if there is a Parva 3 ,I should check to say that for sure.
In the same picture bottom side is a sacit perfecta 3 ,I don't know why but the professional fabricators and machinist around my city use those ,my engine driven came with one of those and I don't like it
I feel it too heavy
There are surely 3 version
3 (300A 2.5 up to 5mm)
4 (400A 3.2 up to 6.4mm)
5 (500A 4 up to ?mm)
It has also a big major issue
The handle itself is press fitted with a little springy thingy sheet metal fitted between handle and brass connector
With the age the handle will come loose and you will lose the springy thing maybe in the field and you will never find it again .
For this reason all those electrode holders are secured together wrapping them using electrical tape
Mine included

The second picture is a Zagabria from arroweld i don't know much about but I would like to try one of those or the stringer version (V notch seat for the electrode )
I don't know who produce it
It's something I would like to try because it's different red handle instead of black that's the only reason

 

[Feet 'n Inches]

I know what you mean. Something with a bit of heft to it feels more stable.

My preference also. I've found a bit of weight on the end offsets the weight of the cable and its drag, even with lighter weight cables. Like some here I don't wear a glove on the holder hand, there's more feel that way, I think; a bit like wearing thin-soled shoes when driving to get the best feel from the pedals.

 

[davidjohnperry]

Hey guys I've pretty much used 70 % of electrode holders.

Best for me is
Stinger v pros holds rods up to 6 mm tight and you can bend the rod to any angle down side is f u catch the spring on something it will arc out

Next is crock style a decent one like my tweeko holds rods nice but find getting big rods in the grove plus my Paton had a nice crock style. I have the Japanese one on my inverterfusion which is ok but it's old so doesn't bite to well have to bend the rods round the outside edge of the Stinger

Then 3rd is the twist ok but no matter how hard you tighten down the rods never stay in there although this is the cheap ones I have a expensive twist one some where but I never really got on with them . I used the myking a few times ok for small rods but finding the hole is a pain some times

My preference is my preference and my opinion it is down to the welder I'd recommend trying out as many as possible so you get a feel burn a box with each in the most common sizes and you will find which you will prefer

 

[Memmeddu]

Hey guys I've pretty much used 70 % of electrode holders.

Best for me is
Stinger v pros holds rods up to 6 mm tight and you can bend the rod to any angle down side is f u catch the spring on something it will arc out

Next is crock style a decent one like my tweeko holds rods nice but find getting big rods in the grove plus my Paton had a nice crock style. I have the Japanese one on my inverterfusion which is ok but it's old so doesn't bite to well have to bend the rods round the outside edge of the Stinger

Then 3rd is the twist ok but no matter how hard you tighten down the rods never stay in there although this is the cheap ones I have a expensive twist one some where but I never really got on with them . I used the myking a few times ok for small rods but finding the hole is a pain some times

My preference is my preference and my opinion it is down to the welder I'd recommend trying out as many as possible so you get a feel burn a box with each in the most common sizes and you will find which you will prefer

The clamp style (crocodile and V notch) could be refurbished , using a triangular file an "milling" the contact surfaces
I've always wanted to try the twist lock but I'm pretty sure that I kill the welder prior to release the electrode if stick

 

[mtt.tr]

Mine been good for 2 years, then yesterday decides to not hold electrodes properly, very very annoying

 

[davidjohnperry]

I used twist style for a few years ill try and find my nice one. Those red things in the photos are in my eyes slag hammers

 

[Farside]

I've always had a preference for croc-type holders, never really liked the twist type, but the ESAB Primo looks like it will suit me.
Only to find a place with them for decent money.

 

[E T]

Hey guys I've pretty much used 70 % of electrode holders.

Best for me is
Stinger v pros holds rods up to 6 mm tight and you can bend the rod to any angle down side is f u catch the spring on something it will arc out

I've been using the Stinger V for close to two years now and I love it. Nice and heavy and good to control.
I've never arced out on anything. The spring is insulated from the lever and body and I have the insulated version so the rest is insulated as well.
I can see that if the powdercoating on the lever gets chipped there is a big chance of arcing out on something when working in tight spaces, but mine is still in perfect condition.

It has a death grip on the electrodes, even on the tiny 1.6mm ones. No way you can pull them out by hand without opening the jaw.
No problem bending the rods of any size when they are in the stinger except stainless rods. Stainless electrodes 2.5mm and up are so strong they can force the jaws open against that very strong spring when you try to bend them.

 

[Robert Mullins]

The shortstub type electrode holders have brass/bronze jaws to grip the electrode, most splendid when they're new, with no wear, indentation nor twist to the jaw, and the spring not annealed or broken by the heat, the Myking type tongs have no spring, no pivot hole to elongate, break, no jaw to twist, Myking type tongs have the (twist) head, and the handle, one moving part, grease the brass thread with copper-slip grease when it's new, and you will have no problems whatsoever, I've used them in the shipyard and I swear by tgem

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Funny old world...spent the best part of an hour using google to search for a new electrode holder. It seems all roads eventually lead back to this forum...it's like the prisoner!

Fed up with my croc style holder....the rods seem to wobble about which I find really annoying!

 

[zzr1200]

Bernard snub nose holder,,,expensive but worth it, imo.

I've used them for best part of 40 years now, one lasted for roughly 33 years. I now have another 2 Bernard holders one each for my large and small dinse plugs for my 2 welders..

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I bought the GYS one already ....if it doesn't work out I'll take a look at Bernard cheers.

Main thing I need is the rod release in case I stick the rod to the work....which I seem to do quite a lot. I'm assuming once I get the hang of it that will stop happening but at the moment it happens to me a lot when I'm starting and I suspect the holder I have allows the rod to waggle about and that might be causing my problems.

Maybe its my rods...I bought a box of sifters rods....then I read maybe they aren't so wonderful!