How do you hold the torch and rod?

[imprez55]

I have heard from both sides of the fence on which way to teach a beginner so I thought I would set up a poll. Do you think that you should be taught with your non-dominant hand holding the torch, or vise verse?

Once you vote it wold be nice to hear why you think your style is better (or worse). Let the voting begin

 

[Paul.]

You should do what is comfortable, I am left handed and hold the torch with my left hand, to try and force a student to go against what feels natural is counter productive, (and I've taught many people to weld), there will always be the odd occasion when you have to be ambidextrous, or find an opposite handed mate to help you out.

 

[scarecrow]

I write with my left hand but weld with my right hand so I suppose I'm ambidextrous I can play darts with both hands some nights one is better than the other but I can only play pool righthanded

 

[snowcat]

pencil grip for me.........

 

[gavuk]

I'm right handed and hold torch in right hand for tig ,but will use left for arc and mig when i have to......

 

[Wozzaaah]

Pencil grip, torch in right (dominant) hand, filler in left hand.

 

[Shox Dr]

I'm left-handed and hold the torch in that hand when I can and prefer to do so, however I'll hold it in whatever hand the job/situation requires

 

[hotrodder]

As Paul said, a beginner should be started off with whatever is most comfortable for them- typically i would think that would be torch in dominant hand with a pencil grip

I'm right handed but will weld lefty if i can't get to the weld comfortably any other way. Grip varies with job at hand

 

[matt1978]

I think its madness to begin teaching someone to learn with there 'weaker' hand before they have even mastered the process with there 'strong' hand. I dotn see any sense in it.

It is undoubtedly a worthwhile skill being able to tig weld with your opposite hand, especially on some power-stations and construction sites, where access for the welder is often very poorly thought out, but in normal run of the mill situations, I cant think of many times when anyone would need to weld opposite hand.

 

[bawjaws]

hehe, looks like im the only freak of nature then , holding the torch in my crappy hand

 

[matt1978]

The pencil grip thing, is also verr personal to each welder, its excellent for fine work or fab shop/bench work but its not that great for site work when lots of people can be walking past and treading on or triping over trailing torch leads.

I always found wrapping the cord loosely around your forearm and holding the tig torch like a 'hammer' style worked best in those situations, esp on positional work

 

[English Steve]

Haven't used TIG for a long time, but was always torch in right (dominant) hand in the same manner as using O/A. Never tried it any other way.

 

[Ragnarok]

I'm right handed and hold the torch in my right hand (unless the need arises to hold it in the other hand that is)

 

[asmeix6g]

i hold like a pencil on plate work but hold like a hammer for walking the cup. hold wire in left hand between little finger and the one next to it and use index and thumb to feed it through.