how to hold the torch

[BrokenBiker]

so, I had a go with my mates ac/dc tig earlier on ali as ive never used ac tig before so wanted to try it.

his torch has a button and as im used to holding my torch like a hammer because the gas valve gets in the way of any other style of holding it, I used the button with my thumb, however he said I was holding it wrong and I should be holding it like a pencil and using my middle finger to hit the button.

I couldn't get to grips with this, kept dipping the tungsten, touching the rod to the tungsten, adding rod to the arc and couldn't keep a consistent arc length.

is it a case of having a proper way to hold the torch or is it a case of what ever works best is the way to do it

 

[PSweeney]

my tig has a button the top, I grip it between thumb and middle finger ans use my index finger on the button. I fing this easier because my thumbs not as dextrous. Only issue I get i tend to arch my wrist back which limits my ability to follow tight curves. I never got on with holding it like a hammer.

 

[AndyStobbs]

Its a case of practice above all else. I had difficulties at first with all those things you mention, but once I had played at it long enough I got better. In the early days I felt like I was fighting the pool, now I'm at one with it.

 

[BrokenBiker]

i will continue as i am doing then, although once i buy a hf tig i will probably practice both amyway

 

[HMB]

Use a pedal, I find that much easier

 

[BrokenBiker]

Use a pedal, I find that much easier

only using lift arc at yhe moment of an mma inverter and will be buying cheap and second hand when i get a hf set so no guarantee it will take a pedal and most of the tig i will be doing will be out of position and hard to use a pedal anyway lol although i wouldn't mine one for bench work

 

[norlander]

are you using a 9 torch (valved) with your lift tig set up ?

 

[BrokenBiker]

no a valved 17

 

[Jan]

I would tend to think that the angle between the torch head and body would strongly influence the hold method. If that angle was around 90 degrees then a any hold would be almost impossible for anything other than an outside joint. Take that to the other extreme with the head parallel to the body and only a 'pencil' hold would be comfortable, although tight inside joints would be as easy as falling off a log. Between those two extremes the drag of the gas line would be the strongest influence as a 'pencil' hold might become too tiring in a short while.

 

[Wyn F]

I struggled with a normal (WP26) sized switched torch so got me a CK flex loc torch
Sure I still can't weld for **** but imo best thing ive bought so far
Much easier to use and you can hold and use it more like a pen unlike the normal torch

 

[BrokenBiker]

i was looking at a flex head replacement for my 17 but didn't bother in the end. May look into now though as i plan on doing more tig

 

[biffa]

New torches can be bent to suit to a certain degree obviously you only want to bend it once or twice but you can set it how you like, personally there's no right way to hold the touch, I have mine about 90 degrees and does for 99% percent of the stuff for me, but I'm constantly rotating where the bottom is for the most comfort whether it's thumb or finger it doesn't matter just what's most comfortable,

 

[rory1]

Whichever way you hold the torch you can usually wrap the leads/hose around your forearm once to stop them pulling on the torch when your running a weld.

 

[PSweeney]

as above you've got to get the weight of the lead off the torch hand. I either put the lead up on the bench of support it in situ by resting it on a g-clamp or something close by