kicking your pedal around

[outofstepper]

Greets.
I had a post in the machines forum about adding a foot controller to a cemont.
Well I got all my bits together and fired it up for the first time tonight.

Been tig welding a while, but never used a foot controller.. just on/off
switch at the torch.

Now the pedals not 100% ready yet (have to find a microswitch) so I've
been switching on/off with the torch and doing the amp control with my
pedal... when I realized (and don't know why this didn't come to me
sooner) -- now I've got to kick my foot controller all over my garage while
i'm working.

That sound about right?

Although most of my work is at the bench, it does get rather
largish.. meaning I usually walk around it.

First impression, foot controller adds a whole new level to tigging..
no more guessing amperage / setting up-down slopes / etc... but I'm
worried i'm going to end up taping my foot controller to my torch body
so I don't have to kick it around all day.

Tony

 

[pedrobedro]

I bought a cheap pedal from a certain Chinese chap on ebay. It was the right size pot and 5 wire but the plug was different as it had two fitted. I got a connector from the local welding supplier, he gave me a used one and I fitted it after experimenting and it works.
About £60 as opposed to £180 to £250 and I would now have a go at making my own once I'd seen what was inside it.

 

[outofstepper]

I have to say that with the 20 mins I got to play with the pedal, boy, its like
a whole new welding process -- not my old tig machine anymore!

I knocked mine together with a volume pedal for electronic keyboards.
I couldn't find the stereo phono jack on my machine.

Its plastic and cost me £25.. already had (has) the right sized pot, just no
microswitch. will add a steel plate to the bottom for some more weight but
like i said in my first post I might as well add casters to it.

-Tony

 

[Normsthename]

Don't do what I have done with a pedal............
I am in the habit of resting the TIG torch on my lap while I setup the parts to weld.
Trouble was the electrode was very close to an intimate part of my body....., I accidentally touched the pedal with my foot, with the result of getting an electric shock thru' my man jewels
I can tell you it is something I don't want to repeat!

Andy

 

[FranV8]

Have you tried wrapping them in tin foil before welding?
Safety first!

 

[Robotstar5]

Have you tried wrapping them in tin foil before welding?
Safety first!

As long as you have an earth bonding cable on

 

[Tigman]

Ive never tried wrapping my bits and bobs with tin foil, strange people !

 

[outofstepper]

So in 15 mins of welding some aluminum with a tig pedal I've come
to two solid conclusions:
1. foot pedals are terrible!
2. foot pedals are wonderful!

for you cats out there that have a foot pedal:
-is it supposed to pop back to zero (off) when you let go? or stay where
you leave it?
-how much resistance should you feel? mine is quite "light" .. it'll stay
where you put it, but if i so much as blink i can blow a hole in my work.

i feel like i'm standing on one leg when i'm sitting. somethings not
right with my work table height, chair height and who knows what else.

i suppose it comes down to getting used to it.. but for a DIYer like me,
I see little real opportunity to get a lot from a foot pedal. I'm a mover
and a shaker.

maybe a torch mount amp control? damn this is an expensive hobby.

-Tony

 

[langy]

I use a pedal 99% of the time, It should spring back up.
I've got used to using my pedal with my head, knee, elbow etc etc and wouldn't be without it.
On the odd ocassion i can't use the pedal i just unplug it and plug in and use the thumbwheel on my torch.

So in 15 mins of welding some aluminum with a tig pedal I've come
to two solid conclusions:
1. foot pedals are terrible!
2. foot pedals are wonderful!

for you cats out there that have a foot pedal:
-is it supposed to pop back to zero (off) when you let go? or stay where
you leave it?
-how much resistance should you feel? mine is quite "light" .. it'll stay
where you put it, but if i so much as blink i can blow a hole in my work.

i feel like i'm standing on one leg when i'm sitting. somethings not
right with my work table height, chair height and who knows what else.

i suppose it comes down to getting used to it.. but for a DIYer like me,
I see little real opportunity to get a lot from a foot pedal. I'm a mover
and a shaker.

maybe a torch mount amp control? damn this is an expensive hobby.

-Tony

 

[Drains]

Outofstepper, turn your current down at the machine if you're blowing holes. The pedal should only max to that setting. Gives you a smaller range and better control.

 

[Wedg1e]

I knocked mine together with a volume pedal for electronic keyboards.
I couldn't find the stereo phono jack on my machine.

Its plastic and cost me £25.. already had (has) the right sized pot, just no
microswitch. will add a steel plate to the bottom for some more weight but
like i said in my first post I might as well add casters to it.

-Tony

Mine was a volume pedal too - £12 off Ebay as I recall! Mine works by rocking your heel back to hit the microswitch, which fires up the TIG at minimum amps. Then you rock forward to the desired setting (up to whatever the Amps control is at) and rock back to hit the microswitch and turn off again - the TIG is set to Trigger Latch. Not sure if that's how pedals normally work but it ended up that way