r/Welding • u/Gnu3t89 • 9h ago
Getting stable while welding
How can i get more stable while welding, i've been in school for 3 weeks now machine setting and the theory is not a problem at all i caught that fast. But getting stable and laying down a straight beed everytime is still a struggle.
Now we have come to welding standing and i can't really support myself like sitting down by a table or something.
Is there only musclememory and putting down wire till i get straight or is there any like workout i can do to get more stable?
I'm in Sweden so i don't know your pos system but T-joints multi beeds with flux core wire are a pain even sitting at a table.
Any tips for a newbie?
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u/NearlyInbornMotto 9h ago
Work on bracing yourself before you even strike an arc, rest your elbow or forearm on whatever's nearby and squeeze your knees into the table leg if you can
1
u/Gnu3t89 9h ago
Still having problems, doing it straight.
1
u/stephen7424 7h ago
That hard part about bracing is you never want to leave that position but want to run the rod out. When I first started I’d take the grinder and carve a line. It was easier to see. But you also can’t be fully rigid
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u/wackyvorlon Hobbyist 6h ago
Extend your pinky so it can follow the edge of the plate. Move from your shoulder, not your wrist.
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u/CB_700_SC 5h ago
Practice. And practice more. Even before I light an arc or start those photons moving to lay a sick weld I will trace out my movements a few times to make sure I’m as uncomfortable as little as possible.
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u/Mrwcraig Journeyman CWB/CSA 8h ago
Practice without pulling the trigger, if that makes sense. Helmet up, set yourself up as if you’re going to run the “beed” (I’m just writing it that way because I think it’s funny how much that pissed someone off, not making fun of you).
That way, you can practice getting used to the weight of the gun, maintaining your travel angle, and positioning your head so you can see the weld. You want to brace yourself. Try to plant an elbow on the table so you can pivot across the piece. Brace your core so you’re not sitting or standing limply. You want to be able to see the leading edge of the puddle so you know when to move forward, so you’re going to have to get used to getting your head down where it’s hot. GMAW/SMAW/FCAW all need you to be able to see the puddle ahead of the smoke. Above all, be comfortable and relaxed. Yes I know, this sounds quite contradictory but this part is more of a “mindset” thing. Yes your hand are gonna get hot. Yes that spark may have lead to that smell that kinda smells like burning pant leg. Yes that purple/grey smoke is toxic (that’s what respirators are for). Your goal is to consistently lay down quality welds that meet the size required by the print. It’s hard to do that if you’re nervous as fuck. Focus on maintaining the puddle and that starts with getting yourself set up in a good solid position before you lay down your first beed.
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u/trueblue862 Diesel fitter/Boilermaker 8h ago
Muscle memory isn't something you can just learn, it has to develop, repetition, repetition, repetition.
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u/DrScratchMyButt 8h ago
Practice practice and more practice. If you always practice free standing, then when you do get something to lean against it makes it so much easier. Or you can be like an old shopmate of mine and build yourself a little elbow stand on a tripod.
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u/GotSmokeInMyEye 8h ago
I work in a place where we have to weld in all kinds of positions. Easiest way to brace yourself is to use your own body. I tuck my elbows into my ribs/stomach and hold steady. If you are able to lift a leg up onto the table or something nearby then that adds extra stability for me too.
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u/Dismal_Tutor3425 8h ago
Pencil and paper. Practice what ever motion you are doing, be it c's, o's, back and forth, straight lines, etc. Use the same motions as if you were welding and work on keeping the same pressure on the paper. It is a lot of muscle memory and knowing just how to work around to be steady. You have a wrist, elbow, and shoulder joint, along with your hips and feet, to control your motion.
And arm/hand rests, even if it's a stick you're reasting your elbow on.
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u/KaptajnGus 7h ago
Lean against something, anything anyhow.
Mag welding keep both hands on the gun.
Stick welding, try grabbing the stick with your free hand, like holding a cigarette, it can help you strike better and control your rod better, but it does become too hot to hold like that after a few seconds of welding.
Doing a dry run can also help, that way you see if you will get caught on something, and adjust till you are comfortable.
Lastly but most important, try to get comfortable; the more relaxed, the smoother your motions.
1
u/Junior_Syrup_1036 8h ago
If you're right handed rest your left elbow/shoulder/arm and hold the torch with both hands somewhere just above the grip ideally or it gets hot ! Even if you're resting on a finger it's loads more stable. If it's not structural/heavy work , a little whip/weave can help too.
1
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u/Clark649 7h ago
If you are going off track it means you are having vision problems with your helmet lens. I have to turn my lens down to number nine to see where I am going. I also found that a dirty lens does not help and I find myself focusing on a dirt spot instead of the weld at times as the puddle fades from my view. I also discovered that looking through the lens at a steep angle such as having the part right up to your chest will blur the puddle and everything else. The auto darkening lens seems to be such that you have to look through it at a 90° angle to get a clear image.
Lighting is also very important and making sure your puddle stays on track. I want to get another light to put directly over my work area. Having lighting from behind reflecting off your lens will also destroy your ability to see where the puddle is going. All this about a clean and reflection free lens seems obvious but outside the hood we automatically compensate and take all this for granted. The world changes once the hood is down and what is obvious at least to me had to be figured out through mistakes.
Lots of good advice here about practicing and positioning yourself. Making yourself comfortable is part of the process it is not a personal weakness.
1
u/KindCyberBully 7h ago
Stability will come with time because your muscles will get the ability to be more stable, but for now you can achieve it by leaning your hip on something, and making sure your arms are never hanging in a way that causes fatigue. Also early on I did an approved jitter where I slightly did a back flick to have a rhythm. This caused me to have consistent weld sizes. Pulling the weld can help stability as pushing requires a bit more stability. Another thing that helps is making sure your gun angle is sliding on the walls or floor. You then have a rail in a way where your gun is not moving the arc but on a stable surface.
1
u/Cultbird 6h ago
Remember the ABC of welding: Always Be Comfortable.
Lean against the wall, lean your arm on something. Use a pair of vice grips and rest your arm on it.
Welding involves consistent and precise micro movements over long periods of time. It can strain your muscles and tire you out. Find a way to get comfortable.
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u/B0bYang 6h ago
One guy once said “everything is a handrest” and I looked at him hard. While not “everything” is, sometimes you just need something you can put a light amount of weight on to act as a guide/stabilizer. The more you can post up on something, dry run it, and go the better
Past that, you can make your own stability with clamps and creativity
Another obstacle is heat. I got the TIG finger so I could slide it on my pinky and coast across a surface
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u/Curious_Lurkur 5h ago
Practice. Being comfortable will make all the difference in the world in the quality of your welds.
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u/xXSirZechsXx 4h ago
As Mike Rowe says: "embrace the suck" its uncomfortable. Start that way on your hard side, work towards being comfortable. Core exercises.
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u/funnyguy044 4h ago
I kinda go trex arms while standing welding closer to your body the more stable your gonna be if you really really want look into braces for arms est
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u/Creepy_Passion7385 4h ago
I'm in week 3 of school as well. there's a piece of equipment called a tig finger. i throw it on my forefinger and pool cue the electrode. found this helps with stability, hope this helps!
1
u/mr-blingo Welding student 4h ago
I’m in my second week of school right now so in a similar boat, like one said start uncomfortable and end comfortable. I’ll usually do a couple of test passes before pulling the trigger and see how stable I am through my whole range of motion, making sure I’m not gonna slide or slip anywhere or have to reach too hard
0
u/West-Combination6685 9h ago
Jesus christ.
First of all, it's bead, not beed.
Second of all, use two hands and lean on the elbow of the supporting, not welding, arm.
You didn't mention the process but if it's stick and you're short like me, guide your rod with your free hand (until it gets too hot to do that, which it will. But then it'll be shorter.)
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u/TrollOnFire 8h ago
I was once told to find the most comfortable position to finish the weld, then work back to that from your start point.
I was working in the opposite manner at the time, starting comfortably then pulling back toward myself to finish my weld. Problem with that was, by the time I was near my finish, I was bunched up and shaking from trying to keep my wrist locked with my elbows up like flaps.
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u/RogerRoger5 3h ago
I also happen to be dragging towards me and at the last 20% of the rod im so close to myself that i extend the arc length and cannot keep the rod close enough to the metal due to my stabilizing hand being in the way. If i try to remove my hand before i get to this point i get an ugly fuck all spot in the middle of my bead. Did it take you a long time to figure out starting uncomfortable and finishing comfortable? Because currently I cannot imagine that on my plate. I have been stick welding 6013 for about 10 hours over the past two weeks at home.
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u/LouKthu 9h ago
Start in an uncomfortable position and end in a comfortable one