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Thread: TIG - Foot Control or Not

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    Pit Crew Decade Plus User MK1_Oz's Avatar

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    TIG - Foot Control or Not

    I recently bit the bullet and bought an AC DC TIG welder. The welding shop said NOT to buy a foot control as he said 1 in 40 people use one. This seems at odds with what I have read. I will be mainly using the machine for various thicknesses of aluminium up to say 5-6mm (capacity of machine). The torch that came with it has a thumb wheel for amperage control and an on/off button.

    https://www.welding.com.au/equipment...arc-200i-ac-dc

    What say the experienced TIG welder on here? Is the torch thumb wheel OK or should I shell out even more money for a pedal???? Don't want to spend money I don't need to.

    I should note I have never TIG welded, only ever MIG.
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    Re: TIG - Foot Control or Not

    Absolutely get the pedal!

    the thumb wheel thing might be OK but its another thing you need to do with your hands that are already busy welding and feeding filler rod.

    Full disclosure, im not a professional welder or even close to it im just a mucker in his shed sticking bits of metal together occasionally... but i've been doing it for 25 years. It took a little time to master it i just think of it like the accelerator on a car, in my opinion totally indispensable you'll wonder how you ever welded without it.

    The only time i dont use the pedal is when im welding in an awkward spot.
    Last edited by muckerbarry; 14-08-2018 at 07:54.

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    Re: TIG - Foot Control or Not

    Funny advice from Welding Shop! Cheaper torches have simple 2g / 4g switches which maybe ok for steel but for non ferrous, the current/power flexibility with a pedal is deffo an advantage. Also easy to to 'spot tack weld' using full pedal for a second - hard with gloved fingers. For the cost - no thinking involved!

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    Pit Crew Decade Plus User MK1_Oz's Avatar

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    Re: TIG - Foot Control or Not

    Hmmm...maybe he thought I wanted to weld steel only? I think the pedal is around 120 of your pounds. Maybe I will get it.

    My supplied torch has a thumb wheel and switch and has three plugs. Until I can confirm I will assume these are electrikery, gas and switches. When using the pedal I also assume that I just don't plug the torch switch plug into the power unit and replace it with the pedal.

    How does a pedal handle the 4T setting? The torch button is pressed and held for stage 1, released for stage 2 (full current), pressed and held for stage 3 then release for stage 4 (turn off). Not sure how a pedal does that?

    The user manual is a little light on.
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    Re: TIG - Foot Control or Not

    The pedal control is off - full on across the sweep with min. and max current set on the knobs. I sometimes initiate arc with a belt of current then 'pedal back' for control, then its one and back as required. And yes, the pedal plug just replaces the torch plug. Pricey pedal - I think mine was a £50 option!

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    TIG - Foot Control or Not

    Have u got a 5 pin plug
    I made me pedal using manufacturer drawings
    It’s not a simple on off switch



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    TIG - Foot Control or Not




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    Spanner Monkey Ianbavs's Avatar

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    TIG - Foot Control or Not

    The extra variable resistor is the max current at full pedal movement
    Or U can limit it on the welder main controls
    It’s not as easy as u think
    But def worth the effort
    Get Elec drawing from the manufacturer if u can :-)


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    Pit Crew Decade Plus User MK1_Oz's Avatar

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    Re: TIG - Foot Control or Not

    Quote Originally Posted by katana View Post
    ...Pricey pedal...
    Sadly anything like this is always much higher in price than we can get here. It is either the additional sea freight to get it here or just good old fashioned charge what the market will bear. And retailers over here wonder why we all love to buy via overseas websites!

    I did consider making a pedal but seeing as I am learning I need to remove any variables (like I made a shite pedal!).

    I bit the bullet and just ordered one. Will practice with the torch switches on the weekend then try the pedal next week.
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    Re: TIG - Foot Control or Not

    Quote Originally Posted by MK1_Oz View Post
    Hmmm...maybe he thought I wanted to weld steel only? I think the pedal is around 120 of your pounds. Maybe I will get it.
    Steel, Alloy, Stainless, the pedal is indispensable for all metals.
    My pedal was just expensive as yours, and it was a bitter pill to swallow after forking out over a grand for the welder, but worth every penny.

    Quote Originally Posted by MK1_Oz View Post
    When using the pedal I also assume that I just don't plug the torch switch plug into the power unit and replace it with the pedal.
    Thats exactly what you do, plug the multi pin connector on the pedal into the power unit instead of the torch.

    Quote Originally Posted by MK1_Oz View Post
    How does a pedal handle the 4T setting? The torch button is pressed and held for stage 1, released for stage 2 (full current), pressed and held for stage 3 then release for stage 4 (turn off). Not sure how a pedal does that?
    The pedal bypasses the built in 4T setting, stages 1,2,3, and 4 are all handled by rocking the pedal. Push the pedal down to start the arc and ramp it up to the desired current (1T) then hold it in that position (2T), then when coming to the end of the weld start releasing the pedal to reduce current (3T) and then release pedal fully to stop the arc, (4T).

    Obviously when in the 2T stage the pedal can be moved to increase current (heat) as needed.

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    Re: TIG - Foot Control or Not

    +1 on the pedal. It is a must, no questions asked. Its like asking yes or no to gears on a pushbike.

    Then get yourself a nice and light torch so that your hand doesnt get fatigued. Those standard euro style torches are heavy and uncomfortable to hold.

    CK Worldwide's CK-9 air cooled torches with the flex line are $200 well spent. Or if you're doing ally and operating over 120 amps, then a CK-17.

    It is very very tempting to get a bigger and better torch, but do realize that your 15 amp single phase machine is for home use and the duty cycle means that you will most likely run it between 50 and 120 amps (which is more than enough for most things you'll fix on your car).

    I was lucky enough recently use a Fronius Magicwave 2200. I used 120 amps max, when i welded the engine stand on the Projects segment of this forum. That was all 3mm steel tubing. To weld 7mm SS plate to 3mm SS tubing, i think i pushed it up to 140 amps. When i tried to quicly tack parts of it with 180 amps, i kept tripping the circuit breaker for the garage.......which was annoying as poo!


    But yeah get a pedal!

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