| Sysop: | Amessyroom |
|---|---|
| Location: | Fayetteville, NC |
| Users: | 27 |
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| Calls: | 631 |
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| Files: | 1,187 |
| D/L today: |
24 files (29,813K bytes) |
| Messages: | 174,719 |
-a This one is in the foot control of my TIG welder . Infinite
resistance from any combination of terminals , so I ordered a pair from Digikey . The microswitch shows a bit more resistance that a new one and
the reading is not stable so I'm replacing it too . I don't recall what project the switches are left over from but I've got like 9 of them .
-a This is NOT a good time for the welder to be down , I'm in the middle
of a project that includes welding aluminum . And I'm not good at controlling the arc with the 2T switch on the torch . It's awkward
because of the location on the handle .
On 10/14/2025 8:51 PM, Snag wrote:
-a-a This one is in the foot control of my TIG welder . Infinite
resistance from any combination of terminals , so I ordered a pair
from Digikey . The microswitch shows a bit more resistance that a new
one and the reading is not stable so I'm replacing it too . I don't
recall what project the switches are left over from but I've got like
9 of them .
-a-a This is NOT a good time for the welder to be down , I'm in the
middle of a project that includes welding aluminum . And I'm not good
at controlling the arc with the 2T switch on the torch . It's awkward
because of the location on the handle .
Finger switch huh?-a I use a finger switch, but my TIG welder also allows
to me set a start current in addition to a weld current.-a I have been
told there are finger switches that can adjust current like a foot
pedal, but I have never seen one.
I am as cheap as the next guy, but I have been known to throw money at
the problem when time is a constraint.-a Time is always important of
course, but sometimes you can work on other things while waiting.-a If it
is valuable enough to making waiting an issue Harbor Freight sells a
loose TIG pedal.-a If the plug is not compatible you can swap plugs.-a Of course I am working under the assumption that Harbor Freight has a store within a reasonable distance.
I recently (month or so ago) adapted a Harbor Freight TIG torch to my
AHP welder in order to finish and ship a job.
On 10/15/2025 11:00 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
On 10/14/2025 8:51 PM, Snag wrote:
-a-a This one is in the foot control of my TIG welder . Infinite
resistance from any combination of terminals , so I ordered a pair
from Digikey . The microswitch shows a bit more resistance that a new
one and the reading is not stable so I'm replacing it too . I don't
recall what project the switches are left over from but I've got like
9 of them .
-a-a This is NOT a good time for the welder to be down , I'm in the
middle of a project that includes welding aluminum . And I'm not good
at controlling the arc with the 2T switch on the torch . It's awkward
because of the location on the handle .
Finger switch huh?-a I use a finger switch, but my TIG welder also
allows to me set a start current in addition to a weld current.-a I
have been told there are finger switches that can adjust current like
a foot pedal, but I have never seen one.
I am as cheap as the next guy, but I have been known to throw money at
the problem when time is a constraint.-a Time is always important of
course, but sometimes you can work on other things while waiting.-a If
it is valuable enough to making waiting an issue Harbor Freight sells
a loose TIG pedal.-a If the plug is not compatible you can swap plugs.
Of course I am working under the assumption that Harbor Freight has a
store within a reasonable distance.
I recently (month or so ago) adapted a Harbor Freight TIG torch to my
AHP welder in order to finish and ship a job.
-a The problem with the finger switch is it is on top of the handle in a position that makes it impossible to get a steady grip on the torch . My machine also has ramp up/down controls as well as pre and post flow
settings . I have the ramp down time set long enough that I can let off
the switch for a second or two if the puddle gets too hot . I've seen pictures of torch mounted slider switches but never used one .
-a I'm trying out using a piece of thin plywood as a rest to help
control arc length since I can't maintain it due to the compromised grip
on the torch . I also have 2 new pots coming for the foot control , one
to be installed , the other will be taped inside the control just in
case . I have one here somewhere from when the original pedal broke one
due to a missing pedal stop screw . They don't like overtravel ... I
asked the seller for parts to fix it , they sent me a whole new pedal .
I still have a second pedal here if I could only find the damn thing .
Right now I'm a noid ...
On 10/15/2025 12:33 PM, Snag wrote:
On 10/15/2025 11:00 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
On 10/14/2025 8:51 PM, Snag wrote:
-a-a This one is in the foot control of my TIG welder . Infinite
resistance from any combination of terminals , so I ordered a pair
from Digikey . The microswitch shows a bit more resistance that a
new one and the reading is not stable so I'm replacing it too . I
don't recall what project the switches are left over from but I've
got like 9 of them .
-a-a This is NOT a good time for the welder to be down , I'm in the
middle of a project that includes welding aluminum . And I'm not
good at controlling the arc with the 2T switch on the torch . It's
awkward because of the location on the handle .
Finger switch huh?-a I use a finger switch, but my TIG welder also
allows to me set a start current in addition to a weld current.-a I
have been told there are finger switches that can adjust current like
a foot pedal, but I have never seen one.
I am as cheap as the next guy, but I have been known to throw money
at the problem when time is a constraint.-a Time is always important
of course, but sometimes you can work on other things while waiting.
If it is valuable enough to making waiting an issue Harbor Freight
sells a loose TIG pedal.-a If the plug is not compatible you can swap
plugs. Of course I am working under the assumption that Harbor
Freight has a store within a reasonable distance.
I recently (month or so ago) adapted a Harbor Freight TIG torch to my
AHP welder in order to finish and ship a job.
-a-a The problem with the finger switch is it is on top of the handle in
a position that makes it impossible to get a steady grip on the torch
. My machine also has ramp up/down controls as well as pre and post
flow settings . I have the ramp down time set long enough that I can
let off the switch for a second or two if the puddle gets too hot .
I've seen pictures of torch mounted slider switches but never used one .
-a-a I'm trying out using a piece of thin plywood as a rest to help
control arc length since I can't maintain it due to the compromised
grip on the torch . I also have 2 new pots coming for the foot control
, one to be installed , the other will be taped inside the control
just in case . I have one here somewhere from when the original pedal
broke one due to a missing pedal stop screw . They don't like
overtravel ... I asked the seller for parts to fix it , they sent me a
whole new pedal . I still have a second pedal here if I could only
find the damn thing . Right now I'm a noid ...
Setting up a rest, and practicing the entire path of the weld is (should
be) a normal part of welding for most of us who don't do it everyday anyway.-a I'll even go get some scrap out of the piles out back and
practice a weld on similar materials sometimes before making the actual weld, but you probably weld more often than I do.