Walking the cup...common practice?

[Henro]

Hi,

Over on sci.engr.joining.welding mention was made of "walking the cup" when tig welding. Later a link was posted showing this procedure:

Walking the cup link

Is this a common practice? Any comments regarding this practice that might help guide newbies like me who have yet to hold a tig torch? Is this something that should be avoided by new guys like me? My guess is that it is...

[FIXXXXAH]

CUP WALKING IS USED MAINLY BY PIPE WELDING OR OTHER PEOPLE DOING VERT UP OR DEEP V GROOVES. IN A GROOVE IT NICE, CUTS DOWN ON HAND FATIGUE, BUT OTHER THAN THAT I PREFER TO FREEHAND... I WOULD FOCUS ON FREEHAND IF I WERE YOU, AS YOU COULD TEACH A MONKEY TO WALK THE CUP

MATT

[bjdenommee]

Hi Yea I guess you could say thats how its done, kinda of "walking the cup" along your welds.

That works fine on that flat piece but corner welds would be a little differant.

I would say that dragging the cup along would be a better phrase to use.

Buy or borrow just a Tig torch head and pratice with it a few times before you try it, works for me with tough joints and root passes.

After the first time its like riding a bike, the hand foot controls and movments control the quality of your welds.

If buying a machine, buy basic no bell no whisles add those later, and you will.

Good Luck
Bernie

[Ed in Ga]

Bill,
A friend that is a weldor by trade told me he walks the cup when welding SS. Something about keeping the end of the filler rod wet.
Maybe someone with experience can comment on that.

When are you getting the Prowave?
Ed

[Henro]

When are you getting the Prowave?

If all goes well I should receive it tomorrow! In route now...

Tried to post a reply yesterday, but at that moment my ISP went down apparently...lost what I had written.

Now I just have to learn to weld well! I did get a 100 amp sub panel installed in the far corner of the basement [above-ground end] so I am ready for the Thermal Arc inverter and for the future MM210 or better.

Can't wait to start practicing here at home...

[G Austin]

What usually is done while walking the cup is that the end of the filler metal is kept in the puddle. As the torch is "walked" forward, the filler metal melts.

Originally posted by Ed in Ga
Bill,
A friend that is a weldor by trade told me he walks the cup when welding SS. Something about keeping the end of the filler rod wet.
Maybe someone with experience can comment on that.

[Rocky D]

I've been a heliarc weldor for 38 years, and first time I ever heard about cup-walking was just last year...I'm glad I never learned to do it...I view it as a crutch. IMHO

[rangerod]

Henro

I agree with Rocky D! From the info given I can not find a valid reason for "Walking the cup" I feel its just a lack of being taught proper technique & torch disipline

I was taught not to leave the filler metal in the puddle. The idea behind leaving the filler metal in the puddle is an easy way to not remove the filler metal out of the protective inert gas, it has nothing to do with the type of metal you are welding.

I guess it is just the way I was trained

[Rocky D]

Now, I have learned to leave the filler metal in th puddle....in doing thin gage stainless when the requirement is not to penetrate...it makes it easy. The rod takes the heat, and many times I'll use a rod that is larger and sweep back and forth to melt the rod in the fillet. It takes some practice to do it consistently, but it works just great.

[Mike Sherman]

I see we have a couple of crossover participants from the AWS site. I think you will find Mr. Austin is very knowledgeable and his insight will be worth listening to. For your part Mr. Austin, you will find this is a more relaxed board than the others you participate in. Glad to have you here.

[Henro]

many times I'll use a rod that is larger and sweep back and forth to melt the rod in the fillet. It takes some practice to do it consistently, but it works just great.

Rocky D...I've not even held a tig torch yet, so these little pointers on different techniques are really interesting!

This is the first I've heard of the "Sweeping the Rod" technique...

I wonder if that is what I would do if I wanted to weld aluminum beverage containers together?

Thanks to everyone for the input!

[Rocky D]

If it works for you, Bill....do it. Many times, results governs the procedure.

[cope]

Originally posted by Mike Sherman
I see we have a couple of crossover participants from the AWS site. I think you will find Mr. Austin is very knowledgeable and his insight will be worth listening to. For your part Mr. Austin, you will find this is a more relaxed board than the others you participate in. Glad to have you here.

Agreed. I have read some of his posts eleswhere and been to his site and his credentials are impressive.

[G Austin]

Thanks to you all for the kind words. I wish I had known about this forum earlier. For the record I'm a free hander that learned to "Walk the Cup". I think its much easier to learn to walk the cup if you have free handed than it is to do it vice versa. I was never a very slick tig welder but walking the cup makes many think I am if they are not familar with the practice.

[TheOldOne]

Bout the only time I walk the cup is when I break the one I'm using or going for a different one and walking back with it.