Is it safe to hold the electrode?

[ross932c]

I have a Lincoln, 50 amp hobby arc welder, I have no problem with it but I just was wondering if it was safe to touch the electrode while welding, maybe to stabalize it. I have welding gloves. Thanks

[BillC]

Sure, you can hold the rod. I often hold the smaller diameter rods like 1/16 when I strike the arc to keep the rod from vibrating.

I don't think you will want to hold it too long, however. You probably won't get shocked unless you somehow become the path to ground. BUT, the rod will probably get too hot to touch before long...

[Sberry]

You are more likely to get a shock while setting up or installing the electrode in the holder than you are touching it while welding.

[Franz]

We have a lot of guys in this area who weld with the electrode between the first 2 fingers cause that's the way their teacher taught them. They burn up a lot of gloves, and throw away long stubs. Can't say I recommend the technique.

[Mike Sherman]

They're holding the nose of the stinger and wrapping their fingers around the end of it with the electrode between two fingers, right?

[MAC702]

Electricity takes the path of least resistance. It would MUCH rather go through the rod and into the work, the table and the work clamp, than to go through your gloves, you, and then your clothes to get back to the table (assuming you were in contact with the table, even.) or the work.

In electrical reality, and only of real concern to physics, you ARE getting some of the current, no matter what. Of course, it probably can't even be measured in picoamps (1 / 1,000,000,000 amps) in this case, but an insignificant amount of current goes through all insulations

The REAL concern to your question is going to be heat. Keep in mind that by the time you feel the heat through your gloves and let go, you're still going to feel the heat for what seems like a very long time until the gloves cool back off.

[morpheus]

Originally posted by MAC702
Keep in mind that by the time you feel the heat through your gloves and let go, you're still going to feel the heat for what seems like a very long time until the gloves cool back off.

That's an understatement ! ..... Those few seconds sure do FEEL like a long time when that glove is HOT !

[Franz]

Originally posted by Mike Sherman
They're holding the nose of the stinger and wrapping their fingers around the end of it with the electrode between two fingers, right?

Yea Mike, if I could find guys who did it without a stinger or machine, I'd make a fortune.

[jgor]

Mike and Franz,

I have to ask, why the heck would someone be taught to weld like that? Personally, I do some dumb things from time to time but I can't undestand what they think they are gaining by holding the stinger and rod like that. Do they think it gives them more control or something?

John

[Mike Sherman]

My guess is it's a control issue. I have been on jobs where they would be busted out for turning in excessively long stubs. There are some jobs out there where you must turn in your morning stubs to get your afternoon supply of electrodes. The count must match the allotment you were given in the morning and they must be short.

[jgor]

Mike,

Thanks for the clarification. I guess my guess was right then. I'm too cheap to waste rod so I don't have to worry about learning a bad technique.

John

[Franz]

Mike, I thought Bectel was cheap, but I never been anyplace where they counted stubs against new rods. That has to take the cake.
The guys around here who learned that all learned welding at the local BOCES trade school from Norb Gravell. It was taught under the educational concept of Norb's way or the Highway, with only 1 warning that consisted of Norb picking the student off the floor with one hand and immersing the offending student into a cattle troth full of water. Needless to say, there were NO ongoing discipline problems in that class. One little pscyco who loved to heat up the handles on another kid's pliers and hand them to the kid ran right into the block wall, head first, trying to get thru the door before Norb caught him.
Odd thing is every kid Norb graduated had a job waiting for him, and I haven't heard of any of them winding up in jail.