Does anyone have a recommendation to learn TIG welding with fingertip or foot pedal control? Planning on buying the Miller Dynasty 200DX, but need to determine to buy fingertip or foot pedal control.
Thanks!
In my opinion, both have pros and cons. If your gonna be welding mostly at a bench go with a foot control. If its out of positon go fingertip. I like foot control the best. I seem to be able to control the torch better with my foot, even if reaching for it in an awkward positon than I can with using a control on the torch. Of course lots of times I wind up setting on the floor and the foot control use there sucks.......
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I think that learning is easier with a foot pedal. You have a lot to learn with hand technique without the added problem of controlling heat with a fingertip control. Foot pedals are also more roubust and are intuitive to use. Just like the gas pedal on a car. They work well for most welding situations but there are some places where they can be very clumsy, difficult or downright impossible to use. Welding while lying on you back, in really confined places or on a ladder are some of the places where a fingertip control is the best way to go. Start with a pedal then get the hand control.
Richard Coke
I would agree with Richard on this. I couldn't image trying to learn TIG via fingertip control. There is a lot going on in the hand coordination arena.
Lane
I tried both when I first got my TIG and settled on torch mounted slider rather than a foot peddle. This was a0 years a go and I'm still glad I went that route.
Ted
Start with the footpedal. It is a bit easier to learn with, and is very useful for bench work. It can be used to trigger the sequencer as well, but is not so good for "out of position" welding, such as when your head is jammed under a car while you repair an exhaust pipe.
The Dynasty 200DX comes with a sequencer built in. To best use this you will eventually want a simple button contactor. Not a slider or roller amptrol, just a button. The button is used to trigger the sequencer. First tap starts the sequence, second tap stops the sequence.
You can build your own one-button contactor for about $30.
I have them on all my torches, both for my Mastar 200DX Inverter and my Syncrowave 250DX.
Sequencers make sheet metal seams much easier.
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