Slag on my shoulder

This is a common problem more easily and simply (KISS principal) solved by routing the cable over your opposite shoulder, and behind or in front of your body.

Alternatively, some people tape a small hook on the cable which they hook to their waist. Often when welding pipe or fabricating at waist height it is easy to just put a loop of cable over the work, leaving some to hang down but not so much as to drag on the floor. This keeps your stinger cable off the floor and as an added bonus will make it feel lighter as there will be little cable hanging under your hand.

Some weldors find that wrapping their cable(s) around wide flange beams can reduce arc blow when welding with big electrodes and high heat.

This same technique will also make huge improvements when OA cutting.

Good luck, YMMV.

Reply to
Private
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I like a 6' piece of smaller cable that is connected to the main lead with twist on sockets.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

I keep a light whip for most work/small rods, and a heavy one for big jobs/rods where heat build-up may be a problem. IMHE, light cable whips often overheat and fail right at the rod holder as that is where most of the flexing and heating occurs, they need to be shortened periodically and keeping a spare lets me keep on working if I have a failure at a bad time.

I also use a smaller whip hose on my OA torch for all the same reasons.

I think we would see these setups on most personal rigs.

Just my .02, YMMV

Reply to
Private

PS, IMHE the most common point of failure of OA whips is also right next to the torch, and these also require periodic shortening. I keep some small screw type hose clamps handy for emergency repairs.

Good luck, YMMV

Reply to
Private

After I hit SEND, I realized that the small whip does not work on larger rods. duh. But I used to do a lot of small 3/32" rods in the field for ornamental metal field fit and repair, and it sure was easier than a big one. Still, I'd drape it over my shoulders to make it lighter, and less pull on my welding hand.

Steve

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Reply to
Steve B

Had one happen yesterday. Now I have an excuse to go buy a crimping tool and crimps.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

I've got the standard 6' stinger lead issued by the shipyard toolrooms (heavy, but good for half a bazillion amps) and a not-so-standard navy- issue emergency repair stinger lead that I've cut down from 50' to 15'. That one is sweet, and is perfect for 3/32" rod. I use it a lot when cladding overhead, as it weighs 1/3 less than my regular stinger.

I loop it over my shoulders or use a piece of string to tie it up so I'm not holding up the full weight.

For arc-blow, I've got some powerful magnets or I'll use a grounding clip lead (sizable spring clamps on each end) to help redirect those funky currents.

Reply to
TinLizziedl

"TinLizziedl" wrote \

First time I saw arc blow, I was helping a couple of welders offshore. I was a crane operator. After some failed attempts due to severe arc blow, the one guy said, "Just wrap the lead around the work a few times, and lets try that."

It worked great, and the second welder (and me) learned something.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

Just a surmise here with some experience in similar currents. I suspect you were on long long leads. The inductance (think choke or coil) was to high and the RF if any or simply current surge - would ring or oscillate. We had to wrap the return ground around the sense lines of a 1000 amp supply with remote sensing. I suspect you added more inductance that helped absorb hv pulses bouncing back and forth in the line.

Good hint.

Mart> "TinLizziedl" wrote

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

You know it's funny how sometimes the most simple solutions take awhile to discover. Thanks for the cable tips, I'll give those a try today.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

I wish we could wrap our leads around the work, but trying to explain to our boss why we're wrapping several hundred feet of lead around a submarine would be entertaining.

That's why I rely upon magnets and "jumper cable" type solutions. They ground the big Miller 6-packs to a ground pad welded to the boat, then we stretch our leads usually over 100 feet to our jobsites. The paths the current takes in that circuit must be dizzying.

I would love to have some sort of magnetic field analyzer / ammeter / voltage senser dooderhicky that could tell me which lead ran where, rather than chasing them down hand over hand when someone shuffles them around and doesn't label them on both ends!

Reply to
TinLizziedl

Ok - so some distance away from the torch - and not bothering you - wrap some soft iron/steel a few turns. That should do it.

There are ferrite cores that have holes through them and are in to parts. Clamp on and away you go. Might be enough to help.

Mart>>

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

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