Stick welding with high frequency

"Ignoramus20015" wrote: (clip) Still, I wonder just what are the dangers of doing so, (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I didn't know it ws a no-no. I have done it, and found that it helped, especially in those cases where starting the arc in exactly the right place was important, or where there was a risk of knocking something awry while striking the arc. The advent of auto-darkening helmets has made those problems go away for me, so I don't bother any more. I never saw any downside to it.

The main reason to not use HF with stick welding that I know of is that the stinger clamps are not insulated to handle the high voltage. Mine has a number of holes in it that expose the screws and stuff. With dry welding gloves and if you are not touching the welders ground, you will probably not get bitten. Get a little sweaty and lean on your welding table and the story will change. I don't think that the HF would be lethal (it hasn't yet for me) but it's a good way to spill your beer (maybe even the beer you already drank).

Good Luck, Bob

Might be an RF interference issue. The stick makes for a nice antenna.

Martin Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member

Leo Lichtman wrote:

"MetalHead" wrote: (clip) but it's a good way to spill your beer (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If you have it, please post a picture of yourself with hood down, beer in one hand, and arc going in the other.

No difference interference-wise than TIG.

Possibly, but its never happened to me. Also, and when I first got my Thermal Arc 185 STW, I found that I can not only use HF in stick mode, but I could use the foot pedal as well - was pretty damn cool to be able to "work the pedal" while learning to run 7018.