"Rick" wrote in message
news:KHgwf.16904$v84.7887@trnddc06...
How in the world do you keep the tungsten tip from touching the work or
the filler rod??? Nobody's hand can be *that* steady!
Can you rest the pink ceramic cup on the workpiece?

I'm not the world's most experienced welder, but maybe that's a good reason
for me to give you advice... I've had to figure out what works for someone
(me) who doesn't have twenty years of experience.

Welding is about setup for me - if I get myself set up properly, then it's a
lot easier. I have a couple of blocks of wood that I use to rest my hand on
when welding so that my hand is steady. I run the hose over my shoulders so
that the weight of the hose isn't supported solely by my torch hand. And
I've learned that when I feel like I'm getting out position as the bead
progresses, I should stop and reposition myself. The temptation is to
extend the bead just a little bit more... invariably I find my self screwing
up.

Another poster mentioned not resting the cup on the work. Although I don't
do it much when welding a butt or lap joint, I find it helps when running a
bead on the inside of a "T" joint.

HTH,

Peter