On Mon, 01 Sep 2003 21:17:45 -0700, Jim Stewart
wrote:

What keeps you from getting a nasty shock from the high freqency?

"Skin effect".

High frequency AC at megahertz frequencies (RF) does not travel "thru"
conductors except at and near the surface. If you are the
conductor, it travels on your skin but not thru the bulk of your
body. The result is more like a burn than a shock. The HF in a TIG
welder is very low power. When (not if) you get "bit" it's annoying
enough to motivate you to wear gloves, but it doesn't jolt you like a
sparkplug wire does.