John Rumm wrote:

IFAIU Lift start and scratch start are just different names for the
same thingÂ* (as opposed to HF start on a more sophisticated machine)

I thought (based only on watching welders on youtube) that touching TIG
electrodes to the work was a real no-no?

Does anyone really use the terms SMAW/GMAW/GTAW rather than
stick/MIG/TIG, or is that just an American thing, or a professional
welders thing?