I just can't do it!

[Uncle Ed]

Me and the TIG pedal are not getting along at all.

Then again, if I could work both feet and hands at the same time I could learn the piano.

So, I am looking to whip together a torch mounted knob or slider. I don't want to get in trouble from Longevity if I take the pedal apart and look so can someone tell me whats in there? Is it a pot or a rheostat?

I would have been happy with just the trigger but I had to weld a 2nd floor guardrail while hanging off of it and needed at least 2 settings in easy reach as climbing back up and over to the machine put a lot of strain on my decrepit body (not all of us can run marathons at 142).

Even a belt mounted control may work. I am open to ideas.

Ed

[jbman45]

Can be frustrating when you are working away from your bench. At this point the only company that offers a thumb or finger control on the torch that I know of is Miller that works with their dynasty but as I recall it was about a 200 dollar feature.

The foot pedal is a rheostat for the pedal but recal it also has a rheostat on the back for gross adjustment; and also has a start stop switch for the HF as well. So not sure how you would rework that into a hand knob since you would need to start/stop and have a rheostat that would be full range of both pots in the foot pedal. Maybe the switch on the torch would serve as the switch in the foot pedal? We would probably need some diagram info from Longevity in order to duplicate the total pot values.

I know it sounds simplistic, but many welders out in the field don't do lots of adjusting. I'm not in front of my unit now but think you can adjust downslope and amps for what you are welding then just use the tig switch. You really don't need the footpedal, it's more of a crutch for not taking the time to set up correct amps first. Give that a try.

[KHK]

I have had my foot pedal apart and there are two pots and one misro switch. I don't think that it is a problem at all if you open up the foot switch for evaluation.

[johnnygee36]

how long have you been tig welding?

i've heard mixed reviews about the hand control for tig, i think its worth it to get good at the foot pedal because in my experience once you get the hang of the pedal its the gravy train


good luck!

[weldingtwopotatoes]

What about Longevity's adjustable Tig Torch? I don't know anything about it, I've just seen it in the parts and accessories section it might be worth looking into.

[jbman45]

I'm not sure what 'adjustable' torch means. There is an adjustable torch that provides a knob that varies gas flow; but I don't think there's an adjustable amperage version of that torch. Hopefully they will come up with one in the future. But it's not about you, it's about all of us. It's great to use the foot pedal since you can adjust on the fly but the pro welders I know pretty much set the amps correctly then go ahead and weld. If you think back on all the other welders you used, like sticks; mig welders and all you take a bit of time to find the right amps then go ahead and weld. If you (we) learn to do that then the tig switch on the torch will do just fine. I'm not there, but think I want to get better at setting an amperage that will work, then the good welders will tell you that you can adjust the heat range with the torch distance to surface and all. Good luck, I'm trying as well...

[weldingtwopotatoes]

Oh, Is that what the adjustable torch is for, I didn’t realize, there's no description. Thanks

[jonesg]

I'm not sure what 'adjustable' torch means. There is an adjustable torch that provides a knob that varies gas flow; but I don't think there's an adjustable amperage version of that torch. Hopefully they will come up with one in the future. But it's not about you, it's about all of us. It's great to use the foot pedal since you can adjust on the fly but the pro welders I know pretty much set the amps correctly then go ahead and weld. If you think back on all the other welders you used, like sticks; mig welders and all you take a bit of time to find the right amps then go ahead and weld. If you (we) learn to do that then the tig switch on the torch will do just fine. I'm not there, but think I want to get better at setting an amperage that will work, then the good welders will tell you that you can adjust the heat range with the torch distance to surface and all. Good luck, I'm trying as well...

My foot pedal doesn't work, as soon as I plug it in the amps readout jumps to 200+ amps, doesn't matter if everything is turned down or up. And if I step on the pedal the arc is 200+ amps !

So for now I start out on the low side with the amps and it just takes a few seconds to get the pool started, as heat builds up I move quicker. I find making a circle motion with the electrode stirs up the initial puddle quicker. If the weld puddle starts to spread out too much I keep turning the amps down, once its set correctly everything goes along smooth.

[Uncle Ed]

Sounds like a short in the pedal. If you have a test meter it will be easy to sort out.

[junes]

Just about all mfgs make hand controls. There're are north south, east west, rotary style , belt type just about any configuration. One company even makes aftermarket ones and have adapters to connect pedals with different pin configs to different machines. Pricey tho