Left to right or Right to left???

**Bluesman** · 03-11-2010, 10:37 AM

It is like second nature to me to travel from right to left with the torch in my right hand because I am right handed. Now, if I wanted to go from left to right would I have to put the torch in my left hand and filler rod in right so that the torch would be traveling towards the filler rod OR can I keep the torch in my right hand and add filler to the "back" side of the weld rather than the front side????

Probably sounds like a dumb question but am very new to the tig welding process and trying to learn all I can.

What brought this on was a vid. by the welding tips and tricks guy concerning welding on aluminimum for practice.... He said to practice going from right to left and practice going from left to right.... He always welds from right to left in his vids and never demonstrates the other direction technique.

I found a video of someone going from left to right BUT they are left handed and that is the natural direction of travel for them just as right to left is my natural direction.

I'm confused.

**Hamstn** · 03-11-2010, 07:29 PM

Well you need to be pushing the puddle in front of you, not tried to add filler behind just to see what would happen. I assume he was talking about getting used to using either hand for the torch or adding filler. Guess one could tilt the torch towards the right and reach around and add filler.

What's that game called....contortion? oops kids said it was twister.

**Bluesman** · 03-11-2010, 09:31 PM

I know in stick and mig sometimes you work away from yourself and other times you work towards yourself. All the tig I've been doing or have seen anyone do they have always been working away from themselves. I would like to watch someone work towards themselves just once to see if it would work or not.

**matteh99** · 03-12-2010, 10:19 PM

Stick welding I like to work from left to right but TIG it seems more natural to work from right to left.

Ideally you should be able to weld any direction with either hand in any position. You would have to weld a heck of a lot to be able to do that.

If you keep all of your angles right it shouldn't matter which direction you go. Adding filler to the back of the puddle seems like it would be a pain. One nice thing about welding towards the filler is you don't have to move it very far. In some cases you don't have to move the filler rod at all because it you add it at the same rate that you weld. If you were chasing the puddle with the rod you would have to constantly be moving the filler rod and moving it quickly.

Eric

**Bikespot** · 03-20-2010, 01:05 PM

You need to be adding the filler wire in the direction of travel.

So if your welding left to right side you need to be adding filler to the right side.

If you do it opposite its called cold wire tig. I only know it being using in automation welding.

**KHK** · 03-20-2010, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Bikespot

You need to be adding the filler wire in the direction of travel.

So if your welding left to right side you need to be adding filler to the right side.

If you do it opposite its called cold wire tig. I only know it being using in automation welding.

This is good info!! applaud The only thing I would add is that left to right the torch should be in the left hand and the filler rod in the right.