Most construction companies want welders who walk the cup because this is accepted as the industrial standard for welding pipe. Most outfits who specialize in boiler tube work will not care if you free hand because that is what most of the tig work will be. If you go to roadtechs.com and click on construction (jobs only) you'll find a bunch of work for us welders so I couldn't say work is slowing down. If you need tips on walking the cup, put that in a search on this site and you'll find lots of information about it. It is not really any harder than other techniques and once you learn......you'll never go back to free handing.
I've been welding with tig since the late 60s. Tig welders in construction were few then. I can walk it or free hand it. I've done more boiler tubes then I care to remember, great job in the winter.I like to be burning rods outside in the summer, just crazy I guess.I've taken test where they wanted the root to be as thick as a pencile or flat with no rise. I give them what they want on the test and do what it should be in the field. Walking the cup is much faster on 4" and above pipe, I like free handing the smaller size; my $.02. Guess its from all those boiler tubes. Even on roadtechs.com there aren't as many listing, I like it when ever other listing is for welders.I love them needing us!
Even for boiler tube welders,I've found lately, or given on 2", 6g, they want you to walk it. It was once the norm to take two test for boiler tubes vertical & horizonal, I was glad when most went to the 6g. On other pipe I like putting the root in with tig on 4" and above, but like welding it out with stick.When I ran my own rig I had a sticker on the window that read " GOOD WELDING IS NOT CHEAP-- CHEAP WELDING IS NOT GOOD".I think that says it all!!!
You have alot more experience than I do, I apologise because I thought you might be looking for help with walking the cup....my mistake. I learned to walk the cup on carbon steel over 20 years ago, but didn't actually need it as all I was welding was aluminum tig for about 5 years. I changed jobs to weld stainless pipe where they wanted guys who walked the cup. Welding stainless pipe and carbon pipe are very similar, but not the same and since it was so long since I had learned to do it........I had a rough time remembering how. Took a 2" sched 40 stainless test and put in a killer root free-hand. That probably saved me because they wanted cup walkers , but they let me hang with some guys who were willing to give me pointers and it wasn't more than a couple of weeks where you couldn't tell I had not done much of it.
I have done my share of boiler tubes too and really both techniques are good to know. I like stick welding pipe too, but I cannot stand mig or flux core.
No apologie necessery,I was just wordering if other welders were running into this, wanting only cup walkers. You do need to learn both if you are going to do small bore pipe. Amend to not liking flux core or any mig welding. No hard feeling to you who like mig, each to his own!
Have done very little aluminum pipe,as matter fact only once on the job. That was with DC and not AC tig, what a learning experience. Thank goodness it was only pressure tested not X-rayed because I do think the root would have made it. That was in the mide 70s never ran into any again on the job. I think if they need the welder bad ,they will let you do it the way you want as long as you pass the test.
I would have no problem getting a pipe job with only stick all the way,but its getting where only pipelining offers that.
By Flash
Date 02-02-2008 23:46
obviously they are labour hire companies that hire out operators by the hour
because walking the dog is as slow as walking a turtle, if you are good at free hand its as goos as walk to dog anyway just with out the RSI repetitive starin injury
R
Flash
www.technoweld.com.au
I also saw an ad that said "walk the cup, no free hand." To me it wouldn't matter, but remember not all joints can be welded with the walk the cup method (such as some joints w/ a restriction). I strive for my "hand" method to be just as good as "walk the cup". I don't think that'll happen in my lifetime. However, when it comes to root on small SS pipe, I prefer the hand method. It seems to produce the slickest root. Also, a lot less strain on the wrist (RSI as someone mentioned). With the hand method my tungsten does not change as much as when I "walk the cup". Also, the ability to change travel speed in an instant. Where as, if I walk, the cup has to walk more in a given amt of time to pick up speed ...means quick twisting of the wrist, and the risk slipping the cup off joint. Arc strikes are no good! Skipping forward too would mean lack of fusion where I didn't oscillate.
Anyone have any pointers on welding a joint on the other side of the pipe that I don't have direct access to (tig process)? I've tried this, but could only reach it with stick (with the electrode bent). One hand with mirror, of course. ;) Oh, and on 6g.
