I HATE Handheld Torch Controls...

Рет қаралды 23,286

Күн бұрын

Patreon: / liftarcstudios
This is something we've been testing behind the scenes for a while now, and we were on the fence about releasing it because we never want to hinder the progress of small start up businesses that's trying to break into the welding market. Luckily, Joe (the owner of HotLights Welding), was very open to being honest and transparent about the whole r&d process!
Tay has been searching for the perfect handheld TIG torch controls for his entire welding career, and now that we have access to someone who builds custom ones... has Tay finally found the right hand controls to make his TIG welds better?We respect his hustle and want to share cool stuff like this with you all!
P.S. if you read this whole description type this in your comment: "I love swedish fish"... that ought to confuse a whole lot of people
Check out Joe's stuff here: hotlightswelding.com/
Chapters:
00:00 - 00:46 Intro
00:46 - 13:22 Version 1
13:22 - 16:16 Talking with Joe
16:16 - 21:19 Version 2
21:19 - 24:50 Talking with Joe (Round 2)
24:50 - 33:03 Version 3
33:03 - 36:22 Alternatives and Final Thoughts
Thanks for watching!
To inquire about a custom build we can help you bring to life, or to be a sponsor of the channel, shoot Tay an email at: Tay@liftarcstudios.com
Produced & Hosted by: Tay Whiteside
Filmed by: Tay Whiteside and Walker Hooper
Featuring: Wyatt Allen, Jake Freeland, and Steve Heintzel
Edited by: Walker Hooper
Music Licensed from Artlist.io
Be sure to follow Lift Arc Studios on Instagram and Facebook!
@liftarcstudios
Liftarcstudios.com
Any technique or methodology shown in this video is purely for entertainment and informational purposes only. Lift Arc Studios and their associated craftsmen are not liable for any injury or damage to your shop or surrounding areas you man incur while trying to emulate these builds. Remember, be safe, have fun, work smart!

Пікірлер: 114

@RMarquez805 Ай бұрын

Keep it up joe love seeing normal people going for it, don’t get discouraged even if not everyone gets it.

@justintasht1067 Жыл бұрын

Great video and cool product. Cool bloke being so happy and quick to help solve the problems and you for not slating him over it. We all have to learn. Keep up the great work 👍👍

@javieraviles6314 Жыл бұрын

People should appreciate the effort to help others and stop been anointing others . Thanks for your service. Keep up The good work.

@t3ck3r Жыл бұрын

I worked at a shipyard, and they all used thumb switches, and they were on the side not the top. Glade you hung in there and helped out.

@jwm1222 Жыл бұрын

Dude, I love the music choice for the videos. It's part of my Friday chill time.

@dougs7831 Жыл бұрын

Love my SSC controls tig switch with my Esab unit. Give them a shot. VERY lite touch and does NOT cause head movement while welding. VERY important feature. Love this channel!!!

@jaybird426 Жыл бұрын

Your music choices are fantastic and my 80yr old parents agree. That's right, my 80yr old parents love your channel

@CindyWilson. Жыл бұрын

My husband and I set, watched this forward, then rewound to watch again. Welding isn't our specialty. 😅 We enjoyed the product review, we figure true welders are ready to move onto some "real" welding. We on the other hand found Joe and Tay's conversations interesting. It cool to hear makers talk! Walker your contribution was also helpful. Not only cameraman but interpreter of the Everlast numbers. Thank you for another cool video!

@IdealArc Жыл бұрын

Really cool concept, I would love to see some stuff made for other welders like Primeweld or AHP. I use a pressure switch every day at work and the key is just knowing your amperage range for the material and being able to speed up if the heat is getting to be to much. We wrap our switching into place with electrical tape for what its worth

@SchysCraftCo. Жыл бұрын

Wow that's very interesting there really cool. Awesome. Hopefully you get a great use out of it for many years to come my friend. Can't wait to see more videos soon my friend. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend Tay. Forge On. Fab On. Weld On. Keep forge lit. Keep making. God Bless.

@shannonmiranda2313 Жыл бұрын

These controllers are pretty cool! I wish Joe all the best.

@ashes2ashes01 Жыл бұрын

that looks awesome, it seems with some subtle iterations and refinements it could be the best controller.

@robertshoulette1318 Жыл бұрын

This is for Joe , the fact that you stand behind what you do makes me want to work with you,some companies will do dumb things like vevor my tig from them was not working correctly and it became a back and forth on how much refund they gave me , and then I got a arm flat table and was trashed when it showed up so they refunded all of it and took $100 off it's replacement long story short I will not do business with vevor again (that was my 6th tool from them) and I look forward to working with arm flat keep up the good work sorry about my grammar😂

@kwasg3 Жыл бұрын

Dudes: 6061 tig button blows those away, and like you will find even replaces the foot pedal. Give it a fair shot, getting used to variable pressure is not the same as subtle movements of rheostats. It is unique so have to work a little extra. Once it is second nature you'll use nothing else.

@LiftArcStudios Жыл бұрын

Joe just sent over his version of a pressure sensitive tig button, super excited to try it!

@bearkawiboy6246 5 ай бұрын

6061 remote looks like spaghetti. It’s really simple. More wires = Bad Less wires = More Better Hence why people need to focus on wireless 🛜

@replicant357 2 ай бұрын

@@bearkawiboy6246 I cannot wait for the day they make a Bluetooth welder.. no more tripping/crushing/cursing on leads (especially when on site) .

@juliel6254 Жыл бұрын

Fun video! I love Swedish fish - but it's been a while since I've had them!

@allensnook7760 7 ай бұрын

While your going in that direction i was just browsing in my haynes welding manual and in tig section a fellow by name bill maguire made a thumb sensitive hand pocket wire feeder for ur feed rod,how neat is that no more thumb cramp on long welds.if these two inventors put heads together imagine the outcome.how neat is that .! I want one.new to welding for hobby.snooky pa.just got the arc captain tig. 200p 200p

@907jl Жыл бұрын

I'd highly recommend trying a Tig Button. No moving parts, pressure sensitive, and you can run it with your finger or thumb. An excellent product.

@chriskelly3678 Жыл бұрын

Love the working it out process. especially the calls to Joe! Now about YOUR MUSIC??? I didn't notice you had music :) Just here for the Fabrication and Shop talk. Hope you enjoyed the Project engineering as much as I did.

@shannonmiranda2313 Жыл бұрын

Joe was talking about the music in his videos. It's his band. I think it's pretty cool 👍

@tfm1449 7 ай бұрын

I learned how to TIG on a pressure hand held. But when I started doing more bench work, I felt more comfortable with a foot pedal. I worked food/beverage plant maintenance for my entire career with SS. Dragging a portable Miller around for on the spot quick repairs, would have been easier with what Joe came up with.

@LonTierney Жыл бұрын

The best I’ve seen is the Tig Button. It’s so good that I stopped using my pedal all together. It’s so good and works with any torch grip.

@kamkaf123 Жыл бұрын

Same here!

@glenndavis2762 6 ай бұрын

yup, same here, and ordered two spare button assemblies - the best by far

@TheGodfather101 4 ай бұрын

got that bad boy in 2018. overpaid when i realized how it worked. its an fsr402, an arduino, a relay, and a ds3502 digital potentiometer. thats maybe 70 bucks tops. 300? ugh.

@gregmanzolillo8666 Жыл бұрын

The CK flex lock torch with this trigger may be a great combo that won’t require as much repositioning of the switch. Ranger bands which are basically extra strong durable rubber bands would make it easier to reposition. I was debating ordering the 6061 tig button since it’s variable but this one seems like a good option also

@bearkawiboy6246 5 ай бұрын

CK slider works better.

@PlugUgly72 Жыл бұрын

Try a leather apron to keep your jacket alive while grinding. Hobart sells a welding one for under $30 that I use and it's great. Nice to throw on when I'm just doing a quick thing and I want to skip some of the (I know) PPE, too.

@wallyschmidt77 Жыл бұрын

That joystick interface looks just like an airbrush.

@normdickson2438 17 күн бұрын

For me this makes more sense I like the idea of having the control on the torch

@melgross Жыл бұрын

I’ve got two TIG guns for my ESAB. One uses the foot pedal, and for the other I put a switch together, not an amp control. I use that one straight amps or with pulse. Both ways work fine. But the switch moves around on the handle over time, which is annoying. No matter how tightly I pull the tie wraps. The idea of an amp control is interesting, but I’ve never bothered to make one. I like the idea of just squeezing the handle to vary the amps best. It seems least disruptive.

@georgedormire6538 11 ай бұрын

question if you put the toggle backwards and on the bottom of the handle so you could use your middle finger to pull the trigger in stead of pushing with your index finger would that work easier?

@keldonator 3 сағат бұрын

Pressing down and pulling back is just like an airbrush. This sounds great for me, I don't have a pedal

@Turningwrenchs 9 күн бұрын

Never had much luck with hand controllers. And because I weld chassis I just set my amps and lift arc and roll

@MrMartinSchou Жыл бұрын

With these things, I think you need a more "ergonomic" handle. The standard ones look to be entirely round, which means you're grabbing it with your hand to control it. It seems like you need one that is shaped in a way that fits better to your hand, such that it moves with your hand without you having to grip it.

@LiftArcStudios Жыл бұрын

TIG hand controls for me are all about ergonomics, still searching for the goldilocks formula

@Ferenczyg Жыл бұрын

Imho the problem is trying to use easy to find resistive regulators that are always too big for non-static uses. I think that with a strain gauge or similar it will be more precise and all you have to do is squeeze te sensor i.e. the torch body more or less. The required electronics can be put at the connector side to minimize cumbersomeness

@marcoss4563 Ай бұрын

probably a touch variable mini screen attach to the torch could be the one ^^ finger sensitive with gloves.

@kincaidjeff Жыл бұрын

6061 Tig button is the real one

@paulstephenson5311 Жыл бұрын

I love Swedish fish. I also like the idea of this because I 'kin hate foot pedals.

@zeemanjr Жыл бұрын

You need a 6061 torch variable thumb control unit

@therealq10 Жыл бұрын

This is the answer

@mrmidnight32 4 ай бұрын

It’s just so dam expensive. I get he has to make a profit but $300 for a $20 button module is insane. $100 would be a honest price. I’d probably buy 2 for each of my machines.

@smartin70 Ай бұрын

@mrmidnight32 where can I buy the $100 module to make my own?

@mrmidnight32 Ай бұрын

@@smartin70 it’s been so long since I looked I don’t remember exactly. It’s just a potentiometer or PDM style pressure sensitive button attached to the torch plug where the pedal connectors go. It’s literally taking the pedal and putting it into a button that can rate pressure and feed it into the machine. Hardest part is R&D, the parts are dirt cheap from China.

@bearkawiboy6246 5 ай бұрын

With the joystick 🕹️ model, if he made the stick detent (turning it on when pushed down) then amperage adjusted moving forward) instead of the button being depressed underneath, I think it would be a home-run!

@TBJK07Jeep Жыл бұрын

I may give that a try. I love swedish fish

@danbrown4205 Жыл бұрын

I ordered one of the push button variable switches from 6061. I’ll let you know what I think about it, if interested.

@peters5333 Жыл бұрын

Honest opinion. Tough video to watch in terms of iterations. As someone who does USE the torch switch, I do thank you guys for showing alternatives. Watching the North American videos (and believe me I have watched EVERYONE) and then the Euro types you can see that the foot pedal will fade away in the next 5 years. This cat Joe, may be onto something good.

@jimysk8er Жыл бұрын

what about a thumb throttle for e-scooter? either squeeze or twist?

@JoeCarterTheWisdomOfLife Жыл бұрын

The official name for the electrical spinny thing is a potentiometer. I am not sure about the wee-woo dealy bob.

@LiftArcStudios Жыл бұрын

I think you nailed it LOL

@roberta4989 Жыл бұрын

I've been waiting for another great episode, where have you been?

@r.f6526 19 күн бұрын

"I love swedish fish" just subscribed.... i want to learn/teach my sons as much as i can to help them succeed no mattter what they decide to do. Im a master hvac engineer/project manager/business owner, as well as a general contractor i can braze with pure acetylene and rod, but i would love to get a welder that can help me help them to have a head start, so could you recommend a cheap machine that does the most popular stuff without argon i guess (unless its terribly different then tig with gas) but something that we can learn to do aluminum would be awesome as well! any advice and all would be appreciated... or if you know where i could find it , or know where i might find one even second hand.

@scottw5253 Жыл бұрын

Try it with the control in the same hand as the tig rod. Sounds crazy I know, because I said it was crazy the 1st time I saw a guy do it. I welded for years (mostly in position, confined space) with a Miller Dynasty with all 3 versions of Miller's hand control ON the torch. This dude came in and had the "volume control" style in his rod hand and was an absolute beast with it so I started really paying attention and figured out that putting the amperage control in the same hand as the rod gave him total control over the heat of the puddle without his brain having to coordinate one hand with the other (or a hand and foot as with a peddle). That combined with the elimination of the additional bulk of the control and the tape or velcro or whatever to hold it onto the torch really does result in absolute control AND freedom of movement for your hands. After I got used to it I was able to start a pass walking the cup, transition to freehand to deal with an obstruction while maintaining arc and weld progression, and then bring the cup back into contact with the material to start walking it again - try it, that's not at all easy, but it speaks to how effective putting the control in the rod hand is. Love yr vids my dude, keep up the great work!

@LiftArcStudios Жыл бұрын

thats WILD!! would have never thought of that, thanks for the cool story! genuinely curious what that would feel like, thats going of the after hours mess around list lol. Cheers mate! - Tay

@scottw5253 Жыл бұрын

@@LiftArcStudios Once you work out where to place the control in the palm and learn the new muscle movements of making adjustments while also feeding rod, you won't have to retrain your torch hand. It will stay at, or progress from whatever competency level it's at now. Integrating a variable control into the torch is going cause some frustrations for someone that's always been able to grab a torch handle any way they need to and never had to do anything else but manipulate the arc. There's a whole set of muscle movements involved with working variable switches attached to the torch that make it REALLY easy to, for example, bury the tungsten 1.5 seconds after the puddle just starts to wet out. Having the switch on the torch also limits the ways you can grip it. You'll see what I mean, but I really encourage you to start your variable amp control journey with it in your rod hand. I promise you it's the shit my dude...and not for nothing, your TIG weld style will be just like yr builds - fukn unique and cool

@scottw5253 Жыл бұрын

@@LiftArcStudios I strongly encourage you to start your hand control journey with it in your rod hand. You won't have to suffer through retraining your torch hand. Controls on the torch come with drawbacks, which is what I suspect to be the reason for this vid's title. Your rod hand is already accustomed to manipulating something and the torch hand has always just focused on arc manipulation, ie; fine movements, soft touch. Having to work a switch on the torch can EASILY and RAPIDLY and REPEATEDLY have you looking at tungsten you just carefully sharpened to the most perfect and concentric point...buried in the god damn base metal. There's a lot more room for sloppy movement in the rod hand. If nothing else, if you learn to TIG with a control in the rod hand, your welding style will be just like your builds - unique and way cooler than those other guys. I promise you, it's the shit

@ninjaskitches 10 ай бұрын

He's gotta find a way to make one for that vevor 210... Joe if you wanna try it I'm not far from you

@lucaspensis2378 Жыл бұрын

The amount of times I’ve rocked my head forward and got into position before realizing my hood isn’t on my head 😂😂😂

@MadeInMichigan Жыл бұрын

I always thought you guys had some groovy tunes.

@nathanbartlett6668 Жыл бұрын

I feel like they could design the rocking. Trigger into the handle as like a 3D print. Were you screwed onto the body of the torch? That way, the trigger is more integrated into the design.

@6061 Жыл бұрын

The problem with designing a controller into the handle is that you won't be able to slide it around exactly where you need it. If you are welding a thick aluminum T-joint, you'll likely want to slide your controller back down the torch so you don't cook your knuckles.

@nathanbartlett6668 Жыл бұрын

@6061 that makes a lot of sense. Also love the channel thank you for the reply!

@gettinbentfabrication9137 Жыл бұрын

I make custom wood turned tig handles I wonder if I can make a handle that that can sit flush in it

@LiftArcStudios Жыл бұрын

thatd be cool!!

@replicant357 2 ай бұрын

Honestly - i do believe I have a solution that would work for a lot of people out there. And how it is done and setup really does fall between the 6061 pressure switch and foot pedal abilities with the choice of ANY style button one desires . And I want to but don’t how too profit from this vs giving away another secret for someone else to benefit from. Hmm

@TravisPickle Жыл бұрын

damn. i love swedish fish

@Mel-Family Жыл бұрын

At 19:36 you can see an arc INSIDE the welder. Look below the display!

@LiftArcStudios Жыл бұрын

yahhh, thats the high frequency start electrodes sparking, normal believe it or not!

@Mel-Family Жыл бұрын

@@LiftArcStudios wow, really? I thought for sure the board was arcing! I'd have freaked if I noticed that in my welder! Thanks for the tip! Just got myself an Everlast Lightning MTS 225, learning as I go, appreciate videos like this!

@motivatedpeon Жыл бұрын

Get the base of the joystick trigger 3D printed so that it wraps more smoothly around your torch handle and Robert is your aunts brother!

@LiftArcStudios Жыл бұрын

HAHA i actually have an uncle Bob, always loved that saying. We just got a 3d printer, excited to try it out! May be a good first project Cheers! - Tay

@nahboh1897 Жыл бұрын

Fork in left hand, Knife in right hand, Spoon in left hand, ive tried eating with a fork and spoon and it messes with my head everytimer i pick them up.

@Moxzot Жыл бұрын

Need an on off switch that has a scroll wheel.

@OldPumpMan Жыл бұрын

Yup, swedish fish for the win.

@vmoutsop Жыл бұрын

His next iteration should have some rubber/plastic molding so that it integrates onto the gun and feels more natural

@MattWeber Жыл бұрын

He has multiple models (and even more that it may be a solution for) and they likely all use different handles so each would require different fitment molding. Why they almost all just use zip ties as a universal solution.

@claypolekris1 10 ай бұрын

I am a above knee amputee and if you find a good variable Tig button, I’m interested! Kris

@Mr.Donahue Жыл бұрын

I love swedish fish.

@PkwyDrive13 Жыл бұрын

Great video... but I feel like it should have been right the first time since he has already been advertising and selling them and saying they work with everlast. But, I'm no scientist.

@roydawson4882 Жыл бұрын

The joy stick one will be better because it resets its self to minimum start amps every time,stay safe

@alexcorvi2254 11 ай бұрын

SSC touch 4

@ExecutiveOutcums69 4 ай бұрын

I love swedish fish

@j-jfabrication Жыл бұрын

TRIGGER UNDER THE TORCH PULL REARWARD WITH A FINGER?

@cferguson3368 Жыл бұрын

I might love Swedish fish, but I've no idea what that is.

@fuqauf8643 Ай бұрын

I love Swedish fish

@davedonedis 2 ай бұрын

Showing the troubleshooting speaks loads for his customer service. I want to try an Everlast, the reviews of their customer service has me leery…

@sterlingowens5744 Ай бұрын

Instead of a variable push, how about a variable roller??

@sterlingowens5744 Ай бұрын

With a spring return?

@Engineer_DUH Жыл бұрын

just imagine not being able to use your legs to use a pedal. makes the hand controls that much more important! use almost all kinds, tig button is definitely the best, but has its own problems.

@carlwhite8225 Жыл бұрын

I love Swedish fish.

@staffanakerhjelm9780 Жыл бұрын

Joe needs a 3d-printer to do plastic parts i think

@LiftArcStudios Жыл бұрын

We just got one, excited to try it outQ!

@magomat6756 Жыл бұрын

I have the same i switch knive and fork when i eat Strange no i am the only one in my family

@davechretien9301 Жыл бұрын

"I love swedish fish".

@rbrowne5387 4 ай бұрын

What a Chinese fire drill..... sheeeeshus

@joeuriarte4037 Жыл бұрын

🤪sweet

@glenndavis2762 6 ай бұрын

Tig button, end of story, from 6061

@tigranohanyan3321 5 ай бұрын

I hate pedal controls. If you have complex stuff to weld, handheld is really great.

@colonialroofingofnorthcaro441 7 ай бұрын

I was just watching homeboy open up his valve on his argon tank and it's funny to me that when I watch people unscrew it all the way, but you don't have to unscrew it all the way you only have to crack it open and it won't make any difference in the flow of the Argon all you really need is a half a turn it works the same way whether your running 30 cfm, or your running 10 cfm, it don't matter just crack it open, you dont have to open it all the way

@SmorgusBorg 10 ай бұрын

Looks like airbrush controls.

@williamdzubiak5712 24 күн бұрын

11:24 thank me later 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@chrishevia 2 ай бұрын

Seriously, TIG Button from Dave Vogel at Arc Controls makes all this look like nonsense. $250 will nake you say goodbye to a pedal even wireless pedals.

@MyLilMule Жыл бұрын

I love swedish dish. Not really.

@jacquesswanepoel7632 Жыл бұрын

I am 64 years old, and a metal worker the most of that time. My tutor, also an old man at that time, killed now by Africans, teach me one thing, A bad artisan will always blame his tools. For the simple reason he is not good at all to adapt. This seems to me be one of these cases. A person who hate his tools. Sad.

@itsnotlevel2 Жыл бұрын

OK I'm sure you've seen this guy's channel but you may not have seen the button he uses so he's looks like a pretty phenomenal TIG welder so I would imagine the button is legit, whereas the buttons that you're currently working with her still in the research phase, so just in case you want to try something I bought one. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hb1hgMtk27WudIE.html

@LiftArcStudios Жыл бұрын

Totally, been threatening on buying this thing for years, when Joe reached out to us i was excited to try some options. Apparently, he just sent over a pressure sensitive button for me to try... very excited!