Torch Angle, Filler Feeding, and Arc Length
TIG welding demands three simultaneous manual controls: torch position and angle, filler rod feeding, and foot-pedal amperage. Torch position: hold the torch at approximately 75–80 degrees from the work surface (nearly vertical, tilted slightly back in the direction of travel). Too steep an angle (close to 90°) concentrates heat excessively; too shallow wastes heat and disturbs shielding gas coverage. Arc length — the distance from tungsten tip to puddle — should equal the diameter of your tungsten electrode. A 3/32" tungsten means a 3/32" arc gap. Too long an arc produces excessive voltage, a wider diffuse puddle, and loss of directional control. Too short risks tungsten contamination when the tip dips into the puddle. Filler rod feeding: hold the rod at approximately 15 degrees from the work surface, feeding from the leading edge of the puddle (never over the top of the arc — the electrode ionizes the rod prematurely). Use a consistent dip-and-withdraw rhythm: dip the rod into the front of the puddle, withdraw it back slightly (but not out of the gas shield), advance the torch slightly, then dip again. Consistency in this rhythm determines bead uniformity — erratic dipping creates lumpy, inconsistent beads.