Arcing to the welding table

[woodlandfarms]

Kinda a dumb question, but I am so inexperienced. I clamp my ground to the welding table top. Sometimes when I lift my piece I seek arc burns between the table and the piece. Should I just hook directly to the piece?

 

[SSdoxie]

I would say either clamp directly to the piece or securely clamp your work to the table.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

You'll get better results with clamping to your table, especially with MIG but it's just good practice to clamp direct as you can. The welded area is where you are getting direct contact and if the surface area of the "weld" where it is siezed together is too small you'll get heating at that point, and increased electrical resistance to the flow of electricity.

 

[CNC Dan]

You can try rubbing the work on the table to make better contact.

 

[cqaigy2]

I used to connect directly, like Mark says. As close to the work as feasible for all the same reasons stated.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My work table has a plywood top so I have to ground directly to the work piece OR put the piece in my vise and ground to the hold down bolt on the vise. This approach almost eliminates any arcing on the work piece.

 

[flusher]

I would say either clamp directly to the piece or securely clamp your work to the table.

Yep:thumbsup:

 

[Industrial Toys]

Just thought I might mention this. One must be very mindfull of welding on something that is electrically grounded. Like I have a metal workbench with a pull out vice (in 2" tubing like a trailer receiver) that I sometimes weld on because it can hold my work so nicely and at comfortable height. There are numerous outlets built into the bench. The problem is, if you loose your ground clamp on the work, a whole lot of current can go unintentionally through your electrical system ground and fry it! I often use vice grips on the work for the ground, and attach the ground clamp to the vice grips because I find the ground clamp always slips off most work!

The same unintentional ground could happen if you had a metal cased grinder or other tool lying on your work.