That Time I Learned I could Stick Weld with a TIG torch

Back when I worked for a major Airline Techops division, on a few occasions, my job was doiing mobile welding. 

Mostly on aircraft, but sometimes on shop equipment as well.

One particular day, I was called to weld a piece of galvanized floor grate that had come loose in the cleaning shop and had become a trip hazard.

The Main mobile rig...a Miller syncrowave 250 was out on another job, so the only mobile rig was a little Miller maxstar 90 DC inverter that ran off 115volt.

We used the small 90 amp DC TIG inverter for light duty DC only jobs mostly in the engine shop and test cells.

But the problem was...there was no stick stinger.

My old timer bossman told me to grab a 3/32" 6011 and chuck it up in the tig torch in a  3/32" collet body.

What??  I thought that was a genius hack. A 3/32" 6011 stick rod is so handy for so many quick stick jobs because it will penetrate thru mill scale and also only requires about 60-75 amps and than really helps when using 115 volt power.

So I got a forklift driver to park over the floor grate to hold it down while I made a few short welds with the 6011 stick rods.  Took me about 5 minutes total.

And I never forgot that hack.  I wouldn't make a habit out of doing this  because a stick stinger is more durable, but it was good to know that I could burn a stick rod or 2 if I forgot my stinger at home.

hope this helps,

Jody