TIG Filler rod scrap

[GoK4rtFanatic]

Not sure if this is just a problem I have or what, but I have noticed a collection of about 20, 3 inch pieces of tig filler wire piling up and I was wondering what most of you do with them. They are too short to be used and fed as they don't fit my hand and also bring my hand very close to the arc. So far I have used them to do tacks but I was wondering if there is a more economical solutions as I probably have roughly 5 feet of them end to end. What do you guys do with the last bit of the rod (I'd assume not everyone throws them out).

[psacustomcreations]

If you are bored, lay them end to end and do a quick tack to join the ends together.

Or put the small ends in a set of vise grips and feed the rod that way.

I would bet most on here are like me and throw them away when they get to 2 to 3 inches in length. My time is not worth it dealing with a 2 inch stub of tig wire.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[rexcormack]

Back in the dark ages I had the same issue with brazing rod.
I would fuse all the bits end to end.
Somewhere along the line I got over it...mostly!

[MinnesotaDave]

If you are bored, lay them end to end and do a quick tack to join the ends together.

Or put the small ends in a set of vise grips and feed the rod that way.

I would bet most on here are like me and throw them away when they get to 2 to 3 inches in length. My time is not worth it dealing with a 2 inch stub of tig wire.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

What he said

[LtBadd]

Use a pin vise to hold them, also good if you ever use filler diameters smaller then .030". Choose one that has a thru hole if possible.

[welding1]

back in '96 at Hobart institute of Welding Technology, I was in the Oxygen and Acetylene Pipe welding class. The instructor told us to weld all the stubs to gether. If it were some thick TIG rods I probably would.

[mla2ofus]

When torch welding and it gets too short I stick the stub in the puddle and tack the new rod to it. Never have any short ones accumulating.

[mcostello]

Waste not, want not. I had to pay for all of the rod, so in the puddle it goes. I just wish it would not drag the tungsten in with it.

[kwplot34]

I was taking all of mine and laying them end to end and welding them together, but it became tedious and a waste of argon so I started pitching them. Will try one of the suggestions and use some needle nose vice grips and use a little more of them up.

[El Greco]

At first I thought “you’ve got to be kidding”, but then I thought back to when I was very young, 8 maybe.

My dad taught me how to pull framing nails out and then straighten them so we could reuse them. This was a guy that lived through the Depression. I still feel guilty to this day whenever I pitch a 16d nail instead of reusing them.

I don’t feel so bad about the tig rod shorts as it goes to the scrap yard where I buy my steel.

[John T]

I throw them into the forest.