Hobart 770028 Welding Holder Electrode: Superior Performance for Precise Welding Review

This is a great tip and very pleasant to use. It even has a little lip on the bottom to attach it to something so it doesn't touch metal and accidentally start an arc. My only complaint is that after all day of unscrewing and unscrewing to install new bars, I think the wiring loosened and fell out and I had to turn the machine off and plug it back in. I've made sure it's screwed in as tight as possible and haven't had any problems so far. The time will show.

I'm not giving it 5 stars because it's the best electrode holder, but because of the value for money. For the money it works the same as some of the others I've used which were triple the price. Someone mentioned that it doesn't hold 3/32" bars. Not true. I was welding with 1/8" and 3/32" rods within a week of receiving them. No problem. Just make sure you insert the bar properly. and tighten well. I'll probably buy another one as a backup.

While much better than the standard spring clip electrode holder (when it works) it is not without its drawbacks. First, it doesn't hold 1/16" electrodes very well AT ALL. You really have to fiddle with them to get the mechanism to bite into them. Second, the Bakelite cast has an EXTREMELY sharp cast flare on the end where the wire comes out exiting the handle. It was razor sharp and would ABSOLUTELY cut through the best and thickest insulation on any wire in a short time. I ended up filing and