Improved underwater welding handle

Underwater welding and cutting are among the hardest jobs in commercial diving. The diver works in cold, dark, moving water, often by feel alone, with a live electrode in one hand. The tool in that hand matters.

Why we redesigned it

Traditional electrode holders were made entirely of Bakelite (phenol formaldehyde resin). It insulates well but it is brittle: drop one on a barge deck and it can crack, and a cracked holder underwater is a safety risk. Imported holders were also expensive and slow to replace. We set out to make a handle that was cheaper, tougher and simpler to use, with no loss of safety.

Two materials, each where it works best

• Torch head: Bakelite. Kept only where heat resistance matters most. The head is shaped like a nut, so the diver can change rods by feel.
• Grip: PVC. Water-resistant, keeps its properties when submerged, takes knocks and insulates well.
• Screw fit. Head and grip screw together and apart easily, so a worn head can be replaced on site.

Small details that matter

• Grooves on the head and grip give a secure hold in thick rubber gloves.
• A trapezoid tail lets tape wrap tightly around the handle, cable and copper core for a clean, reliable seal.
• The grip is long enough to take a ball valve that opens and closes with one hand for oxy-arc cutting.

In use today

The handle is now the everyday choice for underwater welding and cutting in Hong Kong's commercial diving industry, and divers across the region build and use handles to our design and operating guidelines.

Field guide

We have also written up what we have learned about underwater DC welding and oxy-arc cutting, from electrode size and polarity to cutting caissons and I-beams, as a free guide for others in the trade. Read it below, in English and Traditional Chinese.