Patent ID: 8872056

Claim:
A method for metalworking with the application of a vacuum during operation of a welding arrangement to evacuate particulate matter, smoke, gas, and molten metal from a work area, the method for metalworking comprising: providing a welding arrangement with a welding head, an electrode holder retained by the welding head, an electrode retained by the electrode holder for creating a welding arc, and a welding power supply connected to the welding head; providing a vacuum system with a vacuum head and a vacuum nozzle retained by the vacuum head wherein the vacuum nozzle has a support surface for being rested on a surface of a workpiece during weld removal, cutting, and gouging; providing an adjustable mounting bracket wherein the mounting bracket couples the welding head to the vacuum head and is adjustable to permit an adjustment of a disposition of the welding head in relation to the vacuum head and an adjustment of a distance between the electrode of the welding head and the vacuum nozzle of the vacuum system; disposing the support surface of the vacuum nozzle on the surface of the workpiece to cause the workpiece and the vacuum nozzle to provide support to the vacuum head and the welding head with the welding head retained spaced above the surface of the workpiece; cutting, gouging, or removing welding from the workpiece by actuating the electrode of the welding arrangement while evacuating particulate matter, smoke, gas, and molten metal through the vacuum nozzle by actuating the vacuum system.