Spot Welder at PA

[Mcgyver]

I would try building one for the adventure and fun of it. I imagine it would be just another machine that I would use to build and repair other machines. I would like to be able to make custom enclosures for other DIY projects. Need to learn more about sheet metal work!

Theoretically seems to me spot welders are pretty simple machines. A big transformer, a power controller and some thick copper electrodes. But the devil is always in the detail! Based on cursory searches of Youtube the common spot welder DIY begins with a transformer from a junked old microwave oven. One build even uses two such transformers together. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how these things are rated for power. Dan Gelbart recommends machines in the 15 to 25 KVa range. As far as I can tell the PA welder is far lower than that.

years ago I spent (wasted) a bunch of time making one. Started with finding a set of arms in a lot purchase. hmmmm, I can make this....sometimes a project is friggn awesome, other times its a dud. This was a dud

The issue is getting enough current. A welder as a power supply is no good. You want like 1 volt and thousands of amps. I modified a sodium light ballast as a transformer and fed it 240V. I did get some spot welds; not super strong or in thicker material. It was a lot of work and delivered substandard performance unless on really thin stuff. Since I've picked up a used portable one and scrapped this one. The main issue I think was transformer saturation, not something I understand well enough to modify the core etc. Maybe you'd fair better.

A few pics....it has a bell crank link to a foot pedal that clamps the arms and starts the timer. thanks for the walk down memory lane...but really, just buy one lol.

 

[DPittman]

years ago I spent (wasted) a bunch of time making one. Started with finding a set of arms in a lot purchase. hmmmm, I can make this....sometimes a project is friggn awesome, other times its a dud. This was a dud

The issue is getting enough current. A welder as a power supply is no good. You want like 1 volt and thousands of amps. I modified a sodium light ballast as a transformer and fed it 240V. I did get some spot welds; not super strong or in thicker material. It was a lot of work and delivered substandard performance unless on really thin stuff. Since I've picked up a used portable one and scrapped this one. The main issue I think was transformer saturation, not something I understand well enough to modify the core etc. Maybe you'd fair better.

A few pics....it has a bell crank link to a foot pedal that clamps the arms and starts the timer. thanks for the walk down memory lane...but really, just buy one lol.


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Well that certainly looks like an impressive build. I feel much better (less guilty) about buying one and not attempting to make one myself. Thanks for supporting my habit, we are here to support each other, hee hee

 

[Canadium]

years ago I spent (wasted) a bunch of time making one. Started with finding a set of arms in a lot purchase. hmmmm, I can make this....sometimes a project is friggn awesome, other times its a dud. This was a dud

The issue is getting enough current. A welder as a power supply is no good. You want like 1 volt and thousands of amps. I modified a sodium light ballast as a transformer and fed it 240V. I did get some spot welds; not super strong or in thicker material. It was a lot of work and delivered substandard performance unless on really thin stuff. Since I've picked up a used portable one and scrapped this one. The main issue I think was transformer saturation, not something I understand well enough to modify the core etc. Maybe you'd fair better.

A few pics....it has a bell crank link to a foot pedal that clamps the arms and starts the timer. thanks for the walk down memory lane...but really, just buy one lol.

An impressive build for sure. Thanks @Mcgyver for sharing the experience. I did decide to "just buy one". Unfortunately for me by the time I got myself down to PA they were all sold out. I did manage to get a rain check though. No joy right now but I imagine there is going to be one in my shop in the not too distant future.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I noticed PA has the 220v version on sale again, and seeing as how I have some shop money from a side job looking for a place to go. And another project in the works that would benefit from a spot welder.......any reason you fellas wanna talk me out of this? Is it actually a good buy that will work as intended?

 

[Canadium]

I did eventually buy one some time ago but have only used it once since. To reweld a broken grill in a toaster oven. Hardly enough experience for a proper critique. All I can say is that it did work but I'm skeptical about it having sufficient power for any thing serious. In my shop there is no space left for any thing new so have to question the space benefit ratio.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Too late, it's already on it way lol. I try as much as I can to keep shop money going back into the shop, so I'm sure this will come in handy from time to time. There just might be enough space on my catch all welding cart to store it, and if not I can always weld on an upper deck. That's the one great thing about never "finishing" things, or painting them, they're always ready to change or weld additions to.

 

[Doggggboy]

Had a friend that bought one once to use on a car restoration. Ended up using it to build a real nice sheet metal box to put it in and stuff under the bench.
Said he never could find a spot on the car where it would have been useful. Too many curves and no way to get it on both sides at once.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

It was sitting on the porch when I got home form work, so like any guy, I immediately neglected my family and took it straight into the garage to wire the plug up and play around with it. It works. Surprisingly well too. I played around with a few different materials that were within sight, and was able to successfully weld them all together. I know there will be a bit of a learning curve as with anything, but initial impression is that it will come in pretty handy once in a while. I can see how a foot switch and timer are pretty much required.

I got some extra tips too, to make some customs. I want to make some for wire, as I now have some new projects I want to do now that I can lol. argh, this is how the list fills up so fast.

Yes, I had the fan on welding the galv....and was upwind....

 

[DPittman]

I've got one of those 220 V spot welders also, I haven't used it alot but I sure wish it had a timer on the switch to make it easier to get consistent welds. A while back I welded some thinnish SS (28 gauge?) and it worked quite well and it was just the right tool for the job.

 

[cjmac]

I've got one of those 220 VT welders also and I haven't used it alot but I sure wish it had a timer on the switch to make it easier to get consistent welds. A while back I welded some thinnish SS (28 gauge?) and it worked quite well and it was just the right tool for the job.

I bought one of the PA 220v spot welders a year or so back. Played around with it for an hour or so and it does work, but as several have mentioned it would help if there was a timer and foot pedal.

I bought this

NY-D01 40A/100A Digital Spot Welder Machine Time Control Board Time & Current Control Display Spot Welders Control Module Board

Only US$12.99, buy best ny-d01 40a/100a digital spot welder machine time control board time & current control display spot welders control module board sale online store at wholesale price.

www.banggood.com

(There was a 100 amp version which I got and may just be out of stock)

and a foot pedal and transformer. So far I have 3d printed a case for it (the case is in the thingyverse), but that is as far as it has gone to date.

I did get some extra tips for it from PA.

Chris

 

[DPittman]

I bought one of the PA 220v spot welders a year or so back. Played around with it for an hour or so and it does work, but as several have mentioned it would help if there was a timer and foot pedal.

I bought this

NY-D01 40A/100A Digital Spot Welder Machine Time Control Board Time & Current Control Display Spot Welders Control Module Board

Only US$12.99, buy best ny-d01 40a/100a digital spot welder machine time control board time & current control display spot welders control module board sale online store at wholesale price.

www.banggood.com

(There was a 100 amp version which I got and may just be out of stock)

and a foot pedal and transformer. So far I have 3d printed a case for it (the case is in the thingyverse), but that is as far as it has gone to date.

I did get some extra tips for it from PA.

Chris

Hmnn I did not know those things existed. What is the transformer for?

 

[DPittman]

Hmnn I did not know those things existed. What is the transformer for?

Oh I know see in the description that the unit needs low voltage ac power. What sort of foot pedal do you use?

 

[cjmac]

Oh I know see in the description that the unit needs low voltage ac power. What sort of foot pedal do you use?

There was a foot pedal on the Banggood website at the time. I got that. Also, there was a 220 v to 9 v (ac) transformer available that I got, so everything could run off one plug. The 3d case didn't include room for the transformer and since it is 220 volts it would probably be better to put it all in a metal box. I just printed the plastic case to play with my 3d printer.

I just looked on Banggood for the foot pedal and it is not there. Amazon has a heavy duty one. I'm sure there are some out there.

Chris

 

[DPittman]

There was a foot pedal on the Banggood website at the time. I got that. Also, there was a 220 v to 9 v (ac) transformer available that I got, so everything could run off one plug. The 3d case didn't include room for the transformer and since it is 220 volts it would probably be better to put it all in a metal box. I just printed the plastic case to play with my 3d printer.

I just looked on Banggood for the foot pedal and it is not there. Amazon has a heavy duty one. I'm sure there are some out there.

Chris

The little bit I've looked into this now reassures me that I better not be trying to figure out how things are done on my own. I look forward to hopefully seeing how it all works for you once you finish it.

 

[cjmac]

Oh I know see in the description that the unit needs low voltage ac power. What sort of foot pedal do you use?

They still list similar transformer but the 9v version is not currently available.

AC 220V Input to AC 6V 9V 12V 15V 18V 24V Output 5W EI 50Hz Single/Dual Voltage Copper Power Transformer

Only US$5.69, buy best ac 220v input to ac 6v 9v 12v 15v 18v 24v output 5w ei 50hz single/dual voltage copper power transformer sale online store at wholesale price.

www.banggood.com

Chris

 

[Bandit]

I have one of the 220v units - PA. I think it works fine, use it just the way it came. Yes, to long on and it may melt a hole through, but you can do the same with a stick welder. check contact pressure before using, clamp it, turn on switch, count to 2 or 3 etc., turn off switch. Used it for a number of different things now, brackets etc, mostly motorcycle related, some car and other things too. Works great for tacking light stuff to mock up, check fit and placement, followed by other process welding later. Much easier, faster, to do, one or 2 spot welds, good, not good, readjust etc.
You can make a light,weak weld that can be easily broke for the fitting, get things rite, follow up with a heavy spot weld or many more, or other welding.
Yes, clamps and vice grips will do the job, if they will fit in the area. Heat warpage is much less too. Good for everything or every job, no, but another tool and way to do a job, pop rivets, glue, mig, tig, stick, black smithing, rivets.
Yes, Dan Gelbart knows a lot, but he also made/had made a mumber of custom ends/tips for his spot welder, auto manurfacturing uses some very long, wide opening arms/robots on cars.
Whatever cranks your tractor.

 

[historicalarms]

Spot welder wouldnt be much good to me....I prefer to "weld a hole" into anything light that needs sticking together then fish plating with something heavy enough to withstand the heat....everything thin becomes stronger that way!

 

[Dan Dubeau]

First completed project with the spot welder. An egg basket the kids and I made for my wife for mothers day. I had a great plan to tig the wire on there, but it came out looking like the dogs breakfast every time I did it. I'd get about 4-5 great welds, then BAM, I'd blow the wire in half. Never satisfied with the repairs, I'd peel it off and start again. A spot welder is what I really needed. When I got home from work tonight, I cranked this out in about 25 minutes. Easy peasy. The test pieces from yesterday were the same sized material used here. 1/8"x1/2" flat and 9 gauge wire. Strong enough for the eggs we're making here.

Now that this works, I need to make a wire straightener now.......I have a lot of new ideas lol.

Edit: I should add that the material here is definately pushing the limits of what can, and should be welded with this machine. I wouldn't trust it for anything structural, or weight bearing, but it does take a bit of effort to break the weld, so, draw your own conclusions. Thinner material would definitely be better.