What do you use for a welder?

[volp]

I started with a very small transformer welder more than forty years ago. It took only the smallest sticks (1.5 mm) and after a short run had to cool down for several minutes! But it worked.
Then I saw in a US surplus catalogue a description of how to build your own welder from an old airplane generator (R1 or P1 as I remember it). Found a generator at a local surplus centre here in Sweden and a 5 horsepower electric motor from the junk yard. Sent for a pulley and a rheostat from US and then put it together. It gave about 200 Amp and could handle 4 mm sticks.
I have used this welder up till now with good results. I am a hobby welder but I have managed to convert a truck to a tractor wagon and build extras for my backhoe as well as making frequent repairs on it.
Also have an oxy-ace gas set which I use for cutting.
A hobby MIG is useful for thin material.
Last year I have mostly used my inverter welder which is almost as poweful as my homebuilt! It is also light, quiet and easy to move around!

Anders

 

[ShaunBlake]

I started with a very small transformer welder ... Then put together 200 Amp ... Also oxy-ace gas set which I use for cutting... hobby MIG is useful for thin material.
Last year I have mostly used my inverter welder which is almost as poweful as my homebuilt! It is also light, quiet and easy to move around!

Anders

Wow! Firstly Anders, you're my DIY hero! Secondly, I'm a tiny bit green with all your tools. I suppose I could shed that envy by learning how to build a DIY MIG and a DIY plasma cutter. ... I'll be green for a long time!

 

[volp]

Thanks ShaunBlake, but it was not too complicated. Just follow the schematics and wind a reactor with heavy copper on a steel rod to steady the arc. At that time you could buy a ready made reactor but it was more fun to make it yourself! Even today you can make a welder from a car alternator and you can find the schematics on the net. It was easier with the old generators as they were DC. The car alternators need a heavy rectifier as they are AC.

Anders

 

[Daren Todd]

Spent the day fixing seized pipe hinges on a road crossing. Gonna be a project for the rest of the week. Got three more crossings to fix.

Started out with pb blaster on the frozen hinges. Replaced the zirc fittings (most were busted off) Used a tool that free's up zirc fittings and forced pb blaster into the hinges. You fill the tool with pb blaster, kroil, or your favorite penetrant. Attach it to the zirc and tap with a hammer. Left them soaking while I repaired any of the busted hinges.

Cut off the busted hinges, ground the old welds. then installed new pipe hinges I had made up at the local fab shop out of hardened steel.

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[Daren Todd]

More fab work at the shop. Had to make up a basket.

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[Ryansweatt2004]

Here we go! Fresh outta the box!!

I've got a Lincoln 210mp as well. Best welder I've bought so far.

 

[RCW]

Daren - stupid question, but what is the road crossing for?

To protect lines off the pumps temporarily?

They use them on public roads?

Just curious.

Never saw such a thing in upstate NY, and I been around many water/sewer jobs in roadways.... Dewatering is often needed, but that contraption is sumpin' new....

Thanks!

 

[Daren Todd]

Daren - stupid question, but what is the road crossing for?

To protect lines off the pumps temporarily?

They use them on public roads?

Just curious.

Never saw such a thing in upstate NY, and I been around many water/sewer jobs in roadways.... Dewatering is often needed, but that contraption is sumpin' new....

Thanks!

Oil field loves them And use them left and right on pads where they have electrical or pipes running across a road. They use them on lease roads where water lines have to cross the road as well. The ones in the picture are set up to lay over the top of pipe up to 18" in diameter. I have some others that that have a flange on each end and water flows through the floor of the road crossing. They are lower profile, and get used in more public applications like parking lots or neighborhoods. Usually for sewer bypasses.

 

[wv bc owner]

The coal mines use a urethane version of the same thing . Two styles mainly one cable goes under the other cable goes through it. I used to make them when I worked for a local urethane shop. But the mines didn't reuse them just left them when they moved to the next section.

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[wv bc owner]

I forgot to mention that I have access to a Lincoln 250,305,400 amp mig and two stick welders in the fab shop I work in not to mention the press brake,Whitney punch,hand plaz and cnc plaz table.

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[Tooljunkie]

I forgot to mention that I have access to a Lincoln 250,305,400 amp mig and two stick welders in the fab shop I work in not to mention the press brake,Whitney punch,hand plaz and cnc plaz table.

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My mig is about to bite the dust,trying a new liner, if it doesent cure it im shopping for something bigger.

Its awesome to have access to a variety of metal fab machines.
Song comes to mind. I AM IRON MAN!!!!

 

[Daren Todd]

I forgot to mention that I have access to a Lincoln 250,305,400 amp mig and two stick welders in the fab shop I work in not to mention the press brake,Whitney punch,hand plaz and cnc plaz table.

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Im officially jealous I was feeling pretty special just getting to use a chop saw with grinding wheel for once instead of a grinder and cut off wheel for my cuts Still haven't gotten the electrician out to get my stick welder hooked up

I got a chance earlier in the week to try out the miller 212 auto set. Was decent for the most part. It felt like I was cheating though. I was able to get pretty decent welds out of it. It didn't burn as hot as what I'm used too though. I still prefer the horse power of the miller 252 at my shop

 

[RCW]

Oil field loves them

Gotcha - makes perfect sense.

 

[Daren Todd]

Gotta new stick welder to play with came in on a new service truck. Welder/generator is built into the air compressor as one unit. Not sure of the brand. But it is cool gonna have to swing over to tractor supply for some rods and storage bins. It's an ac or dc welder. Will get a pic of the unit when the truck gets back from the tag office.

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[Daren Todd]

Here's a pick of the compressor/ generator/welder

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[sheepfarmer]

Daren, you mentioned putting in wiring suitable for welding. I am in the middle of putting in a barn addition for the tractor etc (what else, right? ) and the electrician has started to put in wiring so I wondered about a 220 circuit in case anyone ever wanted to weld out there. I think the electrician said 30 amps was about average, does this sound right ( I might not have remembered correctly ) in any case what would you recommend? Probably won't be me welding, but someone down the road might, or maybe someone might have to come and repair something on the tractor. Will have a concrete floor so nice spot to work.

This tractor I noticed is going to be living in the only building on the farm with a straight and horizontal roofline! Nothing but the best for Kubbie.

 

[Daren Todd]

Sheep farmer, a 30 amp breaker is a little light for a welder. You can get away with welding smaller stuff with the 30amp, but it will starve the welder on the higher settings. At work when we went to the new shop, the electrician hooked up I believe a 50 amp breaker for the welder. (Large Mig) I'll double check in the morning. My old stick welder (1975' Montgomery Ward) takes a minimum of 50amp, and ideally a 60amp to be able to run it full tilt Course you can weld some pretty big stuff with it

 

[D2Cat]

Sheepfarmer, after following all your post I did not think you were a pessimist. Now after reading this post, I have to be wondering....."...someone might have to come and repair something on the tractor."

You breaking your tractor so bad it needs welded up?

Surely you meant some repair on an implement you might purchase at an auction!

 

[Daren Todd]

Found the specs on the welder/compressor combo. Didn't try out the welder yet. But did check out the compressor portion and generator. The compressor is pretty bada#s Timed the cycle from an empty 30 gallon tank to fully full in under 2 minutes flat at a whopping 180 psi Had to bump the regulator down to 90 psi. Filled up the oil tanks and blead the air out of the oil lines on the service truck. About took a bath when I squeezed the handle on the oil pump

http://www.vanair.com/index.php/air-n-arc-all-in-one-power-systems-side/air-n-arc-250-side.html

 

[sheepfarmer]

Thanks Daren, I'll see if the panel that feeds the new barn has enough oomph without too much costly work to go for more than 30 amps. No, D2 my tractor is still in one unbent piece so far but there is an implement that needs some modification now that you mention it!

Maybe I will get around to learning how to weld yet! But I need more stuff to buy like I need another hole in my head