Homemade Arc Welder

by **assateague** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:13 pm

Done.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1382915616.855203.jpg

by **Redbeard** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:17 pm

Well get to work

#tazincali

by **Redbeard** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:17 pm

rebelp74 wrote:
3legged_lab wrote:
rebelp74 wrote:We need a video of you trying out

I've already seen a guy get tazed in person, and it was awesome.

I've been the tasee, it wasn't that awesome.

you speak the truth

#tazincali

by **assateague** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:24 pm

It works, bitches.

First weld didn't hold (probably because I don't know what the heck I'm doing), but the second one (starts about halfway through) held like a champ. I don't know a damn thing about welding, but I'm pretty sure the stick isn't supposed to glow like a lightbulb filament. According to my neighbors calculations, I'm getting about 460 amps, so I suppose I'm going to have to build some contraption to "regulate" the amperage in the future.

But for now- the sonofabitch works, and fused two pieces of metal together. Next time, I'll try it with the biggest stick I can get.

I'm so damn happy, happy, happy.

by **Olly** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:37 pm

Haha good job!

by **Tiler_J** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:39 pm

Congratulations!! That is great, thanks for the video! Glad to see you didn't burst into flames or start twitching and smoking! Awesome, you truly are King of the Cheap Asses!

by **rebelp74** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:43 pm

Fucking right on man! That's badass, congrats. The part where you take the vice grip off and it falls apart, you say "fuck no". That reminded of Hunter S Thompson. :lol:

by **The Duck Hammer** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:54 pm

Awesome work there Jim!

by **DeadEye_Dan** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:59 pm

I'll be damned.

It's definitely got some serious amps running through it based on how quick you were going through the electrodes and the glow of the electrode.
Gotta find a way to dial back the juice and you'll get better penetration too

Nice job

by **Redbeard** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:02 pm

Sweet Jim!

#tazincali

by **assateague** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:04 pm

DeadEye_Dan wrote:I'll be damned.

It's definitely got some serious amps running through it based on how quick you were going through the electrodes and the glow of the electrode.
Gotta find a way to dial back the juice and you'll get better penetration too

Nice job

It was a thin rod too, I think. A 5/64 6013. If I use a bigger rod, will it help, or am I stuck with having to make another contraption to regulate the amps?

by **rebelp74** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:11 pm

assateague wrote:
DeadEye_Dan wrote:I'll be damned.

It's definitely got some serious amps running through it based on how quick you were going through the electrodes and the glow of the electrode.
Gotta find a way to dial back the juice and you'll get better penetration too

Nice job

It was a thin rod too, I think. A 5/64 6013. If I use a bigger rod, will it help, or am I stuck with having to make another contraption to regulate the amps?

Based on quick and bright that was, I'd think something to regulate the amps.

by **rozzo842** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:15 pm

Yeah man! I would definitely try to regulate that somehow. I've never seen anyone burn through a rod so fast or had one glow like that. Good thing is you won't get it to stick to your base metal like that :-)

by **DeadEye_Dan** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:18 pm

^^ that's what I'd say too.

A heavier rod will need more heat/amps to flow but likely not enough to make a difference.

I was looking at the backside of the stock you were welding and didn't notice any "cherry spots" indicating that penetration wasn't real deep - need to find some way to slow down the burn rate

Kick it up to 3/16 see what happens

by **Flightstopper** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:36 pm

What thickness were you welding?

by **assateague** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:38 pm

It was about 1/4"

by **triplecurl** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:48 pm

Definitely cool right there.

460 amps is pretty high. If you can get your amps down to around 120 or so, try a 1/8" 7018.

by **Flightstopper** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:50 pm

triplecurl wrote:Definitely cool right there.

460 amps is pretty high. If you can get your amps down to around 120 or so, try a 1/8" 7018.

X2 but still cool as shit. 460 is way up there.

by **rebelp74** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:52 pm

Way the hell up there

by **Flightstopper** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:01 pm

rebelp74 wrote:Way the hell up there

It's been awhile since I've done much stick, always mig, but I'm thinking 460 is where machines start to max out. Which is an excellent problem to have instead of begging your machine for more amps. Wonder what kind of duty cycle you can pull from it.

by **triplecurl** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:03 pm

Assa you might be able to find an amperage dial off an old welder and be able to make it work. Can't say for sure if it will or not tho.

by **The Duck Hammer** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:04 pm

Looks like you're going to have to build that electrocution water box.

by **The Duck Hammer** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:05 pm

triplecurl wrote:Assa you might be able to find an amperage dial off an old welder and be able to make it work. Can't say for sure if it will or not tho.

Don't think that would work.

by **triplecurl** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:16 pm

The Duck Hammer wrote:
triplecurl wrote:Assa you might be able to find an amperage dial off an old welder and be able to make it work. Can't say for sure if it will or not tho.

Don't think that would work.

You're probably right, but if two microwaves will weld at 460 amps there might be a way to make it work.

by **The Duck Hammer** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:19 pm

triplecurl wrote:
The Duck Hammer wrote:
triplecurl wrote:Assa you might be able to find an amperage dial off an old welder and be able to make it work. Can't say for sure if it will or not tho.

Don't think that would work.

You're probably right, but if two microwaves will weld at 460 amps there might be a way to make it work.

The back of those things look like a rats nest of wires. Don't know for sure but the one I rebuilt looked like it rerouted the power source through resistors or something to control the amps.

by **triplecurl** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:20 pm

Flightstopper wrote:
rebelp74 wrote:Way the hell up there

It's been awhile since I've done much stick, always mig, but I'm thinking 460 is where machines start to max out. Which is an excellent problem to have instead of begging your machine for more amps. Wonder what kind of duty cycle you can pull from it.

I was wondering the same thing.

by **assateague** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:46 pm

I don't know what a duty cycle means.

And Hammer, I think you're right- box of water electron death is on the drawing board.

by **The Duck Hammer** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:49 pm

assateague wrote:And Hammer, I think you're right- box of water electron death is on the drawing board.

If you make one, make sure and seal that fucker up. His had gaps in it where the water could spill out.

by **rebelp74** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:53 pm

assateague wrote:I don't know what a duty cycle means.

And Hammer, I think you're right- box of water electron death is on the drawing board.

Duty cycle is more or less how long it can run without taking a break to let the machine rest.

by **Flightstopper** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:55 pm

assateague wrote:I don't know what a duty cycle means.

And Hammer, I think you're right- box of water electron death is on the drawing board.

Don't go write a wiki of this one but it's out of an hour, how long the machine can keep up with the amps you have it set at. Sure with home/hobby welding it doesn't. Just be curious to know what your frankenwelder can put out.