Ok I've bought the 115 volt spot welder. I used a 5/8 steel rod to make a tong and used the orginal copper tip. I can say it works well. I did a test weld on two overlapping shelf dividers and bent them it in a U and them bent it it back the other way again forming a U. The weld heald with no problem. I have to say this spot welding is very strong. the steel rod heated up more (not a large amount) than the copper tong. Must be because the steel doesn't conduct as well and has more resistance.
Yes--I think those linear scars on the arm look really neat. You successfully warned me away-- what 4 or 5 times? This will give me an opportunity on my own.
Used to, being the operative phrase here.
The reason they stopped using it is because, under heavy load it would get hot, in some cases hot enough to melt the insulation, causing a short, and starting a fire.
The reason it gets hot is because of resistance.
Have you ever tried to jump start a car using a set of cheapo aluminum booster cables? did you notice how hot they get?
Aluminum will obviously conduct electricity, but with nowhere near the efficiency of copper or even steel.
Your numbers are correct, however the the conductivity of most mild steels is anywhere from 1/3 to 1/4th that of Aluminum. Aluminum is commonly used for large gauge electrical wiring where copper would be too heavy or too costly. It is a poorer conductor than copper but a much better conductor than steel. If you have a home built in the last twenty years or so then the drop from the power company to your house is almost certainly aluminum. It was used for interior house wiring in the 1950's and 1960 and got a bad rap for causing fires. It wasn't the aluminum per se that was the problem but the fact that the connections were being made to materials that had a significantly differently thermal expansion coefficients. Thermal cycling due to current draw caused the connections to loosen up over time, eventually causing a fire.
If you wanted to use Aluminum for a set of tongs I would think that the only trouble might be its relatively low melting point and the fact that it starts to loose significant strength at a relatively low temperature. It would probably work fine as long as you didn't let it get too hot.
Why can not they make the spot welders to work on a double pole(120 volt each pole put them toghter for 208 volts) 208 volt instead of the 230 volt high leg set up? Most people have only 120 volt double pole as home availibilty.
For what we are using them for, the 100 volt, works better than the 220 volt.
The 220v is kinda overkill on this thin stuff.
The 220 will work, but from the reports I've heard it is easier to get a strong, nice looking weld with the 110v, with less chance of burning through.
Although recent reports might prove the problem to be operator error.
I have had no luck finding replacement tips for the spot welders. McMaster-Carr has stocks tips, but not for these welders. I guess that I need to use a lathe to make new tips out of the stock that is left over from making the modified straight bottom jaw for welding the AK's
7.62x39 said:
A 5/8"X12" copper bar runs $10 at Mcmaster-Carr.
The tips are designed to be replaceable and should be available from a local welding supply house.
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