Harbour Freight Spot Welder
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I wonder what the difference is in performance between the two? I had the 220 volt model but the switch died almost as soon as I got it. I sent it back and got a refund. I can honestly say that HF customer service is really fair. I like doing business with them.
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Please let us know how you like the welder for doing rails.
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My HF spot welder came with a manual and it has some good info on duration of weld to thickness, but after modifiying it with the tube to fit into the receiver that infomation pretty much went out the door.
I hope to do a couple of practice welds to see just how much time it will take per weld. I've read where others were holding the switch for about 3 seconds per weld. I know that using the tongs that came with the welder 3 seconds would be way to long. I tried welding washers together and after about 1/2 second I got melt through. So I'm thinking maybe the 3 second time is for the modified tongs (one solid and the other 1/2" copper tubing).
The first time I tried it the welder popped the circuit breaker (115V/15amp) so now I need to try a 20 amp cicrcuit and see how that works.
I hope to do a couple of practice welds to see just how much time it will take per weld. I've read where others were holding the switch for about 3 seconds per weld. I know that using the tongs that came with the welder 3 seconds would be way to long. I tried welding washers together and after about 1/2 second I got melt through. So I'm thinking maybe the 3 second time is for the modified tongs (one solid and the other 1/2" copper tubing).
The first time I tried it the welder popped the circuit breaker (115V/15amp) so now I need to try a 20 amp cicrcuit and see how that works.
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how do you modify the tongs to fit inside the receiver?
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Here is a picture that "gunnysmith" posted on another site. I converted mine yesterday, using a brass 1/4 - 20 bolt modified for the bottom contact. I was going to try it, but the welder comes without a plug. I have to go back to the hardware store and get a 30 amp plug.
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Here are pictures of my 115VAC HF welder doing it's thing. Kept the unit on for 3 seconds per weld and they all came out good. Those lower rails are welded! As an added note the red things in the pictures are magnetic angle holders (large model, $7.49 ea.) for welding. They worked great, kept the receiver at the correct angle and height so I didn't have to use a mish-mash of crap to get the same results.
The only problem I encountered was on my last spotweld the lower rivet (modified tip) fell out. I used low temp plumbing solder to hold it in place and I didn't wait (as told) for every thing to cool between spot welds. I just kept doing weld after weld. So on the next one I will use high temp or silver solder to hold the lower tip in place.
ADVICE: #1, Practice on scap metal to get the tong tips seasoned. I used two pieces of .050" 4130 to simulate the receiver and rail. I know that the rails and receiver measure differently than .100" but it's the closest thing to it.
#2, Make the tong tip size larger, the smaller the contact size the easier chance for burn through. I made my tips around .240".
#3, Make sure you have good compression of the metals when the tongs are placed together. You don't want any looseness.
#4, WEAR PROTECTIVE EYE PROTECTION, JUST DO IT!!!!
Hope that this info helps.
The only problem I encountered was on my last spotweld the lower rivet (modified tip) fell out. I used low temp plumbing solder to hold it in place and I didn't wait (as told) for every thing to cool between spot welds. I just kept doing weld after weld. So on the next one I will use high temp or silver solder to hold the lower tip in place.
ADVICE: #1, Practice on scap metal to get the tong tips seasoned. I used two pieces of .050" 4130 to simulate the receiver and rail. I know that the rails and receiver measure differently than .100" but it's the closest thing to it.
#2, Make the tong tip size larger, the smaller the contact size the easier chance for burn through. I made my tips around .240".
#3, Make sure you have good compression of the metals when the tongs are placed together. You don't want any looseness.
#4, WEAR PROTECTIVE EYE PROTECTION, JUST DO IT!!!!
Hope that this info helps.
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TK,
I like the way yours is set up coming from the top instead of the front. I see the dark marks on the outside of your receiver..did it melt here? Or, does the lower tip always melt the metal? I assume the reason copper is used is because the weld won't stick to it.
I like the way yours is set up coming from the top instead of the front. I see the dark marks on the outside of your receiver..did it melt here? Or, does the lower tip always melt the metal? I assume the reason copper is used is because the weld won't stick to it.
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yosuthnmasa.......
The dark marks are from heat, in the center of those marks (you can enlarge the picture and see a closer shot of the weld) you get a little melt as the tongs weld the lower rail and the receiver together.
LOL..........I thought that copper was used for heat transfer, but hey, it might be so it won't stick to the steel. I really don't know.
Also, I think I used the magwell opening to do the most forward rail welds. Then swithched to the top of the receiver to finish the rest of the welds.
The dark marks are from heat, in the center of those marks (you can enlarge the picture and see a closer shot of the weld) you get a little melt as the tongs weld the lower rail and the receiver together.
LOL..........I thought that copper was used for heat transfer, but hey, it might be so it won't stick to the steel. I really don't know.
Also, I think I used the magwell opening to do the most forward rail welds. Then swithched to the top of the receiver to finish the rest of the welds.
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Toten Kopf said:
So, you place the tip in the holes drilled in the lower rails, while the other tip is on the outside? I thought I remember some guys placing the tip in the corner of the rail and side of the receiver. I copied your picture from the other thread.
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No, the only holes in the RH lower rail are for the center support rivet and the hammer pin. On the LH lower rail (ejector) the only hole is for the center support.yosuthnmasa said:
The tip of the spot welder is placed between the lower mag support and the bottom of the lower rail. You follow that line back to the end of the lower rail. If I remember, I placed four welds on the LH lower rail and five welds on the RH lower rail (the RH is longer).
CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE
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Gotcha! Does the metal melt evenly between both tips? Could it effect the area enough that the metal is distorted and dimpled? I've never used a spot welder.
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yosuthnmasa...........
Maybe I shouldn't have used the term melt, fused might be a better word. You do end up with a small mark on both sides (rail and receiver) where the spot welder "fused" the metal together.
As far as distortion/dimples go, it's nothing that would cause any problems, like I said it's a little mark. In fact, comparing it to my SAR-1 and WASR-10, both of those have much larger marks where the spot weld is.
It's really fast and easy. The hardest part is setting up the welder so when the tongs are together you have even compression and the tips are in line (with the metal between them) with each other. After that's done you just insert the metal pieces to be spot welded, close the tongs, hit the switch for 3 seconds and move on to the next weld.
Maybe I shouldn't have used the term melt, fused might be a better word. You do end up with a small mark on both sides (rail and receiver) where the spot welder "fused" the metal together.
As far as distortion/dimples go, it's nothing that would cause any problems, like I said it's a little mark. In fact, comparing it to my SAR-1 and WASR-10, both of those have much larger marks where the spot weld is.
It's really fast and easy. The hardest part is setting up the welder so when the tongs are together you have even compression and the tips are in line (with the metal between them) with each other. After that's done you just insert the metal pieces to be spot welded, close the tongs, hit the switch for 3 seconds and move on to the next weld.
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