Thread: Pulse welder/Plate Boat build

Few more progress pics.

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Finally had a chance to have a play with the mig digi torch. Have pulled both guns apart and yes all that was needed was the handle and digi module to convert the original torch. I have set up my original one for steel use.
It works really well, I used it to whack up a rear cage for the work ute. Really liked not having to go back to the machine all the time to tweak settings.

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Good to find your gas blockage cause CW, it looks like it could use a nice thin little sleeve to prevent that tube from collapsing in like that but if it happens again at least you will be right on to it.

The TIG cart looks excellent, I want one! Looks like you are certainly getting the hang of it pretty quickly. Can be a bit addictive.

Yeah you would have thought that your welding supplier would have been onto the MIG gun situation but I am not surprised. I have found in general that some of the product knowledge is either a bit lacking or they are happy to make money out of our lack of knowledge. Either way it is not great.
Anyway 2 x MIG guns are handy, I bought a second for steel as well.

Thanks John, yeah the welding shop wants a couple too. Hopefully it will be finished this weekend if time permits. Would of liked to have a bit of a clue of what it cost to build, but being a learner and doing little bits here and there you cant really estimate. My guess would be too much.

I seem to be getting smoother with the hand. Still playing with all the settings. Was getting cracker of a head aches with using the frequency over 120. Tend to be sticking around the 80 to 100 mark now. Don't know how many times I've hit myself with HF, seriously in need of an earthed table.

Yes glad to have the torch back. I was looking for the right size bit of tubing but didn't have any laying about, next time. Come to think of it a cable crimp may have done the job. Ahhh well.
The outside crimp on the cable also looked like it was forcing the rubber hose down into the groove.

Yep not to many outlets out there that know there stuff. I can usually find out more myself then what they send in an email a week later. To me if they cant get back that day its a sale lost.

Oh well, looking forward to seeing the finished item and no doubt you have already picked up a lot of skill and info using the TIG.
That's no good re the head aches. I don't tend to use those in between frequency settings, usually either below 100hz on thicker sections or above 200hz on thin material or close to edges.

Yes the HF hit tends to make one lose it momentarily. I don't tend to get a lot but enough to know it's there. Funny when I think about it, throwing the torch across the shed when you get a good hit..lol.

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Too good indeed, thanks for the pics, very nice indeed. Glad you included the last pics with your 3 units there all well set up, showed the Mrs so she knows I am not the only one lol..

Not sure whether it is needed or not but I put some caps on my tubes holding the ally rods just to keep the air off them. Wouldn't matter for regular use but they sit there for a few months and may get a bit of oxide, don't know??

Thanks john.
It has been a very pleasing first tigging time for me and well worth the money spent on knowing what it can do and that I can actually make something decent with it. Bring on the projects!!!

The Lincoln will be leaving the family as I have no need for it. Not sure what they go for second hand? Priced new setup from BOC at around $1600.

Have some 40mm couplings on order to make up some caps for the tubes. It will look neater, stop crap from getting in there and as you said try and prevent contamination/oxide forming.

Next on the list is a tool trolley and a welding table.
With the welding table what would the minimum size steel one would use for the top? Still want it relatively easy to move around but still heavy duty to take a beating.

You should have no worries selling the Lincoln being a good standard for general purpose MIG. Thought about selling but I have hung on to my WIA 150 just because I am too lazy at times to change over the other machine from ally if welding a bit of steel which is often the case.
It has been easier too at times just to use the TIG if it is just a small amount of steel welding, I keep a few rods on the trolley for that.

With the welding table, they are often 20 - 25mm but for at home and even the one I built at work I just used 10mm plate. 1200mm x 1200mm isn't a bad size.
Overhang the plate top adequately at least on 3 sides so you can clamp around the edges, mine overhangs about 100mm on two of the sides and about 200mm on one end. The other end is flush with the support frame where I have a decent vice which is hindged and can be easily dropped down out of the way and can also be used in the dropped down position for clamping something vertical.

It is desireable to get the table as flat as practical and if you get a nice flat piece try not distort it from over welding to the frame, just some nice short stitches enough to hold it there.
Both pieces of plate I used had a very slight dish in them so I used that to my advantage and placed them on the frame so that the top of the table is ever so slightly concave. Just in my opinion that was better because at least when you lay a length of flat material on top it doesn't want to spin around on a high point in the middle of the table (hope that makes sense)
Just square off all the table sides so you can rely on them when jigging something up. I haven't done it but some holes at random places on the table can be handy for clamping also.
I bought a cheap 7 drawer tool cabinet from Aldi and mounted it under the table for all my welding bits and pieces, tools, even helmet fits in the bottom drawer. The main frame I use 50 x 50 x 3mm SHS steel. The whole thing is solid enough for my use at home, easy to move around the shed and didn't break the bank or my back.
Put the whole thing on HD castors I bought from: "C Tools plus" I think they are called on ebay: Caster 4'' 2F 2s Polyurethane Castor Wheels H Duty | eBay

They seem to work well, two fixed and two swiveling braked.

Thanks for the info John. Ill have to keep an eye out for some 10mm. New prices Ive had have been around the $550 for a full sheet, cut prices are ridiculous around here.

Hey CW, nice job with the welder trolley. I hadn't checked in on this thread for a while as the double pulse mig etc. wasn't relevant, but I have to say that's a nice build with the TIG (nice machine too). I my surprised by the CK torch control issues, I agree - it would be a real pain if you can't customise the distance it takes to get from 0 - 100% amps.
- Mick

Originally Posted by cwcarter

Thanks for the info John. Ill have to keep an eye out for some 10mm. New prices Ive had have been around the $550 for a full sheet, cut prices are ridiculous around here.

I think I paid $200 odd for each piece from a local steel supplier but a mate of mine always seems to find good pieces at a scrap metal yard or friend of a friend. His table is about 2.5 x 1.2 x 25mm which he got for a song so look and ask around.

Thanks Mick, yeah kept the tig under the same thread as they both pulse weld.
Bit of a shame about the control but it will have its day. Bit pricey though for what it is, almost cost as much as the foot pedal!!

I'll check out the scrap yards next John and contact a few steel supplies in the next town. I dont have much luck around here getting anything for a reasonable price.

Thought I'd chuck up some pics of the start of my tool cart build.

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Originally Posted by cwcarter

Thought I'd chuck up some pics of the start of my tool cart build.

Cool - keep them coming.
- Mick