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Thread: 175i air arc gouging
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21st Mar 2018, 09:42 AM #1Novice
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175i air arc gouging
Hi all
I have a Cigweld 175i, wondering if it could do some light duty air arc gouging, ie removing bushes on 5 tonne diggers etc. I have a 35 cfm compressor so that’s not an issue. Thanks!
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21st Mar 2018, 10:51 AM #2
In the trade, we used old dunger welders for air-arc work.
Arc air is really tough on the transformer windings. Heat buildup is rapid and intense. Air arc operation heat,can melt the insulation between the transformer shim plates. The welder is not the same machine after, displaying something like arc blow when trying to weld with it later on.
Also, consider the machine you are intending to use. It is not built in the same robust manner of those industrial welders used for arc air.
It is essentially has a lightweight transformer (with an inverter) and not designed to dissipate heat at the rate needed for air -arcing.
Be very, very cautious.
Grahame
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21st Mar 2018, 06:17 PM #3Most Valued Member
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Don't even bother trying. 175A is nowhere near potent rough for arcair. 300 would be a minimum for a 6.3mm carbon doing meaningful work and you will be lucky to strike an arc with only 175A.
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22nd Mar 2018, 10:48 AM #4Novice
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Thanks Guys I might stick with the gas axe for gouging
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23rd Mar 2018, 07:06 PM #5Most Valued Member
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Not too sure if it will provide much advantage, but you could try some cutting and gouging electrodes. You can buy them in a small handyman pack to trial. You will need a stick welder with 150 odd amps from memory.
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23rd Mar 2018, 07:15 PM #6Pink 10EE owner
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I always thought you needed a lot of amps for gouging.
I have a dodgy 400AS that I used for gouging. I ran it flat out and to get an acceptable gouge I needed all it's output.Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.
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23rd Mar 2018, 09:46 PM #7Most Valued Member
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A 400AA should gouge with ease, my AS400 (not a misprint, but an older Diesel powered Lincoln) runs a 6.3mm carbon when set on 300 odd amps. I reckon I could run 8mm carbons if I had to, my DC 400 certainly will. If i am in a really destructive mood, then my SA600 Lincoln with its 750 amps gets let loose.
Poor connections and dodgy leads will cause you some issues thoughon another note. Who has tried the flat carbons? I love them for removing weld back to a nice flat surface.
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30th Mar 2018, 10:03 AM #8Pink 10EE owner
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I see some high end plasma cutters offer arc gouging built in. Even a 45 amp single phase model although it is AU$2500
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjpUADInn80Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.
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1st Apr 2018, 08:25 AM #9Most Valued Member
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I've done a little bit of plasma gouging and while it works quite well, it does suffer from the handicap of a much bulkier torch that won't fit where a gouging carbon will.
Gouging consumables are available for the larger plasma machines, although I wouldn't say they are common. The first time I tried plasma gouging, I simply drilled a 1.7mm tip out to 3mm (that's the size of the correct gouging tip for my torch) and let loose. All worked well, except the fact that the large torch head is a bit limiting. For exanple, you probably couldn't gouge out pins and bushes, but removing most welds should be easy enough.
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