Thread: spot welding 18 gauge

My jeep project is coming along the engine is down at the machine shop ATM . I'll be needing to spot weld 1.2mm panels and 1.6 to 1.2 mm stuff together for the tub repairs. Will a 240 V single phase spot welder be OK for this type of work ? I'm looking for a used machine with suitable amperage .

It should do it. The key thing will be to make sure that your point tips are small enough so you get decent current density. Check using peel tests.

Michael

Mike, do you have a MIG welder? If you have, then that can be utilised as one. If you set your nozzle up so that it has 4 "castles", as below, so that they will allow the gas to vent, then push down and apply the trigger. Get some scrap pieces to practice and get your settings and time right. Some of the MIG welders have a setting for spot welding.
MIG Spot welding Nozzle.jpg
HTH.
Kryn

Thanks Kryn

This doesn' t sound promising
AutoSpeed - Spot welders for the home workshop, Part 1

Is this a spot welder ?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VEVOR-35...edirect=mobile

Not quite

Michael

Originally Posted by morrisman

Is this a spot welder ?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VEVOR-35...edirect=mobile

A standard method for pulling out small dents and depressions these days is to weld threaded studs into the depression, then screw on a slide hammer to manipulate the metal and pull it back into shape. The studs are then broken off and any residual weld is ground off, aiming to leave a clear surface slightly below the desired finished surface. The slight depression is then filled with a minimal amount of filler and contoured to the final shape.

The gizmo you linked is the welder for placing the studs for the above technique. Functionally it is a spot welder, but the current density and pressure are not adequate to form permanent bonds, they produce a temporary bond intended to broken by twisting the stud with a pair of pliers or vice grips.

For spot welding sheet metal, you are looking to something like this . The tips compress the panels together with a reasonable amount of pressure then a short high current pulse of electricity passes through the tips and compressed metal fusing it together permanently.

Another alternative is to drill/punch holes in one panel, align and clamp the panel, then puddle weld through the holes to the other panel, slightly overfilling the hole and then grinding back to flush.

Hope this helps.

While searching for something else entirely I came across this you may want to investigate

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Alpha-Sp...ad76%7Ciid%3A2