A couple of weekes ago whilst rotavating our mountain the Bulldog lost a tooth from one of its wheels.
Rotavator Feb23_0016.JPG (135.28 KiB) Viewed 131 times
These teeth are 25mm x 3mm angle iron at 33mm long just welded on; I welded a new tooth on during the Bulldog restoration in the workshop but now it lost another. Getting the rotavator down the mountain into the workshop would mean dismantling it again; it's much too heavy in one piece; removing the wheel was hard enough in the workshop using a puller and I didn't fancy messing around on the wet grass and soil; my industrial Pickhill Bantam welder probably weighs more than the rotavator and the only power I have up thegarden is a 13A extension lead; in the workshop the big welder is connected to a 32A "C" type breaker.
I then whilst browsing eBay found mini arc welders for sale and had a look on YouTube;
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At only £29.99 delivered I thought I've nothing to lose and it's got a 12 month warranty.
It's truly amazing; I've been arc welding for over 60 years but this tiny welder has really surprised me. I wanted to get the job done before the next downpour of rain so inserted a 3.2 rod and set it at 160; a couple of minutes later I was putting everything away; I was working on the steep wet grass slope; first attempt I belted the new tooth with a hammer and it shot off; next attempt I ran a low weld directly onto the wheel now the tooth was well and truly welded; I'd used an angle grinder to clean the wheel which but be 6mm thick at its rim.
I can lift this mini welder with one finger; it comes with enough kit to make it plug and play; it's perfect for smaller welding jobs especially those that can be done from an extension lead such as metal railings. I didn't need to play around practicing; a novice would soon be welding without it costing a fortune. I'm so far delighted thinking it money well spent.
I fully agree with you bourbon but as you say they are decent. I'm sure the duty cycle in real life will be low so it will be case of welding then letting the welder cool down resetting itself; I used to own an SIP 140A arc welder and used this for many years; it too used to cut out so I extended the cut out by turning the welder off whilst adjusting the item being welded; I think these mini welders will have similar performance but at the price the mini welders are excellent for hobby use or those simply wanting to have a go at welding.
It looks like the old transformer type of SIP 140A welders are no longer manufactured being replaced by battery (Yuk) or inverters.
As I stated my working environment was poor on the steep wet slope expecting more heavy rain so I just dialed in until I could get the arc started; it worked fine on this thick wheel set at 160; the display was very difficult to see in daylight so it was a guess but the weld was decent; I took images but have just bought a new PC which I'm currently populating and the images are on the old comuter; I'll add them later when I remove the hard drive from the old computer. All my welding is usually done with electrodes up to 3.2mm and this mini welder coped well at 3.2mm. I used ESAB Goldrox E6013 Mild Steel Premium Welding Rods bought through eBay.
I was amazed by how easy it was to start the weld without sticking and how quiet the arc was. My oil filled very heavy industrial Pickhill Bantam will weld all day every day without cutting out but it cost a lot more and is the welder I use in the workshop.
I'm suffering now after working in the wet grass; I've got a cold; something I've not had for many years.
I bought a cheap stick welder from Aldi many years ago. I really did not understand how to use it properly and the stick kept getting stuck to the metal. I was trying to weld up a metal frame that had broken and I made a right mess of it. I took it to a metalworking shop and the guy used a MIG which looked easy to use (or he made it look easy) My stick welder is gathering dust.
DWD
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Time to get your stick welder out DWD and try again. Years ago I visited a guy who showed me some welding he'd carried out on a small trailer; it was like bird droppings but he was so proud of it; he even told me he'd modified the wire feed it being a mig welder.
I was fortunate enough to be taught both gas and arc welding by the National Coal Board when I reached 16 years of age this then the minimum age for operating machinery and for using gass bottles. A number of my fellow apprentices did struggle at first mostly with "arc eye" when the rod stuck to the metal they would remove the mask to see what was happening hence each time they suffered a flash; these flashes are so bright they have an effect like sand in the eyes leaving stars to look at for ages; I soon caught on and have enjoyed welding ever since.
May I suggest you practice on some scrap metal DWD then you won't be worrying about wasting money; make sure the metal is clean and the earth clamp making good contact; if the rod keeps sticking please be aware that pulling a stuck rod clear can break away the flux coating at the rod end; this is sure to result in more sticking until you gain a bit of experience also increase the amps; take control of the welder and keep practicing; your first real bead will bring a huge smile to your face; it's like learning to ride a bike; you'll fall off a few times.
I don't strike I simply give a very quick light tap; do this a few times and you'll soon get used to doing it. I have a pack of rods which are a real pain to use; part used they burn back as shown in the video so a bit of abrasive paper is useful. I like 6013 rods (Electrodes) these are cheap and readily available on eBay or at Screwfix;
I've never tried mig welding but I can tig weld; tig welding is incredibly difficult.
Bungalow exterior makeover August 2016 (45).JPG (173.52 KiB) Viewed 83 times
Bungalow exterior makeover August 2016 (38).JPG (162.23 KiB) Viewed 83 times
Two pictures of the steelwork I welded for the front of our decking over the garage; I used a cheap SIP Weldmate 140A for this; the welder cut out a few times but it did a good job; the heavy sections I bought from a scrap yard cheaply paying by weight but it needed a lot of cleaning; the railings are new steel and these were welded in a wooden jig I made.
I like to encourage anyone to have a go at arc welding; it's such a useful skill to have. Good luck DWD I hope you'll be able to post success early next year.
Ha ha, you have more faith than I do. I went blindly into it not understanding the instructions in Chinglish. I am not sure what the setting on the knobs should be. I watch guys on YouTube using MIG welders and it looks so easy, I really have not got any jobs to aim at currently, I will have a play with it again though in the future. The eye protection maskI have is a handheld type, I would like one of those auto-dimming ones as they are really cheap now. As I say I have not got anything I need to weld at present but thanks for the direction on the sticks.
Keep with it if you try again DWD; it just comes down to practice. Whilst I was learning Tig welding at home my normal arc welding helmet and shield was useless; I couldn't see a thing so I bought a very expensive helmet and what a difference.
I have an auto darkening welding helmet but it's years since I used it; I was taught with an hand held shield which I still prefer and it's less hassle. On YouTube I see so many arc welding with lots of exposed bare skin; this is dangerous because it can lead to skin cancer.
I should make it perfectly clear arc welding is highly dangerous to a novice and although I welded my rotavator on wet grass I definitely don't recommend doing this. Please watch this following video explaining a few of the dangers to avoid;
Don't dismiss this it's extremely important; he follows up with another five ways to kill yourself whilst welding. I need to be very careful encouraging novices to take up arc/stick welding; what I post is what I do and am not responsible if anyone gets hurt because of it.
They were interesting videos. The only thing I did know was not to weld galvanised steel because of the gas produced, but all the other points were enlightening. I think I am too scared now
DWD
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