Hillhater
100 TW
Simple welder using car battery...
https://youtu.be/b_kGgPVrcCI
[youtube]b_kGgPVrcCI[/youtube]
https://youtu.be/b_kGgPVrcCI
[youtube]b_kGgPVrcCI[/youtube]
simple spot welder, 12V battery/relay
- Thread starter Hillhater
- Start date
spinningmagnets
100 TW
This is a handy set-up. I think it would benefit greatly from a foot-switch combined with some type of 12V timer, perhaps a 555 based timer? (I don't know the best option). There must be a semi-conductor version that is readily available, which would last for years.
He mentions this particular relay is rated at 150A for a gasoline scooter 12V starter. Once it wears out, he will replace it with a relay from a much bigger engine, which hopefully would last much longer. If you want to go to the extreme, the starter relay from a 12V V8 diesel pick-up truck is likely the biggest and highest-amp one that is relatively easy to find.
The replaceable electrode tips he uses are pure copper nails. Apparently they are used in antique home restoration when using slate shingles. I looked them up, and the fatter of the two sizes is 10ga diameter, 0.135-inch, which is just a hair fatter than 1/8th inch. The "nail head" is shown to be easy to cut off with wire-cutters.
If you are hoping for solid copper wire that is a little fatter, most large hardware stores that have a well-stocked home-construction electrical section will also have 4-ga and 6-ga "Grounding wire" that can be bought very cheaply by the foot.
Diameter
in inches
0.250___copper rod from onlinemetals.com (1/4-inch)
0.204___4-ga
0.162___6-ga
0.102___10-ga
If a certain job requires very high energy to make a good weld, sometimes the copper electrode tip gets so hot it melts slightly and sticks to the nickel. In those situations, I have read about two options. One is to use tungsten rods, which last a very long time. And the second option is carbon gouging rods. The carbon gouging rods are very cheap, but the smallest package (in the diameter you want) might be 20 rods. They are very light, and a bit brittle.
He mentions this particular relay is rated at 150A for a gasoline scooter 12V starter. Once it wears out, he will replace it with a relay from a much bigger engine, which hopefully would last much longer. If you want to go to the extreme, the starter relay from a 12V V8 diesel pick-up truck is likely the biggest and highest-amp one that is relatively easy to find.
The replaceable electrode tips he uses are pure copper nails. Apparently they are used in antique home restoration when using slate shingles. I looked them up, and the fatter of the two sizes is 10ga diameter, 0.135-inch, which is just a hair fatter than 1/8th inch. The "nail head" is shown to be easy to cut off with wire-cutters.
If you are hoping for solid copper wire that is a little fatter, most large hardware stores that have a well-stocked home-construction electrical section will also have 4-ga and 6-ga "Grounding wire" that can be bought very cheaply by the foot.
Diameter
in inches
0.250___copper rod from onlinemetals.com (1/4-inch)
0.204___4-ga
0.162___6-ga
0.102___10-ga
If a certain job requires very high energy to make a good weld, sometimes the copper electrode tip gets so hot it melts slightly and sticks to the nickel. In those situations, I have read about two options. One is to use tungsten rods, which last a very long time. And the second option is carbon gouging rods. The carbon gouging rods are very cheap, but the smallest package (in the diameter you want) might be 20 rods. They are very light, and a bit brittle.
