Thanks, Travis, for a great idea! I join the rest of the guys here asking for a simple set of schematics if it is not too much trouble for you.

What is needed to allow for aluminum welding? That bottle - 100% argon, right?

Thank you,
Denis
'67 Camaro RS

I am wondering what size of little gas engine it would take to run this thing..occasionaly I have a need for a portable welder and the "store bought ones" are a wee bit high priced to just "have around"

OMT

__________________
I would rather make it work than make it popular..And if it does not work it will not be popular..

Please post more pics and info.
And please focus!
Thanks.

Travis, Your very kind to be sharing such useful info to the rest of us. I Hope theres something that we can give in return. I will be building one also. Just as soon as you spill the rest of the info. Have you used this set up for any time period or was it just built? Also like the rest has stated give clear details. Thanks again

Steve

G'day Travis. I would also like to Thankyou for sharing and like everybody else here, I can't wait for the installments on building one.

Cheers...........Barry

ONE MORE TIME

that welder I was talking about If my memory is correct it was a crafstman & A twin cyl 16 -18 HP?

I can't remember for sure

Crazy Larry's gonna look kool with a perm (just kiddin')

SR66

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"SlowRide66"

"Illegitimis non carborundum"
Don't let the bastards grind you down!

Crankshaft Coalition Master List of Hotrodding Forums

Ok, so far this is for DC welding only wich is limited to welding everything except for aluminium. there is AC there and I plan on using later on, but for now lets just talk about DC.

For all TIG welding you need Argon. so you will need a tank filled with argon. a regulator with hose, a tig torch, and that special fitting to attach the gas hose to the tig torch,it then bolts onto the welder conection.

shown here

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For a 140Amp alt you will need at least an 11hp gas engine

on a diesel you could probably get away with 6hp

I tried it on a vertical 5.5hp in peak trim, and it wouldn't do it. So I got a huge toothed gear as a flywheel and welded it onto a sheave to try and give it the umph, becuase it would die out when you struck an arc..

But MAN!!!! That's freekin scary! was a little outta whack

I built a steel box all around it and welded it down to my 1/2" 4' x 8' steel table. and pulled it... LOL

It was really hard to pull and came out really slow and just slowly got faster ... CHug.........Chuuuug............Chuug.........Chug .......cHug,..chug..chug.chuug


sounded like a helicopter and was bouncing the table around


Needless to say I dissmantled it

Ive used 110 cubic feet of argon on it and quite a few welding rods.. the alt itself has charged my vehicle and welded many many hours, and like i said before they are 100% duty cycle.

I built the control electronics extremly heavy duty also. Ive worked it hard and none of peices have gotten more that warm to the touch. The alt gets hot but they do that, they've got a hard job to do

The electric motor is an industrial 5HP, and is more than enough power, it doesnt even notice when i strike an arc.. one day I'll put a 200 amp alt on it and see how it works

a better shot

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im working on a schematic for you all

I appreciate it.

so if i understand, when striking an arc, the drain on the alternater is strong enough to drag the rpm's of whatever your spinning it with, down? unless you use a serious motor.?...
your using 5hp, I wonder how a 1 hp would do?...only one way to find out i suppose.
Are you using a name brand torch? Would most any tig torch set up be adaptable for use here? anything specific to look out for there?




btw, Rob, I've been wondering what to do with this rat nest....

You bet, theres not much load until you strike.

I just got a standard replacement torch. I got the smallest one i could.. a 125 amp model.. it is easy to manipulate and I dont plan on using it on Aluminium. It has to have the gas valve on the handle as well, to control the gas. Unless of course you plumb in a solenoid valve, and a switch, yada yada yada.. hassles

ok that schematic is buggin the heck outta me... gawd!

So another lesson...

We now have a power supply.. modified alt, and a electric motor.

We need to power the field coil with adjustable voltage.. so we can adjust the welder as we need it.

Becuase all we have in the new welder is 208VAC to run the electric motor..

(You may have 240VAC or something else... whatever )
We need to find a way to make it 0-12VDC

So I got a step down transformer fromt the local electric supply.. you can see it in that pic, its the big blue box.

It has two seperate input coils, and two seperate output coils

they are wired in series. 208 VAC in one side and 25VAC out the other

Getting closer I know have 25VAC....

Dun dun dun...