Diy low voltage arc welding brazing set

[scarecrow]

Anyone ever heard of or used one of these i was just fooling around eBay when it caught my eye
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIY-LOW-VOLTA...mZ380096190383QQcategoryZ113743QQcmdZViewItem

 

[wyn]

That looks a bit like one of those wobbly welding rod things GeorgeB was describing a while ago.

 

[scarecrow]

Could be but I thought he is connected up two the welder this one just connects to a battery

 

[rtbcomp]

I've got one of those. Bought it off Noah because he misunderstood the term "Ark Welding" and didn't realise it wouldn't be any use on wood.

It works, but so does holding an electrode in a crocodile clip on the end of a jump lead.

The mechanism is a solenoid and contact which vibrates (like an electric bell) to move the rod back & forth quickly. I think the idea is to make it easier to strike the arc.

 

[wyn]

It does mention the need for a good powerfull battery, followed by lots of exclamation marks.

 

[scarecrow]

You would probably need 24v to get it ark

 

[madkayaker]

i have one of those have tried with 12V and it was trying to strike. Will try with 24V now i have found some old batteries

 

[chriskelland]

It looks the same as the very old Rawlplug welder.

It probably uses the back emf from the solenoid to create the arc, 12/24 volts could give a good flash, but no arc, add about 100 volts from the back emf and you could be in business. I've never been tempted to part with money for one of these, but I have heard tales that they do work after a fashion.

Chris.

 

[madkayaker]

the Rawlplug uses upto 48VDC

 

[bill_gj]

They do work, provided there's plentiful source of amps.
My first car welding project was inner and outer sills on a Mk3 Cortina and I used one powered from a cheapy arc transformer.
I managed to 'stick' the new panels on, but whether it would pass a modern MOT I don't know,