DIY TIG welder..

there is alot more to a welder than just making electricity, if i could just plug a tig torch into a light socket, then we would of done that years ago, but those machines weight a few hundred pounds for a reason, stable current, high frequency start, on top of alot of other things, i have been welding for 12 years now, i wouldn't waste my time strapping a tig tourch to an alternator, and if i was i would of used my car and just powered it off the engine, why make an electric motor do what your alternator on your car does every day, thats my opinion, or 2 cents, however you see it
grant
 
Grant, with your experience, I would go with you on this one. The interesting thing is the "making it work" attitude. Would be great in an emergency possibly

Mark
 
it'll work for "scratch & go" for mild steel and stainless...basically anything you run dc straight polarity...

he is also spinning that alt at 7000 rpm...that insures he's getting full output...hell,130 amps is too much for most tig welding...
 
it looks like he did a really good job with such a cheap contraption. I would rather spend $50 at a swap meet for an elcheap stick welder, but thats just me.

a problem with it that i see is a lack of gas, theres no way to keep the metal from oxidizing, it can be cleaned up afterwords, but thats not really the right way to do it.

but in a pinch or if you have a lack of funds and a need to wled something i would say it would work.

the weld looked pretty good.
 
Originally posted by 2quiktocare
Grant, with your experience, I would go with you on this one. The interesting thing is the "making it work" attitude. Would be great in an emergency possibly

Mark
Click to expand...

Thats my point.. I wouldnt wanna try to make a living with that set up but I gotta give him an "attaboy" for the idea.
 
oh don't get me wrong, i am all about the McGyver in all of us, and i am usually the first one to do something like strap a tig torch to a alternator, but i have my limits, and i to didn't see any shielding gas , and the scratch start method of achieving an arc is definatly a must, and i have to give it to him, its one thing to bolt that thing together, but making it work is a totally diferent task, and he did, but you still won't see me building on, next DIY is going to be a home built osiscilliscope.
grant
 
he mentions needing argon in the thread...you would never be able to consider welding without it...
 
His torch has a self contained gas regulator to control the argon. This is one of the greatest ideas that I have seen cobbled together in a long time. Sure there is no way I would consider it for daily use but just think of the possibilities this opens up. On a trail rig this would be great or for someone who just needs to do a couple of non-critical pieces this could be a godsend. Now I have no idea how well it would actually work, but at the price how much can you complain even if it is only up to basic tasks?

-Black Sabbath
 
Some company used to advertise an alternator welder in the back of Popular Mechanics and such magazines several years ago. I think it was a 200 amp alternator that replaced the stock one, plus a control box that bumped up the idle speed for welding and controlled the welding current, with a set of cables for stick welding, all for about $500 if memory serves.
 
I think it agreed upon that you aren't going to put the TIG welder companys out of bussiness with the "rig" but it is nice to know that someone with a little ingeneuity can set up something pretty cheap to do a few welds that needed to be TIGed without having to spend a fortune. The trail rig would be a good use for it also.
 
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