Spot welder

37chief · Mar 21, 2015

Is there a possibility to use a arc welder some how as a spot welder? I need to do some sheet metal repair. I have had bad luck using a torch for welding auto body type metal. Thanks, Stan

BANDITFARMER · Mar 21, 2015

Yes. They use to sell a kit to hook to a 220 welder to use it as a spot welder. Set the welder to the amps according to the book (come with the kit) hook the welder leads to the foot pedal controller ( adjustable timer) and set the spot weld clamp head to ware you want it and press the petal and you have a spot weld. I haven't seen one for several years but they did make them. Bandit

Lou from Wi. · Mar 22, 2015

Stan,
Eastwood sold a spot welder ,we have one, it hooks to the positive clamp on the welder, while the ground hook to the part. You pull the trigger to start the arc.
It uses a rod shaped like a pencil to spot weld the metal.Only one I can find is on fleabay,hope it helps.
LOU
poke here

Ian Beale · Mar 22, 2015

There is a gas welder that is magic for sheet metal type repairs.

Started in Oz as a Dillon, was taken up by one of the tool crew your side (can't remember but saw a demo welding beer cans at a swap meet around 1988) and seems to have come back here.

Looks like a Luger pistol hooked to gas lines.

Set up so the burnt gas acts as a shield.

Magic for this sort of work in my experience

Bret4207 · Mar 22, 2015

Yes, I have my FILs spot welder that hooked to his arc welder, both made by Marquette or Forney, I forget which. The consumables, the rod, is the tough part these days.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 22, 2015

Yes, I spot weld lawn mower decks with a stick, get the smallest rod. However, for body work I use mig and a bottle of gas, much cleaner weld. Never use a torch for body work.

Another alternative is pop rivets.

Dick L · Mar 22, 2015

Do you want to spot weld or stitch weld? Are you butt welding or laying one piece on top of another to weld thru? An alterative to spot weld is plug welding if over lapping patches. Plug welding is where you drill a hole in one piece and weld thru and fill the hole,
I made two gates from thin wall conduit last week by stitch welding to keep from having build up. When I put a butt join a patch I stitch weld to keep heat down. When I spot weld I have a hand held spot welder that puts clamp pressure on the over lapping pieces in one small spot and melt the metal between the copper points of the welder.

notjustair · Mar 22, 2015

I just saw one yesterday at Orscheln on the shelf. Hooks to the pos side on A/C. I was trying to think of a reason that I needed it. Funny what you find when you go in to town for tube grease.

Dick L · Mar 22, 2015

I have looked at that in their catalog but it looks like holding the two pieces tight in most places would be a problem. They would probly work well where everything was flat over a solid surface so when you put down pressure you had good contact between both pieces while it heated thru the top metal into the bottom piece. To plug weld I have found in some places I needed to drill small holes on both sides and screw the two pieces tight to do the plug weld then go back and fill the screw holes. In 1957 I had a job running a production spot welder to make furnace blowers and pinch pressure was a very important part of a good spot well. If the blower was not held directly square with the points the pinch would not hold the weld area tight and you would have a bad weld.

Goose · Mar 22, 2015

I have one, and for it to make a decent spot weld, the metal has to be absolutely bare and clamped tightly together.

I used it a lot on body panels until I got a MIG welder. Now I do mostly plug welding on overlapping panels. A spot weld cutter makes a clean 3/8" hole that's perfect for plugging.

Dick L · Mar 22, 2015

That was what I thought. If you had new material making something on a bench it might be a good buy.

Frank 41 · Mar 22, 2015

I have an old Century that has a TIG(?) kit that I think you could spot weld with. But I have done as others have said, using a small rod at low heat.

Spot welder

37chief

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BANDITFARMER

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Lou from Wi.

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Ian Beale

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Bret4207

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Geo-TH,In

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Dick L

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notjustair

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Dick L

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Goose

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Dick L

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Frank 41

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