MonoCarbon arc torch

NOTE: THIS DEVICE HAS BEEN DISMANTLED IN DECEMBER 2010, TO MAKE THIS OTHER, THAT IS BETTER.

This torch is inspired in the work of Phil B:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make_a_carbon_arc_torch_for_your_220_volt_stick_we/

I wanted to do something different (sorry, I'm so).

I thought: if two carbon electrodes forms arch, why not try with only one?

Step 1: What is needed

A piece of thick wire. I bought a 60 Amps, 1 meter. It can be shorter.

A spring clip, in proportion to the cable.

A piece of wood 1 x 1 inch, to make the handle.

A screw with two washers, a nut and a "butterfly nut"

A carbon electrode. I used that of a D size, 1.5V carbon battery.

Comments

[co2wms7whcc]

oh, sorry, there is a company in the US called Harbor Freight tools, they sell all the cheap welding equipment.

oh, lo siento, hay una empresa en los estados unidos. llama herramientas puerto de carga, se vende todo el equipo de soldadura barata.

[rimar2000]

Now I understand. I live in Argentina. My welder is the cheapest of the market, but it is good for me, I am not a professional.

[co2wms7whcc]

Oh yeah, I hear you. One of my welders is 3 times as old as I am and the other is the cheapest on the market. They are both perfect for what I will ever need.

[Articas]

how dangerous is this

[rimar2000]

I agree. All powerful things are dangerous': gas, cars, guns, women...

[Blofish]

Hehehe woman

[2 stroke]

u have the dispicable me guy in you profile that movie rocks lol

[co2wms7whcc]

Harbor Freight?

[rimar2000]

Pardon, I don't speak English, I don't understand your question.

[ironsmiter]

The two men who taught me most of my welding skills(as limited as they are) both espoused learning stick welding through the use of coat hangers. The theory goes... If you can weld with coat hanger wire, you're welding will only improve when using "real rods" AND you'll always be able to make your own rods for ugly-but-works welding. I THINK your overheating issue is probably related to that HUGE carbon od you're using, and the teenietiny machine you're using it with. Also, consider trying a blacksmithing trick. Get some Borax(laundry powder isle) and pile that on where you're gonna be welding. Makes a cheap, effective flux. When smithing, it's put on just before the final welding heat, and used to flux the welding joint.

[rimar2000]

Ironsmiter, thanks for your care. I don't speak English, I speak Spanish. I use Google Translator. 1) When you say "coat hangers wire", are you saying to use the wire only, without his coating (coverage)? 2) When you say "you'll always be able to make your own rods for ugly-but-works welding.", are you saying I can make welding rods (electrodes)? 3) When you say "Get some Borax" I remember when I was a child, my dad used borax for smithery, but I don't remember the way he used it. I will try your suggestion. 4) The overheating was due to my lack of care, I stressed a lot of time making contact between carbon and iron. The welder is 150A, it should be more than enough for home use.

[ironsmiter]

1)&2) "no-flux mild steel welding rod" or "bare rod".
Made by cutting the straight segment of a metal coathanger(preferably non-coated). These segments of plain steel, when used by someone skilled in welding, make an adequate welding rod. Used mainly for emergencies, or in more primitive situations where proper welding equipment is not available(see battery welding as an example of common emergency welding equipment).

[Phil B]

Learning to stick weld with a coat hanger would be a very interesting experience. I understand early electrical welding used wire electrodes wrapped in paper in place of the flux coatings we know today. The current was also DC.

[ironsmiter]

I'd never heard of paper coated electrodes before. I wonder if the paper was there to prevent rust or to provide extra carbon to the weld? Also possible that they soaked the paper in a liquid flux before wrapping?

[Phil B]

Page 1.1-5 of The Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding from Lincoln Electric (Thirteenth Edition) says, "In 1919, a patent was granted for a paper-covered electrode that did not leave a slag coating on the joint, yet produced a tough, ductile weld. This welding electrode, was used in 1925 to fabricate heavy pressure vessels for oil refineries. A three-span 500-ft., all-welded bridge was erected in 1923 in Toronto, Canada."

[rimar2000]

Good data. It would be interesting to do some tests. Suppose to be cut a narrow strip of paper and roll up tightly around a thick wire. It might be to wet or to moisten the paper to be well tailored to the wire's surface, and then make it dry well. Regarding the container to keep the electrodes, I believe that a simple soda PET bottle of 1.5 liters will serve. To absorb any residual moisture could be used silica or, cheaper still, a handful of rice.

[rimar2000]

Hello, Phil B. It's amazing that idea, to wrap the wire with paper... I thought those things were occurrences only of countries like mine ;) Yesterday I made an airtight container to keep the electrodes, because I learned that the humidity makes it more difficult to get the arc and to make a good weld. I used a PVC pipe, the mouth of a bottle of soda (termocontractable PET) and a silicone rubber stopper for the bottom.

[Phil B]

Rimar, I made a similar airtight container for my welding rods from some PVC plastic pipe and a screw-in pipe plug (also plastic). But, we live in a very dry climate here in the State of Idaho. Sometimes I forget to screw the cap back onto it. Some people make a small cabinet for their electrodes, even those that have absorbed humidity. A single incandescent light bulb inside the cabinet makes a heat source to drive away moisture from the electrodes. Of course, incandescent light bulbs will soon be unavailable because they are supposedly environmentally unfriendly.

[2 stroke]

i think cfl are enviromentally unfreindly because they ar thrown in the trash broken in land fill and leach mercury in the soil

[ironsmiter]

the current non-political scientific understanding is...

Given the very real possibility that your electricity comes from a coal fired power plant, the numbers come out about equal.

The reduced mercury emissions from using less electricity about breaks even with a completely released CFL mercury content.

Given the increasing number of cfl recycling places now(most home depot, menards, ace hardware, some city centers, etc.) they are a slightly greener option than standard incandescent, for replacing burned out bulbs. not COST efficient, but green is usually more expensive anyhow.

[2 stroke]

our electricity comes from a hydro palnt

[rimar2000]

What?

[Phil B]

Rimar, A welding book I have suggested uses for one carbon rod. Spot welding was one of these. I tried it, but without a lot of success. I think I did not press and hold the two pieces tightly enough together before applying the carbon rod to make the weld. What you are doing would make an arc and would heat the metal.

[rimar2000]

Yes, Phil, perhaps the lack of pressure between the parts to be welded have been the cause of the failure. My test was only a first approximation, only to see if it was the arc, and how much melting power it has. I will continue testing. I am on vacation, and I have to share welding learning with other works for the house.