• Welcome to For E Bodies Only !

    We are a community of Plymouth Cuda and Dodge Challenger owners. Join now! Its Free!

Has anyone used a portable spot welder

340challconvert

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Messages
5,177
Reaction score
2,707
Location
Parsippany, NJ
Has anyone used a portable spot welder to do certain welds like the tank braces to the bottom trunk panel. Since I have the two piece floor, the spot welder could be used to do the braces without drilling holes. Reviews give this unit a good rating granted you make sure all the paint is off the area where the panel/brace would meet.
Any thoughts on this? This unit is 120 v and sells for $170 with a 4 1/2 * Star rating.
61ci5pwpjxl-_ac_sl1200_-jpg.jpg
 

Hemi392

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2019
Messages
54
Reaction score
15
they work fine for some applications. limited reach but for those places it can get at it works. i have only used the 220v version so can't talk to the 110v. between that and an Eastwood TIG 200 with spot weld capability i got at almost everything in the wife's 65 Mustang. For anything else i used plug welds with a MIG or TIG. Also on these portable spot welders it helps to increase the point contact area a bit. i removed mine and took a little off in the lathe.
 

340challconvert

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Messages
5,177
Reaction score
2,707
Location
Parsippany, NJ
I was getting ready to drill holes for plug welds in the gas tank brackets.
Was thinking it might be easier to spot weld with a new unit.
Thanks for the reply
Dino2 (2).gif


IMG_5401.jpg
 

AUSTA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2015
Messages
937
Reaction score
501
Location
PERTH WA
That welder probably wont reach the outer side of the tank mount i just done mine took the parts to a sheet metal shop where they had a floor mounted spot welder with long arms he invoiced under the Australian pay system a carton of Coronas
Also you want to make sure those welds are good as you have 17 odd gallons of fuel hanging off those welds hitting speed humps as you go
 

polytropon

New Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2019
Messages
4
Reaction score
3
Location
Somerdale, NJ
I've never used a short armer like that, I've heard they work fine but a pita to line up the tips and keep aligned. I would suggest that before you buy one, check the local marketplace (craigslist, fb, etc) for a used Lenco unit. I have one, paid only 350 for it with both the squeeze and wire tong set, and I love it. You can reach anywhere up to 5 feet or do both spots from the same side. You can get one cheaper, and resell it when you're done.
3972171_2159361654934994944_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ohc=W63_TavigKwAX-Itprq&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.jpg
 

340challconvert

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Messages
5,177
Reaction score
2,707
Location
Parsippany, NJ
polytropon
Thanks for your thoughts on this. I will check out Lenco units. Good suggestion.
By the way, your firewall to the front floor pan work looks good.
You should go to the Welcome Wagon and introduce yourself. Glad you joined up.
I've never used a short armer like that, I've heard they work fine but a pita to line up the tips and keep aligned. I would suggest that before you buy one, check the local marketplace (craigslist, fb, etc) for a used Lenco unit. I have one, paid only 350 for it with both the squeeze and wire tong set, and I love it. You can reach anywhere up to 5 feet or do both spots from the same side. You can get one cheaper, and resell it when you're done.View attachment 67023
Dino2 (2).gif
 

polytropon

New Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2019
Messages
4
Reaction score
3
Location
Somerdale, NJ
8242266_5666030473038528512_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ohc=xFdH_W2toucAX-XXTQc&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.jpg

I forgot to post the pic of the welder, this is the only one I have with the welder in shot. It weighs about a hundred pounds, but doesn't take up a ton of space and has cables about six feet long with a pretty good timer, coarse and fine adjustments. It's a transformer machine so it will last forever; mine was sold in 84 and works like new. Parts are still made for it. Power is 240V single phase, and the power cord is about 50 feet long.
 

Daves69

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Messages
312
Reaction score
94
Location
ChiWest
....Any thoughts on this? This unit is 120 v and sells for $170 with a 4 1/2 * Star rating.

I myself wouldn't buy that particular one (HF?) to weld tank brackets on. I have a similar 110 spot welder but the weld spots are small. It seems Ok for the light gauge stuff if you make several welds in a line. The 110 minimum 20 amp 12 gauge circuit is probably too light for it as well, especially if you flatten the tips down for a larger spot.
 

340challconvert

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Messages
5,177
Reaction score
2,707
Location
Parsippany, NJ
Thanks for your thoughts Dave
I have read where the tips are sometimes grinded down a little to give a larger spot weld. At this point I drilled the brackets with holes and will just mig the brackets to the trunk floor before an install. Was just curious if a spot welder would have been an easier option.
The general consensus is that a 110 spot welder unit will not generate enough heat to pass through double panels effectively.
 

AUSTA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2015
Messages
937
Reaction score
501
Location
PERTH WA
You can get a larger spot by grinding down the tip but the current from the welder if spread across a larger area so the weld is much colder often resulting in a poor weld
 

gzig5

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 10, 2018
Messages
393
Reaction score
131
Location
Mequon, WI
I've got to agree with Austa you need those welds to be strong, if you spot weld the brackets maybe put some plug welds in as well just for back up.
Don't disagree that they need to be strong, but if you have to plug weld because you don't trust the spot welds, what's the point? Get a spot welder that does it right or just plug weld everything.
 

Cudakiller70

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2016
Messages
118
Reaction score
33
We tested spot welder settings by cutting strips of the same gauge metal. Make an X, one spot weld in the center. Then try and twist apart, if we could and one piece had a hole an the other had all of the spot weld of both pieces. Your settings and tip contact were good.
 

Doc Corey

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2018
Messages
132
Reaction score
30
Location
Raymore, MO
220 is the only way to go here on spot welders. And clean metal is critical. I only used mine on rocker panel seams. Metal not only has to be clean but flat, in other words, not a lot of grinding marks. Gets a little complicated because every spot weld has three current paths that have to be good and the current can travel throughout the metal to find other ground at places other than the path between the tongs. A great time-saver, though.
 

Doc Corey

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2018
Messages
132
Reaction score
30
Location
Raymore, MO
I've never used a short armer like that, I've heard they work fine but a pita to line up the tips and keep aligned. I would suggest that before you buy one, check the local marketplace (craigslist, fb, etc) for a used Lenco unit. I have one, paid only 350 for it with both the squeeze and wire tong set, and I love it. You can reach anywhere up to 5 feet or do both spots from the same side. You can get one cheaper, and resell it when you're done.View attachment 67023
BTW, how much of a PITA was it to change this firewall?
 

polytropon

New Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2019
Messages
4
Reaction score
3
Location
Somerdale, NJ
BTW, how much of a PITA was it to change this firewall?
It was really easy, because I was already committed to changing the rails. I used a goodmark firewall and cowl, and it fit like a glove. I kept the old inner fenders and rails on for a reference point, and matched it right up. The floors had already been done years ago, and they cut them and laid them over the seams, so I had to remake the flanges. I don't know, therefore, if they would be so easy and fit so well on an original floor flange. The great fit encouraged me to buy goodmark rails, and they were considerably different from the original, but I had taken enough measurements to figure it out before welding it all up. The new rails are narrower near the torque struts, and the height of the rail top is about a half inch less than the factory units, but the lower holes (the important ones) fit right in like a glove.
 

Doc Corey

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2018
Messages
132
Reaction score
30
Location
Raymore, MO
It was really easy, because I was already committed to changing the rails. I used a goodmark firewall and cowl, and it fit like a glove. I kept the old inner fenders and rails on for a reference point, and matched it right up. The floors had already been done years ago, and they cut them and laid them over the seams, so I had to remake the flanges. I don't know, therefore, if they would be so easy and fit so well on an original floor flange. The great fit encouraged me to buy goodmark rails, and they were considerably different from the original, but I had taken enough measurements to figure it out before welding it all up. The new rails are narrower near the torque struts, and the height of the rail top is about a half inch less than the factory units, but the lower holes (the important ones) fit right in like a glove.
I did some extensive repairs on my Challenger firewall, mainly because so little of the car would be left after all the new metal, having the old firewall gave it the original feel. On my Cuda I might just take the plunge and change the firewall. GL.
 
Back
Top