Jump to content

Spot Welder Recommendation ?


Recommended Posts

Hi all

As can be seen in the photo, my spot welder ( Spotmatic) has seen better days…

I’ve got a feeling it must be about 30+ years old. The output is weak and the welds can be twisted apart. 
 

I recently made a panel ( can anyone identify it) and need to spot weld the strengthener plate onto it, before welding it in the vehicle. MIG would be too cumbersome, time consuming and untidy.

Any recommendations please?

Thanks 

Kevin

 

1F60D335-0908-452B-A0EE-37519ADE4105.jpeg

5EEE5A1D-659A-4049-BAC6-427C1E9F8884.jpeg

5D564BF8-6D20-4420-817A-4A393209485B.jpeg

Edited by boxofbits
Link to post
Share on other sites

Go for a Spotmatic again, I'm using a 25 year old machine and it's working fine, will spot weld 18 gauge material and at 1.3 sec setting will start to melt it's way through it. Bought with 450 mm arms which with various length electrodes will do most of TR spot welds, e bay is your friend.

I'll move it on when I finish my shell, (months yet). see the for sale forum when they come on, for guidance on prices, I'll be asking £350 for it . Also a Sealey stud welder to pull out those nasty little dents you can't get in to without drilling out 30 plus spotwelds (hours of work don't fool yourself). and then rewelding back up. These are from £680 new, mine has 4 months warranty left on it and I'll be selling for £380.

Mick RichardsIMG_1100.thumb.JPG.042ae2a30dd70caca91bc477a4949cfb.JPG1667152022_StudWelder1.thumb.jpg.3d11c27c06cda075a98ed148932cdb6d.jpg 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

+1 for spotmatic.

Kevin, is that all you need a spot welder for, to run some spots down those adjacent flanges?

Is that weld through primer? If yes and yes, stick the bits in the post I'll happily spot it up and return.

John.

Link to post
Share on other sites
19 minutes ago, John Morrison said:

+1 for spotmatic.

Kevin, is that all you need a spot welder for, to run some spots down those adjacent flanges?

Is that weld through primer? If yes and yes, stick the bits in the post I'll happily spot it up and return.

John.

That’s a generous offer John much appreciated. But I’ll have to replace it as I have an entire van to do in addition to a TR6 in waiting, so I’ll need one. I actually know of a Morris van restorer in Devon who says he never uses one! MIG is great but very time consuming. Yes it’s brush on weld through primer from Ken and Lynn paints, good quality and works really well.

Mick, very similar machine to mine. Was great for many years and last time I used it, but I could twist two scrap pieces of 20swg apart with pliers this time, which I couldn’t do before, despite filing tips to about 5mm and varying pressure. Maybe the secondary winding is failing, bit like a coil.

Thanks again John and Mick

Kevin

Link to post
Share on other sites
8 hours ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

Have you re-dressed/sharpened the welding tips?

 

I did re-dress them and filed them pencil point style to about 5mm but didn’t make any difference. I’m sure it used to glow cherry red before, but even holding it for several seconds I couldn’t reproduce this.

Kevin

Link to post
Share on other sites
5 hours ago, Paul J said:

Hi Paul

I did see this model yesterday afternoon when I was looking around  but didn’t know much about it. I believe it’s also got an inbuilt timer for different thickness metals also.

Would you say this is a good quality machine? I don’t even know whether Sealey make their own equipment, as often it’s the same as Clarke but a different colour. I wonder now if each manufacturer just holds different colour pots of paint on their factory floor, as much of it seems generic..!

Kevin

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I Kevin

  Yes you set the thickness you are welding which sets the automatic timer, press the trigger hold down and it welds until it cuts out. The operator is supposed to wait 20secs between welds, I have often overlooked this as welding 1.2 + 1.2 is well within its perimeters it has not been detrimental to the machine.

  Its not the lightest of hand tools but very capable and well built, I paid just under £300 for it and am well impressed, against equivalent branded machines its a bargain. As you say I doubt Sealey manufacture their own machines. Incidentally he welding tips are quite rounded and produce a good spot mark.

  Vevor have quite a range of reasonably priced equipment.

Link to post
Share on other sites
29 minutes ago, Paul J said:

I Kevin

  Yes you set the thickness you are welding which sets the automatic timer, press the trigger hold down and it welds until it cuts out. The operator is supposed to wait 20secs between welds, I have often overlooked this as welding 1.2 + 1.2 is well within its perimeters it has not been detrimental to the machine.

  Its not the lightest of hand tools but very capable and well built, I paid just under £300 for it and am well impressed, against equivalent branded machines its a bargain. As you say I doubt Sealey manufacture their own machines. Incidentally he welding tips are quite rounded and produce a good spot mark.

  Vevor have quite a range of reasonably priced equipment.

Thanks Paul that’s helpful.

Kevin

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Please familiarise yourself with our Terms and Conditions. By using this site, you agree to the following: Terms of Use.