18 replies to this topic

[eean]

Hello mini friends, I've just purchased a Clark spot welder on one of their vat free days, it's the version that's adjustable etc and pulsates etc, welds 2mm x 2mm thickness. I was wondering if anyone has used a similar machine, I need to get some smaller tips especially for the sill to step sills I think as the ones supplied are quite bulky.
Also can you still pre paint with weld through primer before welding? Cheers for any advice, I'll have to have a practice once my electrician has sorted the 32amp socket

[sonikk4]

Hello mini friends, I've just purchased a Clark spot welder on one of their vat free days, it's the version that's adjustable etc and pulsates etc, welds 2mm x 2mm thickness. I was wondering if anyone has used a similar machine, I need to get some smaller tips especially for the sill to step sills I think as the ones supplied are quite bulky.
Also can you still pre paint with weld through primer before welding? Cheers for any advice, I'll have to have a practice once my electrician has sorted the 32amp socket

 

I bought one of these to do the resto on my clubby. Could not get it to work properly and put it away so interested to see how this thread pans out.

[eean]

There's a pressure screw to alter the pinching of the steel from something like 20kg up to 120kg to pressure the spotted area, it should work hopefully for the price it was 550 without the vat, if it doesn't do what it says it's going back lol

[sonikk4]

There's a pressure screw to alter the pinching of the steel from something like 20kg up to 120kg to pressure the spotted area, it should work hopefully for the price it was 550 without the vat, if it doesn't do what it says it's going back lol

 

I'm sure its down to me not adjusting it to be honest. I actually took it back out of the storage box yesterday after 3 years and put it promptly back. One day i will sort it out.

 

It does have good reviews, just me being a lazy beggar.

[Aaron3]

I borrowed one when I did my sills, the metel has to be absolutely immaculately OCD clean other youll think its welded but itll pop apart again when cooling down so therefore weld through primer is probably a no go, you also have stagger your welds and weld in betweens after otherwise the panel warpage is immense. I also found it hard welding old metal to new, personally I found it a bit of a faff and will still to drilling and plug welding in future. Sorry if this disappoints you but that was my personal findings. 😀

Edited by Aaron3, 29 April 2018 - 06:22 PM.

[Daz1968]

I used the smaller one one my restoration that does 1+1 thickness, I found it very good. Main thing is as mentioned metal must be clean and also it must be held or clamped together prior to welding, the tension on the tips is a little trial and error same as the timer, but once you have the hang of it it really works well.
One thing I found is that I could put weld through primer on the faces being welded without problem and only issue I had was if I put weld through on both sides of the plate, then it seemed to have too much resistance and welds were not as good.
The cheap zinc paint from screwfix worked fine for me,
As for arms then I managed areas you mention with the supplied arms and tips, I purchased a longer arm set for other areas and also machined some tips in smaller diameter from some copper bar for in the guttering.
Just practice on some scrap you will soon have it working

[eean]

Cheers Daz Aaron and sonik, yes I'd presumed only to weld bright new steel, thanks for the info re priming that's good, I'll just trial and error once I can power up. I might order some longer thinner arms but where I can't get it in etc I'll just continue using my pneumatic air punch and plug weld etc
I'll be using this to fabricate a few parts for Lambretta toolboxes I fabricate too which will speed up that process
Thank you for the information chaps

[SamG]

I've been using the same model and have found it to be absolutely fantastic (once you get the settings all honed in). It does take quite a bit of trial and error on some scrap but once its working it saves so much time!

 

If you're interested, I've detailed all the problems I had with the spot welder and attempted to explain how I got it working properly in my build thread, including how I modified the tips when I found them to be too bulky -

 

http://www.theminifo...lt-restoration/

 

I have to disagree with some of the above comments as I have managed to weld new steel to very old and thin steel. As you'll see in my build thread, I spot welded my original waist rails to the top of the new rear 1/4's, it's just a case of taking it slow and getting the settings right.

 

The one ABSOLUTELY KEY detail is the gap between the tips (and therefore the clamping pressure) at the moment of welding. I found you need a smaller gap than the manual describes so that get a really good contact and the two faces are squeezed together nicely.

 

Any questions or problems just ask!

 

Sam

[eean]

Cheers Sam

[eean]

Well I've tried a few test pieces, bare steel ones and weld through primered on the internal sides, it's brilliant
Tried different settings as it has pulse feature which seems really good, material thickness and timer adjustment
I set the tips for the gauge of steel and set it a touch tighter as suggested and the pressure adjustment on around the 60/70 mark. Very impressed would upload pics but don't know how sorry

[sonikk4]

Well I've tried a few test pieces, bare steel ones and weld through primered on the internal sides, it's brilliant
Tried different settings as it has pulse feature which seems really good, material thickness and timer adjustment
I set the tips for the gauge of steel and set it a touch tighter as suggested and the pressure adjustment on around the 60/70 mark. Very impressed would upload pics but don't know how sorry

 

eean use Imgur, hosting site of choice.

[Daz1968]

I find Flickr good for my pictures, glad you getting on ok with the spot welder it makes the resto easier

[eean]

I'll try upload some pics but packing for hols at mo

[NDT]

How much of a hassle was it to get to get a 32A supply in your garage?

[pete l]

+1 on what all the people who like it said.

 

Clean metal, and it works brilliantly. Dirty metal and the spots won't hold and you will contaminate your tips.

 

Mine is plugged into a standard wall socket not too far from the fusebox.