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Just an update on my welder project. After building my HF unit I decided to build a few more electronic gizmos for my welder. I wanted a start or continuous function for my HF and I wanted some nice switches to make everything easy to deal with. I also wanted a better way to regulate the field curre...

I had the same problem trying to use a 555 to control a relay to pulse the arc. Actually, the 555 wouldn't lock up, it would just change the timing and make it inconsistant. It looked like a problem I could overcome but I lost interest in the pulse function. Al, Do you ever use your TIG and HF setup...

Rossco, I've been TIG welding with my welder using mostly the 6V setting on a battery charger hooked up to the field through some homemade wirewouind resistors. I haven't measured the voltage actually going to the field but it is less than 6V. This works fine for thin stainless and usually I have tr...

Ok, I got the HF to work pretty well by using a spark gap made of 2 pieces of 12 gauge copper wire. I tried different spark plugs which worked but they still got hot and would then weaken the HF spark and cause it to be inconsistant. The copper wire spark gap seems to give me the best HF spark at th...

Al, what sort of spark plugs did you use? I originally made my spark gap from a couple of short pieces of 1/16" stainless steel TIG rod which worked as I said if the gap was 1/2" or more. I rigged up a spark gap tonight using a couple of automotove spark plugs with the metal tab removed. The spark p...

Al, About the copper tubing coils. You said 1/4" tubing for the outside and 1/8" for the inside. Are these ID or OD measurements? All they have at the hardware store is 1/4" ID and 1/4" OD. The stuff I used on my first coil was solid wire that I think was #6 and #8 gauge. Would it help to use larger...

Ok, I got my OBIT transformer today and threw together my high frequeuncy unit. IT WORKS!!! Cool...lots of sparks and arcs and stuff!!! I'm having a bit of trouble getting enough voltage out of the secondary to strike an arc though. The only way I can get it to work is to increase the spark gap to 1...

Larry,

Sounds a lot like Solar Flux, except that with Solar Flux you have to use methanol alcohol instead of water and milk.

Solar Flux type B seems to work ok but it's expensive. You can read about it at www.solarflux.com.

Larry Cottrill recommended Chromalloy which he said was only $15 per can but I've never used it.

Al,

I just got my order of components from Hosfelt and it turns out some of the resistors I got are wirewound ones. Does it matter. I know wirewound resistors could have ill effects due to their inductance.

I should get my OBIT tomorrow and I'll give it a try.

Thanks

Very interesting. So, is a transformer capable of shifting the phase of AC? I suppose it would have to in order to combine phases, otherwise the electric fields would sum to zero too. How does this work; can you post a drawing?

I don't know about the TV flyback transformer. I don't know enough about HV/HF. I'm just going to build the same circuit that's in Al's schematic. I ordered the parts yesterday. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a cheaper transformer that would work. I guess you would just have to tune the rest o...

The Turbo Mustang forum is where I got the idea. My setup is a bit simpler with the Chrysler alternator (fewer wires to deal with). Mine also works well with only a 1hp motor as long as you are welding thin stuff like pulsejet engine bodies.

Al, I've found a similar transformer for my HF system. It isn't exactly the same but it has a 120V primary, 10KV secondary, 23 mA with mid point ground. Is there anything else I need to match up or should this work?

Oh, it is an Alanson 2721-605 if that helps.

Thanks

Here is a basic schematic for my homemade TIG welder. It's really this simple. I have been amazed at how well it works. I can make much better welds with it than with my MIG welder that I bought. For the electric motor I used a 1 hp motor from an old table saw. It works ok for welding small stuff bu...