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| KES-1600 / HBS Stud Welder |
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| awemawson:
Years back I had a project that would have been SO much easier if I had a 'Stud Welder' ie a specialised welder that welds a threaded stud onto a piece of structure, so not only giving you a solid fixing, but a fixing that hasn't pierced the structure, not damaged the surface finish on the 'other side', and is still therefore watertight. (Not to be confused with the lighter duty Stud Welder used in car bodywork repairs for pulling out dents) So I've had a 'search' set up on ebay telling me when they are listed - and they fetch HUGE amounts of cash. Well this one popped up as a 'buy it now' and was at a VERY modest price :ddb: In fairness the seller couldn't be sure it worked - it had come in in a job lot of kit and he hadn't dared try it. Well there's a challenge if ever there was one :lol: A deal was struck, and when the holidays were over transport arranged. This is what arrived: |
| awemawson:
Now in anticipation of managing to get it going (how hard can it be ......... :scratch:) I also bought a job lot of 8.5 kG's of suitable welding studs ranging from M4 up to M8. So really no excuse not to jump in at the deep end :lol: Well an inspection showed that it was by no means perfect but just a little neglected. The rear case was hanging off exposing the large bank of capacitors. As I understand the operations of these things - the box of tricks charges up a bank of capacitors, then when the stud is in physical contact with the structure they are discharged, presumably using a solid state switch, melting the end of the stud and where it is pressing. As the stud gun holds the stud 'spring loaded' the two fuse together |
| awemawson:
So lets give it a go! There happened to be a 6mm stud in the gun when it arrived. I found a bit of 1.5 mm galvanised steel, set the tweaker to about 3/4 and pulled the trigger. Result, a HUGE bang and flash from the work piece and a stud not attached at all. Two thoughts went through my mind. Firstly possibly the galvanising is causing a problem, and secondly perhaps too low a setting for this size of stud. Here is the result |
| awemawson:
Well a bit of experimenting showed I was wrong - the setting was too high, and the melted metal instead of fusing together was being blasted to kingdom come out of the joint. Reducing the setting produced some excellent welds that are not only well fixed, they are strong enough to be able to bend the stud without breaking. Picture is of M5 stud on 1.5 mm galvanised |
| awemawson:
Now I assume that the tweaker on the front panel (setting dial) is adjusting the voltage that the capacitors are charged up to. Then I tried it on some 4 mm plate just to prove the mass of the metal didn't draw the heat too much for fusion, and also that it would be tough enough to try breaking the stud. Sure enough the weld is easily strong enough, and the stud breaks before the weld |
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