What can be made from a welding machine

Do-it-yourself spotter from a welding machine: how to make it yourself, a homemade spot welding machine

You know that chiropractor is not about bones. Chiropractor - this is about body work in auto repair shops. Repairing dents on the body after road accidents is not easy, not quick and very expensive.

This is especially true for cars of early years of production, because in them body parts are not attached with bolts, but are tightly welded to special side members. And don’t forget about painting the repair area, including all areas where the body part is attached.

A simple way to straighten and weld a body

It is clear that people have been dealing with the issue of “making it simpler and cheaper” for a long time. The method of “pulling out” dents was invented a long time ago. The matter is quite primitive: the dent was leveled with a special reverse-action hammer or using a winch and a fastening hook welded to the body.

But if welding is carried out with a spotter, then the quality of body straightening is much higher. Let's start with the fact that a spotter is a special device for producing high-precision welding. This is called spot welding.

If we talk about professional high-quality body straightening, you can’t do without a spotter. But you can save a lot of money without losing the quality of repair work. The method is to make a spotter with your own hands from a welding machine. Let's go, read, figure it out.

How it works: nuances

First of all, let's look at the spotter function. It is needed for only one operation: repairing a crumpled body surface without a general disassembly of the entire body. It is most valuable when repairing hard-to-reach parts that need to be straightened during the repair.

The spotter can be made from an inverter, or from a battery or transformer - there are several possible electrical circuits. The principle of operation of the device is a reverse action hammer, working in a point manner.

Most often, the spotter has the following operating modes:

1. Short-term mode, in which the guide is attached to the required local location using special rings.
2. Welding mode is the main one, which is carried out at minimum power and using carbon electrodes.

Spotter from inverter

A spotter from a welding machine is the most popular option among amateur craftsmen. The reason for this is the power of a homemade spotter: if it is not made from an inverter, it will simply be lower.

You can reason this way in situations where voltage is passed through the car body. This happens when one contact is connected to the body, and the second contact becomes a nozzle and a metal rod. The device itself consists of two main parts: a thyristor relay and the inverter itself.

Electrical diagram of the spotter operation

Here's what you might need to assemble a home spotter made from an old welding machine:

• transformer for relay control, step down by 12 volts;
• 200 volt thyristor;
• 30 amp relay;
• control button;
• 220 volt contacts;
• diode bridge.

A transformer is required: it powers the thyristor circuit and is connected to the network using a diode bridge. A thyristor relay is also connected there.

How it works

As soon as the start is pressed, the capacitor discharge is immediately connected, the resistor and thyristor are temporarily connected, the alternating voltage through the diodes is supplied directly to the transformer, or more precisely, to its primary winding.

During the process, the parts and the electrode begin to heat up, melt and weld. As soon as the capacitor is discharged, the thyristor immediately closes, simultaneously de-energizing the entire winding of the hardware transformer.

Welding ends, charging the capacitor continues, which is quite useful for future work.

The thyristor and diode bridge are replaceable parts; they can easily be replaced with triacs. The main thing is to carefully think through the entire design of your homemade device, because its operation must be absolutely accurate and correct, regardless of the size and the money and effort spent on it.

Materials

To understand how to make a spotter from a welding machine, you need to start with the necessary materials. The thyristor itself does not overheat, only local areas near the cable and the metal rod heat up, so it is best if it is made of brass.

It is better to take a cable with a cross-section of 70 mm². For a hammer and mass, lengths of 1.7 and 2.1 m are sufficient. The secondary transformer winding is wound with a busbar measuring 6.4 x 4.0, which is made of copper. The tire can be replaced with an aluminum one.

You need to add two more to the secondary winding. As a result, the device will consist of a 250 mm² aluminum transformer winding, which is five windings of six turns. In this case, the electrode acts as a reverse hammer.

The handle is usually made from a household glue gun. The cable must be found and selected only with a thermal insulation layer.

Features and Specifications

The functions of the spotter are as follows:

• welding repair washers to connect parts;
• spot welding with an electrode to pull out the metal of the panel;
• heating the parts with an electrode followed by cooling.

The main technical characteristics that a homemade spotter from a welding machine should have are as follows:

• The network voltage must be 220 volts;
• AC mains frequency – 56 – 60 Hz;
• maximum permissible power – 10 kW;
• maximum operating current – ​​1300A;
• voltage for the secondary winding 8 - 9V;
• productivity – 15%;
• the traction condition for the needle is more than 100 kg;
• traction condition for the puck – 100 kg and above;
• device dimensions 380 mm x 290 mm x 840 mm;
• structure weight 32 kg.

How to work as a spotter

Electrical diagram of the device.

The technology of work was invented a long time ago. It is used to repair damaged car doors, body fenders and other hard-to-reach parts of various locations.

The main thing in the work is to fix the force vector in the right place - to the outside of the working surface and the deformed area, that is, to the dent. Contact welding with a spotter is carried out with incoming current, after which the working surface is leveled with an inertial hammer or stop.

The next stage is grinding the leveled surface. During work, never forget to ground the device and be sure to disconnect the negative terminal from the battery.

After thoroughly cleaning the surface of the damaged area, a grounding contact is attached to it, and special fasteners are welded. The damaged area - the dents are stretched out. The next step is to remove the welded elements using rotation, and the area is prepared for the putty process.

As for the operating and safety rules, it is quite enough to follow the general rules. Then you will succeed.

Source: https://tutsvarka.ru/oborudovanie/spotter-svoimi-rukami

How to make a spotter with your own hands according to drawings

A spotter is a modification of a welding machine that is used to perform car body repairs. Such work, as a rule, requires special knowledge of the structure of the car. Certain places in it often cannot be leveled from the inside. This is where this device helps. Due to the high cost of factory models, craftsmen are often interested in how to make a spotter with their own hands from a welding machine.

Spotter, its application and design

This tool is used to level out car dents when repairs from the outside are not possible. It can heat up part of the metal, and the damage to the body will be minor.

In particular, it is used for the following purposes:

• body straightening;
• leveling the surface of the body without the need to disassemble it.

The enormous and irreplaceable benefit of this device lies in its use for leveling body parts when access to certain parts is limited due to the specific structure of the car.

When straightening damaged parts of the body, a special device fastener is welded to the deformed surface and then pulls it out.

It should also be noted that the spotter is capable of heating the metal during operation, and this facilitates rapid leveling, obtaining rigidity and the desired shape.

There are several schemes by which the device can be assembled. For such purposes, not only a welding machine can be used, but also an old battery, microwave oven, inverter or transformer. It is not difficult to make a welding machine from a battery with your own hands.

The work of this design consists of point-by-point pulling of the damaged part according to the principle of a hammer.

It looks like this:

• the return hammer of the device is fixed to the body using a welding pulse;
• The handbrake of the device must be pulled along the guide towards you, while the support washer remains in place.

The simplest spotter has 2 modes:

• temporary, when a ring is fixed to the surface;
• welding - light welding of the electrode to the surface is used when the device is attached to the car.

Inverter based spot welding

Do-it-yourself contact welding from an inverter is the most common type of homemade spotter for straightening. There are many ways to assemble this device.

This type of spotter is very similar to resistance welding and is its modification. But its design has a distinctive feature - it does not contain pincers. That is why it can be considered an analogue of electric arc welding, in which current passes through the car body. One welding contact is attached to the surface, and the second is the nozzle and rod.

Inverter device

The main part of the device is a gun, which can be made from a similar device for construction glue or from semi-automatic welding. Many people are interested in how to assemble a puller with their own hands. The scheme is quite simple.

Source: https://pochini.guru/instrument/spotter-po-chertezham

Do-it-yourself Latra welding machine - Machine tools, welding, metalworking

A good welding machine makes all metal work much easier. It allows you to connect and cut various iron parts, which differ in their thickness and steel density.

Modern technologies offer a huge selection of models that differ in power and size. Reliable designs have a fairly high cost. Budget options usually have a short service life.

Our material provides detailed instructions on how to make a welding machine with your own hands. Before starting the work process, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the type of welding equipment.

Types of welding machine

The devices of this technology come in several types. Each mechanism has some features that are reflected in the work performed.

Modern welding machines are divided into:

• DC models;
• with alternating current
• three-phase
• vector

The AC model is considered the simplest mechanism that you can easily make yourself.

A simple welding machine allows you to perform complex work with iron and thin steel. To assemble such a structure, you must have a certain set of materials.

These include:

• wire for winding;
• core made of transformer steel. It is necessary for winding the welder.

All these parts can be purchased in specialized stores. Detailed consultation with specialists helps you make the right choice.

AC design

Experienced welders call this design a step-down transformer.

How to make a welding machine with your own hands?

The first thing you need to do is to correctly manufacture the main core. For this model, it is recommended to choose a rod type of part.

To make it you will need plates made of transformer steel. Their thickness is 0.56 mm. Before you begin assembling the core, you must observe its dimensions.

How to correctly calculate the parameters of a part?

Everything is quite simple. The dimensions of the central hole (window) must accommodate the entire winding of the transformer. The photo of the welding machine shows a detailed diagram of the assembly of the mechanism.

The roll area can be calculated using the formula: S=a*b. The finished calculation result should not be less than 36 square meters. cm. The larger the area, the less the device heats up during operation.

The next step is to assemble the core. To do this, take thin transformer plates, which are connected to each other to the required thickness of the part.

Next, we wind a step-down transformer consisting of turns of thin wire. To do this, make 210 turns of thin wire. On the other side, a winding of 160 turns is made. The third and fourth primary windings should contain 190 turns. After this, a thick platinum is attached to the surface.

The ends of the wound wire are secured with a bolt. I mark its surface with the number 1. The following ends of the wire are secured in a similar way with the corresponding markings applied.

The finished structure should contain 4 bolts with different numbers of turns.

In the finished design, the winding ratio will be 60% to 40%. This result ensures normal operation of the device and good quality of welding fastening.

You can control the supply of electrical energy by switching wires to the required amount of winding. It is not recommended to overheat the welding mechanism during operation.

DC apparatus

These models allow you to perform complex work on thick steel sheets and cast iron. The main advantage of this mechanism is its simple assembly, which does not take much time.

The welding invector is a secondary winding design with an additional rectifier.

It will be made of diodes. In turn, they must withstand an electric current of 210 A. For this, elements marked D 160-162 are suitable. Such models are quite often used for work on an industrial scale.

The main welding injector is made from a printed circuit board. This semi-automatic welding machine can withstand power surges during long-term operation.

Experienced welders do not recommend overheating the equipment. This may cause important parts to burn out.

Repairing a welding machine is not difficult. Here it is enough to replace the damaged area of ​​the mechanism. In the event of a serious breakdown, it is necessary to re-install the primary and secondary windings.

Photo of a do-it-yourself welding machine

Source: https://stanki-info.com/svarochnyy-apparat-iz-latra-svoimi-rukami/

How to make a spotter from a welding machine with your own hands - Turner Master

A spotter is a fairly useful device that helps to significantly increase the efficiency and speed of work during car body repairs. But this unit has a fairly high cost with a simple design. Therefore, many craftsmen prefer to make a spotter from an old transformer or from a welding machine with their own hands.

Purpose of the spotter

When car body repairs, there is often a need to remove dents, for example, after an accident. Various methods are used for this: pulling out dents with suction cups, leveling them with a hammer on the back side of the part, etc. In the latter case, the part must be dismantled to eliminate the defect.

The use of a spotter can significantly speed up and simplify the process of aligning car parts. This unit is a kind of contact spot welding, which can be used to weld washers, studs, bolts, hooks and other fasteners to damaged areas of the car body. Later, various tools are hooked onto them to level out the dents.

The spotter can also be used for soldering, heating, hardening and upsetting of leveled surfaces.

The design and principle of operation of the spotter

The spotter consists of the following elements:

• a welding machine, which can be transformer or inverter type;
• cables (power cable and ground cable);
• welding gun (stadder);
• electrode with an inertial hammer.

When you press a button on the studder, current begins to flow to it. Depending on the selected mode, the current supply can be constant or in the form of one short pulse. Next, the current flows to the electrode, which can have tips of different shapes.

The device works on the following principle.

1. The area on the car body that needs to be leveled is cleared of paint. You should also clean a small area for connecting the ground cable.
2. A fastening element, for example a washer, is attached to the spotter electrode and welded to the straightening area.
3. The alignment tool clings to the washer, after which the dent is pulled out.

Dent pulling can be done without welding fasteners. In this case, a pointed tip must be installed on the electrode with an inertial hammer.

The electrode is applied to the desired location on the part, and the tip is welded to it with a short current discharge.

Next, without lifting the electrode from the part, strike with a hammer in the opposite direction from the tip, thereby pulling out the dent (a reverse hammer cannot be used on aluminum). After eliminating the defect, the welded end of the electrode easily breaks off.

How and what to make a spotter from

The transformer for a spotter is noticeably different from a classic welding transformer.

During arc welding, the metal is heated by an electric arc, and during spot welding, heat is released due to the transition resistance in the electrode-metal section.

This happens when arc welding if, for example, the wrong operating mode is set on the unit. In this case, the electrode sticks to the metal, which can cause damage to the device.

To prevent this from happening, spot welding is carried out in a pulsed current supply mode (up to 1 second). And since spot welding does not require arc burning, the voltage in the spotter should be minimal (about 6 V), and the current should be high (at least 1000 A).

From a welding machine

It is impractical to make this unit from an inverter, if only because spot welding does not require direct current.

In addition, you will have to redo the transformer in order to achieve high current levels. With such success, you can make a spot welding unit from scratch.

If you have an inverter device, then it is better to use it for its intended purpose, and use a regular transformer welder for the spotter.

Semiautomatic welding machine Aurora

Remaking a transformer involves removing the secondary winding and winding a new one. The spotter requires a welding current of 1000 A.

If the calculations are based on the fact that the current density is 8 A per 1 mm2, then its cross-section should be about 120 mm2. But winding a wire of such a cross-section is quite difficult.

Therefore, you can take a tire with a smaller cross-section, for example, 80 mm2, if the device will not be used too intensively.

Advice! You can achieve the required cross-sectional area by stacking several thin tires together and wrapping them with fabric tape.

To determine the number of turns, do the following.

1. Wind any conductor covered with insulation onto the magnetic core. 10 turns will be enough.
2. Connect the primary winding to the network, and measure the voltage on the improvised secondary.
3. The result obtained must be divided by the number of turns, that is, by 10. As a result, you will get a value that determines the number of turns to produce 1 V voltage. But since the spotter requires a voltage of 6 V, by multiplying the resulting value, you can find out the number of turns.

Based on the diameter of the wire with the required cross-section, you can determine whether this winding will fit into the free space between the primary and secondary windings of the transformer (not yet removed).

If there is enough space, then the secondary can not be removed from the magnetic circuit, but a new winding can be wound on top of it. In this case, the welder can be used for both electric arc welding and spot welding.

A modified transformer is not the only part required to make a spotter from a welding machine. To it you also need to add an electronic discharge control unit and a small transformer to provide power to the module. Below is a diagram of the block that controls the spotter.

This scheme works as follows.

1. When the circuit is closed by switch S1, current begins to flow to the primary of transformer T1.
2. Next, the capacitor begins to charge. It is connected through a closed switch contact to a diode bridge.
3. The output transformer T2 will be de-energized until the switch button S is pressed. After this, the voltage from the capacitor through a variable resistor is supplied to the control electrode of the thyristor. Next, the voltage will be supplied to the primary of the output transformer, after which a pulse with the current required for welding will appear on its secondary winding.
4. After the capacitor is discharged, the module returns to its original state. To repeat the pulse, press the switch again.

After the control unit is ready, all components are placed in a plastic or metal case.

From battery

This device, made of a 12 V battery, is mobile and can operate regardless of the presence of an electrical outlet. To manufacture the unit you will need the following components.

1. Standard battery 12 V and 75 A/h and above.
2. Solenoid relay. You can use a relay from the car starter. It is desirable that it be dismountable for periodic cleaning of the contacts inside it.
3. Start button.
4. Cables with terminals and welding gun.

The device is assembled according to the diagram below:

• a ground cable is connected to the negative terminal of the battery, which must be in contact with the part prepared for repair;

• the first relay contact is connected to the positive terminal of the battery;
• the cable going to the welding gun is connected to the second contact of the relay;
• a start button is installed between the first and third (connected to the battery positive) contact of the relay;
• The solenoid relay must be connected to ground.

From the microwave

To make the device, you will need a transformer removed from the microwave. But for reliability it will be better if you use two coils. The secondary winding should be removed from each transformer and instead a couple of turns should be wound with a cable with a cross-section of at least 50 mm2.

The primary windings of both transformers are connected in parallel. Next, the spotter control module, which was discussed above, is connected to the circuit. You can also simplify the design of the spotter if you include a time relay and a pull-in relay from the car in the circuit. You can find out how this is done in this video.

Welding gun

To make a welding handle, no drawings are required. The body of a glue gun is best suited for this purpose. You will also need a copper rod with a diameter of about 20 mm.

On one side of the rod it is necessary to cut a thread (M14x1.5). Various welding attachments will be screwed onto it. A hole is drilled on the other side and an internal M8 thread is cut. The cable will be attached to this place. Also, several grooves should be made on the part so that it is better fixed inside the body.

Next, the part is installed in the housing.

All that remains is to find a suitable button, place it in the case and connect it to the electrical circuit of the device.

Source: https://tokarmaster.ru/osnovy-varki/kak-sdelat-spotter-iz-svarochnogo-apparata-svoimi-rukami.html

How to make a spotter from a welding machine with your own hands: algorithm of actions, purpose of the device

A spotter is a device classified as a welding machine. Designed for spot welding. Works based on current resistance. The device operates by releasing a certain amount of heat energy in the area of ​​contact with the welding material when electric current is supplied. You can make a spotter from a welding machine yourself. It is classified into inverter and transformer models.

A homemade spotter is used for car body work. This is done when, for some reason, to level the surface of the part . You can locally heat the metal using the specified tool if there is minor damage to the body area. It is important to figure out how to make a spotter with your own hands in order to get a high-quality and functional product.

The welding process looks like this. Fasteners are fixed in place of the damaged metal. A device is connected to it and the dents are pulled out using auxiliary devices or with your own hands.

The body repair tool makes it possible to quickly and efficiently restore a car without painting the damaged area. The good thing about a spotter is that during its operation it is possible to keep the functioning of every part under control.

This is due to the fact that the likelihood of overheating and breaking the wires is quite high.

Unit design properties

The device consists of components such as a box, a gun, a cable, and an electrode.

The box contains the entire apparatus system that is necessary for welding . In order to carry out body work clearly and quickly, you must adhere to the order and technology of the process.

If the surface has undergone deformation, it must be cleaned of any coating. It could be rust, paint or varnish. This stage is very important, since the quality of the metal connection directly affects the outcome of the entire process. Contacts are attached to the surface that has been adjusted. A fastener is welded onto the cleaned area of ​​the damaged area, to which the device in question is connected.

Following this, the device is grabbed with a gun, after which the dent is pulled out. For leveling, they resort to using a hammer, hydraulic cylinders and other devices. Pay attention to the thickness of the metal.

Here you should understand what equipment will make it possible to straighten the machine so as not to cause harm to it. The back hammer is not used in combination with aluminum. In addition, not every unit can cope with a galvanized body.

When the body straightening is completed, the welded part is twisted. The contact area is cleaned with a grinding machine.

The welding gun is the main part of the device. For continuous operation, a factory-made device is used. You can make it using a construction glue gun with your own hands.

An alternative method would be to use semi-automatic welding parts. Identical parts with lengths from 12 to 14 mm are cut out of textolite. There should be 2 of them. A bracket is installed in them, used as a fastening of the electrode for welding.

If desired, you can mount a light bulb for illumination, as well as an impulse switch.

The bracket can be made of copper. It can have a cross-section - rectangular or square. A copper rod with a thickness of 8 to 10 mm is used as an electrode for welding. The gun must be designed in such a way that the electrode can be changed without disassembly. To connect the gun to the device, use a combination of a welding cable with the required cross-sectional area and a 5-core control cable. The latter is connected in accordance with the diagram.

Three wires are connected to the switch. Two more are moved to the backlight bulb and the engine. The welding cable must be stripped and soldered into a special hole in the bracket.

DIY manufacturing algorithm

To make the unit yourself, you need some skills and an understanding of the basics of working with such equipment. You can make a spotter from a welding machine yourself in accordance with the drawings. To do this, you need to carefully study the design features of the device. You can use available parts.

It is not always advisable to purchase a factory-made device. A quality unit can cost a pretty penny. It is necessary to consider the configuration of the device and its drawings.

Equipment from inverter apparatus

Most often, an inverter-based unit is made using homemade material. The main components of the device are a thyristor relay and a welding inverter. To assemble the device you will need:

• thyristor with an indicator of 200 Volts;
• transformer to step down 122 volts to control the relay using a button;
• relay with a power of 30 amperes;
• diode bridge;
• button for control and monitoring;
• contact group 220 volts.

The transformer is connected using a diode bridge. The relay thyristor is connected to it. The transformer powers the control branch of the circuit. Before making a spotter with your own hands, you need to ensure safe working conditions. For this purpose, rubber mats are placed under your feet and standard safety regulations are followed.

Main assembly steps

To make a homemade unit, a Nordic welding machine is ideal. It is necessary to be able to change the configuration of the device so that the DC spotter outputs 1500 amperes, at a minimum. Assembly is carried out according to the following rules:

1. Remove the secondary layer from the apparatus. Sometimes there are several of them.
2. Before installation, determine the number of turns per 1 Volt. For this purpose, the primary winding is wrapped in copper wire. Then the Volt indicator is measured.
3. The resulting figure is divided by the number of turns. The result will indicate the number of turns per volt.
4. The secondary layer that has been removed is used to produce a tire. It is advisable not to allow this parameter to fall below 160 square mm.
5. The voltage should be 6 volts. If the cross-section is smaller, you can divide the tire into several parts. They are secured with insulating tape.

The number of fragments depends on the initial indicators. Let's say if the parameter is 40 sq. mm., the tire breaks into 4 parts. You need to take two tires wrapped with electrical tape or adhesive tape for painting work. Isolation must be consistent. First there is a layer of insulating tape, then adhesive tape, and insulating tape is wound on top. Rivets can be installed on open areas.

The resulting busbars are moved to the transformer. This process is not easy and requires certain skills. A hammer and an additional assistant are required. Thanks to this, the tire will fit better and will not suffer any damage. If the power indicator is normal, then the device can be considered ready. If not, you will have to conduct a series of experiments by connecting wires to the primary winding.

Assembling the transformer is a mandatory step in the manufacture of a spotter from a welding machine. This kind of work is the most difficult. Winding requires a lot of time, but this step is not necessary.

The winding is carried out on a ring iron. The wire for the secondary winding should be made of aluminum or copper. High-quality insulation should be laid between the coils. Transformer paper in several layers is suitable for this.

For maximum reliability, it is impregnated with paraffin.

The pistol is made from a semi-automatic machine . It will require some additions to secure the tool to the drawing device. To make pliers, a simple 20 by 20 mm pipe will do. The power wires connecting the transformer and the gun must have an identical cross-section.

Alternatively, they must exceed the tire cross-section. Do not use wires that are too long. Their maximum size should be 2.5 m. The operating cable connecting the transformer and the gun should be made on the basis of a thermally insulated commutation cable.

Each time it is heated, this layer will shrink.

Important nuances in the design

The greatest difficulty in adapting a transformer lies in increasing the output current. To do this, they experiment with a bus, which is installed instead of the secondary winding. Experience makes it clear that the cross-sectional indicator should be at least 160 square meters.

mm. As for the bus voltage, it should not be less than 6 volts. The most important point when assembling a transformer is maintaining optimal insulation of the network windings. If the overlay was done incorrectly, it will lead to undesirable consequences.

Source: https://tokar.guru/samodelkin/kak-sdelat-spotter-iz-svarochnogo-apparata-svoimi-rukami.html

How to make a spotter from a welding machine with your own hands: algorithm of actions, purpose of the device - Machine

A spotter is a fairly useful device that helps to significantly increase the efficiency and speed of work during car body repairs. But this unit has a fairly high cost with a simple design. Therefore, many craftsmen prefer to make a spotter from an old transformer or from a welding machine with their own hands.

How to make a spotter from a welding machine with your own hands?

The word spotter came to us from the English language. "Spot" means "target indicator". This unit belongs to a type of welding machine. It is designed for spot welding and operates based on current resistance. The operation of the device is based on the release of a certain amount of heat energy in the area of ​​​​contact with the material being welded when electricity is supplied. You can make a spotter from a welding machine with your own hands.

The units are divided into two types: transformer and inventory.

Purpose of the device

The spotter is intended for car body work when leveling the surface of the part from the inside is impossible. Using this tool, it is possible to carry out local heating of the metal with minor damage to the body part.

The welding process itself is as follows: a fastener is welded to the place of the damaged metal, to which the spotter is connected, and the dent is pulled out using auxiliary devices or manually.

A do-it-yourself body repair tool makes it possible to quickly and efficiently restore a car without painting the area that has been deformed.

You can make a spotter from a welding machine with your own hands. During its operation, it is necessary to keep control over the functioning of each part, since there is a high probability of wire breakage and overheating of the unit.

The components of the unit are:

• box;
• cable;
• pistol (stadder);
• sharp rod (electrode).

The box contains the entire welding machine system.

How to use the device?

To carry out car body work as efficiently and quickly as possible, you should adhere to a certain order and technology of the process, and also take into account some nuances:

• The surface that has undergone deformation is initially cleaned of any type of coating (varnish, paint, rust). This work is very important, since the result of the entire process depends on the level of quality of the metal connection.
• A grounding contact is connected to the surface intended for adjustment.
• A fastener is welded onto the cleaned surface of the damaged area, through which the spotter will be connected.
• Next, the device is grabbed with a pistol, after which the dent is pulled out. To level the surface, they resort to the use of a hammer, hydraulic cylinders, stocks and other tools. Taking into account the thickness of the metal, you should determine which device is best used to straighten the car so as not to cause damage to the body. For example, a reverse hammer is not used with aluminum, and not every spotter can use a galvanized body.
• When straightening the body is completed, the welded part is twisted, and the contact point is protected by a grinding machine.

spotter component

The main part of the unit is the welding gun. For continuous operation, a factory-made device is used.

You can make the tool yourself using a construction adhesive gun, or you can resort to using a part from semi-automatic welding. Two identical parts with a thickness of 12-14 mm are cut out of getinax or textolite.

In one of them a bracket is installed that serves as a fastening of the electrode for welding. If desired, a light bulb and a “Backlight” button and an “Impulse” switch are mounted.

The bracket for attaching the electrode can be made of copper having a rectangular or square cross-section. A copper rod with a thickness of 8-10 mm is used as an electrode for welding. The design of the gun must provide for the possibility of replacing the electrode without disassembling.

To connect the gun to the device, use a combination of a welding cable with the required cross-sectional area and a five-core control cable with a cross-section of 0.75-1.0 mm². The latter is connected in accordance with the diagram: three wires go to the “Impulse” switch, and two to the backlight bulb and switch.

The welding cable is carefully stripped and sealed into a hole in the bracket intended for this purpose.

How to make a spotter with your own hands?

Many people wonder how to make a spotter from a welding machine themselves. This requires certain skills and understanding of the principles of operation of technology. A do-it-yourself spotter from a welding machine, the drawings of which are presented in this article, can be made if you are familiar with the design of the welding machine. The missing parts for the future unit can be purchased. A do-it-yourself spotter from a welding machine is mainly made from scrap parts.

Buying a factory-made device is not always advisable. The cost of a quality unit is quite high. Therefore, you should consider the configuration of the device and its drawings, and also figure out how to quickly make a high-quality spotter from a welding machine with your own hands.

Device from an inverter apparatus

Many people wonder how to make a spotter from a welding machine with their own hands? It should be noted that an inverter-based unit is the most common among homemade products, although there are many other schemes.

It is not difficult to make a spotter from an inverter welding machine with your own hands. It contains two main components: a welding inverter and a thyristor relay.

To assemble the device you will need:

• thyristor with a power rating of 200 Volts;
• a 122-volt step-down transformer to operate the relay with a push button;
• relay with a power of 30 Amperes;
• diode bridge;
• contact group 220 volts;
• control button.

The transformer is connected via a diode bridge, to which an electric relay thyristor is connected. The transformer powers the control branch of the thyristor circuit.

Before you make a spotter with your own hands, you need to create safe working conditions. For this purpose, place a rubber mat under your feet and adhere to standard safety precautions.

Transformer manufacturing

Making a device such as a spotter from a welding machine for straightening with your own hands involves assembling a transformer. This process is considered the most difficult.

Winding requires a lot of time, but this step is required. The winding can be made on w-shaped or ring iron. The wire for the secondary winding must be made of copper or aluminum. The insulation between the coils must be made of high quality, based on varnished fabric or transformer paper in several layers (preferably five or six). For greater reliability, the paper is impregnated with paraffin.

Making a welding gun

The welding gun can be made from a semi-automatic machine. But it requires some additions to attach the tool to the straightening device. A brass axis (M10) is fixed inside the semi-automatic machine. To make pliers, a regular 20x20 mm pipe is suitable.

Which power wire should I use?

The power wire that connects the transformer and the gun must have a cross-section identical to or larger than the cross-section of the bus. It is advised not to use wires that are too long. Their maximum size should be 2.5 m.

The basis of the working cable connecting the gun and the transformer should be a thermally insulated commutating wire. Each time it is heated, this layer will shrink.

Nuances in the design of the spotter

The biggest difficulty in adapting a transformer for welding is increasing the output current to 1500 Amperes. For this purpose, they are experimenting with a bus installed instead of the secondary winding. Experience shows that the cross-section should be at least 160 mm², and the bus voltage should be 6 V.

The most important point when assembling a transformer is to ensure proper insulation of the network windings. Incorrect application can lead to undesirable consequences.

Source: https://FB.ru/article/235331/kak-sdelat-spotter-iz-svarochnogo-apparata-svoimi-rukami

Detailed instructions for making a spotter from a welding machine

A spotter is a device that allows you to perform spot welding. This device is used for connecting thin parts and performing straightening work. Most often, the spotter is used for restoration work on the car body. Equipment of this type is used by car service employees. But if necessary, you can assemble the spotter yourself using a welding machine.

Scheme for a homemade spotter

A homemade spotter can be made from an old inverter. But for this you need to know how the structure is assembled. The work of a spotter depends on a number of required components:

• welding transformers;
• primary winding;
• diode bridge;
• thyristor.

The equipment operation diagram is determined along two diagonals. The power of the transformer of the first diagonal is higher than the second. Therefore, it accepts voltage after turning on the device. Electricity flows through the secondary winding through a diode bridge and a relay into the capacitor. Thanks to this system, charging is ensured. In this case, voltage passes through the transformer and does not accumulate. With this starting scheme, the thyristor closes.

To start welding, you will need to open the thyristor. After turning off the charging of the capacitor, the secondary winding of the transformer will receive sufficient current for welding . You can see the elements of the scheme in more detail on the plan.

Housing and components

When creating a homemade device, the housing is selected. The base of the device is a dielectric tile. Parts made from other materials are not used for this purpose. The dimensions of the base are chosen arbitrarily. It is necessary to ensure that all used components can be placed on it. At the same time, they must be placed so that free access to them is provided during installation and if necessary.

In order not to make mistakes in the calculations, a drawing is prepared in advance, including the components used.

A suitable option for performing the functions of the housing is an old welding machine. A microwave oven is also used as a housing. Fastening the components depends on how you plan to make the device: stationary or portable. When choosing the second option, the components are distributed evenly and mounted using fasteners. Handles for transportation are installed on the outside of the case.

Considering the weight of the equipment, wheels should be installed under the base. Thanks to this, the device does not need to be lifted when moving.

The list of additional components consists of:

• gun - the working mechanism of the device;
• welding cables – two pieces;
• Inopullera is a device also known as a “reverse hammer”.

To connect the cables to the gun, use terminals compatible with the threaded connections of the operating mechanism. The same components are attached to the reverse side of the cables, or a mass is created using quick-release elements.

Making a pistol

Without a pistol, the spotter will not perform its functions. This component is also known as studder. The choice of operating mechanism depends on the intended purposes. Spotter pistols are divided into two categories:

To work with a high frequency of spotter use, factory models are purchased. Such devices are capable of providing sufficient performance for the assigned tasks for a professional welder.

A homemade spotter gun is recommended for use in household work where a heavy load on the equipment is not required. The following are used as homemade working mechanisms:

• glue gun;
• semi-automatic welding machine.

To make a handle for a studder, getinax or textolite is used. The thickness of the material ranges from 12 to 14 millimeters. Two rectangles of the same size are cut out of it.

A niche is created in one of the segments to accommodate the fastening element. This part of the workpiece is intended for fastening:

• electrode - a copper rod with a diameter of 8 to 10 millimeters;
• light bulbs;
• buttons that turn on the backlight;
• switch that supplies the pulse.

The button must be placed strictly in the created recess. A homemade bracket is used as a fastening element. A pipe made of copper is used for its production. It is necessary to obtain a square or rectangular cross-section.

When the spotter is operating, the electrode must be replaced periodically. To make this task easier, when designing the device, it is necessary to place the electrode so that replacing it does not require disassembling the entire structure.

The gun is connected to the spotter using a five-core welding or control cable. The cores are connected to:

• switch;
• backlight bulb;
• switch light.

The end of the cable is placed in the hole in the bracket and secured with a soldering iron . Before this, it must be cleaned.

Inopuller or reverse hammer

An inopuller for body repair is an expensive device. But self-production is carried out according to a simpler scheme than assembling a pistol. This component is manufactured on the basis of a gun for installation work. The reverse hammer and attachments are produced step by step:

• removing the top for attaching a foam balloon or sealant;
• welding racks instead - made from rods with a diameter of 6 to 10 millimeters;
• welding the ring to the racks - take as a basis the same rod that was used for the racks, and then fasten it into a ring with a diameter of 100 millimeters.

Then the welding ring is wrapped with electrical tape. Thanks to this, during operation it will not accidentally weld to the working coating. The curved part of the gun is cut off, and a cable is attached in its place. The cut point is sharpened until it takes the shape of a cone with a diameter of no more than 3 millimeters.

Transformer and its modification

The spotter, made from a DIY welding machine, works using a transformer. The generation of current for welding and the power of the spotter depend on the welding transformer. Such a device is difficult to find on the electrical appliance market, so in any case you will have to make the machine yourself. The basis of the transformer is a magnetic wire with a cross-section of 400 square millimeters.

Transformers are divided into two categories: plate and strip. Devices of both categories are produced in three forms:

• w-shaped, also known as “armored”;
• o-shaped, also known as “string”;
• toroidal.

A suitable option for a homemade spotter is the third, since it has the lowest weight and minimal volume of secondary winding layers. Transformers have different numbers of turns on the body. The number of turns that the primary winding of the working device includes depends on the voltage received. When performing winding, test runs are carried out until the indicator reaches 1 Volt.

Possibilities of a homemade spotter

A homemade spotter for straightening has most of the functions of a professional device. With his help:

• spot welding is created to connect parts;
• working elements warm up;
• damaged areas of parts are cleaned;
• fasteners are captured;
• dents in the car body are pulled out;
• fastening elements are removed;
• The working surface is cleaned.

Using the device does not require professional skills to use, since the control scheme of the spotter is simple. The device operates in continuous and short-term mode. Using additional elements, a forced cooling system is provided.

Source: https://InfoKuzov.ru/material-instrument/spotter-svoimi-rukami

How to make a spotter from a welding machine with your own hands

Spotters are actively used in service stations and private workshops. Thanks to this equipment, you can quickly return the car body to the desired shape, and subsequent processing of the problem area (cleaning, puttying, painting) is minimal.

Spotters are not cheap, so some people try to assemble them themselves. This task can be speeded up if you have a broken or unused welding unit on hand.

How to make a spotter from a welding machine with your own hands? What else needs to be included in the diagram? What elements can be used to make working parts?

Spotter circuit and its operation

It is easier and faster to build a spotter with your own hands from a welding machine than when there is no material basis at all. But for the creation process to be successful, it is necessary to understand the principle of the spotter’s operation. For this, there are corresponding videos and various diagrams on the Internet. They may differ slightly in components, but most function this way:

1. The voltage comes from the household network to the first transformer (T1). Having passed its primary and secondary windings, it is reduced to a safe value that allows charging the main elements of the circuit.
2. After T1, the current flows to the diode bridge.
3. The relay redirects voltage from the diodes to the capacitors, which begin to charge.
4. When the required charge level is reached, the relay turns off the capacitor and sends current through a second line containing a thyristor and another transformer (T2). The windings of this transformer change the current parameters, allowing the welder to contact the work being welded. At the same time, the current strength increases, capable of spot melting the metal in the heating zone.
5. To regulate the current, a resistance is installed between T2 and the product.
6. The pulsed welding current lasts 0.1 - 0.4 seconds, which is determined by the parameters of the capacitor.
7. When the latter becomes discharged, the thyristor closes and the first line starts charging. This completes the full cycle of the device, and the action is repeated again.

What you will need for assembly

To make a spotter with your own hands, you need to prepare the necessary circuit elements and think about what to assemble the hardware from. Some equipment will have to be purchased at the store, and some parts can be found in the garage.

The main device - a transformer from a welding machine - is already available. It is from this that the welding current can be extracted. Other design elements and their parameters are as follows:

• The second transformer for powering all components of the circuit.
• Variable resistor. Its minimum value should start from 100 Ohms. The dissipation power is not taken into account here and any value will do.
• The diode bridge is about 8V, fully equipped, supporting the operation of the circuit at 12 V. Instead of this unit, it is possible to install triacs.
• The capacitor that accumulates the current to supply the pulse must have a capacity of 1000 μF. This will release enough current for welding. The maximum supported voltage of the capacitor is 25V.
• A thyristor that redirects voltage from the first flow to the second and vice versa. You can buy the PTL-50 model or similar parameters. The main requirement is the ability to operate at 220V, and create a pulse with a minimum current of 45 A. At lower values, welding with a spotter will be weak, and the reverse hammer will come off upon impact, instead of pulling the surface of the product.

Transformer and its modifications

Once you understand the process going on inside the equipment and watch a few videos on how it works, you can get down to business. Creating a spotter from a welding machine with your own hands is faster, since it already implies the presence of a welding transformer - one of the main elements of the device.

The advantage is that its output current value already corresponds to that required for welding. To work with a pulsed arc, a welding current range from 40 to 1000A is required. Many transformers from welding devices produce exactly these parameters. If the maximum current of the transformer is less, then it can be increased by changing the secondary winding.

To do this, the “native” secondary winding is completely removed (with a chisel or chisel). This should be done carefully so as not to damage the insulation of the primary winding. After which you can wind a cable with a cross-section of 50 mm square in the amount of seven turns. If there is a wire with a smaller cross-section (30 mm square), then a larger number of turns on the secondary winding will be required (about 10 turns).

A similar scheme applies when assembling a spotter from a semi-automatic machine. The key element is the transformer, which produces the required current values. A spotter from an inverter is also possible, and its voltage will be even better for pulse welding. The transformer assembly is placed in the circuit in place of T2, and the remaining parts are assembled in accordance with the parameters of the circuit.

Manufacturing of working parts

The working element that performs most of the manipulations when using a spotter is a gun or its combined version with a reverse hammer. You can buy it directly at a welding store, or you can make it yourself.

You can make your own homemade gun from a non-working drill by removing the inside of it. A glue gun will also work as a base. The device must be equipped with a barbell and a wearable weight. The latter can be made on a lathe with an internal hole corresponding to the diameter of the rod.

The end of the rod is equipped with a special clamp for fixing the electrode or welding washers. It is important to choose a cable from the device to the gun that is thick enough. Although pulse welding is short-lived and does not overheat the circuit too much, a cable that is too thin can melt.

Frame

Creating a spotter from a welding machine, semi-automatic machine or inverter is convenient and has a ready-made housing. It already has a dielectric base or fastening washers for the transformer, which prevent current from entering the housing. By removing unnecessary elements, you can arrange the main components of the circuit.

The outer panel of the welding unit already has enough holes to accommodate the main buttons and instruments. For a homemade spotter you will need to output:

• power switch;
• mode switch (pulse or carbon electrode welding);
• value A;
• V value;
• network indicator;
• connectors for the gun and ground cable.

Do-it-yourself spotters: types of straightening tools, how to make them from a semi-automatic inverter

Spotters are convenient and easy-to-use electrical equipment designed for spot welding. The main purpose of such devices is straightening and body repair of car body elements, as well as everyday use when performing finishing and construction work. Making such tools is not particularly difficult, so if you have a high-quality drawing for assembling a spotter, each of us can do all the necessary work.

In its design, a homemade spotter for straightening body elements is vaguely reminiscent of inverter machines designed for spot welding. Due to the use of various replaceable working attachments, such units are distinguished by their versatility in use; thanks to the possibility of flexible current adjustment, high-quality welding of various metals can be performed.

The most popular today are inverter spotters, which combine compact dimensions, provide high-quality welding current, and due to the simplicity of their design, they can be easily done independently. You just need to use high-quality components, and do all the work according to the existing assembly diagram for such a tool.

Homemade spotters

The simplicity of the design allows you to do all the work yourself, even with basic knowledge in the field of radio electronics. When choosing a specific manufacturing scheme for such equipment, we recommend that you rely on the following characteristics of the welding machine:

• input current - 30 amperes;
• voltage consumption indicator - 220 volts;
• operating current rating is 250 amperes.

Using a semi-automatic pulse spotter, you can perform spot welding of refractory metals, which allows you to use such equipment for car repairs, as well as in everyday life when performing construction and repair work. The excellent performance of such devices allows the use of homemade spotters when performing large volumes of work.

The spot welding machine includes the following components:

• device body;
• battery;
• power unit;
• power block;
• drivers for power switches.

Having a basic understanding of how to manufacture such equipment and a basic experience in reading welding machine diagrams, you can easily create a spotter that will have excellent performance characteristics. Accordingly, even with such simple equipment it will be possible to carry out high-quality spot welding of refractory metals.

Materials and tools for work

The quality of the work performed directly depends on the correct choice of materials and tools. That is why you should purchase and use only high-quality microcircuits and other components that will be required for the manufacture of such equipment.

To make a spotter for body repair with your own hands, you will need the following:

• sheet metal;
• elements for the manufacture of electronic circuits;
• copper wires and strips;
• thermal paper for insulation;
• fiberglass;
• mica and textolite;
• small screwdrivers;
• soldering iron for working with microcircuits;
• knife and hacksaw for metal.

Equipment used in everyday life is designed to operate with a voltage of 220 volts. However, on the Internet you can easily find manufacturing plans for such powerful industrial spotters that will operate in a three-phase network with a voltage of 380 volts.

If we talk about the advantages of using household spotters, we can note their high-quality welding current, simplicity of design, reliability, ease of operation and high efficiency.

Even without relevant experience in spot welding, you can easily use spotters that provide high-quality joining of metals.

We manufacture food and power parts

The problem-free operation of such equipment directly depends on the quality of the electric current received by the device. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the correct manufacture of power supply units. The basis of the power supply will be a transformer, which is made with three or four windings.

• To make the first winding you will need wire 0.3 millimeters in diameter, of which about 100 turns are made.
• The second circuit includes 15 turns and is made of thick millimeter wire.
• The outer third body is made of 20 turns of wire 0.3 millimeters in diameter.

A relay is connected directly to the power supply, which is supplied with a voltage of 25 volts. To lower the voltage, resistors are used that reduce the electric current and are responsible for converting alternating current into direct current at the output of the power supply.

The diode bridge, which is an intermediate link between the power supply and the power unit, is responsible for converting the electric current and reducing its power.

It will also be necessary to think about cooling the power supply, for which the transistors and diodes used are installed on computer radiators or fans and coolers from the power supply of an old PC are mounted.

The power unit used in the spotter simultaneously reduces the voltage and increases the current. Such an inverter power unit can be made from two cores, which are insulated using newsprint. The winding is made of copper strip, the thickness of which is approximately 0.25 millimeters.

You should not use ordinary copper wire to wind the power current core, since due to high heating, such wire can melt, which will lead to failure of the DIY device. The core windings are insulated from each other using paper from cash registers. This tape is durable, wear-resistant, prevents short circuits and completely insulates the inverter winding.

Equipment cooling technology

During operation, the power unit and inverter part of the spotter heats up significantly; accordingly, you will have to think about how the body of your home-made welding machine will be cooled. The easiest way to cool the spotter is with a fan and computer coolers.

Today in electrical stores you can pick up ready-made coolers, the cost of which is not too high, and connecting them to a circuit is not particularly difficult. You can also disassemble the old power supply from the LATR or computer and connect the fans directly to the spotter airflow.

Assembly Recommendations

All work performed to assemble a digital spotter can be divided into several stages. Initially, all the components used are purchased, the diode bridge, power unit, inverter, power supply are separately assembled, and only after that the spotter is directly assembled from a semi-automatic device with your own hands.

You can either use a ready-made case from an old computer, or make a box from sheet steel and other available materials. If you use a metal case, you must insulate it thoroughly. All components are firmly attached to the housing using insulated fasteners and connected to each other.

Locking washers and trigger pliers for the welding cable are installed on the central panel, and a small toggle switch is installed here to change the current strength and a start button for putting the spotter into operation. In the event that you are making a welding machine that implies the ability to change the current strength, then you must use an additional PWM controller and a timer, which are installed at the output of the inverter and allow you to stepwise regulate the current power at the output of the device.

Making a spotter from an inverter

Using simple manipulations, you can make a universal spotter from an existing welding inverter, which will be distinguished by high power, functionality and versatility. All you need is to purchase additional diodes and a thyristor unit, which are additionally connected to the inverter circuit.

Finding the simplest schemes for implementing such spotters from inverters on the Internet will not be difficult. To make a spotter from an inverter with your own hands, you will need to use:

• contact group 220 volts;
• 30 amp relay;
• diode bridge;
• 200 volt thyristor;
• a step-down transformer.

The completed diode bridge is connected in a circuit to the inverter and transformer. The spotter is controlled using a thyristor circuit connected to a transformer. Also, the power cable connected to the welding gun is output directly from the transformer.

How to make a welding gun

A special feature of a do-it-yourself spotter made from a welding machine is the presence of a working gun, which allows for spot processing of metal.

You can make such a welding gun and reverse hammer yourself from similar devices for sealant and construction adhesive, or you can purchase ready-made tools that will be convenient and easy to use.

Note that the manufacture of welding guns presents certain difficulties, so it is still recommended to use industrially manufactured welding tools for the spotter.

Source: https://obrabotkametalla.info/svarit/spottery-svoimi-rukami