Welder for rounded bolts

[gez 172]

Absolutely clueless about welders..

Looking for advice on a simple DIY plug In welder to pigeon poo weld a socket onto a rounded bolt.

https://www.diy.com/departments/black-portable-handheld-welder-with-igbt-inverter-and-5-variable-current-adjustment/0000810324921_BQ.prd?srsltid=AfmBOoprk5_T_gJzjuVuenRKJBV8JdmtSpq2LZADTM4UpPPekq79iG-ysFI

Will something like this get the job done? Or are these cheap ones garbage?

Cheers

 

[Yarp]

Drill the c**t out - ne need for a welder.

If I can drill a head bolt out then any normal human can drill any type of bolt.

Cobalt drill bits are your friend.

 

[R3k1355]

I've never tried to weld a socket to a bolt, but does the Chrome coating mess with the welding process?

How big is the bolt? Can you weld a larger bolt over it then get a socket on that?

 

[dann2707]

Absolutely clueless about welders..

Looking for advice on a simple DIY plug In welder to pigeon poo weld a socket onto a rounded bolt.

https://www.diy.com/departments/black-portable-handheld-welder-with-igbt-inverter-and-5-variable-current-adjustment/0000810324921_BQ.prd?srsltid=AfmBOoprk5_T_gJzjuVuenRKJBV8JdmtSpq2LZADTM4UpPPekq79iG-ysFI

Will something like this get the job done? Or are these cheap ones garbage?

Cheers

Are there no other alternatives? Do you have a pic of where / what the bolt looks like mate

 

[MAXRUNDOWN]

That looks absolutely s**t, you'd be better off with a car battery and some jump leads (please don't do this either)

You want a Mig welder for welding a nut onto a rounded bolt.. where is it on the car? What else have you tried so far?

 

[Flob]

I've never tried to weld a socket to a bolt, but does the Chrome coating mess with the welding process?

How big is the bolt? Can you weld a larger bolt over it then get a socket on that?

Its generally fine, the chrome coating gets burned off and heads straight for your lungs leaving fresh metal for welding to the rusty bolt below.

Welding stuff to stuck bolts has always worked really well for me but I've always used a MIG, gas free for this stuff is where its at.

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CP7R23LP/?tag=cliospnet01-21

Its better because you can shoot the wire through the 3/8th hole in the back of the socket in fill the socket with weld leaving the square opening free for buzz gun while an arc welder will inevitably just weld the rod to the socket within the first 0.02s of hooking it all up.

 

[MLB]

Reviving this, our Civic has just passed it's MOT and on the way back home developed a horrendous rattle, great timing of the exhaust bracket 😂

I can bring the car to the local pikey weld place and get it sorted for £50 or i could buy a welder and do it myself.

My experience with welding is as follows: once carried my dads welder out of the garage.

@Flob the one you linked to still the one to get for some random home welding? Get the 145 or the 200 amp one?

Amazon says above one is frequently returned and recommends this one which is on offer:

Amazon.co.uk

Anything else I need? I'm assuming some kind of mask or goggles?

 

[OEM Cooler Box Nonce]

I’d say see if you could get a gassed machine. It’ll serve you so much better than the flux coated wire. @dann2707 has quite a bit of R-Tech stuff and swears by it.

 

[Flob]

Looks cheap - probably ok for what you need - I would personally look for one that could take gas as an option as it just opens up the door for future fun. The one I linked I think fails when people weld continuously with it, the duty cycle in the instruction manual is quite a lot smaller than what feels right - like 10min welding, 10mins cooling.

But in that price bracket anything will be averagely okish I would have thought. Also look at better brands used like Miller. But the old Clarks are worth avoiding as the wire feed mech is hopeless.

For an exhaust you won't be going anywhere near 145amps. I also like the 3in1 welders which do arc too as it makes them more useful for general purpose stuff later.

Look for an auto dimming welding mask. You don't neeeeed gloves etc but should get some - I always burn holes in my clothes and burn my fingers and it hurts.

OR just get the pikeys to zip it on for you.....

 

[Flob]

I’d say see if you could get a gassed machine. It’ll serve you so much better than the flux coated wire. @dann2707 has quite a bit of R-Tech stuff and swears by it.

Agree - however for outside welding of an exhaust flux core is pretty perfect

 

[Flob]

PS - don't trust the original link I posted, its a different machine - the old one must be long gone.

 

[Flob]

This is oddly tempting just because its small and will go in a tool box drawer

Amazon.co.uk

 

[OEM Cooler Box Nonce]

Agree - however for outside welding of an exhaust flux core is pretty perfect

Good point, I’d not considered it was outside.

 

[MLB]

Thanks guys, good suggestions!

For the time being it will indeed be mainly used upside down on a gravel driveway and it's just handy to have something available to weld a socket onto something.

But I can also see this becoming a £1000 project to save £30 and me ending up with a welder that I will replace as soon as I have a garage space available.

So, looking at 3 in 1 systems that have a gas option is this something to consider?

Amazon.co.uk

Also,

Braght?? 😂

 

[OEM Cooler Box Nonce]

Thanks guys, good suggestions!

For the time being it will indeed be mainly used upside down on a gravel driveway and it's just handy to have something available to weld a socket onto something.

But I can also see this becoming a £1000 project to save £30 and me ending up with a welder that I will replace as soon as I have a garage space available.

So, looking at 3 in 1 systems that have a gas option is this something to consider?

Amazon.co.uk

Also,

Braght?? 😂

View attachment 1775434

That looks like a cracking little starter machine, covers all bases so you can get into it then decide it’s not quite stable enough and buy something that costs a small fortune 😅

 

[Flob]

I see we can encourage some brilliant scope drift here. At £175 you may as well just jump up to a semi decent brand tbh, below that I would just go with whatever is cheapest with good reviews!

 

[OEM Cooler Box Nonce]

I see we can encourage some brilliant scope drift here. At £175 you may as well just jump up to a semi decent brand tbh, below that I would just go with whatever is cheapest with good reviews!

@MLB by the time he goes to sort that bracket 😅

 

[MLB]

Haha yes I'm terrible for a bit of scope drift @Flob

But any more expensive than this and I'll be dropping the car off at the pikey place and get a 3d printer first😂

So this the one to buy for sub£200?

Tagging @dann2707 again as he also knows his stuff and usually has good suggestions.

 

[MLB]

And does this work off an extension lead from a socket in the house?

 

[OEM Cooler Box Nonce]

And does this work off an extension lead from a socket in the house?

I have 16amp in the garage on dedicated breakers for the welder but most of the smaller machines will run off 13 amp. Especially at the amperage you’ll be welding at.

Edit, you might want to swap the breaker out for a slow trip one on the circuit you use it on, I think it’s type c from memory. I await the electricians telling you this will burn your village down.

 

[dann2707]

Haha yes I'm terrible for a bit of scope drift @Flob

But any more expensive than this and I'll be dropping the car off at the pikey place and get a 3d printer first😂

So this the one to buy for sub£200?

Tagging @dann2707 again as he also knows his stuff and usually has good suggestions.

Haha just having a salmon and then I will reply mate.

What's your budget

 

[MLB]

Enjoy your parsnip mate 👌

Ideally sub £200 for the welder itself (like the one I linked above) or it's off to the local pikey.

 

[OEM Cooler Box Nonce]

Haha just having a salmon and then I will reply mate.

What's your budget

Can we all take a second to appreciate just how Dannnnn that comment is.

 

[dann2707]

Enjoy your parsnip mate 👌

Ideally sub £200 for the welder itself (like the one I linked above) or it's off to the local pikey.

I can't recommend the amazon one as I've never used it before but it looks to have good reviews!

I had a Clarke 130en which was a really good starter which might be a good shout and at the time was cheaper. I paid £100 ish for it.

To put it into perspective if going Clarke or not a bundle

Welding helmet cheap = £20 amazon
Gasless Wire = £10
Gloves = £10

You won't get pretty results Gasless, it would be functional but not pretty and pretty disheartening

I say try the amazon one and just return it after you've done your welding it it's gas(h) 😂

Or try and find someone who bought a full set up to weld their exhaust bracket and decided to give up because they can't see cos they forgot to turn their helmet on 😂

 

[OEM Cooler Box Nonce]

I can't recommend the amazon one as I've never used it before but it looks to have good reviews!

I had a Clarke 130en which was a really good starter which might be a good shout and at the time was cheaper. I paid £100 ish for it.

To put it into perspective if going Clarke or not a bundle

Welding helmet cheap = £20 amazon
Gasless Wire = £10
Gloves = £10

You won't get pretty results Gasless, it would be functional but not pretty and pretty disheartening

I say try the amazon one and just return it after you've done your welding it it's gas(h) 😂

Or try and find someone who bought a full set up to weld their exhaust bracket and decided to give up because they can't see cos they forgot to turn their helmet on 😂

I was going to say that with the Amazon one, 30 day returns and Amazon customer service. Buy it, try it and just f**k it back to them if it’s s**t.

 

[Flob]

I can't recommend the amazon one as I've never used it before but it looks to have good reviews!

I had a Clarke 130en which was a really good starter which might be a good shout and at the time was cheaper. I paid £100 ish for it.

To put it into perspective if going Clarke or not a bundle

Welding helmet cheap = £20 amazon
Gasless Wire = £10
Gloves = £10

You won't get pretty results Gasless, it would be functional but not pretty and pretty disheartening

I say try the amazon one and just return it after you've done your welding it it's gas(h) 😂

Or try and find someone who bought a full set up to weld their exhaust bracket and decided to give up because they can't see cos they forgot to turn their helmet on 😂

I get pretty good gasless welds Dan, I find it no different to gas tbh, better with any hint of wind too. You just have to be patient and knock all the slag off before doing another pass and drop current a touch, more spatter but otherwise alright.

 

[thecrim22]

Go balls deep and get a lincoln 425 then weld the s**t out of absolutely everything just because 🤣🤣

 

[Flob]

Wait. To be clear - my gas welds and gasless welds look equally as s**t as each other.

 

[dann2707]

I get pretty good gasless welds Dan, I find it no different to gas tbh, better with any hint of wind too. You just have to be patient and knock all the slag off before doing another pass and drop current a touch, more spatter but otherwise alright.

Might have been the wire I was using but mine were pretty awful!

The comparison from when I got some gas was unbelievable. Infact I am fairly certain I posted some pics on the first page of the welding thread.

Do you have any gasless pics so I can compare?

 

[MLB]

Thanks guys, think I'll go for the amazon one. Couldn't find much about it except for amazon but a rebranded one in a video looked decent enough for what I need it for.

Choice of 140, 160 and 200A. Any reason for big or small? Except £60 vs £175.

@thecrim22 theres one of those available second hand quite close to me!

Or just get this one, ideal if I get an older JLR product, tow it in case the car needs some welding en route.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[thecrim22]

Might have been the wire I was using but mine were pretty awful!

The comparison from when I got some gas was unbelievable. Infact I am fairly certain I posted some pics on the first page of the welding thread.

Do you have any gasless pics so I can compare?

Was the wire dry?

 

[thecrim22]

Thanks guys, think I'll go for the amazon one. Couldn't find much about it except for amazon but a rebranded one in a video looked decent enough for what I need it for.

Choice of 140, 160 and 200A. Any reason for big or small? Except £60 vs £175.

@thecrim22 theres one of those available second hand quite close to me!

Or just get this one, ideal if I get an older JLR product, tow it in case the car needs some welding en route.

Pardon our interruption...

They brilliant to use but you need 3 phase electrical to make it go broom broom and better off with a watercooler on it as well

 

[Flob]

Might have been the wire I was using but mine were pretty awful!

The comparison from when I got some gas was unbelievable. Infact I am fairly certain I posted some pics on the first page of the welding thread.

Do you have any gasless pics so I can compare?

Doubtful, will look. But it was good enough that I've switched to only using flux core if I'm outside, but still use mig inside due to the reduced spatter and the toossssh toooshhh noise it makes when I pull the trigger makes me jizzy.

Also, to retract my previous statement. My old s**t welder with a crap wire feed was a cheap sip not a Clarke.

 

[dann2707]

Thanks guys, think I'll go for the amazon one. Couldn't find much about it except for amazon but a rebranded one in a video looked decent enough for what I need it for.

Choice of 140, 160 and 200A. Any reason for big or small? Except £60 vs £175.

@thecrim22 theres one of those available second hand quite close to me!

Or just get this one, ideal if I get an older JLR product, tow it in case the car needs some welding en route.

Pardon our interruption...

Personally I'd just go low as you can if you're welding thin exhaust stuff mate.

 

[dann2707]

Was the wire dry?

God knows, probably not.

It's just generally very spattery and messy.

Welding with gas is a different ball park entirely imo. It's a different league and everything is so much more... Calm.

Like going from Mig welding to tig, one is like fingering a bull and the other is like stroking a turtle

 

[MLB]

Personally I'd just go low as you can if you're welding thin exhaust stuff mate.

So I'd be alright with the £60 140A model?

If that is enough for a beginner on random bits and bobs on an exhaust and bolts etc that's a no brainer.

 

[Flob]

@dann2707 when you tried flux core did you reverse the polarity?

So I'd be alright with the £60 140A model?

If that is enough for a beginner on random bits and bobs on an exhaust and bolts etc that's a no brainer.

Especially for £60! even if its complete crap you will still get the job done!

 

[dann2707]

@dann2707 when you tried flux core did you reverse the polarity?


Especially for £60! even if its complete crap you will still get the job done!

Good question, it was 10 years ago now so I can't remember.

I know I can swap my tig torches polarity over dead easy but how can you with a Mig set up?

Something within the welder itself?

 

[Flob]

Good question, it was 10 years ago now so I can't remember.

I know I can swap my tig torches polarity over dead easy but how can you with a Mig set up?

Something within the welder itself?

Yes, this would probably have been why it was shitty. More heat into the weld and a lot less spatter. For most MIGS its a PITA as you have to take the case off and swap wires to terminals which is a ball ache. Some you can switch over quite easily.

Recently I welded some farm equipment with flux core as I was outside and honestly the equipment was so rusty it wasn't worth wasting the gas, the welder I was using didn't have long enough wires inside so I had to remake one of them but after it welded pretty much like it would normally on Argoshield Light. Bit more spatter and you obvs have to spend a while chipping off the slag but alright!

 

[Flob]

Here an Australian explaining it, I've just subscribed because his video tickled me.