Welding Tips and Tricks

I've seen some cheap (obviously Chinese made), small hobbyist positioners for sale for around $300 or so (jaws that only fit around 2-1/2"), wondering if they're junk or have serious shortcomings and maybe I should forget about them and just spend the same money on a basic kit to build my own, and then spend a little more down the line for the motor and controller... Would be nice to just buy one, have too many other projects going on. Thoughts? No I don't have several grand to buy a real positioner so don't suggest something like Baileigh.

Why not link the actual positioners you have been looking at for $300 so you can get better "thoughts"? Just a thought.

Biggest problem I've noticed with these cheap bamboo units is that they only turn down to 2rpm which is too fast for tig especially once diameter increases. Also they have very little weight capacity.
These are the main reasons I built my own.


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Building one isn't that difficult if you have the time and inclination to spend doing it. For somewhere around $300 I think you can buy a unit from Certi-flat, you'll just need to add a motor

thanks guys... yeah the Certi-Flat is a nice looking kit with a lot of future room to grow on it. I'm thinking less and less about wasting money on a cheap positioner as they are about the same price. The only thing I think I'd personally want is a better motor setup, not doing the cordless tool deal, with a controller that's hooked up to a foot pedal. Though it might take some getting used to controlling my torch with my root foot and the positioner with my left foot, but if I can drive a car, and a stick, it should be easy come to think of it.

Has anyone considered using a sewing machine motor for a welding rotator? They already have variable speed foot pedal...

There maybe some risk of frypan injury...

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Best not to steal the best beloveds machine out from underneath her nose....

I had one of those motors & tried it on an " improvised " positioner but it does not have enough power to turn much especially at less than full pedal so I gave up on it - not revisited the project recently but I now have in stock some sliding shop door motors & a couple of spastic cart motors - they are all 24volt DC which means they are easy to reverse & control speed unlike most mains motors - I'm currently using an air drill with a foot valve to drive it - works kinda OK.

my wife does have one of those vintage foot operated sewing machines... hmmm... that would be the equivalent of a motor and a controller in one, right? control the speed with the speed of your pedaling...