Welding Tips and Tricks

I've aways wanted lead reels and finally built them last summer just need to make covers to enclose the contacts

That's pretty sweet!

What did you use for the rotor surfaces and brushes? How did you isolate the current from the bearings?

Steve S

Rotor surface is 1/8 " SS insulated with fiber glass sheet the brush is made from my welding backer 2" x1/4" brass bar stock or a brass like material not 100% sure and that's insulated with a banjo poly valve handle . Each spool is double insulated .I was really surprised how hard it is to find suitable insulators for this project
Hey thanks for the reply

RWG

Where I grew up, we called it "hillbilly engineering", and since I was broke all the time, I've got my "working man's PhD.", so I'm always interested in how others solve problems by doing it themselves, rather than buying "off the rack".



Steve S

Here's the bearing insulators the are heavy plastic trailer equalizer bushings tried a very thick Epdm rubber hose and it still conducted a little not enough to kick up the welder but it still would spark

I'm not a good salesman so I save my purchase requests for really important stuff and build everything else on rainy days
Important stuff is at the Lincoln and hypertherm dealer