Bought a welder: what is it? :)

[Screwdriver]

Hi guys, been learning how to TIG weld for fabricating motorcycle bits etc. I bought a Gabro Notcher earlier today and at the same time was offered this bit of kit:

The Clarke unit won't be a problem but I haven't seen anything yet for the TIG arc initiation unit...

Any help greatly appreciated.

Screwd.

 

[the snooper]

i think you can connect a dc mma welder to it and it gives you a tig welder though im not totally sure.
someone will put me right if i have got this wrong

 

[Screwdriver]

The seller (who used to make boats) fired it up to show it working with the Clarke unit above. I'm guessing the "Tig arc initiator" modulates the mma output with ac required for welding aluminium (the holy grail for me). Not entirely sure what the (very few) knobs are for either. Hope I haven't bought a lemon.

Screwd.

 

[the snooper]

is the clarke welder an ac or dc output ?

 

[Screwdriver]

I'm guessing like this one:

Clarke CW145TN 140AMP Turbo Arc Welder CW145TN (6010605)
With 140 amps maximum power, and heavier duty components, this entry model to our professional arc welding range is great for a wide range of metal fabrication, repair and maintenance work.
Selectable welding output power - 40 to 140amps (viewing window shows appropriate rod size & current selection).
Turbo fan cooling for extended duty cycle. Strong ventilated steel casing.
Accepts welding electrodes 1.6mm to 3.25mm to match workpiece size.
Thermal overload protection with auto reset.
Power input 230v, 1 phase up to 3.5Kw.
Supplied complete with welding leads, electrode holder, earth clamp face shield, chipping pick / wire brush & comprehensive instructions.
Dimension (LWH): 400x250x300mm.
Weight 19kgs

So, dc output?

S.

 

[R Kraft]

Look up the miller HF units on the miller site.
The HF units work as a high voltage/high frequency arc stabilizer for using a regular AC welder to tig weld.
They also work well on stick type welders to initiate and maintain an Arc on the low amp settings.
When you go to start the ARC, the ARC will start through coatings of paint or rust without the metal being clean.
Robert

 

[Screwdriver]

Oops. Are you saying this is an HF unit and not an AC unit capable of welding aluminium?

Or is HF and AC used to mean the same thing when the HF is "always on"?

 

[Paul.]

Pretty sure its just a HF unit, feed ac get ac in get ac out, same with dc, it should have a switch on the front for continuous hf or start only, use it hf continuous for ac, hf start with dc the clarke buzzbox is ac only, should give you a very basic ac tig setup,

 

[Screwdriver]

Hmm. It says: With the addition of an HF unit, your constant-current power source can handle welds on aluminum, magnesium, thin stainless steel, brass, copper and a wide variety of both ferrous and non-ferrous alloys.

So maybe I bought the right thing? Sorry to sound like an idiot (!) it was cheap enough not to worry if it wasn't up to the job.

S.

 

[Screwdriver]

Pretty sure its just a HF unit, feed ac get ac in get ac out, same with dc, it should have a switch on the front for continuous hf or start only, use it hf continuous for ac, hf start with dc the clarke buzzbox is ac only, should give you a very basic ac tig setup,

Clarke buzzbox? Not a great bit of kit then? How can you tell it's AC only?

There seem to be very few switches or dials on the "TIG arc initiation unit".

A basic setup is what I was after. Can't argue for £50.

S.

 

[Screwdriver]

If the picture isn't clear, it has:

Power supply on/off
HF auto time/HF continuous switch
HF auto time adjuster
Remote Switch (socket?)
Gas and water afterflow (when I saw it was a watercooled unit I though it must be semi-decent)
One final dial which I think says HF something. I'll pop out to the shed for a look.

S.

 

[R Kraft]

Here is the Miller pdf for one of their HF units.:http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o610h_mil.pdf
They are nice to use for regular welding, if you don't mind the tingle they give you.
Robert

 

[R Kraft]

Oops. Are you saying this is an HF unit and not an AC unit capable of welding aluminium?

Or is HF and AC used to mean the same thing when the HF is "always on"?

Some companies in the states used to sell the HF units and gas regulators, to turn a regular arc welder into a TIG welder.
Never saw anyone TIG with one, so I can't say how well they work.
Robert

 

[Screwdriver]

OK thanks. So regards welding aluminium, this is a bit of a lash up and not a regular method? The last control I couldn't see in the pic was HF intensity. The Clarke unit has one big knob for 40-140 amp output and not a lot else! I'm told (see above) it's an AC buzzbox but I thought regular mma welders were dc?

S.

 

[GeorgeB]

My understanding is that the high frequency start unit will simply add an easy start facility to any suitable welder it's connected to, rather than needing to use scratch start for TIG welding, or MMA (stick) welding, for that matter. It adds a spark. That's all it does.

So, if one can put up with scratch start, does that mean you can use a very basic AC buzz box like that Clarke or my new LIDL (£29.99) arc welder to start TIG welding aluminium?

 

[Paul.]

OK thanks. So regards welding aluminium, this is a bit of a lash up and not a regular method? The last control I couldn't see in the pic was HF intensity. The Clarke unit has one big knob for 40-140 amp output and not a lot else! I'm told (see above) it's an AC buzzbox but I thought regular mma welders were dc?

S.

Nope, trust me thats a basic ac transformer, dc sets have rectifiers built in and are much more industrial , or modern ones are inverter sets

 

[Paul.]

My understanding is that the high frequency start unit will simply add an easy start facility to any suitable welder it's connected to, rather than needing to use scratch start for TIG welding, or MMA (stick) welding, for that matter. It adds a spark. That's all it does.

So, if one can put up with scratch start, does that mean you can use a very basic AC buzz box like that Clarke or my new LIDL (£29.99) arc welder to start TIG welding aluminium?

You need the hf continuous on ac to maintain the arc, scratch starting on aluminium not possible,

 

[Screwdriver]

OK. Thanks again. I've been getting pretty good results with this:

So I guess I could hook that up to the HF unit for aluminium?

S.

 

[Screwdriver]

You need the hf continuous on ac to maintain the arc, and to provide a scavenging (cleaning) action, scratch starting on aluminium not possible,

I think you may have answered my question then. The Hanshen unit appears to be a DC Tig so would it work with the HF unit (in continuous mode) to weld aluminium?

 

[shenion]

Definitely a HF unit.

The red switch has "HF Continuous", could be the other setting is HF start.

It may also have a contactor. Can't read the dials in the pic. Probaly HF level, post gas flow and maybe pre-flow.