Importance of a good earth!

[weldequip]

I get a lot of machines in for repair with users complaining of poor welding characteristics ie. 'spitting & farting'. First thing I look at is the Earth Clamp & it is amazing the condition some of them are in! Cable to the earth clamp hanging on by a thread & the clamp itself bearly having any 'grip' left in it. The earth clamp is important fellas!!
You won't get proper current transfer to the job if the earth is poor.
First check that where you earth is good & clean (no paint, rust etc.) and, if the clamp itself is knackered (as above) replace it! = 100% better welding.
weldequip

 

[Lippyp]

So do you sell good earth clamps? The one on my Sip is cheap to say the least and on a flat panel theres not a lot of contact area. Probably a good idea for me to replace it with something better.

 

[Hitch]

Yes, thats a very good point.

Especially noticable with inverter based sets.

 

[Pc Plum]

So do you sell good earth clamps? The one on my Sip is cheap to say the least and on a flat panel theres not a lot of contact area. Probably a good idea for me to replace it with something better.

Yep, mine is knackered too

There are 400A ones on Fleabay starting at £5.05 inc post:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Welding-Earth...ryZ11774QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

Anyone know if they're any good?

 

[weldequip]

400amp is overkill for most small MIGs.
Can supply a decent 200amp including suitable cable lug for £4.85 delivered.
weldequip

 

[Alex]

I must say I once clamped up on some rusty steel and after welding it was clear that a very slight bit of arcing was occuring between the earth clamp and the steel until it had acheived a good bond, the clamp was a little stuck to the steel also.

 

[malcolm]

I used to get the stuck clamp on clean steel too. The crocodile clip clamps supplied with hobby welders have a very small contact area, but once the plating has worn off and the clamp has rusted a bit it becomes a hassle. Especially as the strings go weak in time.

I replaced my nasty crocodile clip with a solid brass clamp. My latest welder came with a clamp very much like the one in the ebay link - good wide copper surface for clamping and decent spring force (should imagine that'd the sort of clamp weldequip is offering too).

 

[Alex]

Is the clamp solderable or will it not take at those temps, I might if I can solder some sheet copper onto the clamp to get a better electrical bond.

 

[malcolm]

I'd just buy one for the sake of £5. Solder might struggle. Electrical solder melts at about 200 degrees C, though I've managed to melt the insulation from my earth wire with welding at 150 amps, and that's got to have made it to at least 150 degrees C some distance from the contacts which are presumably the hottest bit.

 

[cobminor]

400 amps at 60% for a clamp? What's he on?

 

[weldequip]

It doesn't need soldering, supplied with a re-useable cable lug that you simply fit with a spanner.
weldequip

 

[cobminor]

Those welding earth clamps on eBay look the same as the axminster tools ones for £1.86.

 

[malcolm]

400 amps at 60% for a clamp? What's he on?

Clamps need to cool down too

 

[weldequip]

Those welding earth clamps on eBay look the same as the axminster tools ones for £1.86.

+ £3.50 postage?!
weldequip

 

[Alex]

I read £3.95 for delivery


What do you think of some of the cheaper lathes they do like this one.


http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-SIEG-Axminster-SIEG-C0-Metal-Turning-Lathe-559017.htm


I could do with a lathe for some simple work, maybe somebody has some knowledge about them.

 

[cobminor]

I don't know much about their lathes but a lot of their stuff is imported from the states. The machine tools I have seen of theirs are not the best quality but certainley not rubbish, usually good value for what you pay.

 

[malcolm]

Haven't tried one, but all of the stuff I've bought that looked crazily cheap turned out to be completely useless. Might be handy for a while, but low power on lathes is a real hassle.

My lathe cost about the same, though it was second hand and broken.

 

[cobminor]

Weldequip,

The point was, if matey on eBay is buying them 20 at a time he knows how to make a profit. His postage would not be £3.50 per.

 

[weldequip]

I buy 20 cases at a time cobminor! They have to make it somewhere & low,low prices are usually made up for with silly postage as on Axminster's site @£3.95 (I've just weighed one & they cost 90p to post!).
weldequip

 

[Alex]

Plus jiffy bag which are about 10p, and they may include card transaction charges in that aswell, still, it amounts to far less than £3.95


Where could I go to get a second hand lathe?