Heavy duty polar mount prototype 1

:-lol i know that, i used to work round welders and it was a saying to them passing the time of day and tormenting each other about there work,

i am sure you will have had it, you sound like like you have been in the environment:).
 
Trained as electronic engineer but worked in mechanical engine test environments. All sorts on engines from single cylinder diesels, 2 stroke outboards, to gas turbines, jet engines and afterburners :)
All good fun. :)
 
Is that an inverter model? I've owned lots of real mig welders over the years and my bet is a little machine like that can't produce anything like enough heat to weld anything like 5mm. The welds would just sit on the top.
 
Huevos said:
Is that an inverter model? I've owned lots of real mig welders over the years and my bet is a little machine like that can't produce anything like enough heat to weld anything like 5mm. The welds would just sit on the top.
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I know very little about them Huevos tbh, when I used to weld mig was up and coming, it claims to be able to weld 5.4mm ?.
 
Some facts from my own "rejuvenation" of an ancient mount.
Rust removed by angle grinder and phosphoric acid.
I used paints normally used on boats, epoxy primer and polyurethane
top coat. All bolts are stainless steel, size M10 most of them.

The pivots are stainless bolts without threads close to the head.
Large area stainless washers facing large area POM (delrin, acetal)
washers. Lubrication is a thin layer of grease, mainly to stop
the pivots from freezing in the winter.

All adjustment bolts and pivots are free to move, nothing is tightened
after adjustment. The design is very stable as it is without any extra
tightening. The azimuth adjustment bolt has a self-locking nut on
the end just tight enough to remove the slack but it can still be turned.
Note the two different adjustments of azimuth and offset.
Important to get the curved movement exactly right for your location.
My jack is still being "fixed" so I don't need to get this spot on.
(the horizontal adjustment IS locked but won't be when the jack is
in place)

The only welded parts are the end plates on the square profile sections.

Mount.webp
 
Martin, tbh, if I were buying a mig today I wouldn't consider gasless or a little thing like that. It must be gutless. Just think you need enough power to melt 5mm steel instantly. How can a little box like that house a transformer big enough to allow that process?
 
Just having a quick look about and found this site : http : // www.mig-welding.co.uk/buying.htm
Seems to have some good diy info on including a current vs depth calc.
I am not sure you will be able to buy a diy mig that will reliably weld 5mm unless you can weld both sides. i.e. 2.5mm each side! Remember that with MIG I think you can only do about 150amp on a 13amp plug. Also if you intend to weld thin (1mm) thick sheet steel then a minimum setting above 30-35 amps will be too high a power.
 
Thanks lads, ive put a post up on a welding forum, I think we are just guessing, things have changed lots since we was younger, thanks for your time and help:).
 
martin-f said:
Thanks lads, ive put a post up on a welding forum, I think we are just guessing, things have changed lots since we was younger, thanks for your time and help:).
Click to expand...
The site I listed has a good calculator suggesting what setting to use on what thickness of steel. You input minimum and max current and number of power settings and it comes back with what thickness can be welded in each power setting.
The site is very good as it has lots of good straightforward info. like no gas is good if it's windy as gas shield stays on weld but it does create more splatter on surrounding material than gas shielded welding.

Must admit my mig welder is in shed and it has been since we moved here 9 years ago!!!!! fairly long time since I used to play welding cars and general stuff. I think last time I used the welder was to fabricate intercooler pipes for my mk1 golf Gti when I was putting a 16valve engine that had had a Turbo Techniques conversion. I had previously written off the mk2 16v Turbo golf at 60 backwards into a tree :) Fond memories :)
Good luck and please keep us informed with picys :)
 
Thank you ched, the one I was looking at was gas/gasless, there are lots that claim to be able to weld 5/6mm mild steel at that price range, you may have to use the gas option for thicker steel maybe,

I have done a little stick arc welding in the past so that is another option,

60mph going backwards how did you manage that lol.
 
To be honest stick welding might be best on 5mm especially if you have had a little experience.
60mpg backwards into tree: I was showing off round a country lane near home, had previously travelled round the same series of corners many times at 80+ unfortunately this time my passenger panicked and screamed. I was not expecting a scream, I jumped and lifted off throttle mid bend! Rear stepped out and I couldn't hold it. Managed to get it straight but going parallel to hedge with 2 wheels on grass, thought that was close, then there was a tree between hedge and road!!! It spun the car round on it's wheels, every panel was bent, both front seats snapped backwards. Even though only hit back I could get finger between 'A' pillar and windscreen! It was a big mess but engine and 1 alloy were OK :) We both walked away. I had a hole in back of leg where it had hit the under seat fire extinguisher and next day had whiplash. Moral to the story, expect the unexpected ;)
 
Lol, we have all been young and done things like that, i used to have a old Talbot sunbeam it was a 1ltr and i put a 1600 engine in it, it used to be good up to 60mph then it was rubbish, but won many xr3/xr2 from the lights lol, and i had not passed my test then:eek:,

i wrote that off practising hand break turns :-lol.
 
I had a Talbot Sunbeam as well, it was a 1.3 with fibreglass front wings, due to rust :) great fun in wet round roundabouts :)
 
I've popped out and bought the one below, its the biggest you can get on a 3 pin plug, I paid a little more than I wanted to but ive got it now and it will come in for other work:),
DSCN5690.webp
 
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