First Arc

[performance]

I think you might be able to make some mods for other customers...and make some money. That would be worth a 120.00 to me. That is if it is worth it. Definitely would like to see how you tied it in into the control.

[Rambozo]

Very detailed and nice work.

What cad or cad/cam program did you use and does it tie into the mill (assuming yes)? Where did you buy the 20K slider board (not sure what the 210EXT uses but the all the other pretty much are 47K). Do you weld overhand with it and use the thumb or under and index finger?

Thanks.
I just wrote the gcode in a text editor from my drawing in Visio and a little fooling around in Sketchup. I like Sketchup, but I am not as fast with it, yet. For something little like this I can visualize the tool paths and don't really need the complexity of CAM. It probably would have been faster to mill it manually, but there are some things the CNC can do that I would have to mount a rotary table to do by hand. Also it's hard to hand feed tiny endmills.

I do have a serial connection to the mill to download the code file.

From your neck of the woods. http://www.westfloridacomponents.com/P064.html

I'm not sure how I will hold it. Probably different ways for different jobs. The only one I used before was a Miller with a thumbwheel, that I never really liked. The ones from CK looked just way too big to deal with. I know mine is not super heavy duty, but I take care of my toys, so I'm willing to trade toughness for size. Besides, since I built it, if I break it, I can fix it or build another. This is small enough I can leave it on the torch all the time, even if I'm not using it. The Miller I always took off if I didn't need it. I really liked the mini switch that Zoama made for his CK and wanted to do something that size, but variable.

[Rambozo]

I think you might be able to make some mods for other customers...and make some money. That would be worth a 120.00 to me. That is if it is worth it. Definitely would like to see how you tied it in into the control.

I basically have the jack switch setup to swap out the panel pot for the torch one. I will take a pic, tonight and sketch out the wiring. I tried to make sure that the way the plug goes in and the contact switches are setup, there would be no shorting across the lines that are always 22k, but even so I will try to remember to power off before plugging and unplugging, as this isn't a true break before make setup. At first I was gonna go with a relay or build something to tie in so the panel control would set the max, but in the end I figured I was getting too over the top for this little box. I just had this idea from before I bought it, so I had to test my idea. This gives me all I really wanted without going to the PA160STH. HF would be nice, but I've done a bunch of scratch start, so the lift start is no biggie. And now, since I can start at lower amps, I bet it will be even better. This unit is just for extreme portability. It's amazing that a little box like this can crank out the amps. I still want to get another full featured TIG rig for the shop. I just can't decide on the exact model, yet.

If anyone is interested in one, feel free to PM me.

[everlastsupport]

I basically have the jack switch setup to swap out the panel pot for the torch one. I will take a pic, tonight and sketch out the wiring. I tried to make sure that the way the plug goes in and the contact switches are setup, there would be no shorting across the lines that are always 22k, but even so I will try to remember to power off before plugging and unplugging, as this isn't a true break before make setup. At first I was gonna go with a relay or build something to tie in so the panel control would set the max, but in the end I figured I was getting too over the top for this little box. I just had this idea from before I bought it, so I had to test my idea. This gives me all I really wanted without going to the PA160STH. HF would be nice, but I've done a bunch of scratch start, so the lift start is no biggie. And now, since I can start at lower amps, I bet it will be even better. This unit is just for extreme portability. It's amazing that a little box like this can crank out the amps. I still want to get another full featured TIG rig for the shop. I just can't decide on the exact model, yet.

If anyone is interested in one, feel free to PM me.

Don't take this the wrong way. But that is a lot of work to lift start at low power and run up the amps (but the work is all done but the milling). It's cool, don't get me wrong. Now "your" switch on the 160STH pedal pins, that would be nice, or DX/LX/EX/EXT.

It's cool, but not sure the guy that pops for the PA140 (price wise) will spend over $100 for it. How much for a 1K version or 47K version (3 wire)? I would try one.

[Rambozo]

Don't take this the wrong way. But that is a lot of work to lift start at low power and run up the amps (but the work is all done but the milling). It's cool, don't get me wrong. Now "your" switch on the 160STH pedal pins, that would be nice, or DX/LX/EX/EXT.

It's cool, but not sure the guy that pops for the PA140 (price wise) will spend over $100 for it. How much for a 1K version or 47K version (3 wire)? I would try one.

Yeah, I know it's a bit overkill, but I don't really have a lot of time in it, and it was a good learning experience. I mainly did it, just to see if it would work. I'm used to building a lot of odd things when I can't find what I'm looking for. I do have to explain to people sometimes that it's not the economical way to go. I've always joked, "Why buy it, when you can build it at twice the price" And that is usually true, but it gets you just what you want. Like everyone here who builds there own perfect welding carts. They aren't looking to compete with a cheapo HF cart, they want something made to their specifications. And then there is the pride in craftsmanship.

If there is any demand at all I can probably knock out a batch pretty cheap, since I have the programs written. But it looks like that pot was a surplus buy and I don't see any other values. The company that makes it doesn't show that exact model, so it might have been an OEM contract. I just liked the small size, and it looked like something I could work with. I actually ordered a handful of both rotary and slide pots in 20K and 25K since I didn't see many 22K. When I saw that one in my hands I knew it would be perfect and a quick test on the unit confirmed that 20K would work fine.

I would think that for another machine, you would also want some contacts for the start switch at the start of the travel. If you see any pots that you think might work, let me know and I can see about a housing. I'll do a little looking to see what I can find. The only 1K that I see at Mouser is discontinued, too. Switches are much more common with rotary units than slide, but it might be possible to make something that would work. That Everlast finger control torch for the 210EXT looked really nice and was my inspiration to do this in the first place. Is it available, yet?

[MoparCar]

Wow, I didn't realize how small that welder is! Things have sure come a long way since the big 'ol tombstones. I like the hard case especially since this is a very portable welder.

[ShaneJackson]

I love the mod and was going to ask if it replaced the pot on the front. Do you have any part numbers or anything for the pot? Did you check newark? I buy most of my stuff from there, they are usually cheaper and orders always come next day (I am real close to them).

If you had a cad file I would ask for it but I think I can throw one together from the sketch. I may have to make one of these myself.

[Rambozo]

The jack is just wired like this. I almost attached it to the metal chassis before I remembered that I wasn't dealing with known signals and that would tie one leg to ground. So I mounted it in the plastic and made a clearance hole in the metal, much like the dinse connectors are installed. I did measure the lines with respect to ground to look for anything too high. I sorta expected to find +5 and ground with the wiper biasing between them, but it was even lower than that.

[everlastsupport]

Too bad there are not other values, that would be great on the 210EXT. I wonder how bad the resolution would get to parallel a resistor with it Will go look at mousers 1K.

Cool project though.

[Rambozo]

Finally had a chance to play with the remote a little more. It performs even better than I hoped for. Low amp starts are great , super soft and easy, and the fine control works great. After doing a couple of repair jobs, I did a little fooling around just for kicks. I didn't have any single edge blades around but these are .023" utility blades, and I kept the bead out on the beveled area so the thickness is quite a bit less. This was around 6 - 15 amps with a 3/32" 2% lanth, 10CFH through a #6. Just a few dabs of .040" ER70S2. Nipped a corner, but that was my unsteady hand. The new Jackson made this pretty easy, too. For a first attempt I'm ok with it.

[cbmkr]

It looks real good to me, i know the unsteady hands deal, I saw your pic and looked at the 140 spec's and it did not show how low of amps it was rated for. I wonder if the 160 will go that low also, I am leaning towards a 160 to replace my 35+ year old Miller Transformer. In your opinion how close to an old Lincoln barrel welder is the smoothness of the 140.

[Rambozo]

It looks real good to me, i know the unsteady hands deal, I saw your pic and looked at the 140 spec's and it did not show how low of amps it was rated for. I wonder if the 160 will go that low also, I am leaning towards a 160 to replace my 35+ year old Miller Transformer. In your opinion how close to an old Lincoln barrel welder is the smoothness of the 140.

Running on 120V it goes even a little lower than the 240V spec. I would say it's as smooth or even smoother than my SA 200 and a total night and day difference to any DC buzz boxes I've used. Plenty of kick when you crank it up on 240V, too. I still can't get over how small it is.

Somewhere I posted a 160STH review and took a picture of it next to a welding helmet. It is scary the size vs the power. The PA140 is even smaller.

[sportbike]

I just now saw this, but am thinking about making something similar for my PT185. I looked at a few very small NC momentary push switches and I think I can make one fit. I also looked at some small thumbwheel pots as well. Didn't really find anything in 22k, but I will may a 20k or 25k since you seem to have had good luck with it.
If the 185 had a 4t mode, I would put a slide on it and keep the standard torch switch as well as the contactor.

I'll probably make my parts on a rapid prototype 3d printer.