[rays68camaro]

Hello Team Camaro
Has anybody used this spot welder from Harbor Freight
45689-3VGA
Chicago Electric Welding Systems 115V SPOT WELDER
http://da.harborfreight.com/cpisearc...lder&Submit=Go
It runs off 110 volts.
Thanks Ray

[reelmcoy]

Don't waste your money. A proper spot welder needs a minimum of 230 volts and 900 pounds of squeeze pressure at the tips. Without proper amperage and pressure you will have a weld that will fail. I am a collision tech and bought my own spot welder. It is a Car-O-liner CR 500. Runs off of 3 phase 220 and has over 900 psi of pressure at the tips. It cost $18,500. I had a Saitek before that and it was in the $10k range and about 75% of the welds it did were passable. The good spot welders use an inverter for their power. Not sure how it works but is far superior to a welder that just draws off of line power. For home use, stick with a MIG welder.

[rays68camaro]

Thanks for the info .
Ray

[shoddy_F-body]

I agree.That thing has no business welding cars together. I work at a collision repair shop and we have a Pro-Spot PR-10

It produces 10,000 amps at the electrode tips and is water cooled.
I guess its about $20k

[gotsnappy]

what about the 240 volt htahtat harbor freight has?????????

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45690

[Racer#00]

I bought the one rays68camaro linked to from harbor freight a few years ago. As everyone else said, don't waste your time. It's a POS. Just collecting dust now.

[Zulu28]

Yeah, all of the hand held ones are ****e. I have seen them at my work and they are collecting dust just like Racer said.

Get a lincoln from Home Depot. Make sure that it is one that uses gas as well as gasless wire as well.

You could use that HF spot welder to make a stand for your mig though!

[Satatic]

I bought the 230 volt one for building guns. Gave it a shot on my car and loved the welds it made. I used it to weld my roof on(except for the quarter seam). Weld the flange for the quarter jams. The trunk gutters. Also the bottom flanges for the tail panel and I guess you call the other part the quarters dog leg? I am not the least bit worried about the welds. First off I did them about a half inch apart. And I welded for like 10 seconds or more. I gaged my weld length on the machines sound. It would make a really loud buzzing sound when it was really bonding the metal. Than dip tongs in water. I really love the way my roof drip rails look now. I had to remove some of the tip so that it would fit in there.

[rs69ss]

I used the 230 volt one AFTER i mig welded and ground welds flat just for cosmetic purposes. Don't trust those welds as stand alone

[gotsnappy]

I think I will do a combo of spot and plug welds.

thaks for the info

[Project-Z]

What do you guys think about this unit?
http://www.htpweld.com/products/spot...quickspot2.htm


I have seen them use it on the following project.

http://v8tvshow.com/content/view/490/43/

[BelAirBob]

I was actually looking at this one. Its about $4500. Looks like its a real spot welder, but concerned over the 265 lb pressure at the tips. Not enough?


http://www.htpweld.com/products/spot...versaspot.html

[shoddy_F-body]

You can always use panel bond and then spot weld it for cosmetic purposes. On the professional spotwelders you can use whats called a weld-bond. You lay panel adhesve between your two panels,say a roof skin. then you spot weld the two panels together while the glue is still wet. this gives you great strength and its sealed also. I doubt the cheap welders have the power to weld through the wet glue. But if you spaced the glue out like say inch of glue, inch of space,inch of glue inch of space with bare metal in between each run of glue you could come back with the spot welder and zap it in those spots. it will if nothing else give you the appearance of a spot welded panel.

[gotsnappy]

Belair bob,
you have used a harbor freight spot welder before havent you? I thought I saw one when I was in Dallas getting parts from you. What did you thaink of that one? was it 110 or 240V?

[6781camaro]

I bought a used Lenco Spot Mark II and it is awesome! Here is a link to a photo and ad for one:

http://store01.prostores.com/servlet...-Welder/Detail

It was like new and I only paid $150 so I couldn't pass it up. Yes, I agree 1000% that you should not rely only on the spot welds since they are not industrial grade. Your life is in your hands when you finally get to drive your car, so be sensible.

I find it very easy to use and extremely convenient to use as a quick "tack" when first mounting a new panel. Then, you can confinue and plug (mig) weld the rest. I would only use it as a cosmetic or convenience machine--not as the sole method of connecting new sheetmetal.

This machine retails on average for $900-$1100--which is why I couldn't pass it up. A local body shop placed an ad and I just happen to read it at the right time. It even came with the owner's manual and has a built in cart!

Take care...