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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 05-01-2009, 09:08 AM
Traok Traok is offline
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Spot welders

So with all the activity in folders atm I guess i am in need of a spot welder. I did the ole Google 115v spot welder search and found about a dozen around $100 . BUT is there anything I need to look out for or make sure the unit has before buying it ?

Thanks fellas

Tray
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  #2  
Old 05-01-2009, 09:40 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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I've made literally hundreds of folders and never used a spot welder. There are a few makers who use spot welders but I doubt there are many because you almost never hear of one being mentioned. The question did come up recently on the Tool forum and Gene Osborne said that the ones Harbor Freight sell would do just fine. That, of course, means if you actually use one. Nothing wrong with it but not necessary .....


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Old 05-01-2009, 10:02 AM
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SVanderkolff SVanderkolff is offline
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Now I am curious, what would you use a spot welder for when making a folder?
Steve


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  #4  
Old 05-01-2009, 11:01 AM
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Mike Turner Mike Turner is offline
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They use them to weld bolsters on Steve, like stainless bolsters to stainless liners.


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  #5  
Old 05-01-2009, 12:51 PM
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Bolsters will never be tighter that spotted correctly.
A heat treat is needed to remove the burn spots in the final finish, but it is blemish free fusion.
I use to use it a lot on s/s bolsters, or bras to brass,etc...
It will do Ti to Ti, but I mostly use damascus and Ti these days (screw constructions)

Spotting gives a permanent hold without gaps.
I use it for tooling too, skins, fixtures, and what not...
They are handy, quiet, and no welding hood required.
Bzdt, and you are done.
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  #6  
Old 05-01-2009, 02:28 PM
T. Hendrickson T. Hendrickson is offline
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Could spot welding be used to attach titanium bolsters to liners in a locking liner tactical folder, rather than screws? Why don't more people do this? I've never really liked using screws due to the room for error they create.

If it would work well and had no big drawbacks, I may just build myself a spot welder and do it that way from here on out.


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Old 05-01-2009, 04:55 PM
jrowe jrowe is offline
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spot welder

Quote:
Originally Posted by T. Hendrickson
Could spot welding be used to attach titanium bolsters to liners in a locking liner tactical folder, rather than screws? Why don't more people do this? I've never really liked using screws due to the room for error they create.

If it would work well and had no big drawbacks, I may just build myself a spot welder and do it that way from here on out.
I would think a spot welder would create a wider margin of errors than a screw.
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Old 05-01-2009, 05:35 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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According to Geno's post just ahead of yours a spot welder can work with ti to ti. Based on what he also said about the heat discoloration that occurs when spotting stainless I would guess that something similar might happen with ti to the extent that you might have trouble getting a clean finish on it. At any rate, I'd have to go with JRowe's statement about the margin of error. If there is such a margin I've never seen it. If you have seen it, then I'd suspect the process you use has more to do with the problem than the fact screws are involved. Some ways just work better than others.

If you do decide to spot ti I'd be interested in hearing about the results you get ....


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Old 05-01-2009, 06:54 PM
T. Hendrickson T. Hendrickson is offline
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You're probably right Ray; it probably has more to do with my process. However, there would be other advantages also, such as fewer screw heads; plus I just like the idea of them being one solid piece.

Sometime when I get around to it I'll give it a shot adn see how it works. Anyone else had experiences with it?


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Old 05-01-2009, 06:56 PM
T. Hendrickson T. Hendrickson is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jrowe
I would think a spot welder would create a wider margin of errors than a screw.
I fail to see any room error; if they were welded together before holes were drilled, they would be as one solid piece. That way all the holes would be guaranteed to line up.


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Old 05-01-2009, 08:10 PM
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Clamp the pieces together and spot them in 2 or 3 places.
If you trigger too long it will pop out metal leaving a crator, so just bump it a little per spot.
Anneal it, then sand smooth where the arc raised the circle or HAZ(heat affected zone).
Drill after welding and keep everything flat.
MAKE SURE CONTACTS ARE CLEAN and flat (bad tips burn thru).
A file dresses them quite nicely.

BTW, pin disscolorations often dissappear when one anneals the metal and pins before peening too.

I'v never had one move, even a little.
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Old 05-01-2009, 09:07 PM
T. Hendrickson T. Hendrickson is offline
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Would you still have to anneal if using Ti? (I'm assuming the anneal is because the piece work hardens in the one spot).


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Old 05-01-2009, 09:39 PM
22H2 22H2 is offline
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geno wich spot welder do you use 115v or 220v?
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  #14  
Old 05-02-2009, 02:03 AM
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every metal has some HAZ, thus needs H/T, Ti is no exception.
220V and a milisecond or so per spot.
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Old 05-02-2009, 08:22 AM
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Don Robinson Don Robinson is offline
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You guys might want to watch the new sticky on the Folding Knife Forum. We're building a Texas Toothpick folder with spot welded bolsters.

All the advice Gene has given here is right on the money. Just remember to use similar metals. Annealing after welding is alway necessary to get the color of the weld blended with the materials, as Gene said.

I use this method a lot.

I use a $100.00 Harbor Freight 110v spot welder. Works fine on thin metals.

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