raddksn
Well-known member
Any one make a home made tig cooler i'm thinking it can't be that hard. A tank,pump,heater core and a fan 
Got any ideas?
Got any ideas?
home made tig cooler
- Thread starter raddksn
- Start date
My TIG torch cooler is a 14" diameter SS'T tank about 36" tall and a Oberdorfer bronze pump. If you have a large enough amount water you don't need the radiator. You do need a high pressure pump. TIG cooling pumps cost about $250.00 new, some folks have used carbonater(sp) pumps for this but I don't know how well this works.
Jim Johnstone
Well-known member
Have a look on weldingweb.com, I am sure I have seen a handful of homebuilt TIG coolers over there.
Sureshot
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I also want to build one if time ever allows. Why would you need a high pressure pump? What kind of pressure do you consider high?
383 240z
Well-known member
I don't know how it is hooked up, but my buddies is tied into the cold water supply of his shop, I'm guessing that he is using the pressure from the city water?? Keith
WILD-BILL
Well-known member
You really only need enough pressure to ensure you have adiquate flow if the torch head gets alot higher then the pump.
I used a Little Giant (ithink) pump and I'll post some pics and details when I get home later tonight.
I used a Little Giant (ithink) pump and I'll post some pics and details when I get home later tonight.
dladcock
Well-known member
I've used for many years a Little Giant, a plastic tote with a bit of anti-freeze. Only takes a decent flow to cool a TIG head. Unless you are welding aluminum or attempting production welding, a simple set-up should do you just fine. You won't need it to pump much past the welders duty-cycle anyway.
dla
dla
WILD-BILL
Well-known member
Here's a few pics of the one I built. I built it right into the bottom shelf of the HF cart I bought for the welder.
And the parts I used.....
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/LITTLE-GIANT-Carpet-Cleaner-Pump-2P018
http://weldingdirect.com/quicfemtypfo.html
http://weldingdirect.com/quicmalfitfo.html
I don;t yet have a heat exchanger on it as I've not really had the need but I was considering this one if it becomes necessary....
http://www.dangerden.com/store/black-ice_pro-radiator.html
The tank is a 7qt go kart fuel tank and I used 1/4 fuel lines from the kids Jr Dragsters to plumb it all.
I use RV anti freeze, the pink stuff for the house side water lines not the engine type antifreeze.
And the parts I used.....
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/LITTLE-GIANT-Carpet-Cleaner-Pump-2P018
http://weldingdirect.com/quicfemtypfo.html
http://weldingdirect.com/quicmalfitfo.html
I don;t yet have a heat exchanger on it as I've not really had the need but I was considering this one if it becomes necessary....
http://www.dangerden.com/store/black-ice_pro-radiator.html
The tank is a 7qt go kart fuel tank and I used 1/4 fuel lines from the kids Jr Dragsters to plumb it all.
I use RV anti freeze, the pink stuff for the house side water lines not the engine type antifreeze.
agoins
Well-known member
The one I use at school (1984 Hobart) I hooked it up to the water hose. 
Capt Chrysler
Well-known member
The cooler I helped build went on a Miller welder with a large cooling fan. So we used the radiator fron an 85 Dodge Caravan and a water pump from the local ag store.
Still running today.
Capt. Chrysler
Still running today.
Capt. Chrysler
SM Racing
Well-known member
Mine uses a massive water tank to avoid the fan arrangement. It does however have the small carbonator pump driven by an electric motor like all normal TIG pumps. I think the carbonator pump can generate more pressure to get through the guts of the torch. As i understand you want to be careful about mixing metals throughout the system. So no aluminum coolers. A brass heater core should be fine though.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Very nicely done. I constructed one at work about 20 years ago when we had an air cooled TIG torch and the boss said we couldn't afford to get a liquid cooled one, but trust me it didn't turn out as nice as yours. I used an aluminum overflow tank out of a Volvo tractor and a small electric pump from one of our Powerboss riding floor scrubbers.
Good job.
Mike.
dladcock
Well-known member
Wild Bill,
Nice job, looks factory built. Well thought out. Real Racers put together some of the best stuff.
dla
Nice job, looks factory built. Well thought out. Real Racers put together some of the best stuff.
dla
WILD-BILL
Well-known member
Wow, glad you guys liked it.
Guess I should add the pics of the wiring on the back side then.
The welder came wired with a 220V Computer style plug on the back so I snagged a plug from a dead one, bought a PC extension cable off E bag and mounted it to the cart.
It's wired to come on when ever the welder is turned on. I only needed 1 leg of the 220V to run the pump as it's 110V but left the other just in case I did need to ad a small heat exchanger and fan. I can the wire the fan to the other leg and never have to remember to turn it all on.
not until you try it, i tossed a fish pond pump in a 5 ga. bucket with a tad of anti-freeze,
it ran my Lincoln 300/300 production welding aluminum for ~20 years
then i had the wall core drilled and switched to city water and it waters the flowers too
not until you try it, i tossed a fish pond pump in a 5 ga. bucket with a tad of anti-freeze,
it ran my Lincoln 300/300 production welding aluminum for ~20 years
then i had the wall core drilled and switched to city water and it waters the flowers too
Can vouch for this idea, did the same thing myself, fish tank pump out of and back into a bucket. Very simple and works a treat. Can always dress it up a bit but simple works.