Vegaman_Dan
Well-known member
Why reinvent the wheel?
Because the wheel costs $40 and I can fabricate my own for less than $10!
I have need to weld up some holes on a firewall. I have a copper backer for areas I can reach, but if I want to TIG weld stuff, then I will need both hands and that means making a mount that can hold a bit of copper flush behind a hole. There are commercial models from Eastwood and others, but they are a bit pricey:
http://www.eastwood.com/magnetic-hole-plug-welding-tool-not-for-gas-welde.html
At $40, I figured I could fabricate something that would work as well, if not better for my needs. I doodled out a sketch, went to the hardware store for some copper pipe end caps and discovered I could make one for less than $10, or 2 for about $15. Okay! Let's do this thing!
Using the copper end cap like a piston, I was able to fabricate up the mounting arm pivot mount, and a tensioner adjustment. The wide round magnet mount was a hook that I unscrewed and then drilled out the mounting to let a normal 1/4" bolt slip through for a mounting point.
I've tested the fit in some of the holes I'll need to weld up and it works great! The copper sits up flush behind the holes and there is enough tension to hold any MIG or TIG operation against it without the magnet lifting. It also keeps the magnet far enough away from the heat that it won't get destroyed. Even if it does, it's only a couple of bucks to replace.
Making your own tools and jigs can be as rewarding as working on the project itself. You can look back at it and say, "I made that."
Because the wheel costs $40 and I can fabricate my own for less than $10!
I have need to weld up some holes on a firewall. I have a copper backer for areas I can reach, but if I want to TIG weld stuff, then I will need both hands and that means making a mount that can hold a bit of copper flush behind a hole. There are commercial models from Eastwood and others, but they are a bit pricey:
http://www.eastwood.com/magnetic-hole-plug-welding-tool-not-for-gas-welde.html
At $40, I figured I could fabricate something that would work as well, if not better for my needs. I doodled out a sketch, went to the hardware store for some copper pipe end caps and discovered I could make one for less than $10, or 2 for about $15. Okay! Let's do this thing!
Using the copper end cap like a piston, I was able to fabricate up the mounting arm pivot mount, and a tensioner adjustment. The wide round magnet mount was a hook that I unscrewed and then drilled out the mounting to let a normal 1/4" bolt slip through for a mounting point.
I've tested the fit in some of the holes I'll need to weld up and it works great! The copper sits up flush behind the holes and there is enough tension to hold any MIG or TIG operation against it without the magnet lifting. It also keeps the magnet far enough away from the heat that it won't get destroyed. Even if it does, it's only a couple of bucks to replace.
Making your own tools and jigs can be as rewarding as working on the project itself. You can look back at it and say, "I made that."
