Welding positioner shop built

[isb cornbinder]

I did ask my wife if I could use her tread-mill. What happened may not have been what she thought my intent may have been.
I took the drive motor and electronic controls to drive the rotation of the positioner. I have to slow the speed with a gear reduction drive from an old wire-feeder and a chain and sprocket. I used the motor driven actuator that lifted the treadmill running surface to operate the tilt of the positioner table/chuck.
I milled out a different tone wheel with more points for the sensor/ computer. I wanted the computer to think the 90 volt DC motor was turning twice as fast as it really was. I use the original programming pad to control motor speed, raise and lower the tile table. The final and simplest addition was an on/on Cole Hersee toggle switch to reverse the 90 vole motor.
The table speed is just under 1 rpm and possibly as high as 6 rpm.
I bought a magnetic rotating ground that mounted to a flange on the inner side of the shaft that carries the table and or chuck.
the red paint on the four jaw chuck is from painting BBS wheels for my Ford. I used a modified and adjustable wheel hub to hold the wheels for painting.
Clear as mud? I hope not. I wish I had more pictures.

 

[FallibleFlyer]

Wow.

Would love to see a video of this in action. Awesome ingenuity!

 

[jimgood]

Wow is right. That took some serious thought!

 

[matt_i]

Great stuff! Lots of chain drives there!

I thought about it once, so I am curious how you handle the grounding current part of it, directly thru the bearing or bronze slip-ring/bronze pressure-roller or ?

I have a couple of light (1500) truck front wheel bearings I was going to use, that's the part gathering dust currently

 

[Stooge]

Very cool! is the angle of the chuck/ holder adjustable? what are you going to be welding that prompted building this?

 

[dr_clyde]

That's cool. How many amps can it handle?

 

[Mr_fixit]

I nominate you to the Overengineers Club. ( that's a good thing)

 

[isb cornbinder]

Great stuff! Lots of chain drives there!

I thought about it once, so I am curious how you handle the grounding current part of it, directly thru the bearing or bronze slip-ring/bronze pressure-roller or ?

I have a couple of light (1500) truck front wheel bearings I was going to use, that's the part gathering dust currently

I did mention, but maybe not clearly, I bought and installed a magnetic ground that allows the mounting surface to rotate while maintaining a ground connection. The mag ground is on a flange on the other end of the shaft that carries the table or the chuck. No current goes through bearings.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Very cool! is the angle of the chuck/ holder adjustable? what are you going to be welding that prompted building this?

I am using the screw motor actuator that was used to adjust the angle of the treadmill running surface. A bellcrank, cross shaft, some half sprockets joined by chains and Bob'so your uncle. The chuck moves 90* from vertical to horizontal. The angle can be changed while the chuck is moving or stationery
The build cost about $50 and 20 hours of looking at the pieces. Final assembly was a couple of hours.
Why did I build this welding positioner? I had two flanges to TIG weld to exhaust pipes for a set of headers I was building for my Ford Flathead V8.
I used the positioner rotation to weld a better base for my shop chair. It was handy for welding some short sections of pipe together.
The positioner and wheel hub adapter makes painting wheels easy. I also used the positioner to turn some BBS wheels while I polished the flanges. Slow rotation made masking off the flanges for painting easier.
I did use the welding positioner to slowly turn a 16 inch bar with a swivel and 20 feet of 1/8 cable around while the other end of the cable was fixed to the wall. A toy monkey on a unicycle would roll the length of the cable and back.
I don't have an immediate need for it, so, it just sits on a bench.
The magnetic ground is rated at 100 amps.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I found a few more pictures.

 

[steel 35]

Why did I build this welding positioner? I had two flanges to TIG weld to exhaust pipes for a set of headers I was building for my Ford Flathead V8.

 

[isb cornbinder]

OK, it is worthless. I have posted 10 pictures for this thread.

 

[Cheepbeer]

I only have one question... Can she still hang clothes on it?

 

[DpSyChO]

OK, it is worthless. I have posted 10 pictures for this thread.

I think that he is refering to pics of the exhaust.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Does it tell you how many calories you burn while you weld?

 

[steel 35]

I think that he is refering to pics of the exhaust.

I men't no disrespect: The only worthless post is mine.
I am like so many others in awe of your project shown and shared in all of the photos; Indeed I would love to see the exhaust, And wish my wires were as pretty as yours.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I thought my wiring looked like shyte, so thanks for the positive comment.
I will add a picture of the header when I get home this evening.
Because someone is going to ask, I TIG welded short tubes into the flange plates then added the mandrel bent elbows after. I do not have any pictures during the construction. Then, again, I may have. My picture filing is so much better in 2018 a decade ago. I am renaming pictures as I need and find them.
Some of the other exhaust parts were TIG welded also. I built a temporary adjustable bracket to adapt to the pipe and mount in the 4 jaw chuck. I have a support for the long end, somewhere.
I don't see the bracket in my bracket collection, so, I must have recycled it.

 

[isb cornbinder]

The weld positioner was perfect for pin-stripping hubcaps. I TIG welded a dual "O" ring flange into the end of the charge-air duct where it connects to the intake manifold.
the right side headers do not look like they might fit on a positioner. It took some "finagling" and time before I got it to be centered for welding.
The look-a-like distributor cap will get red stripes in the cut grooves.
In answer to, "Can she still hang clothes on it?" At my age that is less likely to happen than it was 40 years ago when we got married. She had proper towel bars installed in her ensuite renovation.[/B]

 

[isb cornbinder]

A guy from the neighbourhood has been "hounding me" about his buying the weld positioner. His price is right, BUT, I do not want to sell the positioner to someone within walking distance. I will likely need the WP in the near future, so ………………. This makes his $450 offer not such a tempting deal.
There are lots of inexpensive treadmills on CL. Buy one and make your own WP. You can "borrow" all of the information you need and take pictures here.

 

[fourbyford]

...Binder...
Thanks for posting this! Awesome idea and execution!!
...D

 

[thejimmy]

Looks good, and the price was right.

Can you post a link to the rotating ground?

 

[isb cornbinder]

Any welding supply will have a magnetic ground base.

 

[xman_charl]

been using this for several years

motor is dc, got it from surplus center
adapter plate connects to a gear box

Charl

 

[isb cornbinder]

I think your weld positioner is really well done. You have enough power with that motor.
I do not remember the power of the 90 volt Pacific Scientific DC motor in the WP I built. It is way more power than I will ever need.
If I were to do this again and source the components from another tread mill, I would likely build vertically rather than trying to keep all of the components confined inside one 18 inch (45.72cm) square area. It is very congested in the cabinet. I doubt anyone was more surprised than I, when my WP started and ran in both directions.
Another change I would make is to use a variable frequency drive and build out from that.
The biggest complaint I have of my WP is the weight. I think a conservative guess would be around 100 pounds. (45.4kg)

 

[dogdog]

where do you guys find those Chucks....

and what size is good / common ?

 

[isb cornbinder]

I find chuicks and lots of other stuff on Craigslist. I paid well under $100 for the one in the picture I posted. There are two four jaw chucks on CL local for $100 each, asking.
The best chuck is the one that fits your need. Accuracy is not important for a weld positioner. 4 jaw is important.

 

[PugetDude]

isb, we're going to have to see pictures (or better yet a video) of the toy monkey on the unicycle.

Nice job on the positioner.... and the wire wheels.

 

[dogdog]

I find chuicks and lots of other stuff on Craigslist. I paid well under $100 for the one in the picture I posted. There are two four jaw chucks on CL local for $100 each, asking.
The best chuck is the one that fits your need. Accuracy is not important for a weld positioner. 4 jaw is important.

CL wants $200 for a well used 8" in my area .... and only 1 post... too many dreamers here..

Thanks for the tip, will search for a 4 jaw.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I men't no disrespect: The only worthless post is mine.
I am like so many others in awe of your project shown and shared in all of the photos; Indeed I would love to see the exhaust, And wish my wires were as pretty as yours.

Maybe I did not use the weld positioner so much on this header build. Building the weld rotator was fun and challenging.
The complete exhaust system was sent for ceramic coating.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

You can't tease is with pics of that motor/supercharger combo without giving us some more info.....

 

[isb cornbinder]

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/eaton-m90-on-a-ford-flathead-v8.381395/

 

[isb cornbinder]

You can't tease is with pics of that motor/supercharger combo without giving us some more info.....

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/eaton-m90-on-a-ford-flathead-v8.381395/

 

[GaryM909]

Nice job on the positioner! I built one back in 2010 from a bunch of scrap. It still cost me another $700 at the time and it doesn't even tilt.

 

[isb cornbinder]

This poor-quality video was taken with an ancient Blackberry. I have Samsung Galaxie now.

 

[d9gdon]

Very talented build.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Nice job on the positioner! I built one back in 2010 from a bunch of scrap. It still cost me another $700 at the time and it doesn't even tilt.

I am thinking I have about $200 into this paperweight. If I were to do this again, I will include what have learned to make this better and easier. One of these "ways" is to operate the tone-wheel on a separate shaft at twice the motor RPM. The teeth generate photo-variations, which activate a sensor and a signal to the treadmill computer. The computer thinks the motor rpm is double and slows the motor. I can drive the chuck as low a one rpm, now. Slower is the challenge.
Another learned thingee is to build vertically and avoid congestion.

 

[steel 35]

That beats a picture, Nice like the flat head!

 

[isb cornbinder]

Looks good, and the price was right.

Can you post a link to the rotating ground?

magnetic weld ground - Google Search

 

[isb cornbinder]

I only have one question... Can she still hang clothes on it?

Can she still hang clothes on it.
Not so much lately. That was a thing 46 years ago when we were first married. She has added a bath-towel rack.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Looks good, and the price was right.

Can you post a link to the rotating ground?

Magnetic Rotary Ground Clamp - 600 Amp Capacity

Magnetic welding ground clamp with high 600 amp capacity is perfect for quick attachment or removal from work piece.

weld-ready.ca