modifying the ole machine

Date 04-20-2013 16:51

Last couple of jobs have made me wish for a remote more then a little. You cannot get any factory parts for my dinosaur Hobart. So I just pulled the schematic out and started digging my education out of the cobwebs. Ordered all the parts (Enclosure, switches, connectors, pots etc) for just $43 to build my own. I thought I might put all the controls on the face: High/Low current, High/Low idle, Arc force etc on the remote but that is a lot of wires. I am just going to keep weld current only in the box, that way I can use cheap 16ga extension cord for a remote cable. My machine won't idle up from a grinder or anything else. Running grinders on 80vac kinda sux. So I am looking for some current sensing switches (sort of a relay) to solve that problem too. I don't believe a typical welder reed switch will work because probably not enough current/magnetic field to trip it off a grinder. I think the ones they use in heat/air systems for aux units may do the trick. If I had the extra cash and more importantly the time I would build a digital wireless setup. Actually the latter would be pretty easy with the kind of radio gear they are making these days for hobby rc, you could even have telemetry fairly easy if you wanted it. Most guys would look at my old machine and just say buy a new one! LOL

By SMTatham (**)

Date 04-20-2013 22:21

Tommy you might want to give a call to American Welding Supply. They do all kinds of machine repairs/mods and build custom remotes. A friend of mine had an old Hobart Mega-Arc (300 amp i think) powered by a Ford Industrial (gas). Anyhow this guy Gil Martin down there had a remote built right in their shop for him.......mil-spec amphenol type connectors and the whole bit. Was real nice. Just thought it might be a source if you wanna pick someone's brain; they seem to know about vintage machines, and not just Lincolns.

http://www.americanweldingsupply.net/

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 04-21-2013 04:40 Edited 04-21-2013 04:47

I appreciate it....I know one ole fella...well one real ole fella in a wheelchair now that knows these machines very well...I hate to bother him with stuff unless it is real urgent even tho he likes dealing with stuff. I will get a hold of them, maybe they have made a sano idle up circuit already or have handy parts for such. Thanks.

I dunno I just like running this thing cause it really is a piece of history...not an old model in the books for a company....this company et all is history. I like the dang thing.

By 65 Pipeliner (**)

Date 04-21-2013 13:13

Tommy,
I work with a guy who has a 200 amp Hobart that the rheostat handles pulls out. You plug an extension cord into the back of it and into a receptacle where the handle was and now you have a remote. His has directions on how to do this printed on the rheostat. I don't know if this will help or not, yours may not do this either.

Chris

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 04-21-2013 16:45

That is neat. Never seen that one. Mine simply uses a pot going to the power conditioning board. It is a pretty easy fix, should have done this a long time ago. I am just putting a pot in a cast aluminum box running back to the machine through an xlr connector then to a 3dpt on/on switch that connects to the board and both pots. Mine is a 3020g BTW, 400amp output 100% duty cycle. I just dropped the pan and replaced the gasket, I will be needing a flywheel soon :eek:

. I really would like to find the sending unit for the fuel tank...I tried some parts off an old Ford truck I had laying around but it was not the right resistance range. Be nice to make up some new sheet metal for her and get replace that goofy muffler (it is loud) but that won't make it run better so it will wait.

By FixaLinc (****)

Date 04-21-2013 19:41

Tommy, You may already know about Ohmite they make many OEM electrical parts and are a good source when making something like that yourself or when OEM supplier no longer has the switch or part many times find Ohmite made it for them and can still supply it. Most wholesale electronic or electrical businesses are dealers for Ohmite being able to order it for you. For industrial, truck, ag mufflers Thomure can make about anything you want. I've had them custom make straight pipes with the aspirator air cleaner tube on all one piece bent with custom flange if needed. Stanley, Donaldson, & AP supply all kinds of industrial mufflers too. Some of the water well drillers here have some old Hobarts on their drilling rigs and won't sell those. While back when they rigged up some new trucks I saw the old Hobarts went back on.

http://www.ohmite.com/

http://www.thomuremanufacturing.com/

http://www.stanleymuffler.com/

http://www.donaldsonfilters.com/pages/products/exhaust.aspx

http://www.apexhaust.com/index.php/Catalogs