MMA on thin metals

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

Following on from the welding in the workshop article in MEW, I have a MMA set but now need to weld some thin material which one would usually use I suppose MIG.  However, I would rather not splash out on a MIG set at the moment if I can afford it.

There is an item known as a ‘Body Welding Attachment’ for a MMA set which is advertised as being able to weld using MMA down to 22g(?), using a pulsating action with 1.6mm rods.

Anyone have any experience using such an attachment?  Is it worth buying?

Out of interest, my MMA set, which I have had for many years, used to suffer from overheating when using large rods for extended periods, giving rises to enforced cooling off periods of about an hour.  I fitted a fan out of an old computer to give a forced air flow over the set and since then, no more overheating! 

Chris 

Edited By ChrisH on 27/05/2009 10:33:41

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

[AndyPParticipant @andyp13730]

I believe I had such an attachment many year ago and never got on with it well, but then my arc welding isn’t up to much either!

I had far more joy from what I believe was called a “carbon arc” device – 2 copper covered carbon rods in a holder with one wire from the set to each rod. It generates a sort of electric flame and you weld rather like a gas set with ordinary filler wire.

Then I got seduced by the joys of oxy-acetylene and never looked back.

 

Cheers, Andy

[Clive1958Participant @clive1958]

I agree with the above regarding the carbon arc attachment having used one very successfully, it may also be worth trying your existing set-up but with a piece of copper held in place to the rear, this acts as a heatsink and makes it near impossible to blow a hole through as long as the plate is thick enough, ive used the method several times with success.

 

Clive

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