And what's better than having one connecting rod?---Well of course, it's having two connecting rods. Now I have to go and chase down bearings and plates. Somehow I managed to get my posts out of order here, but that's okay.
Thumper--a 1 3/8" bore i.c. engine
- Thread starter Brian Rupnow
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Enjoy your new welder Bryan!
John W
John W
Brian Hutchings
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Someone mentioned subscribing so that they can keep up to date; how does one do that?
Brian (neither hot nor cold)
Brian (neither hot nor cold)
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by just posting to the thread. that's all it takes then you get email notices / alerts on this site in the upper right corner of the page when someone replies or adds new stuff to the thread.
when you posted it subscribed you to the thread automaticly. so that's why I posted so I would know when new info was posted.
cold and rainy here........edit - I think its called "watched" threads not subscribed which is what I called it.
Brian Hutchings
Well-Known Member
Many thanks.
Brian
Brian
Brian, I look forward to hearing about your experience with the new TIG welder. I recently upgraded from a fairly simple DC-only TIG welder to an AC-DC with all sorts of settings available - and some of those, especially pulse, have been very useful already, though I still have a long ways to go in learning the best way to set it up for various tasks.
As an example of how pulse can help, I tried TIG welding a broken bandsaw blade with the new welder. In the past, I've occasionally been able to do that, but more often than not have blown out a piece of the blade. With the new welder, using pulse, it was easy-peasy.
Is your welder one that uses all-digital control for the various settings, or does it use analog knobs? Mine is the latter ... and I'm still debating whether I wish I would have spent the extra money for the former. The downside of the digital-only controls, from what I can tell, is that you have to cycle through all of the settings to see what they are; the upside is you get precise control. The downside of the analog controls is that it is a bit of guesswork to get the exact setting you want, but you can see how everything is set by glancing at the various knobs.
As an example of how pulse can help, I tried TIG welding a broken bandsaw blade with the new welder. In the past, I've occasionally been able to do that, but more often than not have blown out a piece of the blade. With the new welder, using pulse, it was easy-peasy.
Is your welder one that uses all-digital control for the various settings, or does it use analog knobs? Mine is the latter ... and I'm still debating whether I wish I would have spent the extra money for the former. The downside of the digital-only controls, from what I can tell, is that you have to cycle through all of the settings to see what they are; the upside is you get precise control. The downside of the analog controls is that it is a bit of guesswork to get the exact setting you want, but you can see how everything is set by glancing at the various knobs.
My new welder has analog controls. I haven't used it, just unpacked it, made sure nothing was broken or missing, read all the instructions, and watched "how to" videos on YouTube. I have to check out my electrical supply. I have one 220 volt outlet in my garage, that runs either my air compressor or my old Lincoln tombstone welder. Apparently this new welder can do TIG or plain stick welding. I may sell the old Lincoln tombstone and the helmet that goes with it, just to free up some room in my garage. It is still heavy winter here and my garage isn't heated.
I own the Everlast PowerTIG 250ex and it has the best of both worlds in a main power knob with an LED display, and analog knobs for pulse, peak and frequency knobs, as well as analog for the remaining spot timer, up current down current, etc.
My TIG education was on a Lincoln IdealArc transformer welder back in 1972, and this new IGBT technology with adjustable frequency control is nothing short of miraculous! Back in the day, you had no control over arc wander and penetration, 60Hz was it. Now I have an almost infinite control over electrode positive and negative balance, and dialing in penetration vs. cleaning on aluminum makes for great welding.
I’ll have to try using it for welding a broken bandsaw blade as suggested. Problem is, I tend to wear them out before they break!
Now, back on topic. Brian, will you be using cast iron rings on this engine? If so, are you making your own or buying pre-made?
Thanks for the great project!
John W
Camp Verde, AZ USA
billco
Member
The machine I upgraded to is also an Everlast, and has nearly identical controls to your PowerTIG 250ex, but it is a three-in-one (plasma, stick, TIG): https://www.everlastgenerators.com/product/multi-process-tig-stick-plasma/powerpro-205si. The only difference I can see in the controls is the air pressure regulator instead of the spot welder control. Mine also tops out at 200 amps rather than 250, but that is as much as I have ever needed. And I got it on an incredible Black Friday sale, so saved a couple of hundred off of the regularly-discounted price!
Brian, I tried to look up the welder you bought; I'm not entirely sure I have found the right one, but it looks like you may not have all of the bells and whistles that a41capt and I are talking about. It does look like there is a switch that enables some sort of pulse, with either one or two fixed settings; I can't find any information on what those settings might be. It will be interesting to hear how useful this is without the ability to adjust the on/off percentages, background amps, and so on. But all that said, I did quite nicely for years with my DC-only TIG welder that lacked even a fixed-setting pulse control. Just having the ability to adjust as you go with the foot pedal is a game-changer. The only reason I upgraded to my new machine was the need for AC in order to weld aluminum.
I predict you will get lots and lots of use and enjoyment out of the new welder. Before you sell the tombstone, check the duty cycle for the new welder and for the old tombstone - I keep a massive old Marquette transformer machine on hand purely for those times when I need to lay down a lot of weld (stick welding) and don't want to worry about duty cycle.
BTW, as far as electrodes, I wouldn't bother with switching between various types for DC vs. AC; that used to be needed when the only choices were thoriated and pure, but these days you can do very nicely using 2% lanthanated electrodes for everything you do.
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Brian,
If you’ve got the room, keep your Lincoln BuzzBox as a backup so you don’t have to tear down your TIG unit for a quick AC stick weld job. I kept my Miller Thunderbolt for the same reason when I upgraded, and while a DC welder is preferable for mild steel stick welding work, the convenience of plugging in and running a bead is a lot like having multiple lathes!
John W
If you’ve got the room, keep your Lincoln BuzzBox as a backup so you don’t have to tear down your TIG unit for a quick AC stick weld job. I kept my Miller Thunderbolt for the same reason when I upgraded, and while a DC welder is preferable for mild steel stick welding work, the convenience of plugging in and running a bead is a lot like having multiple lathes!
John W
In keeping with my "Make at least one part a day" policy, here is todays part. It is the cylinder mounting plate. Nothing really fancy here, but quite a few holes in different places. Thank God for DRO's.
I am going to buy the cast iron rings for this engine. I really suck at making rings, I only need two, and they are only $5 each---
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Brian, I too have the Everlast 250ex, great welder and Duncan at Everlast is super to deal with. If you are replacing your helmet, Princess Auto has a great auto-darkening helmet, it's a lot more expensive than the old style green ones but the view has nearly no color until the arc is struck, I got mine on sale for about $150 and well worth the price.
Actually, I lucked out. As part of the promotion for this welder, I got a free auto darkening adjustable power welding helmet.
Auto-darkening helmets - what a great invention! Great that you got one with the welder.
This mornings work yielded up a finished baseplate and a muffler. Neither were difficult parts to make. I have to head downtown to the nut and bolt shop now, and do a bunch of searching for the correct receptacle box to plug my new tig welder into.
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on your mufflers, I notice some similarity with ones on your other engines. is there packing material or holes drilled on an internal pipe or is it just a straight pipe? didn't know if its one piece or multi piece with some sort of silencing effect?
Nah, its solid aluminum with a hole through the center. It's cosmetic only.
Okay, for a minute there I was confused - wouldn't a solid aluminum piece block all of the exhaust gas?!? Then I read it again and saw the "hole through the center." Whew!
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