[vaporloc]

A friend of mine was telling me that there is an attachment that fits onto a mig welder and turns it into a spot welder. Somehow it goes on the wire feed end, you place it to where you want the spot weld and pull trigger, count to three and release trigger. Say's it makes good welds. Never saw one, went to NAPA and there tool and accessories books shows nothing like it. I need one to do the body work on my corvair turbo car since everything body wise is unit body spot welds. I have a stick AC/DC stick welder and a mig welder so really don't want to buy a spot welder if I don't have to. Anyone seen one or better yet have a photo of what one looks like?

 

[Joe]

Vaporlock,
It is a Different Gas Cone.The one for that has a Slot cut on both Sides.You clean the Metal put it where you want to Spot and Pull the Trigger.If your Welder has the Timer for Spot you set that.If not you Count as you Know.I dont like the set up,but that is how it works.
Joe

 

[JJ66-Dad]

Eastwood has one for an ARC welder...
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1227&itemType=PRODUCT

so I can get an attachment for the MIG???

 

[TechNova]

The attachment is basically a different nozzle as Joe said, to hold the tip and a fixed distance. Some have timers also.
You can do much better with a regular Mig setup.
Your metal thicknesses can vary, even the same thicknesses are not all the same do to grinding etc.
If you are trying to count to 3 for all you will burn thru on some, not get enough on others.
We had one on a Miller with a couple of timer adjustments and it was about worthless. Much easier to do by feel and practice. If you were welding all new virgin metal like in a mfg. plant it may work out OK.
Practice making plug welds with 5/16" holes, it's not that hard.

 

[vaporloc]

I knew I could count on good advise from steve's website. I think I will go with the deal from eastwood. You can never have to many tools. Thanks very much. Vapor

 

[Real McCoy]

I have several of the mig tips with the slots in them for spot welding. The only advantage I found was you can press the metal together with the tip while you are pulling the trigger. I just spot with the standard tip now and don't even use those slotted tips. RM

 

[Craigert]

spot welds

From my most inexperienced standpoint the easiest point to remember you only need a small hole and gentle touch. Punch a hole with a new tool then. A flanger/hole punch will fill your need for a new tool and then weld away with your mig like usual.

 

[TechNova]

From my most inexperienced standpoint the easiest point to remember you only need a small hole and gentle touch. Punch a hole with a new tool then. A flanger/hole punch will fill your need for a new tool and then weld away with your mig like usual.

Yes, but a 5/16" hole. Alot of cheapy punches are 1/4", too small to get a good plug weld, especially for structural areas.

 

[vaporloc]

I believe my holes will end up being 3/8". What I have found on my 66 Corsa Turbo car is the front fenders had some rust issues that someone in the past has repaired with plates and pop riveted them in. I went out and bought a 66 Monza 2dr. hardtop that has no rust anywhere.(It is kind of a shame to cut this car up). I decided dollars and sense wise I'am ahead of the game to just parts this car out after priceing fenders. It has perfect doors, no rust. Mine has some rust issues on both sides at the bottom. Also mine has some rust holes that were patched in the floor pans while this parts car has (if you can imagine) perfect floor pans. I figure the Matching numbers Turbo car is worth about 5 times what this monza would be worth even restored. My spot weld cutting drill but cuts a 3/8" hole threw top panel.