ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

makes sense, can't wait to get started. As a hobbiest, is it really worth keeping the water cooled setup? I have aircooled torches as well, and could use to put a few bucks back in my pocket. Towing home a bus in the very near future.

fusername wrote:makes sense, can't wait to get started. As a hobbiest, is it really worth keeping the water cooled setup? I have aircooled torches as well, and could use to put a few bucks back in my pocket. Towing home a bus in the very near future.

If you ever think you may want to try your hand at aluminum, keep the WC torches.
You will appreciate it in <30 seconds at >150A.

Ditch the aircooled if you need a few bucks, but perhaps keep ONE in case your WC setup takes a dump.
(They are very reliable if kept up)

NEVER use the WC torches w/o water flow--- the hose/cable will fry quick w/o cooling water flow.
(It's much smaller and more flexible for the ratings, allowed by water cooling)
I put a flowmeter on mine.

I have a 25' aircooled CK9 ultraflex on my 181i, but I was tempted to make up a mini-cooler to match and use the spare WC20 I have. (I went with the 9 as it takes all the same consumables as a WC20)

I might use today to take inventory of what I got. I think it came w/ 5+ heads, and I really don't know wahts what. The water pump is brand new (just the pump) so that's slick. its got some kind of anti-freeze in it, so it will survive the winter. Gotta call the guy I bought it from and ask again what it was. Green, I'm sure its automotive. Also gotta ask if he remembers what all lthe damn rod is. came with a LOT of rod.

tank came in, not as hefty as I expected. unboxing it now and then I'm gonna come up w/ a mount for it. probably just tie it to the wall somewhere I can reach, just as soon as I find the flow regulator. Looks like I need to move the water pump tho, the wires don't reach the plug on the front of the welder. Why the heck idd they put them at chest level on the front? low and on a side would make a lot more sense. might punch a hole in the side panel and move the outlet there, since I have the water pump neatly stored behind it right now.

110v widowmakers are cheap... I'd just buy//make a longer power cord.
How was it set up before?

I made up some really simple bottle wall mounts (use with nylon bottle straps) using some scrap aluminum unistrut and some 1/2" aluminum rod. (didn't need a welding cart or running gear (traditional first job for a new welder) so I made those)

You can buy similar wall mounts cheap, but that's beside the point.

later you'll be trying to tell me you can buy a welding table as well. This is crazy talk. How do you mean 110v widowmaker? unclear on what you are saying.

thats how it was setup in his shop, but it fit EXACTLY between my door and a column w/ a table on the other side, so the pump would either need to go infront or behind it. PS no cooling slots are blocked for this setup, so it will run fine, just a question of useable floor space for me.
I guess I could just use a few feet of the power cord my cousin ran over w/ the lawnmower to replace and extend the water pump cable, but its orange and lacks the subtlty of a black cord And where is the fun in owning something if you can't cut holes in it?

I have the same water cooler, it sits on top of the machine in my case.

Steve Arndt wrote:I have the same water cooler, it sits on top of the machine in my case.

As do I, Bernard cooler sits on top of my syncro on a SS cover with the cable... storage ...bits on either side. Someone did a nice job on it, I cannot take credit.

(There's another brand that looks very similar from that angle)

A "widowmaker" is simply a power cord with plug on one end and unterminated bare wires on the other...

ah, well I don't trust it with an unexpected leak ontop of that much electricity, so I think I will keep her behind it. I found my leftover MC wire, I might just use that for the nice safety bump that gives.

Also I am looking at an old engine block and wondering if I can make a nice wall mount out of it. would be quaint, and some fun heavy alu welding practice

As long as the old engine block is T4 or WBX, knock yourself out.

If it's mag... Price mag TIG wire, and have lots of sand handy.

welding a mag case, thats gotta be, uh, exciting. I tried casting a mag trans case, was like casting coral.