Microwave oven arc welder

Posted Sep 21st 2006 2:04AM by Will O'Brien
Filed under: misc hacks

Today I'm jonsing for my mig welder that was lost during a move. Remember the microwave oven foundry? If you've got a few old ovens around, you can gut em and build an arc welder. The transformers generate the voltage, and an SCR circuit makes the arc adjustable. Of course if arc isn't your style, you can build your own TIG welder. Since you can score an arc for $150-300, but a TIG costs more - I'd go TIG.

Reader Comments

(Page 1)

1. i'm scared...that'd be pretty cool, though

Posted at 3:57PM on Sep 21st 2006 by evo31337

2. thats so cool awsome trick have 2 welders myself but shop bought mig and ark even though not many pepole use ark now its such a good idea would love to see more of this kind of stuff on hackaday its so usefull .steve

Posted at 6:09PM on Sep 21st 2006 by steve

3. that.... is amazing

Posted at 7:38PM on Sep 21st 2006 by trebuchet03

4. I am almost sure that this was already listed, if not just a link to his site (the homemade foundry comes to mind), but fun none the less ;)

I am also trying to figure out where Elliot went... Seems like it has been too long for him to just have been attending Fabienne...

Posted at 8:00PM on Sep 21st 2006 by ...

5. That looks extremely dangerous. Very scary.

Posted at 10:03PM on Sep 21st 2006 by Funny Commercials

6. soo i guess theres nothing on makeing a tig welder? /confused

Posted at 1:23AM on Sep 22nd 2006 by Chupa

7. So how exactly do you lose a welder? Mislabel a box??

btw, sweet hack.

Posted at 7:58AM on Sep 22nd 2006 by olderty

8. just built it the other day. works ok, but another one a friend tried that uses an alternator and a large electric or gas motor seems to work better, at least in terms of amperage, although this tends to maintain a given amperage more consistantly. I'll be honest, I'm no welding god, but if you have the parts around and feel like risking your own death, either one of these is a possiblity, as is the trucker welder.

Posted at 9:30AM on Sep 22nd 2006 by gcc

9. nice hack!

But steve, how could you like this, it has none of teh leds!!1111ononeoneeleven

-Fragged

Posted at 9:40AM on Sep 22nd 2006 by Fragged

10. (Who's more foolish, the fool, or the fool that follows him?)

This does look scary, but it's still awesome if it's getting results. I wish I had the space to build what I would build with stuff like this...

Posted at 10:01AM on Sep 22nd 2006 by strider_mt2k

11. Hmmm...I was just at this site yesterday

It must be fate

Must electro...wait, I mean, Build arc welder...

Posted at 10:41AM on Sep 22nd 2006 by red

12. FYI, TIG without AC/high freq start totally sucks. >_<

There's not much that can replace a real, purpose-built welder.

Posted at 1:14PM on Sep 22nd 2006 by Vrogy

13. Aldi sells an new arc welder with 5 electrodes welding mask and apron and a "how to weld" guide at my local shop . Priced £34.99 or about $66.50 for all you americans out there which would probably be a lot cheaper than buliding this unless you had almost all of the parts already.

Posted at 4:04PM on Sep 22nd 2006 by crizlax

14. what happens if you tuch the arc?
because on DOOM, you flew like to like mars maybe?
that wont happen right?

Posted at 6:46PM on Sep 22nd 2006 by mahder bitch

15. I wonder if you could combine this hack and the "melt metals in the microwave" hack and build your own electric arc furnace?

Posted at 12:17AM on Sep 23rd 2006 by Jonathan Wilson

16. Um, post another hack.
I don't think the east coast got a hack on the 22nd.

Posted at 12:29AM on Sep 23rd 2006 by mastershake916

17. HACKADAY! You have failed! There is no hack TODAY. How can it be a hack a day without a hack a day? Hackaday has steadily been turning to shit lately.

Posted at 1:21AM on Sep 23rd 2006 by Crash

18. dan is literally the man. he has some great stuff on his site, i wish he'd do a mig so i could copy the design

Posted at 2:47AM on Sep 26th 2006 by Monster

19. Professional welding equipment. http://www.millerwelds.com

Posted at 1:03PM on Sep 30th 2006 by Your AD Here.

20. Thanks for your comments, all of you. I would like to point out to the panicky scared folks that the microwave transformers are MODIFIED (er, hacked) to provide LOW voltage at high amps. They are no longer the HIGH voltage hazard as in their original use.

I'd like to say this to the fine citizen that wondered what happens if you touch the arc: same thing that happens if you touch the arc on any welder, homebuilt or not. All electric welders are electrocution hazards, duh!

Posted at 6:45PM on Oct 27th 2006 by dan

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