Lincoln SP125 Plus welder spot/stitch wanted

Greetings All, While looking for a manual for this welder I just bought I came across an options list for the thing. One option is a spot/stitch timer. I can see how this would be VERY useful welding thin materials. Further searching for one of these timers has been fruitless so far. I still may find one. However, I'd rather make my own just for fun. And If I need to end up buying one I'd rather buy one from someone here than some stranger. It's nice to keep some money circulating among the rcm denizens and my internet acquaintances. It looks like Lincoln no longer has the manual in hard copy to mail to me but they do have it in pdf format which I'm downloading as this is being written. Thank You, Eric R Snow

Reply to
Eric R Snow
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You'll probably have to build your own. For some reason, this option, seem to nolonger exist. I have an SP-150 with the spot/stitch option. The machine I bought was a floor model, so I got the option at no cost. I figured I might have a use it. After using it, I dont think I would want a machine without it.

I think it be easy to build. Maybe a solid state relay & a timmer, in series with the trigger. A switch for normal, spot, stitch. I think I would add an off timmer. On the SP-150 the on time & off time are the same, works fine.

I built a belt guard for a Roto-Hoe chipper/shreeder copy I made. It was about 36"x18"x4" 16ga. Very little warping, on something that would tied itself in a knot, otherwise.

Have you used a machine with the stitch option?

Now a question: Can stitch mode be used with an autodark helmet, without the helmet or operator going nuts?

Reply to
Gary A. Gorgen

On Tue, 09 May 2006 10:15:51 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, "Gary A. Gorgen" quickly quoth:

I would think that switching the helmet to the "slow" mode would solve that problem, Gary.

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See page 6 for some examples.

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

Greetings Gary, I came to the same conclusion today. Looking through my timer stuff I find one I built from a Velleman kit that fills the bill. All I need to do is change the pots to ones that can be used with knobs. I even have the knobs. I have not used a stitch timer before but can clearly see how it would be a good thing to have. How does the spot feature work? I can't see how it could be used as a spot welder because the voltage is too high and the amperage too low. Is it for plug welding? Eric

Reply to
Eric R Snow

The spot mode IS a plug spot. It uses the timmer in one-shot mode. I don't use it much, just aim & tickle the trigger. I made a spot nozzle from a 3/4" copper pipe coupling. Milled 4 1/4" slots on one end and sawed 4 slots on the other so it has a spring fit on the nozzle, works good on my Tweco gun.

If you build the timmer with variable on/off, build it in such a way that you can remove one of the pots, so on & off times are the same. The more I think about it, it may just be added complication.

If you can come up with a simple low-cost circuit, others here may want to use it. As I mentioned before, stitch mode does NOT exist on modern machines that I've looked at. I guess it was dropped because it didn't sell. It was a $400 option on my SP-150. If I had to pay for it I probably/ wouldn't have bought it.

Keep us posted on what you come up with.

Reply to
Gary A. Gorgen

As you can tell from my ignorance, I've never used an auto-dark helmet. I use a 1960 state-of-the-art nod-dark helmet.

Reply to
Gary A. Gorgen

If it turns out that the pulse and pause times are always the same I'll just gang the pots. I am keeping a list of parts and the cost, including shipping, of some mail order stuff. ERS

Reply to
Eric R Snow

Eric R Snow wrote: < snip >

I looked at the Idealarc SP-150 manual, my machine is 50 miles away currently. It HAS seperate controls for on & off times. So you need that. My head was someplace else when I wrote, you may not need it. Times for the SP-150 are .5 - 2 on, .25 - 1 off for stitch, .5 - 3 for spot. The dials are numbered 1 - 10, which doesn't help much. For thin material 22ga & up, you need short on times & long off times, to keep from buring through. Also, the gas has to flow while the trigger is on. I think this may help cool the weld zone & prevent oxidation, durring the off time. There is a huge difference using stitch vs. pulsing the trigger. When you start using it, it helps to have someone there to twiddle the times for you. Once you get it dialed in, just point the gun where it needs to be durring the off time, the machine sets the pace.

Reply to
Gary A. Gorgen

On Wed, 10 May 2006 04:59:45 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, "Gary A. Gorgen" quickly quoth:

Spend the money and get one. It -will- make you a better weldor immediately. Seriously. I was amazed at how much better I could -see- to weld and the few beads I've laid since then were better. This summer I'll be working on "good" and "excellent". ;)

I need to weld up some square steel framework for ceiling-hung (lightweight) shelving in the shop.

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

Thanks Gary for the info. The way my timer works means I should be able to have up to 5 second periods for both pulse and pause. Since I work alone I'll have to do the knob thing myself. That's no problem though. Eric

Reply to
Eric R Snow

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