Re: Carbon arc -- now what?


"Andrew H. Wakefield" <ahw@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:d4f8b$42e41d23$3f13c75d$29128@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Yes, I know about the air gouging system; what I'm referring to is
somewhat
> different. Apparently it used to be quite common to have a carbon-arc
torch
> to go with your buzz box for heating metal, but it's hard to find them
now,
> or at least I haven't found anyone locally who sells them. I think the
> gouges may be more commonly available now than the torches.
>
> Andy
>
I have a carbon arc torch somewhere around here that I bought at Montgomery
Wards, back in the day when they were in competition with Sears in the tool
department, And there were no places in the American heartland such as
Northern, Snap-On, NAPA, Enco, MSC, Grainger's, or Harbor Freight. I would
guess late '60's or early '70's was when I bought an AC buzz box welder from
them. I just threw this buzz box on the trash pile a last month, it still
worked, but the case was about rusted away, and it probably wasn't real
safe, besides I finally bought a new AC/DC welder..

It came with two electrode holders. One was a single electrode holder that
you could use regular rods with for welding or a single carbon rod for
gouging, brazing, or spot welding. The other electrode holder held two
carbon rods, one on each leg and was used for heating items. The legs were
moveable, were spring loaded and the tips would come together something like
tweezers when you squeezed the handle together. First you fastened the
carbons into the tips and adjusted them so the tips were about an inch
apart, IIRC with the angle set narrow for a long arc and shallow for a wide
arc. You would strike an arc by squeezing the handle to bring the two tips
together. The arc was really bright, and there was a little dark smoke, and
a slight dark residue (burnt carbon?) would be left on the items heated or
welded. The carbon rods it used ranged in size from about ¼" to ½" and would
last several hours. Carbons were considered non-consumable electrodes but
they were consumed but at a fairly slow rate.


.

Relevant Pages

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