CARBON ARC WELDING AND BRAZING

[Volp]

I have just acquired an old carbon arc attachment to my AC stick welder.
Is anyone still using this for welding and brazing?:ashamed:

Have you any advise on how to use it and the pros and cons!
I know it is old technology but it seems to work.
Looking forward to answers from one old-timer to another! :teacher:

 

[Baby Grand]

A good video here:
Demonstration of The Carbon Arc Torch - YouTube
Looks like it's useful for metal forming & general heating.
I used carbon arc gouging equipment at a welding job many years ago.
It use a single electrode and had a jet that hooked up to a compressed air supply.
The electrode heated the metal and the air jet blew a hole through the puddle.
It worked great on metals that didn't cut well with oxy-acetylene.

 

[rankrank1]

I have just acquired an old carbon arc attachment to my AC stick welder.
Is anyone still using this for welding and brazing?:ashamed:

Have you any advise on how to use it and the pros and cons!
I know it is old technology but it seems to work.
Looking forward to answers from one old-timer to another! :teacher:

First and foremost a Twin Carbon arc torch is a totally different process than a carbon gouge so do not confuse the two as they are apples and oranges.

A twin Carbon arc torch can do everything a oxy/acetylene torch can do except cut metal -and it does it for pennies where ocxy/acet is expensive. Twin carbon arc has even more btu potential than oxy/acetylene. Twin carbon arc can heat metal for bending, free rusted nuts with or without flame (no flame mode useful around sensitive paint), brazing, silver soldering, and even improvised flame fill weld kinda tig style if you are really skilled. AGAIN TWIN CARBON ARC WILL NOT CUT METAL. (Carbon Gouging or ArcAir will cut metal but that is a different process and you need a big welder to do it).

PROS: Really Really Really Cheap to use. (No expensive gas to buy or store no expensive bottles to buy or lease)

CONS: None. Except having to cover all exposed skin or you will get severe sunburn (I cover my skin when welding anyway) and having to wear your welding helmet. It does take some skill to achieve the flame shape that you want, but even a total hack like me can easily produce a flame similar to oxy/acet with a rosebud tip which is what I use most. While twin carbon arc can do most of what oxy/acet can do it will be cruder and harder to use, but again it operates for nearly free.

Here is link to another site where I (and others) also talk about Twin Carbon Arc.

Weld Talk Message Board and Online Forum - Hobart Welders

 

[Volp]

Thanks rankrank1, your welding link was full of interesting and useful information!:thumbsup:
As you say oxy/acetylene is quite expensive but useful for cutting, especially heavy material. I intend to use the carbon arc at our place in Mallorca there I only have a AC transformer welder.:earth:

 

[Arc weld]

I think having to wear a welding helmet with a dark lens would be a con. You wouldn't be able to see as well.

 

[Willl]

I used carbon arc gouging equipment at a welding job many years ago.

Me too. Way to many hours of it. Nasty stuff.

 

[Volp]

I think having to wear a welding helmet with a dark lens would be a con. You wouldn't be able to see as well.

No problem if you use a Auto-darkening Welding Helmet which is cheap on Ebay:thumbsup:

 

[R W]

The main problem your going to have with a carbon arc set up is the non availability of the correct carbon rods.

 

[Ed of all trades]

My dad had one many moons ago, wish I had it now.

 

[Volp]

My dad had one many moons ago, wish I had it now.

You can build one yourself.
In the link given by rankrank1 http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/showthread.php?42262-Carbon-Arc-Torch there are two sets of plans, the first Make a carbon arc torch for your 220 volt stick welder is simpler :construction: and the second Popular Science - Google Books more advanced.:blacksmith: