Sailing with a welder aboard?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

Sounds like a good way to cover the cost of diesel and sailcloth! But a 12kw genset is more than I'd want to carry...it might throw out my trim...

The little Miller I posted a link to runs off of 120V 15A. That's only 1800W, pretty sure a Honda 2000 would run one, and it is a high quality TIG machine, but I don't think it will do aluminum, will run both carbon and stainless steels very well though.

[Freedom45]

I have a Miller Dynasty 200dx, tig welder, will weld aluminum.
The specs show 1/4 inch, I think it will weld a little thicker materials than that., will run off 110vac - 460vac

[dive]

Originally Posted by Freedom45

I have a Miller Dynasty 200dx, tig welder, will weld aluminum.
The specs show 1/4 inch, I think it will weld a little thicker materials than that., will run off 110vac - 460vac

Is it 110V or 220V or engine driven and how much do they cost?

Dive

[Freedom45]

Originally Posted by dive

Is it 110V or 220V or engine driven and how much do they cost?

Dive

The dynasty will work(automatically) to whatever power source you plug it into,
you would have to change the plug. It will work on 110vac just fine.Cost? 3k range In think. I don't have mine on the boat, but could easily accommodate it onboard, it's a portable unit.

Chuck

[knottygurl]

I have the thermal arc fabricator 211 runs on 10 or 220 which I power with a 10k genset. I have made up a double plug which can be used to make 220 from two 110 outlets.
So far all is working great just need a bigger boat but that is on the way.
The unit does stick mig and tig and aluminium mig. Cost 1800 and will do 3/8 plate with ease.

[Sailormantx]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Brent Swain, in his book, had a lash up to weld off an alternator.

Gotta find that book.

Brent is active on yahoo groups "origamiboats", should be able to contact him there.
Dave

[dive]

Originally Posted by Freedom45

The dynasty will work(automatically) to whatever power source you plug it into,
you would have to change the plug. It will work on 110vac just fine.Cost? 3k range In think. I don't have mine on the boat, but could easily accommodate it onboard, it's a portable unit.

Chuck

I have a small miller welder that is 110/220 that does tig and stick and it is about 12"long, 5"wide by about 12" high but it doesn't have the high frequency that is needed to do aluminum. It is easy to stow on board along with a small argon bottle but I would really like to be able to do aluminum as well. Any idea what the demensions are on your unit?

Rick

[Freedom45]

Originally Posted by dive

I have a small miller welder that is 110/220 that does tig and stick and it is about 12"long, 5"wide by about 12" high but it doesn't have the high frequency that is needed to do aluminum. It is easy to stow on board along with a small argon bottle but I would really like to be able to do aluminum as well. Any idea what the demensions are on your unit?

Rick

Dynasty 200
H: 13.5 in. (343 mm)
W: 7.5 in. (191 mm)
D: 17.5 in. (445 mm)

You need AC to weld aluminum, steel uses DC. The dynasty does both.

Chuck

[captain58sailin]

If you are going to carry a welder, make sure you can weld alum, ss, and carbon steel. Most boats will have some sort of stainless that needs repaired and that can be done with stick, but a wire feed unit would work better all around if you get one that runs aluminum too. Hobart makes a small wire feed that will run on 110v. I have a genset so can power a big enough unit to weld all the disicplines without running down my batteries.

[nofacey]

I've been using an Everlast 205 - AC/DC Tig with pulse, stick, plasma arc. Will do 1/4 alum, 3/8 mild steel, cuts great.....but you'll need a 6kW generator (buddy is running his on 8kW, and has some room) and a tank of argon, plus an air compressor if you want to run plasma arc.

I'm wrestling to understand how a 15a, 120vac plug will supply enough power to weld 1/4 aluminum......my personal experience is that it takes 220vac power to do a good job on something more than sheet metal.

I'd love an answer to this post - as we'd like to be able to use the welding skills gained in building our babe!

[a64pilot]

I don't understand how you can get enough heat from 1800 watts to weld .25" mild steel plate either, but I've seen t done. Seems like magic. You know free lunch, something from nothing? I have not seen aluminum welded with 1800 watts though, the machine we have lacks the high frequency to do it, others I think can.
I use watts as that levels the playing field as far as power, volts become irrelevant. Example in Europe 220V means something entirely different than in the US, in Europe we're really talking 220V, in the US, it's just two 110V lines.

[tropicalescape]

I bought a kit that you hook to your alternator to weld small jobs ,never used it ,I keep it in my 71 ford bronco,but would work on the boat i am told ,there is a fellow on CF that says he built his boat with one and even posted photos ,i think it was one of the "Oragami"(sp?)boats..

[hpeer]

I'm kinda thinking if you have the welder, someone will have the power, esp if a bigger job is needed.

[captain58sailin]

Even if you could repair a broken alternator mounting bracket, that would be big job, if you were in the middle of nowhere.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

Even if you could repair a broken alternator mounting bracket, that would be big job, if you were in the middle of nowhere.

Indeed. I feel that with a steel boat, I'd be missing an opportunity to be able to do quick 'n' dirty "get you to the next port" repairs. I plan to start with thin steel plate and wire-feed this winter, and move to 1/4" aluminum plate and gas later on.

I've met a few steel boat guys, and it's about 1/3 "have a welder aboard", 1/3 "wish I had a welder aboard" and 1/3 "wife wants a Beneteau 43 with a swim platform instead".