Building a Welding Positioner

[HCF]

Originally Posted by MikeGyver

I use a positioner at work and the chuck being a huge chunk of metal has never once become even warm. I don't know what kind of serious welding you'd be doing

Not sure if this helps or not but our positioners are chain drive. I do heavy casting repair and when you put a 10k pound part on a turn table, generalized pre heat at 350-400*F then run 3/32" dual shield at 410A out of two guns for the next 20-30 hours, EVERYTHING gets hot. I'm getting side tracked now. I think that this set up will work nicely for the garage projects. Don't mean to go on and on. Looking forward to the progress on this build.

Ground Question

I think it's tweco that builds a roto ground set up that you can mount to almost anything. I'll try and find a link.

[Thorton]

VIDEO of Jancy Roto Star Welding Positioner

VIDEO of Jancy Roto Star Welding Positioner

Website of Jancy Roto Star Models

Jancy Roto Star Welding Positioner.. I bought mine off eBay for around $3000.. Very happy with it - then again I would probably be happy with any other tiny welding positioner..

I use it for practice roll welding pipe and roll welding exhaust pieces.

[mafiacustomz]

WOW 3000 off ebay i would hate to know how much it would cost new.

[Mondo]

I'm sorry. There is a Jancy Roto Star 1 positioner on ebay now for $2195:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jancy-Roto-S...item1c25e54440
Shipping extra.

Take two, they're small!

- Mondo

[Thorton]

Ah yes, "that" was the price I paid.. I don't know why I said $3000, I must have been thinking something different.

I bought mine from the exact seller - "Tricktools" Very happy with them., anytime you have a question, they are very helpful, sincere and they respond back very quickly.

[MikeGyver]

We use a Rotostar 1 with a variable pedal at work. It's awesome
My goal is to build something as compact and fuctional for 7 times cheaper.

Since I'm not going to be chucking up nuclear submarines or death star or welding with volcanic flows of lava, I think it will be more than adequate.

[VPT]

I've heard mention of using old sewing machine motors/controls for positioners. Anyone else?

I'd love me a little positioner.

[BCTimberwolf]

Originally Posted by VPT

I've heard mention of using old sewing machine motors/controls for positioners. Anyone else?

I'd love me a little positioner.

I'm getting ready to build one using a sewing machine motor and pedal off one of my wives old machines. Just have to do some funky gearing on it.

[VPT]

Originally Posted by BCTimberwolf

off one of my wives old machines.

Didn't you just buy her that machine like two months ago? Sneaky! lol

[Scott Young]

Now I would love to have a positioner like that one

[BCTimberwolf]

haha luckily it was messing up so I bought her a new one. It was all part of the plan and I cleared it with her to "make something useful" with it. Of course if she knew it was for the welding obsession I'm sure she would have different thoughts. I already have a jackshaft with 3/4x16 threads that my chucks from the wood lathe with fit right on to. Love it when a plan comes together.

[VPT]

Originally Posted by BCTimberwolf

haha luckily it was messing up so I bought her a new one. It was all part of the plan and I cleared it with her to "make something useful" with it. Of course if she knew it was for the welding obsession I'm sure she would have different thoughts. I already have a jackshaft with 3/4x16 threads that my chucks from the wood lathe with fit right on to. Love it when a plan comes together.

Its funny how many things must be replaced because they "can't be fixed" but then end up in the shop and get turned into something else. I can just hear the conversation "I don't know whats wrong with it, we'll just get a new one and I'll try to use this one for something." lol

My wifes old threadmill started acting up. I am pretty sure just the $50 board is shot but we had to get a new threadmill.

Still haven't decided what to do with the old threadmill. Nice DC motor, controls, all kids of neat little things in it.

[BCTimberwolf]

Man I finally tore into it and got the motor, switch, and light off. Now I'm going to have to figure out a way to make a pulley and gear it down far enough. It's kind of a pain not having a (metal)lathe or the south bend here when projects like this come around. Time to go hunting around in the junk to see what I can come up with.

[mjcother]

I looked through the thread two times for the parts list but did not see it.

I see this looks to be the motor ($59.99 +$16.96S&H):
6 RPM 12 VOLT DC HIGH TORQUE INLINE GEARMOTOR 5-1748
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=270917082369

a bit larger, and a bit less expensive ($24.95 + $15.45S&H)
Von Weise Fasco Gear Motor 12V with Brake
http://www.ebay.com/itm/200873470554


And for the chuck backing plates, I figured this would be the easy way:
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...ry=-1110836144



anyone want to help a brother out and provide a link for the 3/4" oilite bushings/locking collars?

-mike

[RaptorDuner]

Mike,
Do you have this positioner completed? pics?

Jason

[MikeGyver]

Unfortunately I haven't worked on it because I'm so busy now with my job. I haven't even been out in my garage in a couple months.
I want to modeling an articulating mount for it in solidworks instead of just slapping something together, so it's kind of on the backburner for the time being.

[MikeGyver]

Originally Posted by mjcother

I looked through the thread two times for the parts list but did not see it.

I see this looks to be the motor ($59.99 +$16.96S&H):
6 RPM 12 VOLT DC HIGH TORQUE INLINE GEARMOTOR 5-1748
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=270917082369

a bit larger, and a bit less expensive ($24.95 + $15.45S&H)
Von Weise Fasco Gear Motor 12V with Brake
http://www.ebay.com/itm/200873470554


And for the chuck backing plates, I figured this would be the easy way:
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...ry=-1110836144



anyone want to help a brother out and provide a link for the 3/4" oilite bushings/locking collars?

-mike

That first link is the motor that I used; it's suited very well for the purpose as far as final drive speed and torque. The bushings and collars are from ebay and were cheap. There is no parts list because I don't really know what this things going to end up looking like yet, I'm just kind of building it as I go.

[WookieWelding]

here is the one we built at work
uses a carbon and copper on the shaft for the work lead
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php...eld+positioner

[mjcother]

bushings:
Oilite Flange Bushing Bronze 3/4 id
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=350560091884

locking collars:
3/4" Shaft Collar~AxleShaft~Zinc Plated Steel
http://www.ebay.com/itm/390367006193