Building A Tig Water Cooler For Dummies!!!

[Gravel]

http://www.google.com/#q=stainless+weld+bungs

[Robert Hall]

I found my some stainless bungs on Amazon, but I have some local places (hardware stores, but not big box) that have them too.

[rahtreelimbs]

Can someone tell me what size/kind of fittings a Procon pump uses?

[atg]

No but the shurflo pumps are 3/8" npt.

The B size LH thread adapters from Western are here:

http://www.brwtechnologies.com/mobil...ductCode=A-405

Home depot sells 1/4" to 3/8" adapters

[atg]

I have not figured out what sort of panel mount hose fittings will work though. I would like to oversize them to avoid any added circuit resistance.

[Robert Hall]

That was the hardest part for me.

[atg]

MikeGyver has some snazzy quick releases on his; I will dig back through the aluminum cart thread.

[Oscar]

I have not figured out what sort of panel mount hose fittings will work though. I would like to oversize them to avoid any added circuit resistance.

I used quick-release fittings from HTP---work great on the HTP Arctic chill cooler. I have the old fittings saved in a plastic baggie if anybody needs fittings

[Willie B]

I like the idea. Keep in mind that yhe tank doesn't have to be big. 1 cubic foot holds 8.34 gallons if I remember correctly. The Miller ones I have looked at hold between 1 and 3.5 gallons.
Looking forward to lots of good reference material here when I get ready to build one.

231 Cubic inches per US gallon. A cubic foot is 1728 Cu In 1728/231= 7.48051948051 Gallons Any rectangular tank is in inches L x W x H /231= gallons. Cylinders is Radius x Radius x 3.1416 x length/231= Gallons.
The one recommended for my Dynasty 280 DX is 1.3 gallons.
The coolant used sells for $30 per gallon. Don't go with a huge tank.
For a while I used sink water. My flow rate was about 3 gallons per hour. It worked fine. That's what Zapster's machine uses all the time.

[Gravel]

231 Cubic inches per US gallon. A cubic foot is 1728 Cu In 1728/231= 7.48051948051 Gallons Any rectangular tank is in inches L x W x H /231= gallons. Cylinders is Radius x Radius x 3.1416 x length/231= Gallons.
The one recommended for my Dynasty 280 DX is 1.3 gallons.
The coolant used sells for $30 per gallon. Don't go with a huge tank.
For a while I used sink water. My flow rate was about 3 gallons per hour. It worked fine. That's what Zapster's machine uses all the time.

Yeah, for some reason I keep swapping gallons/sq ft and pounds/gallon...

[rahtreelimbs]

Got the tank built today. Went 8" X 8" 11 ga. stainless. Worked out OK. I started walking the cup using 4043 1/16" filler rod..........switched to freehand.........ended up just freehand and fusing the corners. Using open corners this worked out well.

The first pic shows all sides (except for the top) tacked on the inside this allowed me to fold up all the sides making things pretty accurate.

The 3/8" bungs are actually a cast stainless pipe coupling cut in half.......worked out real cheap. The cap is a 3/4" nut and bolt.

I am leak testing it overnight.

[Gravel]

Nice job! Sorry I haven't been able to talk. You can call me any time this weekend.

[Gamble]

Looking good....**** if I can get some stainless sheet I may tackle this one too just for fun.

[Drf255]

Looks great RTL

[dcoffmanjr]

Got the tank built today. Went 8" X 8" 11 ga. stainless. Worked out OK. I started walking the cup using 4043 1/16" filler rod..........switched to freehand.........ended up just freehand and fusing the corners. Using open corners this worked out well.

The first pic shows all sides (except for the top) tacked on the inside this allowed me to fold up all the sides making things pretty accurate.

The 3/8" bungs are actually a cast stainless pipe coupling cut in half.......worked out real cheap. The cap is a 3/4" nut and bolt.

I am leak testing it overnight.

4043 filler? Typo, or welding genius?

[teachagmech]

It's the non-ferrous stainless filler rod. You've never heard of it?

OP, sweet project

[rahtreelimbs]

4043 filler? Typo, or welding genius?

Had aluminum on the brain. ....meant to say 308 stainless.

[gnm109]

I have two coolers. One is a Bernard 2500 that I rebuilt. It has a radiator and a 6" electric muffin fan since the new Procon drive motor had only one shaft. The original motor had a fan with a dual shaft motor but it wore out so I just used the single shaft motor with a fan. It works great.

My other one is home-built with ah 1/8" Wall SS tank. I made it too large (15 gallon) but I never run more than 5 gallons in it. It's also got a Procon pump and motor. There is no radiator and it has never needed one. You could weld all day with my Syncrowave 200 and ithe coolant would never even get warm. If I were to build another one, I'd make it no larger than about 5 gallons. That's all that you really need.

I formerly used Miller Coolant but gave up due to the cost. Nowadays, I use distilled water with a quart of GM Dex Cool. I've yet to have a problem. There are pressure gauges on each unit and they run 50-60 psi. That seems to be OK since I've yet to overheat a torch in more than 15 years.

I built the carts out of bed frames. The picture was when I was testing both units. I alternate them now and change them from time to time.

[MCE]

Nice. I like the small footprint.

Very small foot print. It fits underneath the welder on the portable cart.

Some of the ones I see above, you'd need a separate cart to haul them around.

[rahtreelimbs]

This is where I am at now. I have the the shroud mount built and the base as well as the tank. All I need now is the pump and motor.


I am mounting this on a separate cart......this is the reason for the dinse and gas line connection on the front of the panel.

I guess my aluminum welding is getting there.












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[ProFabActon]

I ran my machine for years on a total loss system.... I rigged a regulated water source, connected to the machine and out to the flower beds. I ran the water pressure at a point where discharge water was slightly warm when welding at a high setting.
It worked fine and had zero issues.

[ProFabActon]

Looks like a cool setup for a converting an small aircooled rig to liquid.

[AluminumWelder]

Lets say you have the sheet metal to make the liquid tank but have to buy everything else.
How much time and $$$ is spent making your own?
there are chineesse tig water coolers on ebay for $375, they are the same ones that everylast and longevity sell.

Help me determine what savings if any are achieved by DIY?

[gmakra]

You might want to move that fan out to were the blades are even with the shroud. The blade location were its at now; will make noise and chop air but not really move a lot of air. You could remake the bracket and flip the fan over so that the blades are level with the shroud since the direction of air flow make no difference.

[rahtreelimbs]

You might want to move that fan out to were the blades are even with the shroud. The blade location were its at now; will make noise and chop air but not really move a lot of air. You could remake the bracket and flip the fan over so that the blades are level with the shroud since the direction of air flow make no difference.

Thanx!!!