Spot welder vs. plug welding ?

[Lowhound]

Im working on a 70 Superbee. I just finished installing an entire front floorpan with plug welds useing my wire welder. However I just purchased a Eastwood spot welding tool which is really just an attatchment of sorts for an arc welder. I was hopeing on useing it to install my trunk pan. I was wondering if anyone has tried one of these types or will I be better off doing as I did the front pan?

 

[WileERobby]

If I think I know what you're talking about, get your money back. I'll keep my mig, thank you.

 

[66_B_Body4ever]

In order for a spot welder to be effective, it should be a STRSW (squeeze type resistant spot welder. Anything else is not very effective. A true, quality spot welder is out of the realm for the home hobbyist. Don't chance it, you don't want your car coming apart!

 

[scotts74birds]

I actually work at the factory, and I program and repair spot welding robots! So, do you trust me yet? With a home-owner grade spot welder, you WILL NOT get the SQUEEZE, HEAT, TIME, AND PENETRATION that you get from the factory. You will only end up with a "tack", not a deep solid weld nugget of about 5/16-3/8 diameter, as the factory designed it for. You will be miles ahead doing a good clamp around the area, and a solid plug weld. Finally, a question that I know something about!

 

[Lowhound]

Thanks for the replies to my question everyone .Its nice to get answers from people with actual experiance and not someone just repeating what they have heard or pretending to know something. This is the best web site ever. Iv owned many Mopars over the past 25yrs but I learn something new or better ways of doing things just by reading these threads.

 

[66_B_Body4ever]

I actually work at the factory, and I program and repair spot welding robots! So, do you trust me yet? With a home-owner grade spot welder, you WILL NOT get the SQUEEZE, HEAT, TIME, AND PENETRATION that you get from the factory. You will only end up with a "tack", not a deep solid weld nugget of about 5/16-3/8 diameter, as the factory designed it for. You will be miles ahead doing a good clamp around the area, and a solid plug weld. Finally, a question that I know something about!

Amen Scotts74...

 

[JohnMartyn]

I think if it were me doing the job I'd go with the spot welder as much as possible and use the mig/plug welds in the areas the tongs won't fit. spot welderis an expensive bit of kit.Plug welds are where we drill a hole in the panel to be fitted and then weld through the hole onto the exsisting metal. efectivly plugging the hole.

 

[Donny]

When I try to replicate the factory spot welds, I run a very hot torch, so hot that the entire piece almost just melts and falls apart -- the only way to get it done REALLY good.