OK, Tom W!
Still an airwound coil on 60 Hz and these currents would need a laminated ironplate E-core closed, like a transformer to act as a choke coil; that would create REACTANCE… and it would have iron losses too, creating heat…
Max
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If you use distilled water in a plastic bucket, it will not short out. Also if a piece of low carbon steel rod makes a difference, then a heater element will be too much resistance. Try a long piece of bandsaw blade.
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Hey Carl, are you saying current doesn’t flow through distilled water???
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Distilled water does have significantly lower electrical conductivity than even tap water.
Immersion in mineral oil (special types?) has been used for some computer cooling systems (high-end over-clocking performance nuts) since it’s fairly non-reactive to electronics.
cheap crappy ground clamp and the no bull replacement
The setup. coil made from wire hangar. very tricky to adjust heat, but works.
While we’re playing with old vice grips
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Brian nailed it. Battery acid is the opposite. We used to have a 100 hp motor that had start contacts immersed in oil to minimize arching on shut off.
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Distilled water is non-conductive. That would work until the water got contaminated with something.
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I know I am continuing this topic from a while ago, but I am getting a welder soon, and I was wondering what everybody thinks is needed or what would be too small. I was looking at the Eastwood 250 mig welder, this is on the more heavier duty side of welders, but I think it is okay for a wk gasifier build. I was also looking at the Eastwood 250 amp multi-process welder so that I could try mig, tig, and stick welding. What is everyone’s opinions on these welders, and are these good for a wk gasifier project?
Hi Tyler, Any decent mig welder will build a gasifier. More importantly is to practice on thin metal so you can run good seal beads with what ever welder you have. That being said, name brand welders are hard to beat, Hobart, Miller, Lincoln.
Ok, I heard Wayne talk about that before. I will definitely practice when I do get a welder. Thanks, Tyler.
I have a Sp 256 Linclon welder. It is very much on the commecial side. I got a good deal on it because it was the Demo model for Linclon. I like it, The only thing I would suggest is if you can find a welder with a stitch setting they are great for welding thin stuff .
Thanks Jakob, what is the thinnest and thickest metal I would be welding for the wk gasifier? Just wondering, and I looked at some slightly smaller welders like the millermatic 211, and I’m sure that would do the job for thinner and thicker materials, and with a name brand like miller, it will last longer. Thanks, Tyler.
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i bought a used snap on 212 amp single phase mig for 800 bucks. i can weld 1/4" inch all day at about 70 percent duty cycle, and 150 amps,i have welded my canteens off and then put my infered temp light too the transformers, runs nice and cool long as the cooling fan is running full speed. allways check the duty cycle, most of tve smaller migs brag big amps but only about 20 or 30 percent dutycycle at higher amps.
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Building my 2nd wk with an Eastwood 175 using.023 wire and shield gas. I like my welder also had good luck with the company when I had problems. DO NOT drag the welder around by the stinger it just plugs into the plastic wire feeder and is easily broken. Do not ask how I know this. 
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Good to know, the Eastwood welder I was looking at was a little bit bigger, their 250 amp model, and that has a 60% duty cycle at the full 250 amps, so at around 190 I think is the 100% duty cycle. Thanks, Tyler.
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The thinnest thing I can think of is ammo cans but you are usually welding that to barrels so if you adjust it properly you can direct most of your heat onto the barrel and just reachover and grab the ammo can with the weld. The thickest thing is the fire tube mine was 7/16 inch thick. I have a millermatic 135 115v welder gas sheild. It is A very good welder for the thinner stuff but it is difficult to use even on the 1/4 and 3/16 used on the Heat exchanger and rails.
I know there is many different opinions on which sheilding gas to use. I use strait co2, drink machine gas, exept for where it is really hard to weld on the thinner stuff where i need a better weld. I don’t notice much difference between the two except for, With co2 you will get burnt more from the spatter but you get used to it.
Definantly check the duty cycle I welded with one with a 25 % duty cycle at 50 A It was annoying because almost as soon as you Get going you duty cycle is gone. My miller 135 had a 50 % duty cycle at 47 A and I only ever ran it out a few times welding fins on the firetube. My linclon has a 40 % at 260A duty cycle and I have never run it out, because most of my welding is done with lower amps.
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Thanks, I have heard of people running straight co2 because of the money savings, I would probably end up doing that except for like you said some of the places you need a better weld. Thanks, Tyler.
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I had bottles for both from some where, If I had to pick one bottle to buy I would choose the strait co2.
Is your reason for that choice based on cost or quality of weld?
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I use a fire extimguisher as my gas supply, pure CO2. Never any problem.
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