Spot welding is a type of resistance welding that aims at joining two pieces of metal with heat and pressure on the weld part. The material then succumbs to the heat and pressure and melts fusing the two metal pieces together. When the current is switched off, pressure from the electrode is retained solidifying the molten nugget to form a neatly weld joint.
The most common materials that you are most likely to find being spot weld are such as titanium and nickel alloys, and aluminum on rare occasions. A spot welder is not a welding machine that can be used frequently but you nonetheless need it, people who work with metals might find themselves in a tight spot when they need to join two pieces of metal and they don’t have a spot welder.
So to help you with selecting the best spot welder, we will make your work easier and sample a few spot welders complete with their advantages and disadvantages, and leave you with the job of selecting one that resonates with your purpose.
Comparison Table
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Profab Electric Spot Welding Machine
The Profab Electric spot welding machine features a simple operational design, the machine comes incorporated with air operated rocker arms, which are also adjustable from 15 inches to 29 inches.
Specs
- 25 KVA Capacity: 2 pcs 14 gauge
- Arms adjust 15″ to 29″
- Up to 14 gauge capacity
- Can weld tubes as small as 2″ diameter
While using a spot welder it is important that it comes equipped with a cooling system that will cool the electrodes so that they don’t overheat.
In case they do overheat then your weld will most likely lose its quality and the probes will then stick onto the workpiece. To which end the Profab Electric Spot welding machine comes incorporated with an effective cooling system complete with proCool II coolant recirculation.
So if you are running a metal or HVAC duct fabrication shop and want to enhance productivity then the Profab spot welder should be your go-to welding machine. Even more interesting is that the design of the machine has incorporated the custom lower arms feature that enables it to weld tubes that have a 2-inch diameter. Profab is also versatile as it can be used for both the general and heavy-duty applications.
Pros
- Comes equipped with an electric foot pedal
- Features an efficient cooling system
- The machines enable precise weld control adjustment
- The transformers arms and tips on the machine are water-cooled
Cons
- The spot welder is highly-priced
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Lenco Autobody Spot Welding Machine
With the Lenco spot welding machine, you do get a solid-state timer and a protected control panel, the latter is necessary for simple resistance welding. The purpose of welding is, therefore, achieved via the adoption of the principle of silicon controlled phase shifting triggering, which is later used to adjust the time and current.
Specs
50′ Power input cable
20 gauge Autobody steel Weight
50 AMP Size
No. 10/3 wire Welding cable length
The Lenco spot welder comes incorporated with a50 inch input cable offering a safe operational distance from the power source. The machine also boasts of a 5-inch maximum welding capacity and a 20 gauge auto body steel weight, the control panel has also been protected and comes equipped with a solid-state timer.
Pros
Features an intuitive design
The machine is a 4 line fuse
The machine is made of lightweight material thus portable
Comes equipped with a tool storage space
Cons
- Difficult to find spare parts
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SUNKKO 709AD+ Pulse Spot Welding Machine
For starters, the Sunkko 709AD+ spot welding machine can weld items of 0.03mm to 0.3mm of thickness range. And the feature that makes it stand out is the incorporated temperature sensors and the intelligent cooling system that automatically picks up the machine’s internal temperature and works with it.
Specs
- Welding Current:500A
- Welding Supply voltage AC 110V±20V
- Soldering Temperature:150℃~450℃
- Soldering Output voltage: 20VDC
The biggest advantage when using the Sunkko 709AD+ spot welding machine is that it does weld immediately in case you are welding ahead touch welding object. The machine also features some advanced digital components whereby operations are controlled with a microcomputer, which helps to facilitate increased welding consistency and precise welding.
Another significant feature is that you won’t have to worry about the hefty power bills because it is an energy manager unit that saves energy output. For beginners in the spot welding industry, the welding pen features an intuitive design making it easy and convenient to use. What’s more, is that the machine can be used to weld a variety of nickel material.
Pros
- The machine can be adjusted to high power to weld a0.35 nickel plating
- Sunkko features a 4 in 1 design necessary for welding and soldering in addition to a multifunction used in the making of electronic products.
- Saves energy
- The machine is equipped with a knob for adjusting pulse and electric current
- The incorporated T12 soldering iron solders fast and can be used for longer
Cons
- Not good for use by beginners
- Features a steep learning curve before usage
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SUNKKO 737U Precision Pulse Battery 2800W
For efficient operation, the Sunkko 737U spot welding machine is controlled with a foot pedal and has incorporated the significant functions like battery charging and testing. What’s more, is that it can comfortably handle welds of up to 0.1 – 0.2 mm of nickel-plated steel strips.
Specs
- Input voltage: AC 110V+10V%
- Power: 2800W
- Double pulses welding: 0.12-0.15mm nickel strip
- Size: 200x140x245mm
The Sunkko 737U unlike its counterpart the Sunkko 709AD+, does not involve a steep learning curve and most of its operations are very practical, for example, the machine features a 3 USB output that a user can use for charging up to 3 battery kits. Also incorporated is a test function that can be used to charge or test the battery.
And to avoid problems with the Sunkko 737U spot welding machine do not try to weld materials made of metal and that is aluminum and copper. However, the machine is versatile when it comes to nickel and here you can weld the nickel-plated iron, nickel and nickel-plated steel, in addition to iron and other types of alloys.
What’s more is that the specific battery tester has the capability of testing the float charge voltage, which then gives you the internal resistance after you select the recommended charging current. And given that earth leakage circuit breaker is more than 40A users are advised against using the spot welding unit at home. Lastly, you can achieve precise parameter setting with this spot welding unit.
Pros
- Has USB outputs necessary for battery charging up to 3 kits
- Equipped with a battery tester for testing the float charge voltage
- Effective when used to weld nickel materials
- Features an intuitive and easy to use design
Cons
- Cannot be used at home
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Stark Professional Spot Welder
The Stark Professional portable spot welder machine will most likely scare many beginners given its name, only if they knew that it is one of the most user-friendly spot welders they will ever come across. The reason being its manufacture has incorporated a single-phase design complete with an easy welding procedure.
Spec
Voltage: 120
Mild steel: of up to 1/8″ sheet steel
Features a Single Phase Design
Incorporates a Simple Lever Function
So we initially said that using the Stark Professional spot welding machine is easy, well here is how, during welding users can simply insert the materials that are to be weld and then press hem to weld. And even more interesting is that you get a couple of extra welding tips for multiple uses.
Mind you the process of replacing the tips is not a complicated one and you can just twist them off and simply screw the new one in. Now for the welding applications, the machine is equipped with a simple lever function whereby you will apply some pressure on the lever and then press it down.
Welding tips could let you down whenever you are carrying out a welding process especially on materials that feature some form of thickness. The stark professional welding tips, therefore, are constructed from good quality steel material that will ensure that you get a perfect weld for your spot welding projects.
Pros
- The machine’s design makes it portable
- Made with a simple lever function for ease of use
- The machine Incorporates replacement tips
- Welding tips made of durable steel
Cons
- The machine produces a lot of sparks
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YaeCCC SUNKKO Spot Welder Pen
The Yaeccc Sunkko 719A spot welder is the real definition of spot welding, where you just get a welding pen. The machine is, therefore, suitable for professionals and beginners alike given that it is super simple to use. The portability of the spot welder is like no other, as it gives users the liberty to re-do a weld at any soldering joint.
Specs
Length of the welding pen and cable is 700mm
Maximum Welding Current: 500A
The aggregate area of cable is 18mm²
Comes with one welding pen
Unlike the other spot welders that need a bulky source of power for them to function the Yaeccc Sunkko 719A only needs a lithium-ion battery and you are good to weld. The downside, however, is that you will have to ensure that the battery is always fully charged so that it does not go off in the middle of an operation and force you to repeat the whole process.
Another important fact is that you need an M4 spanner, why M4? You may wonder, well before using the spot welding machine, you will need to fit the welding pen together with the welding copper head failure to which conduction will fail or not be as required. Another tip for using the spot welder pen is that the machine must be plugged into a direct socket.
The reason being that you might not get the electrical current supply needed and the unit might, therefore, fail to work. The spot welder pen also needs maintenance, and you will therefore, have to ensure that the welding nozzle is clean as well as the oxide.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Features a simple portable design
- The equipped lithium-ion battery does have a long life span
- Comes in either blue or red color
Cons
- Need special spanner to fix the welding pen to the copper head
- Not being enough for the traditional spot welder applications
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Mophorn 737G Pulse Spot Welder
The Morphon 737G pulse spot welder might feature a complex structure but sure is an easy to use welding machine. The spot welding machine is fairly priced but can only handle simple jobs, such as repairs around the house; the machine derives its power from the rechargeable lithium batteries.
Specs
Input Voltage: AC 110V
Welding Current: 50A-800A
Welding Thickness: 0.05-0.2mm
Batteries: 18650/14500 Lithium Batteries
Using the Morphon 737G pulse spot welder machine is easy because for the one you have been provided with a distinct LCD panel that shows the pulse quantity and current when you are running a project. And with regard to the material that you are working with, a user has been given the freedom of setting the pulse and current of the welder fast to ensure a smooth operation.
What’s more is that you can use a variety of different size battery packs, polymer battery, button battery, and stainless steel hardware or a stainless steel mesh. The machine has also been equipped with a fixed welding head and switch, which is necessary for satisfying a user’s needs.
And here comes some of the most important features that will ensure the spot welding machine serves you for a long time. The intelligent radiator incorporated with the spot welding machine has an inbuilt smart chip that prevents the welder from overheating or damage.
Lastly, when you look at the design of the spot welder, you will realize that it features a compact structure and an extremely comfortable handle that enables the user to move it with ease to the location of the welding project.
Pros
- Works well with alloys and nickel
- Features a compact and easy to handle design
- Incorporates an intelligent radiator complete with a smart chip that prevents overheating
- Has a distinct LCD panel that displays pulse quantity and current during use
Cons
- Works well with 15 pure nickel
- Can’t support a welding pen
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Metals suitable with spot welding
Spot welding works well with different alloy and metal materials, even better is when steel is used to spot weld. The reason as to why the latter works very well is because it has high electrical resistance and low thermal conductivity. Other metals that are suitable to use during spot welding are the stainless steel alloys, nickel, and titanium.
So what should you keep off from, first of all, it is a taboo to use metals that have high carbon ratings but if you insist on using such then you risk coming up with a weak weld finish that will crack or fracture at any given time. Materials that are not good conductors of electricity should also be done away with such as aluminum, galvanized steel, and zinc.
The reason being that they need higher currents to succumb to the pressure; the said currents are, thus not available in the spot welding equipment. Also consider the metal thickness, before you start spot welding; metals from 3mm going down will work well with a spot welding machine, which goes on to mean that the metals that you wish to work on should also have the same levels of thickness.
Conclusion
In case you were having doubts on whether you should spot weld or not, you need to know that the only way you are going to achieve durable welds is via spot welding and even more important is that you won’t need an addition of weld materials when compared to MIG or TIG welding. Now that you know the differences in spot welding machines, feel free to select one from above.
