Carbon Arc Torch building question...

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Hi - I have a Lincoln AC/DC stick machine and would like to build a Carbon Arc Torch for heating metal - like in this instructional article:http://www.instructables.com/id/Make...volt-stick-we/Question: is there anything else that I could use instead of the Carbon rods?!   Not sure where to get those...   my father had left me a bunch of Tig tungsten spikes (sorry, don't know the proper term) - could those be used instead?!I have purchased two el-cheapo soldering irons hoping to harvest the rods from them, but the cheapo ones look like they are just made of regular steel... so I don't think that would work.  Plz help.  THx,James
Reply:Carbide - Carbon rods are readily available and inexpensive. Any welding supply would have carbons in stock.In case you're stranded on a deserted island, I'll mention that a dry-cell flashlight battery can be "gutted" for a short length of carbon. If none of that works, PM your address to me and I'll slip a few carbons in a tube and mail 'em to you. Anyway, the Post Office needs the work.Interesting project. Keep us posted.Good Luck
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepCarbide - Carbon rods are readily available and inexpensive. Any welding supply would have carbons in stock.In case you're stranded on a deserted island, I'll mention that a dry-cell flashlight battery can be "gutted" for a short length of carbon. If none of that works, PM your address to me and I'll slip a few carbons in a tube and mail 'em to you. Anyway, the Post Office needs the work.Interesting project. Keep us posted.Good Luck
Reply:I use the arc gouging electrodes commonly available at lws, in my home made carbon arc torch.Not really made for heating and brazing, but readily available and they work pretty well.Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
Reply:Originally Posted by jpump5I use the arc gouging electrodes commonly available at lws, in my home made carbon arc torch.Not really made for heating and brazing[, but readily available and they work pretty well.
Reply:Originally Posted by jpump5I use the arc gouging electrodes commonly available at lws, in my home made carbon arc torch.Not really made for heating and brazing[, but readily available and they work pretty well.
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepWhy not really made for heating and brazing?Is there supposedly a special carbon for the CAT?I gouged with drive-in movie projector carbons for years - until I outlasted what was supposed to be a lifetime supply of 'em. Oldiron2 - that's interesting. I wonder what they used for power way out there and way back when?Good Luck
Reply:as for hollow carbons, that would be interesting.
Reply:Originally Posted by Oldiron2. . .Did anyone make hollow carbons for gouging, similar in shape (but not action) to the exothermic rods? . . .
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepWhy not really made for heating and brazing?Is there supposedly a special carbon for the CAT?I gouged with drive-in movie projector carbons for years - until I outlasted what was supposed to be a lifetime supply of 'em. Oldiron2 - that's interesting. I wonder what they used for power way out there and way back when?Good Luck
Reply:Ok, I'm not getting this concept.They are using gouging rods to heat metal to bend??Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:Regular gouging carbons work fine in carbon-arc torches on DC, but not on AC. With DC, the positive carbon wears faster than the negative, and some people use 1 size larger carbon on the + side to compensate. Carbons made for AC do exist, they have a core made from various oxides which stabilizes the arc- movie-projector carbons are this type, but the core mixture is optimized to provide pure white light.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:I've used gouging rods a lot, mostly 1/4" - 3/8" for gouging welds out, both round and flat.I just don't get how they are using them for heating steel, wouldn't a O/A torch work better.Especially that home made apparatus doesn't even look safe to boot.Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:Originally Posted by skelley521I've used gouging rods a lot, mostly 1/4" - 3/8" for gouging welds out, both round and flat.I just don't get how they are using them for heating steel, wouldn't a O/A torch work better.Especially that home made apparatus doesn't even look safe to boot.
Reply:Thanks, I will give it a try. On the contractors machine first tho.....lol.Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:is the carbon arc only useful fwhen it is from carbon to carbon?  Could you use one carbon rod arcing to a workpiece that is grounded through regular ground clamp to get a more "torch like" effect or would it not be hot from carbon to metal vs carbon to carbon ?miller syncrowave 250hobart handler 140home made 400 amp engine driven in progress...
Reply:Originally Posted by skelley521I've used gouging rods a lot, mostly 1/4" - 3/8" for gouging welds out, both round and flat.I just don't get how they are using them for heating steel, wouldn't a O/A torch work better.Especially that home made apparatus doesn't even look safe to boot.
Reply:Originally Posted by jdchmiel. . .Could you use one carbon rod arcing to a workpiece that is grounded through regular ground clamp to get a more "torch like" effect. . .
Reply:I have a carbon torch and I use gouging carbons.  I have an original box of carbons that was for the torches and they are carbon covered.I use my dc gouging carbons both on ac and dc.  it works both ways.  I have used them as a single carbon were the arc is directed to the metal like a country boy tig and I have used them in pairs where the ard is running from one to the other and you heat the metal from the heat generated from the arc.In a pinch I have taken a strip of copper or copper wire and wrapped the carbon and then stuck the wire into my electrode holder.  I then am able to slide the carbon up and down the wrapped metal and I am able to use the carbon as a single carbon torch.  I do this when in the field and need to heat a bolt where I can't get a torch or can't use open flames.If I don't have copper wire I will take an electode and wrap it around a screwdriver and then slide the carbon through it.  Trying to wrap a steel electrode around a carbon will break the carbon.
Reply:great tips! LWS should have carbons?  I want to try the copper wrap in an electrode holder trick.. and I can definately see use this for bolts as you say..miller syncrowave 250hobart handler 140home made 400 amp engine driven in progress...
Reply:the uv from the carbon arc is a lot more intense than what you get from weld rod. great tanning machine. you can get blisters without a great deal of efort. so cover up good. yes,i hurt myself pretty good the first day with the new toy---some 40 years ago.miller thunderbolt 250vlincoln square wave tig 175 prolincoln idealarc mig sp250everlast tig 210EXTeverlast power plasma 50chicago electric (hf) 130 tig/90 arcchicago electric 90 amp flux wire3 sets oxy/acet
Reply:Carbon arc used to be included with the little 50a buzz boxes from Wards and Sears.It worked far better than the welding use of the welder.I have one setting out in the garage.The carbon arc part was used by slipping the insulated handles onto the output leads.
Reply:See this thread - Rather condensed version of about all you would ever need to know about Twin Carbon Arc with links showing demos and info on how to build your own.http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtal...ad.php?t=42262