We make a holder for welding. Selecting an electrode holder for manual arc welding. DIY holder DIY welding holder

Despite the reliability of the factory designs of welding machines, during operation, some of its parts may fail, including the device for holding the electrodes. Of course, you can purchase these spare parts in the store. They are widely available for sale, but the vast majority of professionals prefer to install a homemade electrode holder. Its design is simple, but it must strictly meet certain standards:

the homemade product must provide dielectric protection for the welder;
the welding holder must be well insulated;
wires must be fastened securely and efficiently;
the holder must withstand electrical currents of several hundred amperes;
the electrode must be held as tightly as possible;
Replacing electrodes should be simple and quick.

The last two requirements actually contradict each other, so a homemade welding holder is always a compromise for the master.

Holder for a factory-made welding machine

Manufacturers offer three modifications of welding holders:

Collet holder for electrodes. This is an easy-to-use option. Replacing the cinder with a new electrode is easy and works perfectly protective functions and looks aesthetically pleasing. But the collet is expensive and has a current limitation. In addition, it does not allow you to save on electrodes, since it is forbidden to leave a short cinder.
Holder for welding - clothespin. The most popular offer from manufacturers. Manufactured in a wide range of sizes, electrode diameters and strengths welding current. The clothespin is not very convenient to use, but it is very reliable. It is characterized good contact with electrodes, no restrictions on electric current, does not require devices. Its disadvantages are the problematic change of cinder and large dimensions.
Trident or fork. This modification of the holder for welding equipment has practically fallen out of use because it does not comply with modern standards. The trident is a Soviet standard.

How to make a welding holder with your own hands

A holder for welding machine with your own hands. There are many technologies for making a device, but the most common are the following designs:

Trident. This is a classic DIY version of the device. Back in Soviet times, welders made their tools precisely according to this principle. The holder is a fork welded from three corrugated pieces of reinforcement. A bicycle handlebar handle or a fragment of a rubber hose is used as an insulator. In some cases, rag insulating tape was used as the dielectric of the holder for do-it-yourself welding. This design is easy to manufacture, but dangerous and inconvenient to use. It provides poor contact with the electrode, the cinder is difficult to remove, and the fittings are constantly oxidized. Soviet welders offered very original ways to make a welding holder. One of the most successful designs- it is welded to metal corner reinforcing rod. Its only drawback is the difficulty of replacing the cinder.
Trident with a spring. This is an improved version of the DIY welding machine holder described above. This is the same fork, but the tines are located almost in the same plane. The electrode is inserted between the fingers, the central one springs it. This DIY welding holder is made from expensive materials such as high alloy stainless steel. The contact with the electrode is strong, changing the cinder is quite easy. Rubber is used as the dielectric of the do-it-yourself welding machine holder to protect the welder.
Threaded collet. The holder can be made of any metal. It provides reliable electrode contact, easy replacement of the cinder, is reliable and easy to use. Its disadvantage is the complexity of manufacturing. Design features are indicated in the drawing.

Clamping collet. This is a modernization of the threaded collet model. Instead of threaded fasteners, a spring mechanism is used. The advantages of the design are obvious - the ease of replacing the cinder and the reliability of fastening the electrodes. Before wondering how to make a holder for welding this design, you need to carefully analyze electrical diagram. The more powerful the spring, the more reliable the contact, and the maximum current strength increases. If you use a weaker clamp, the current load is reduced. It is important to provide a second connector here, which supplies current to the ground. Although it does not need to provide electrical and thermal protection, contact should be as reliable as possible. It is better if the clamping mechanism is made of brass or copper.

Let's summarize

Each welder decides to purchase a holder in a store or make it himself. But, as practice shows, it is advisable to do homemade devices, both for reasons of financial costs and ease of use.

Despite the high reliability of the design, the proprietary holder for the welding machine may fail at some point in time. At the same time, there are often situations when no spare parts help to fully restore its functionality.

Taking into account the fact that welding operations do not tolerate any delays or stops, you should always have another holder at hand. Professional welders prefer to make a spare electrode holder themselves.

First of all, you need to pay attention to the fact that a homemade welding holder must meet the following requirements, consistent with safety standards welding work:

the handle of the holder must provide reliable protection for the welder (that is, be made of dielectric);
the holder as a whole must have good thermal protection;
the current supply wires should be mounted on the holder in such a way as to prevent the possibility of their damage during the welding process;
the electrode holder is designed for electrical currents of hundreds of amperes;
the welding rod itself must be fixed in it quite rigidly and as reliably as possible;
changing one electrode to another should not cause any difficulties or time delays.

Taking into account the fact that the last two requirements for the design of the holder are practically mutually exclusive - its manufacturer must have good imagination and practical ingenuity to resolve this dilemma.

To all of the above, it should be added that homemade devices for a welding machine will be more reliable and productive if, in their manufacture, we focus on time-tested branded products.

Factory-made products

Domestic manufacturers produce several varieties of products of the class we are considering, among which the following names stand out:

welding holder made according to the principle of collet fastening;
“clothespin” type fastener;
fastening shaped like a trident (fork).

Let's consider each of these options for their implementation in more detail.

The collet holder for welding equipment allows you to easily change electrodes and fully meets the requirements for operator protection.

In addition, it is very convenient to use and looks quite aesthetically pleasing. However, all these advantages are quite expensive for the consumer, since at the retail price such a holder is superior to all other models.

The special collet grip has another significant drawback associated with the limitation of the permissible current through it.

The “clothespin” type welding holder belongs to the category of the most popular products, manufactured with a wide variety of sizes and diameters of rods inserted into it.

In accordance with these indicators, such holders are designed for various forces welding currents. They are not always convenient to use, but they provide reliable contact with the rod, have no restrictions on the maximum current and do not require additional devices.

The disadvantage of this type of welding holder is the difficulty of replacing the used electrode and its considerable size.

But welding holders of the “trident” or “fork” type are time-tested and reliable designs, so they will be considered as an example of assembling a product with your own hands.

DIY options

A homemade holder is assembled taking into account the features and advantages of well-known branded designs. There are more than enough options for making any of the designs we have considered, however, among independent crafts, the leading position is usually occupied by the classic trident.

This type of welding fixture has a very simple structure and can be assembled even by a non-professional.

Trident

Welding holders of this design are shaped like a large fork, pre-welded from corrugated reinforcement blanks of a given diameter and length.

As protective coating handle of the product (insulator), the handlebar handle of an old bicycle or a piece of unnecessary rubber hose can be used.

Sometimes, in order to improve the insulating qualities of the coating for the welding machine holder, rag insulating tape is used.

However, many users often do not stop at the simplest design, since it is quite old and not convenient enough to use.

This is explained by the fact that not all performers are able to combine two contradictory requirements for this instrument, which require rigidity of the electrode attachment and ease of its removal. In addition, reinforcing bars oxidize quite quickly and cease to meet the requirements for them.

It is for this reason that many amateurs and professionals choose an improved version of the welding design and modify the trident, equipping it with an additional spring.

This holder looks like the same fork, the teeth of which are located almost in the same plane. The working electrode is fixed between the outer teeth, and the central tooth additionally fixes it with simultaneous springing.

To manufacture welding equipment in this design, the user will have to stock up on workpieces made from special durable metals, such as high-alloy stainless steel.

Only they can ensure reliable contact of the trident with the electrode and ease of replacement of the latter. A rubber tube of suitable diameter can be used as a protective dielectric coating on the handle.

Threaded and collet

A welding holder, designed on the principle of a threaded collet, can, in principle, be made from any available metal, while ensuring reliable contact with the working rod and ease of updating.

The only drawback of this design is the difficulty of making it yourself. That is why, before starting welding work, it is necessary to carefully familiarize yourself with all the details and nuances of its design.

In order to modernize this version of a homemade welding electrode holder, specialists have developed an improved example of it - the so-called “clamping” collet. In this model, instead of the previously used threaded fastening, a special spring mechanism made of brass or copper is installed.

The advantages of such a modified design are quite obvious, since in this case the reliability of fastening the electrode rod increases sharply, and its replacement is noticeably simplified.

It should be noted that every amateur welder has the right to independently decide whether to purchase a suitable holder in a store or make it yourself.

The second option for choosing the required tool is more preferable if you want to save money or make it, as they say, “for yourself.”

the homemade product must provide dielectric protection for the welder;
the welding holder must be well insulated;
wires must be fastened securely and efficiently;
the holder must withstand electrical currents of several hundred amperes;
the electrode must be held as tightly as possible;
Replacing electrodes should be simple and quick.

The last two requirements actually contradict each other, so a homemade welding holder is always a compromise for the master.

Holder for a factory-made welding machine

Manufacturers offer three modifications of welding holders:

Collet holder for electrodes. This is an easy-to-use option. Replacing the cinder with a new electrode is easy, performs excellent protective functions and looks aesthetically pleasing. But the collet is expensive and has a current limitation. In addition, it does not allow you to save on electrodes, since it is forbidden to leave a short cinder.
Holder for welding - clothespin. The most popular offer from manufacturers. Manufactured in a wide range of sizes, electrode diameters and welding currents. The clothespin is not very convenient to use, but it is very reliable. It is characterized by good contact with the electrodes, no restrictions on electric current, and does not require devices. Its disadvantages are the problematic change of cinder and large dimensions.
Trident or fork. This modification of the holder for welding equipment has practically fallen out of use because it does not comply with modern standards. The trident is a Soviet standard.

How to make a welding holder with your own hands

Similar to factory designs, a holder for a welding machine is made with your own hands. There are many technologies for making a device, but the most common are the following designs:

Trident. This is a classic DIY version of the device. Back in Soviet times, welders made their tools precisely according to this principle. The holder is a fork welded from three corrugated pieces of reinforcement. A bicycle handlebar handle or a fragment of a rubber hose is used as an insulator. In some cases, rag insulating tape was used as the dielectric of the holder for do-it-yourself welding. This design is easy to manufacture, but dangerous and inconvenient to use. It provides poor contact with the electrode, the cinder is difficult to remove, and the fittings are constantly oxidized. Soviet welders offered very original ways to make a welding holder. One of the most successful designs is a reinforcing rod welded to a metal corner. Its only drawback is the difficulty of replacing the cinder.
Trident with a spring. This is an improved version of the DIY welding machine holder described above. This is the same fork, but the tines are located almost in the same plane. The electrode is inserted between the fingers, the central one springs it. This DIY welding holder is made from expensive materials such as high-alloy stainless steel. The contact with the electrode is strong, changing the cinder is quite easy. Rubber is used as the dielectric of the do-it-yourself welding machine holder to protect the welder.
Threaded collet. The holder can be made of any metal. It provides reliable electrode contact, easy replacement of the cinder, is reliable and easy to use. Its disadvantage is the complexity of manufacturing. Design features are indicated in the drawing.

Clamping collet. This is a modernization of the threaded collet model. Instead of threaded fasteners, a spring mechanism is used. The advantages of the design are obvious - the ease of replacing the cinder and the reliability of fastening the electrodes. Before wondering how to make a holder for welding this design, it is necessary to carefully analyze the electrical circuit. The more powerful the spring, the more reliable the contact, and the maximum current strength increases. If you use a weaker clamp, the current load is reduced. It is important to provide a second connector here, which supplies current to the ground. Although it does not need to provide electrical and thermal protection, the contact should be as reliable as possible. It is better if the clamping mechanism is made of brass or copper.

Let's summarize

Each welder decides to purchase a holder in a store or make it himself. But, as practice shows, it is advisable to make homemade devices, both for reasons of financial costs and ease of use.

svarkalegko.com

Making a welding holder

It's time for homemade holder for electrodes. At least the master came up with one for welding. You will need a piece of 12 studs. Three nuts. Brass lamb. A piece of plastic pipe. Clamp. Start by drilling a hole. 4 mm at the top, 6 mm at the bottom.

Neodymium magnet in a Chinese online store.

I drilled holes. It turns out simple design, clamped between two nuts plastic pipe. An electrode is inserted into the hole next to the lamb. Elementarily pulled it up. There is a bigger hole on the other side. 6mm is better because the wire has to fit. We insert the welding wire, tighten it with a nut and press it. We fix the cable with a clamp. Next, we use heat shrink or cover the nuts with electrical tape to safe work.

Using a welding machine, the master showed what the device looks like on a wire. He went through the stud, tightened it with a nut, and clamped the wire. We clamp the electrode with the thumb. A simple and very comfortable holder. The electrode is fixed well. When working, there is no such thing that it dangles. Easy to remove. I loosened it a little and pulled it out. Tightened it up. High reliability.

The mass on the magnets is here.

izobreteniya.net

Selecting an electrode holder for manual arc welding. DIY holder

An electrode holder for MMA welding is a device designed to hold a piece electrode and supply electric current to it.

Good electrode holder:

gives reliable fastening electrode and the ability to quickly change the electrode exit angle;
guarantees full electrical contact;
ensures quick replacement of the electrode.
lightness is not the last parameter that you need to pay attention to. At the end of the working day, with a heavy electrode holder, your hands will fall off.

Normal weight is from 350 grams for a current of 125A to 750 grams for a current of 500A.

Helpful advice: You should not buy an electrode holder with a power reserve, based on the common misconception that it will last longer. In fact, professional electrode holders can exactly withstand the load they claim, but only if you purchased a branded product.

The most common types of electrode holders:

spring;
screw (or clamp)

The most popular at present are universal electrode holders, which, thanks to a spring-loaded clamping mechanism and specially designed brass or copper jaws, allow the electrode to be placed in various spatial positions. The welding holder body, handle and moving parts must be made of high-quality insulating and thermal insulation materials. It can be plastic or ceramic plastic.

Due to the large influx of low-quality products from China into the welding equipment markets, when purchasing an electrical holder, it is recommended to check its current-carrying parts with a magnet. It often happens that they are made of steel, on the surface of which there is a copper-like coating. It is recommended to subject the grounding terminals to the same magnetic testing procedure, so as not to end up with a device that will quickly overheat and burn out during welding.

Beginners in welding often ask the question: why buy a new electric holder if when buying welding inverter Does it already come with everything you need for welding?

The answer is very simple: often, the electric holder that comes with the welding machine quickly breaks down, regardless of whether you use it in production or occasionally cook at home. Usually this is the KV-200 model. Due to the fact that cheap materials are used for its manufacture, the first thing that fails is the pressing jaws, which burn and do not provide reliable fixation. The electrode begins to dangle, which gets on the welder’s nerves and affects the quality of the welds.

By the way, the quality of other components, especially if we're talking about about cheap welding machines for home welding such as Resanta, Svarog, Fubag and others, as a rule, leaves much to be desired. This applies to both the ground terminal and welding cables. Resanta's cable is completely aluminum, which may look fantastic, but it really is. The cunning Chinese put a copper coating of several microns on it so that when you remove the insulation, the forgery will not be visible, but this should not mislead you. Make a notch with a knife and you will see that there is light metal in the core. Questions also arise about the length of the cables and their rigidity. But this is a topic for a separate article. It is better to buy all components separately.

Let's get down to specifics...

The well-known German company ABICOR BINZEL. Primarily known for its argon burners arc welding, which are widely used. For manual arc welding, BINZEL has a simple range of four electrode holder models spring type DE 2200, DE 2300, DE 2400, DE 2500 “KURT HAUFE”, similar to each other like two drops of water and differing only in current strength (from 200 to 600A), respectively, weight and dimensions. They are reliable, made from quality materials, providing the necessary mechanical and thermal properties and ensuring fixation of the electrode in four positions. The KURT HAUFE series is very popular in the welding market, so be careful!

Swedish industrial company Esab. Eco Handy, PRIMA series. The screw-type electrode holder provides more reliable fastening of the electrode. It is fixed in the mounting holes without play: in the 90 degree position in the end hole and in the 90 and 45 degree position in the hole located on the diameter.

Minus: the electrode holder is a bit heavy, but this is its only drawback. Included: a powerful hexagon and a copper plate with which the cable is wrapped and crimped.

Telwin. They are cheaper than previous brands, although sellers position them as Italy. But we know where they make products that cost less. Although the quality is acceptable. There are high-quality insulators that do not burn even at currents of more than 300A during prolonged operation, the fastenings do not loosen. Of the minuses: heavier than the same ABICOR BINZEL
Eagle/Falcon electrode holders. From Trafimet, Italy. In our humble opinion, one of the best representatives in its own form. There are no complaints about the fittings and fastenings. A definite plus: light weight, fits comfortably in the hand.

DIY electrode holder

Holder "Trident"

When raising such a topic, it is very difficult to ignore the “trident” option, which every self-respecting welder assembles for himself. Its design is simple and uncomplicated, so it is difficult to resist the temptation to make it with your own hands, some kind of creativity, to which, undoubtedly, the soul of every real welder lies. At the same time, you will be able to independently evaluate all the pros and cons of a homemade holder, and you will only have yourself to blame for poor quality assembly. Given folk art Suitable for those who do not like factory holders.

There are many assembly methods. Let us present the simplest of them.

The body of the holder (trident) is made by bending reinforcement (or rod) made of carbon steel with a diameter of 8 mm (6 mm is possible, but it burns out quickly, you can take a diameter >8 mm). As experience shows, eight lasts longer and is more convenient to work with.

Next, a tube is made like a terminal, divided into two parts, one part crimps the cable, stripped of insulation, the second holds the cable insulation. All this is welded to the trident. This operation is the most critical, since unreliable contact leads to heating. The insulator (for example, a piece of reinforced hose) is put on hot. To prevent the insulator from loosening, you can use, for example, Done Deal, a high-strength anaerobic thread locker.

Holder "Corner"

It has a similar design to a trident; why it is called that is clearly visible in the photo. Disadvantage: in the trident, all the clamps are spring-loaded, but in the angle version, the entire load falls on one central rod.

Plus: no need to hit or scratch, the electrode is removed with the next electrode and you always know where it will fly.

“Trident” VS factory electric holder

According to some welders, a more reliable holder simply does not exist. Others prefer to keep up with the times and purchase a factory holder. Let's try to compare them and come to a common opinion, which is better for welding?

Advantages of a homemade holder:

Minimum costs for production;
Does not require careful handling and is not afraid of falls from a height;
If you have to weld painted metal and there is no way to clean it, for example, with a grinder, then this can easily be done with the holder itself.

Flaws:

Prohibited due to industrial safety regulations;

It is clear that no one will inspect us what kind of holder we use, however, this gives us something to think about, since due to its bareness there is a high probability of electric shock, especially in damp weather or when working with wet metal.

The design limits the electrode mounting options since sometimes you have to clamp the electrode strictly vertically to get to hard to reach places;
Replacing the cinder in a trident also leaves much to be desired, since in some cases it is even dangerous (when you knock out the electrode, you don’t know where it can fly - it can easily hit the eye);
There is a high probability of shorting on the structure. This is especially tragic when repairing structures sheathed with corrugated sheets. The slightest touch of the electrode holder on the corrugated sheet will result in an instant burn, which will ruin the appearance.

Holder – main tool in the hands of a welder, so take his choice most responsibly!

An electrode holder for MMA welding is a device designed to hold a piece electrode and supply electric current to it.

Good electrode holder:

provides reliable fastening of the electrode and the ability to quickly change the exit angle of the electrode;
guarantees full electrical contact;
ensures quick replacement of the electrode.
lightness is not the last parameter that you need to pay attention to. At the end of the working day, with a heavy electrode holder, your hands will fall off.

Normal weight is from 350 grams for a current of 125A to 750 grams for a current of 500A.

Helpful advice: you should not buy an electrode holder with a power reserve, based on the common misconception that it will last longer. In fact, professional electrode holders can exactly withstand the load they claim, but only if you purchased a branded product.

The most common types of electrode holders:

spring;
screw (or clamp)

The most popular at present are universal electrode holders, which, thanks to a spring-loaded clamping mechanism and specially designed brass or copper jaws, allow the electrode to be placed in various spatial positions. The welding holder body, handle and moving parts must be made of high-quality insulating and heat-insulating materials. It can be plastic or ceramic plastic.

Due to the large influx of low-quality products from China into the welding equipment markets, when purchasing an electric holder it is recommended check its live parts with a magnet. It often happens that they are made of steel, on the surface of which there is a copper-like coating. It is recommended to subject the grounding terminals to the same magnetic testing procedure, so as not to end up with a device that will quickly overheat and burn out during welding.

Beginners in welding often ask the question: Why buy a new electric holder if when you buy a welding inverter, everything you need for welding is already included with it?

The answer is very simple: Often, the electric holder that comes with the welding machine quickly breaks down, regardless of whether you use it in production or occasionally cook at home. Usually this is the KV-200 model. Due to the fact that cheap materials are used for its manufacture, the first thing that fails is the pressing jaws, which burn and do not provide reliable fixation. The electrode begins to dangle, which gets on the welder’s nerves and affects the quality of the welds.

By the way, the quality of the remaining components, especially when it comes to cheap welding machines for home welding, etc., as a rule, leaves much to be desired. This also applies to welding cables. Resanta's cable is completely aluminum, which may look fantastic, but it really is. The cunning Chinese put a copper coating of several microns on it so that when you remove the insulation, the forgery will not be visible, but this should not mislead you. Make a notch with a knife and you will see that there is light metal in the core. Questions also arise about the length of the cables and their rigidity. But this is a topic for a separate article. It is better to buy all components separately.

Let's get down to specifics...

Well-known German company . It is primarily known for its argon arc welding torches, which are widely used. For manual arc welding, BINZEL has a simple assortment of four models of spring-type electrode holders DE 2200, DE 2300, DE 2400, DE 2500 “KURT HAUFE”, similar to each other like two drops of water and differing only in current strength (from 200 to 600A) , respectively, by weight and dimensions. They are reliable, made of high-quality materials that provide the necessary mechanical and thermal properties and provide fixation of the electrode in four positions. The KURT HAUFE series is very popular in the welding market, so be careful!

Swedish industrial company Esab. Eco Handy, PRIMA series. The screw-type electrode holder provides more reliable fastening of the electrode. It is fixed in the mounting holes without play: in the 90 degree position in the end hole and in the 90 and 45 degree position in the hole located on the diameter.

Minus: the electrode holder is a bit heavy, but this is its only drawback. Included: a powerful hexagon and a copper plate with which the cable is wrapped and crimped.

Telwin. They are cheaper than previous brands, although sellers position them as Italy. But we know where they make products that cost less. Although the quality is acceptable. There are high-quality insulators that do not burn even at currents of more than 300A during prolonged operation, the fastenings do not loosen. Of the minuses: heavier than the same ABICOR BINZEL
Electrode holders Eagle/Falcon. From Trafimet, Italy. In our humble opinion, he is one of the best representatives of his species. There are no complaints about the fittings and fastenings. A definite plus: light weight, fits comfortably in the hand.