Homemade Stick Welder – From Microwave Parts!

I found this microwave in my neighbor’s

I found this microwave in my neighbor’s garbage can so I took it home and turned

garbage can so I took it home and turned

garbage can so I took it home and turned it into an AC stick welder in this

it into an AC stick welder in this

it into an AC stick welder in this project we’ll be testing out this

project we’ll be testing out this

project we’ll be testing out this contraption to see if it actually works

contraption to see if it actually works

contraption to see if it actually works because if it does we’ll have the metal

because if it does we’ll have the metal

because if it does we’ll have the metal welding power to make a puzzle for

welding power to make a puzzle for

welding power to make a puzzle for entertaining guests or build improvised

entertaining guests or build improvised

entertaining guests or build improvised weapons for a zombie apocalypse

[Music]

[Music] I just modified these microwave oven

I just modified these microwave oven

I just modified these microwave oven transformers to weld metal and made a

transformers to weld metal and made a

transformers to weld metal and made a little container for it all to fit into

little container for it all to fit into

little container for it all to fit into this arc welder is finished and ready

this arc welder is finished and ready

this arc welder is finished and ready for testing so to do that I got some

for testing so to do that I got some

for testing so to do that I got some pieces of scrap metal from a welding

pieces of scrap metal from a welding

pieces of scrap metal from a welding shop down the road I switched out the

shop down the road I switched out the

shop down the road I switched out the blade on my chop saw with this cutting

blade on my chop saw with this cutting

blade on my chop saw with this cutting wheel and I’m cutting these bits of

wheel and I’m cutting these bits of

wheel and I’m cutting these bits of Steel into smaller pieces the sparks are

Steel into smaller pieces the sparks are

Steel into smaller pieces the sparks are pretty hot and fly everywhere so it’s

pretty hot and fly everywhere so it’s

pretty hot and fly everywhere so it’s important to wear protection and keep

important to wear protection and keep

important to wear protection and keep them away from anything flammable ok our

them away from anything flammable ok our

them away from anything flammable ok our pieces are cut and resting on this

pieces are cut and resting on this

pieces are cut and resting on this larger piece of metal this is going to

larger piece of metal this is going to

larger piece of metal this is going to act as a base plate for the ground clip

act as a base plate for the ground clip

act as a base plate for the ground clip to connect to I’ve got a sixty thirteen

to connect to I’ve got a sixty thirteen

to connect to I’ve got a sixty thirteen welding rod that gets clipped into the

welding rod that gets clipped into the

welding rod that gets clipped into the stinger and the amperage is controlled

stinger and the amperage is controlled

stinger and the amperage is controlled with this device I call the scary AK

with this device I call the scary AK

with this device I call the scary AK look for how to build this in another

look for how to build this in another

look for how to build this in another video the amps are adjusted to work with

video the amps are adjusted to work with

video the amps are adjusted to work with these sixteenth inch cellulose coated

these sixteenth inch cellulose coated

these sixteenth inch cellulose coated rods and with two of our pieces butted

rods and with two of our pieces butted

rods and with two of our pieces butted up next to each other it’s time to see

up next to each other it’s time to see

up next to each other it’s time to see if we can strike an arc

if we can strike an arc

if we can strike an arc they say it’s kind of like striking a

they say it’s kind of like striking a

they say it’s kind of like striking a match and there we go these welding rods

match and there we go these welding rods

match and there we go these welding rods are consumable meaning they get used up

are consumable meaning they get used up

are consumable meaning they get used up in the weld you can actually see where

in the weld you can actually see where

in the weld you can actually see where the end of the rod turns to molten metal

the end of the rod turns to molten metal

the end of the rod turns to molten metal and pulls into the joint to give this a

and pulls into the joint to give this a

and pulls into the joint to give this a little more strength let’s flip it over

little more strength let’s flip it over

little more strength let’s flip it over and do the same thing to the topside the

and do the same thing to the topside the

and do the same thing to the topside the UV radiation from stick welding is

UV radiation from stick welding is

UV radiation from stick welding is enough to give you a pretty bad sunburn

enough to give you a pretty bad sunburn

enough to give you a pretty bad sunburn so if you try it make sure you’re

so if you try it make sure you’re

so if you try it make sure you’re protected from head to toe

protected from head to toe

protected from head to toe alright the weld is cooled so now we can

alright the weld is cooled so now we can

alright the weld is cooled so now we can knock off the layer of slag that’s

knock off the layer of slag that’s

knock off the layer of slag that’s formed on the top then clean it up with

formed on the top then clean it up with

formed on the top then clean it up with a wire brush now it looks good to me but

a wire brush now it looks good to me but

a wire brush now it looks good to me but I’ve never really welded before so I’m

I’ve never really welded before so I’m

I’ve never really welded before so I’m not sure how to tell if the weld is good

not sure how to tell if the weld is good

not sure how to tell if the weld is good or not so let’s break it the piece gets

or not so let’s break it the piece gets

or not so let’s break it the piece gets clamped in a bench vise and these

clamped in a bench vise and these

clamped in a bench vise and these channel lock pliers should give us the

channel lock pliers should give us the

channel lock pliers should give us the leverage we need I’m actually expecting

leverage we need I’m actually expecting

leverage we need I’m actually expecting this will snap in the middle but it

this will snap in the middle but it

this will snap in the middle but it didn’t

didn’t

didn’t i weld in another piece and tried

i weld in another piece and tried

i weld in another piece and tried bending it back and forth multiple times

bending it back and forth multiple times

bending it back and forth multiple times to snap the weld but the joint never

to snap the weld but the joint never

to snap the weld but the joint never broke just for fun and a bit more

broke just for fun and a bit more

broke just for fun and a bit more practice let’s weld all the scrap pieces

practice let’s weld all the scrap pieces

practice let’s weld all the scrap pieces together I’ve also got these framing

together I’ve also got these framing

together I’ve also got these framing nails we can tack on in random places

nails we can tack on in random places

nails we can tack on in random places and a link of galvanized chain we can

and a link of galvanized chain we can

and a link of galvanized chain we can weld to the end well I think it’s safe

weld to the end well I think it’s safe

weld to the end well I think it’s safe to say this welder is working and I’ve

to say this welder is working and I’ve

to say this welder is working and I’ve got my first piece of metal art to prove

got my first piece of metal art to prove

got my first piece of metal art to prove it it’s a little rough and probably not

it it’s a little rough and probably not

it it’s a little rough and probably not the kind of decor I’d want to put on

the kind of decor I’d want to put on

the kind of decor I’d want to put on display but in a weird way I kind of

display but in a weird way I kind of

display but in a weird way I kind of like it

like it

like it now I’m amazed that even with all this

now I’m amazed that even with all this

now I’m amazed that even with all this welding the transformer coils are only

welding the transformer coils are only

welding the transformer coils are only slightly warm to the touch

slightly warm to the touch

slightly warm to the touch I tried welding some larger 3:32 rods

I tried welding some larger 3:32 rods

I tried welding some larger 3:32 rods and that was a different story they work

and that was a different story they work

and that was a different story they work alright but the welder heats up fast to

alright but the welder heats up fast to

alright but the welder heats up fast to cool it down I have a fan that was

cool it down I have a fan that was

cool it down I have a fan that was salvaged from one of the microwaves and

salvaged from one of the microwaves and

salvaged from one of the microwaves and it slides right up to the vent hole on

it slides right up to the vent hole on

it slides right up to the vent hole on the left when it’s turned on air flows

the left when it’s turned on air flows

the left when it’s turned on air flows over the transformer coils and exhausts

over the transformer coils and exhausts

over the transformer coils and exhausts out the other side in the case of

out the other side in the case of

out the other side in the case of extreme overheating the whole top lifts

extreme overheating the whole top lifts

extreme overheating the whole top lifts right off for maximum ventilation this

right off for maximum ventilation this

right off for maximum ventilation this welds metal pretty good in my opinion

welds metal pretty good in my opinion

welds metal pretty good in my opinion but I took it to another welder to get

but I took it to another welder to get

but I took it to another welder to get his thoughts on how or he tried some

his thoughts on how or he tried some

his thoughts on how or he tried some welds on pieces of his own scrap steel

welds on pieces of his own scrap steel

welds on pieces of his own scrap steel nan seemed pretty impressed with the

nan seemed pretty impressed with the

nan seemed pretty impressed with the results

results

results he said the weld penetrated the metal

he said the weld penetrated the metal

he said the weld penetrated the metal completely and probably wouldn’t break

completely and probably wouldn’t break

completely and probably wouldn’t break so he tried some more destructive

so he tried some more destructive

so he tried some more destructive testing to break the weld but even with

testing to break the weld but even with

testing to break the weld but even with good leverage and quite a bit of force

good leverage and quite a bit of force

good leverage and quite a bit of force the weld held strong and the metal broke

the weld held strong and the metal broke

the weld held strong and the metal broke first to finish this project up let’s

first to finish this project up let’s

first to finish this project up let’s try making something a little more

try making something a little more

try making something a little more useful this time I’ve got a horseshoe

useful this time I’ve got a horseshoe

useful this time I’ve got a horseshoe and some chain and I’m welding links in

and some chain and I’m welding links in

and some chain and I’m welding links in line with the tips of the shoe this two

line with the tips of the shoe this two

line with the tips of the shoe this two inch steel ring goes over both of the

inch steel ring goes over both of the

inch steel ring goes over both of the chains and the remaining links are

chains and the remaining links are

chains and the remaining links are welded on to another shoe

welded on to another shoe

welded on to another shoe we can clean up the welds in the usual

we can clean up the welds in the usual

we can clean up the welds in the usual way and look at that we’ve got a

way and look at that we’ve got a

way and look at that we’ve got a horseshoe puzzle ready for entertaining

horseshoe puzzle ready for entertaining

horseshoe puzzle ready for entertaining the challenge is to get the ring off

the challenge is to get the ring off

the challenge is to get the ring off which seems impossible because the ring

which seems impossible because the ring

which seems impossible because the ring is way too small but it can be done and

is way too small but it can be done and

is way too small but it can be done and my wife just proved it why don’t you

my wife just proved it why don’t you

my wife just proved it why don’t you make your own and see if you can figure

make your own and see if you can figure

make your own and see if you can figure out how it’s done well there’s a MOT

out how it’s done well there’s a MOT

out how it’s done well there’s a MOT stick welder that works and my first few

stick welder that works and my first few

stick welder that works and my first few experiences with the world of welding if

experiences with the world of welding if

experiences with the world of welding if you liked this project perhaps you’ll

you liked this project perhaps you’ll

you liked this project perhaps you’ll like some of my others check them out at

like some of my others check them out at

like some of my others check them out at the king of random calm

the king of random calm

the king of random calm you