Found this in the garage. WHAT IS IT?

[jeeperguy21]

I'm taking care of my great aunt's house for her since she no longer can do it herself and behind her house is a shop and garage that her late husband used to work in all the time. This thing was top to bottom loaded with things from way back when (obviously never threw anything out.)

I have attempted to clean it out, throwing out the useless junk (who needs belts for cars that aren't on the road anymore?) One of the last things I have found is this machine sitting in the corner. My first guess would have to be that it is some sort of ancient welder. There are many welding sticks in the garage, and this would make sense, but looking at it, I can't figure out how it would work.

So I figure there may be someone out there that has some welding experience that can identify this relic, or someone else will be able to tell me what it is. I took pictures from many angles. Let me know what you think and if you can tell me how old this thing is:
file:///E:/DCIM/101MSDCF/DSC01000.JPGhttp://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00993.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00995.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00996.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00997.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00998.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00999.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC01000.jpg

If this is indeed a welder, can someone tell me if how to use it? I did plug in the power but I'm not sure what to expect to happen.

[dennis461]

If this is indeed a welder, can someone tell me if how to use it? I did plug in the power but I'm not sure what to expect to happen.


You can expect to get electrocuted...

[HilltopXJ]

:scared:

[buzzbombxj]

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC01000.jpg


Its got a big plug, a ground and a electrode clamp, looks like a welder to me


I bet that changing that lead that bolts on to the copper bars sets the voltage?

[alex22]

It looks like he tapped into the transformer in multiple spots in order to select the power delivered to the stinger.

It also looks VERY dangerous. If you are still thinking about playing with it, remember that circuit breakers are there to protect equipment, not people.

[Justpunchit]

hahahahaha I love that thing.... It's such a cute lil' death trap :)



+1 on a welder btw

[tbburg]

Don't throw it away! It probably has 50 bucks worth of recyclable copper in it!

[MaxxXJ]

that is for sure a welder... and all you can do is get one of those ancient rods... putting it in the stinger aka the one with the hole in it and longer round handle... get that ground and wrap it around a piece of metal like re-bar. and scratch the tip of the rod across and see what it does. the more amp's it has (ie 140 amps) the faster/stronger the current will be. if it sticks like im sure it will do, break it loose quick cuz that rod will heat up and smoke and eventually turn red hot and melt... wear dry leather gloves... you will be less likely to get shocked or burned that way.

[WB9YZU]

Well, that's cool. It should weld something.

I like the way they used to do things. You were either intelligent enough to use the tool properly, or you died.

I remember some old spark transmitters my Uncle had. That stuff would knock you off your feet if you were not careful! He also used had some keyed plate transmitters where the high voltage was passed though the telegraph key. One slip, and OUCH!

[DeftwillP]

Don't throw it away! It probably has 50 bucks worth of recyclable copper in it!

X2 my first thoughts as well. I sure as shit wouldn't try using it.

[MaxxXJ]

X2 my first thoughts as well. I sure as shit wouldn't try using it.

sissy.... and you call yourself a jeeper :soapbox:

i'd try it...

[redneckboarder]

i would probly try it just for giggles then i would either be dead, hurt or id scrap it

[Begster]

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00993.jpg
Ever seen Back to the Future? I wonder, are there any clock towers near you? Perhaps some that have been struck by lightning?

You can expect to get electrocuted...
Hahaha

[stewie]

that is for sure a welder... and all you can do is get one of those ancient rods... putting it in the stinger aka the one with the hole in it and longer round handle... get that ground and wrap it around a piece of metal like re-bar. and scratch the tip of the rod across and see what it does. the more amp's it has (ie 140 amps) the faster/stronger the current will be. if it sticks like im sure it will do, break it loose quick cuz that rod will heat up and smoke and eventually turn red hot and melt... wear dry leather gloves... you will be less likely to get shocked or burned that way.

you sure are an idiot. where has darwin been your whole life?...:explosion

nominated

X2 my first thoughts as well. I sure as shit wouldn't try using it.

yah, as a welder i wouldnt step anywhere near that deathtrap. that is unless you wanted to die:angel:

You can expect to get electrocuted...

add to that the thing could catch fire while it is frying you, burn the house down and you to a crisp so there would be very little chance of having an open casket.

[Deadman 94 xj]

As someone who digs electricity, that thing is kick a$$. If it were me (seeing as how I'm qualified to deal with such contraptions) I'd clean it up, plug it in, and see what that fawker can do. Then, I'd hold on to it for a couple more decades.

[Darky]

I'd say it is most definitely a whatchamajigger. Circa 1947. It will kill you in your sleep.

[Deadman 94 xj]

It's actually less complex than todays machines if you know what you're looking at. The biggest thing you have to worry about is where your hands are and the condition of the insulation. Other than that, It will kill you.

[ECKSJAY]

It's actually less complex than todays machines if you know what you're looking at. The biggest thing you have to worry about is where your hands are and the condition of the insulation. Other than that, It will kill you.

Yup, I kinda dig it too. :D

[Deadman 94 xj]

Yup, I kinda dig it too. :D

I almost want to buy it off of him lol. I'd love to post it on the local forum and say, "hey guys, check out my new welder" :D

[stewie]

i didnt know they had electricity- or dirt for that matter- when that thing was ni*** rigged, i mean presidential solutioned, up!

[YELLAHEEP]

I say donate it to the American Welding Society:

http://www.aws.org/foundation/

Their website says they're working on a library and museum and looking for artifacts to display. (scroll to the bottom of the site). I'd be curious to see if they'd want it..... :dunno:

You could claim it as a deduction on your taxes for what it's worth in copper, which could be pretty significant these days.

[Mudderoy]

I'd get some wagon wheels mount it to the sides and sell it to someone as a cival war era welder!

That thing is TOO cool, thanks for sharing the pictures.

[zr2toxj]

Find someone with a megger. You can test the insulation of the transformer by putting voltage to it (500volts or more). Thats safer than just plugging it in.

I know, it takes all the fun out of it. LOL

[RichP]

Just remember one thing, when you change the taps [those rods sticking out tap off different windings on the transformer] turn it off first as in unplug it.change the tap, plug it back in. Id probably set it up so I had to walk by the wall plug to get to it, that way I'd not be tempted to take any 'short' cuts :D

It is pretty cool, I was up at the Adirondack museum years ago and they had a harley davidson V twin powered chainsaw as well as a harley powered snow mobile from the 30's, both home made. Home made stuff is cool.
I stumbled across a home made breaker for bending sheet metal, darn thing is made from 3 pieces angle iron and a few hinges, bolts to a work bench, guy built it to bend metal for his home built airplane. For sure got my gears spinning for some small stuff I want to do.

[msrorysddad]

I enjoy some of the rude comments posted on this thread. It is as stated a welder, to change the voltage, you change which lug is used. It's not very complicated, and would be safe in the right hands, no telling how many items were repaired with it. As for the Darwin comment, sir, just because it doesn't have a store bought cover does not make it some horrid death trap. If you do not understand, sometimes it's better to not make comments. Being rude to someone you do not know can lead to issues. If you do not know what it is, you should not use it. I would check the leads and use it. As stated try to take it to a museum, it is an amazing piece of American engineering. The man that made it seems to have a good grasp of what is useful. That, and the comments made about it will tell you a lot about what is wrong with our nation. It didn't come from the store, oh my don't use it!!! At one time in history people didn't run out to make payments, they built what they needed. Now, if you can't buy it in three colors, with switches and knobs it must be dangerous.

[karstic]

The CIA called, they want their torture machine back.

On a more serious note, a cool piece of Americana and good example of American ingenuity.

[IndyXJ]

Please plug in and run away while filming it and post to break.com and here of course.

[stewie]

I enjoy some of the rude comments posted on this thread. It is as stated a welder, to change the voltage, you change which lug is used. It's not very complicated, and would be safe in the right hands, no telling how many items were repaired with it. As for the Darwin comment, sir, just because it doesn't have a store bought cover does not make it some horrid death trap. If you do not understand, sometimes it's better to not make comments. Being rude to someone you do not know can lead to issues. If you do not know what it is, you should not use it. I would check the leads and use it. As stated try to take it to a museum, it is an amazing piece of American engineering. The man that made it seems to have a good grasp of what is useful. That, and the comments made about it will tell you a lot about what is wrong with our nation. It didn't come from the store, oh my don't use it!!! At one time in history people didn't run out to make payments, they built what they needed. Now, if you can't buy it in three colors, with switches and knobs it must be dangerous.

and i appreciate your being insulted by common sense. some things are better left not to be "homemade." its not a matter of being rude, but stating the truth. i believe Darwin has in fact taken a rather extensive vacation lately.

its not dangerous because it doesnt have a label from a manufacturer or retailer that makes it dangerous. its the fact that there are little to no safety features. how many people would have live wiring in their homes without insulation on it? note the lack of insulation on the "welder." the insulation on the leads and power cord are most likely deteriorated from age- it gets dry rotted cracks easily with age- and thus another shock hazard. speaking of shock, it only takes 1/10th of an amp to stop the human heart. most 220v outlets carry between 30-50 amps depending on their application. more than enough to kill someone in less than a hear beat. arc welding machines work by takeing a relatively high voltage low amps and turns it to a low voltage high amps. also take note of its somewhat high voltage piece of "equipment" mounted on a wooden frame. most electrical appliances (including my welders) get hot while in use. now its not just a severe electrical shock hazard but also a fire hazard as well. i would also say that there is no way to ground it to help make it safer. there is also no guard on the outside of the machine (aka case or housing) to prevent accidental contact with energized components. if there is a piece of safety equipment on something then there probably is a reason for it like it happened before.

i have responded to a medical emergency where two electricians had been electrocuted while working on a transformer. they were both blown out of their boots, and we were only able to find 3 of the 4 boots. both had their clothes melted to their skin. one guy lived with only severe burns on his skin and INSIDE his body. the other worker was airlifted to the area burn hospital where he died en route to the burn unit.

there are some things that are better left to the professionals. kinda like making fire arms, safety equipment and welders

[kujito]

That thing is fantastic! Don't sell it without doing your research. It may well be worth a lot! It may also be the best welder ever built. If you don't try it you'll never know. I'm not saying to just go try and weld with it right now though. Research. Find a welder/electrician or an electrical engineer who knows something about welding. I'm sure it will kill you if you do something wrong, but so will just about everything else in the garage. Does that mean you should lock the doors and never go back in there?

[Original_MudButt]

Ever seen Back to the Future? I wonder, are there any clock towers near you? Perhaps some that have been struck by lightning?


Hahaha

Exactly what I was thinking!!

It's a flux capacitor!!

What ever you do..... BE CAREFULL!!!!!!

[MaxxXJ]

I enjoy some of the rude comments posted on this thread. It is as stated a welder, to change the voltage, you change which lug is used. It's not very complicated, and would be safe in the right hands, no telling how many items were repaired with it. As for the Darwin comment, sir, just because it doesn't have a store bought cover does not make it some horrid death trap. If you do not understand, sometimes it's better to not make comments. Being rude to someone you do not know can lead to issues. If you do not know what it is, you should not use it. I would check the leads and use it. As stated try to take it to a museum, it is an amazing piece of American engineering. The man that made it seems to have a good grasp of what is useful. That, and the comments made about it will tell you a lot about what is wrong with our nation. It didn't come from the store, oh my don't use it!!! At one time in history people didn't run out to make payments, they built what they needed. Now, if you can't buy it in three colors, with switches and knobs it must be dangerous.


dont trip its not worth my time to argue with them, besides i dont beleive in darwin, god, buddah or any other mythalogical person out there, so its no good to throw that mess to me.

dangerous or not, im not scared to try something out just to see what it does, i know to take all the right safety precautions... your not gonna get shocked thru leather welding gloves anyways... or else i'd get shocked on a daily basis with the welder i work with and the only time ive ever been shocked was when my gloves were soaked with rain water.

if your scared to try something new you'll never get anywhere in life.

[AIbandit]

I'm taking care of my great aunt's house for her since she no longer can do it herself and behind her house is a shop and garage that her late husband used to work in all the time. This thing was top to bottom loaded with things from way back when (obviously never threw anything out.)

I have attempted to clean it out, throwing out the useless junk (who needs belts for cars that aren't on the road anymore?) One of the last things I have found is this machine sitting in the corner. My first guess would have to be that it is some sort of ancient welder. There are many welding sticks in the garage, and this would make sense, but looking at it, I can't figure out how it would work.

So I figure there may be someone out there that has some welding experience that can identify this relic, or someone else will be able to tell me what it is. I took pictures from many angles. Let me know what you think and if you can tell me how old this thing is:
file:///E:/DCIM/101MSDCF/DSC01000.JPGhttp://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00993.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00995.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00996.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00997.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00998.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC00999.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSC01000.jpg

If this is indeed a welder, can someone tell me if how to use it? I did plug in the power but I'm not sure what to expect to happen.
I used one of these in Abu Ghraib works like a champ...

PS: dont take pictures when u do

[wolfpackjeeper]

just fyi: Darwin was real, not mythological

other than that, Id use it after I cleaned it up a bit. Nothing too dangerous if you are not stupid

[duke000088]

Just weld something with it already!!!

Post associated videos on YouTube for us all to enjoy.

Uhm... but be careful. Wear, like, a welding helmet.

[bjoehandley]

Just showed the pictures of this thing to my Father, he thinks it might be an early Miller Electric AC welder or a home built from plans equivalent and guesstimated that it's about 65 years old. He also suggested getting in contact with Miller if you want to get rid of it since it could be one of their products. He didn't think it would be worth contacting AWS since it probably would not only not make them money, but their lawyers would be less fond of it than those who've posted in this thread so far and would probably recommend not touch it with a 10 foot pole. He also thought that so long as all the wires and connections checked out ok and you have some welding experience it should be ok to try and weld with, he'd even trust it more than some of it's more expensive competitors from when it was new if he was given a choice today;)

[stewie]

go for trying it out. make sure you video it so we can see the results. maybe we can point and laugh, or maybe you could...

[RTicUL8]

It's been 17 hours since jeeperguy21 has logged in.

I say he plugged it in and went poof!

.

[1985xjlaredo]

How do you just find something like this anyways? Musta been under a bunch of Jeep parts

[Hypoid]

He never did say what his Great Uncle died of. LOL

It's not a play toy, that's for sure. Make sure there are no kids, pets, or drunks around when you plug it in...well, maybe allow the drunks to watch.

Some farm kid may have built the thing, but I guarantee he didn't wake up one morning with an idea for that auto-transformer he found on the back 40. It took thought and considerable expense to make this equipment.

I'll bet your uncle grew up during the great depression. Most who did, don't toss stuff like it was intended to be disposable.

[Stihl029]

I think that's awesome to use a big transformer on a cart for welding. It serves as a basic welder only its stuck on AC.

[ECKSJAY]

I think that's awesome to use a big transformer on a cart for welding.

As opposed to what? :D:D:D

[tbburg]

As opposed to what? :D:D:D'Sad part is, a lot of people aren't going to get the joke,...

[Sherman_thetank]

The CIA called, they want their torture machine back.

That is exactly what i thought of at first glance!

[jeeperguy21]

Thanks everybody for your feedback. I'm glad that I was correct in assuming that it was a welder. As far as actually trying to use it, I'm going to get a friend to come over that is a professional welder and see what he thinks about it. There are hundreds of rods in the shop, as well as a helmet, gloves, etc, so that's kind of what led me to believe that it had to have been a welder.

My great uncle passed away in the late 80s and the shop hasn't been touched since then. I have found all sorts of treasures in there, but this was the only thing that I wasn't sure about. It's been kind of fun going through it all and kind of a pain to throw away most of it... cause honestly it is mostly just junk. He did grow up in the great depression and as you know, they don't throw anything out. The shop has been a great place to work on my jeep so far this past winter. The best part about it is the wood burning stove. Some of the stuff in there is pretty ingenious, and he used old food cans and paint cans to organize the stuff.

Anyways, if I ever get the welder tested out, I'll post back and give an update. I don't see it happening anytime soon however. Not really a big priority.

[ladywolf]

i think its a pretty ingenious old piece of equipment, however i wouldnt try it. i dont know near enough about that type of stuff.

i would try to contact some sort a museum that deals with the great depression, or american ingenuity, see if it would work.

[JS4309]

Yeah, that welder belongs in a museum not the scrap yard! And yes, the rids where the one cable is attached changes the current at the electrode. Lower current should be to the laft when facing it and higher current to the right. The thing is running enough current though to kill you at any of it's settings. Thats a heck of a find though!

[Curtis_H]

How much shipped to 50247? seriously, if you want to sell it, send me a PM, I would love to get my hands on that thing. I have a homemade mig welder now that uses a similar transformer, but that one looks even beefier!! I'm a firm believer in build it before you buy it, just becareful when you do. So far i have built my shop air compressor, mig welder, battery charger, electric over hydraulic remote control cherry picker, and next on the list is a plasma cutter. Don't be afraid of it because it's not a factory built piece, just give it the respect that all electrical equipment demands and you will be fine. HOWEVER, if you die, please leave a note for the relatives to ship it my way......:laugh3:

[KC Henry]

That is sooo badass!

[squirrel80]

Bring it over. I would not have any problem using that. Yeah it looks a little scary, but I would put a new handle on the electrode and use it. It is basically like an old Lincoln stick welder that you had to move the wires to change the voltage. Hell a brand new TIG will shock the S!#t out of you if you touch the eletrode and that happens all the time without anyone dying. I not saying that it would be the best tool to use but it would work fine in a bind. I would not consider myself a Jeeper without trying something adventurous every now and then. Way cool find!

[crazymoose1990]

How again did your grandpa die lemme guess it had something to do with an old ass welder someone made. Its gonna fold like a Taco you wont even need to plug that thing in it will kill you in your sleep. Sell it to a museum for the oldest welder still in existence

[BruceB83]

you sure are an idiot. where has darwin been your whole life?...:explosion

nominated



yah, as a welder i wouldnt step anywhere near that deathtrap. that is unless you wanted to die:angel:



add to that the thing could catch fire while it is frying you, burn the house down and you to a crisp so there would be very little chance of having an open casket.

Literally http://http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/happy/happy0188.gif (http://www.thescubasite.com/Scuba-Diving-Pictures/) http://www.naxja.org/forum/%3Ca%20href=%27http://www.thescubasite.com/Scuba-Diving-Pictures/%27%20title=%27scuba%20diving%20pictures%27%3E%3Ci mg%20src=%27http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/happy/happy0188.gif%27%20alt=%27scuba%20diving%20picture s%27%20border=%270%27%3E%3C/a%3E http://www.naxja.org/forum/%5Burl=http://www.thescubasite.com/Scuba-Diving-Pictures/%5D%5Bimg%5Dhttp://http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/happy/happy0188.gif%5B/img%5D%5B/url%5D :laugh::laugh::laugh: right now....tears I say...tears...

[BruceB83]

...I would not consider myself a Jeeper without trying something adventurous every now and then...

I consider myself a Jeeper because I do adventurous things in my Jeep...not because I play with old scary looking equipment that could be used as a torture device.

Playing with that = death sentance :explosion

[BruceB83]

I enjoy some of the rude comments posted on this thread. It is as stated a welder, to change the voltage, you change which lug is used. It's not very complicated, and would be safe in the right hands, no telling how many items were repaired with it. As for the Darwin comment, sir, just because it doesn't have a store bought cover does not make it some horrid death trap. If you do not understand, sometimes it's better to not make comments. Being rude to someone you do not know can lead to issues. If you do not know what it is, you should not use it. I would check the leads and use it. As stated try to take it to a museum, it is an amazing piece of American engineering. The man that made it seems to have a good grasp of what is useful. That, and the comments made about it will tell you a lot about what is wrong with our nation. It didn't come from the store, oh my don't use it!!! At one time in history people didn't run out to make payments, they built what they needed. Now, if you can't buy it in three colors, with switches and knobs it must be dangerous.

Woah...lighten up man. It's funny...laugh. I know reading some of these comments made me laugh. I mean look at that thing....

[vigman]

dont trip its not worth my time to argue with them, besides i dont beleive in darwin, god, buddah or any other mythalogical person out there, so its no good to throw that mess to me.



And now time for a small history lesson for the uneducated few (No offense maxx) as Wolfpackjeeper said, Darwin was a real person who first proposed the "Theory of Evolution" better known as "survival of the fittest." In other words the stronger genes survive the longest. The Darwin award is an unofficial award given to those who have died or seriously injured themselves doing something incredibly stupid eg. the man who replaced a blown headlight fuse with a .22 round, causing the round to heat up to its ignition point, firing and lodging itself into his left testicle. Or the man who climbed to the top of an electrical tower with a case of beer urinated on the high tension line and was found the next morning laying on the ground 10-20ft from the tower with his crotch still smoking.

Of course that being said i cant really say that trying it would be completely stupid esp if you know electricity and welding equipment heck I'd probably try it myself using electricians gloves and after re insulating and replacing all necessary parts.

[old_man]

That is definately cool. Find a museum that handles old farm equipment. I bet they would at least give you a heck of a donation receipt.

That thing a classic.