Mark wrote:

An old PM article uses a homebrew transformer similar to the one I
wound in 10th grade for my from-scratch soldering gun. A long time ago!

I recall someone's suggestion that a "real" soldering gun could form
the basis for a spotwelder - all I'm interested in doing is making
better bandsaw blade joints than my crappy Silver soldering has
produced to date. My bandsaw only has 10-inch wheels, and I haven't
been able to make a lasting joint in HSS - 1/2 inch stock....

Before I rush out and buy a cheap soldering gun, has anyone done this
successfully?

Thanks / mark



I'm pretty certain a solder gun, even a 250 watt one, won't put out enough
current to butt spot weld anything as heavy as a bandsaw blade. Steel foils
maybe, but not a blade.

Here's one I hadn't seen before. It claims to weld bandsaw blades using a 12
volt car batttery for its high current energy source:

http://www.advancecarmover.com/bladewelder.html

Do you have a proper fixture to hold the blade ends lined up and butted
together while soldering them? It's a real PIA to do that job right without
one. Usable commercial ones are pretty cheap, and it's a pretty easy thing
to DIY.

Like this one:

http://www.tufftooth.com/sure-splice.html

Just my .02,

Jeff
--
Jeff Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"If you can keep smiling when things go wrong, you've thought of someone to
place the blame on."