Cordless recovery-repair kit

[newhue]

Well this is my latest thinking write or wrong to get me out of the poo in remote locations, or the well beaten path for that matter. Just need to practice the welding now.

Went the 12v range as they are small and light compared to the 18. They have Lithion 1.5 and 3Am batteries so also are reasonably gutsy. And can charge the batteries with a 300W inverter. Probably had too big a rush of blood buying a right angle drill and the rotary grinder thing. But so be it. The grinder only comes in an 18V variant.

Picked them up from Get Tool Direct. Good pricing and they are willing to do custom packages. Freight was also very fair.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1217/miljm.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/14/miljm.jpg/)

[Blknight.aus]

buy yourself a dud battery, hook a couple of long 10mm2 wires into it add a fuse at the same rating as the batteries nominal amps out rate and put a pair of alligator clips on them, hook them onto the 12v battery when your desperate.

I do rate the right angle drill and the die grinder... First time you pull them out to deck and drill a snapped bolt prior to easy outing to replace a manifold your attitude will become " I am sooo glad I bought these."

Buy the abrasive pads for the die grinder and the flapping wheel adaptor and it will hold its own for about 70% of the jobs youd use a grinder for and its a lot easier to get in place.

[newhue]

Thanks Dave, to connect two batteries I've made some leads from an old Landy earth wire, they are about 400mm long. For the business end I'm pinching the long leads off Dads stick welder. Didn't think of fusing anything so will look into that.

It's on the list to now go to the tool shop and pick some grinder wheels and heads for the rotary tool. I'll grab a glass for a welding mask too.
I think mounting the glass onto a pice of card board with a hole cut init will suffice as a mask.

Might look at a small heli-coil set, and a Tap and Die set too I guess.

[Blknight.aus]

The insert for an auto darkening glass is now cheap enough to warrant looking into getting one of those and it will cover you for grinding and all forms of welding.

I didnt mean for you to connect the batteries for welding, I was refering to if you have to power up the tools for long jobs and dont need to be cordless or if the rechargable batteries a flat/blown/wont recharge.

[DeanoH]

..................... to connect two batteries I've made some leads from an old Landy earth wire, they are about 400mm long.

For the business end I'm pinching the long leads off Dads stick welder. Didn't think of fusing anything so will look into that ..............................
.


Don't know what you're getting at here, why would you want to connect two batterys :confused:

No need to pinch your Dads 35mm welding cable, crikey, way to big, heavy and unweildy. As Dave said 10mm is more than enough. Get yourself a dud battery from somewhere, cut out and throw away the guts and solder the cable onto the contacts with aligator clips/plug on the other end and 'bobs your uncle'. But welding cable :o, a bit over the top.

Deano :)

[Blknight.aus]

2 12v batteries in series with a good solering iron nib, a filed smooth 20c piece and a medium weight hammer do make a workable spot welder.... (if the batteries can deliver the amps)

I think hes mistaken the intent to be able to weld with batteries with using the car battery to power up his 12v gear.

[newhue]

Has Google failed me:)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/254/fieldweldwbatteries5.jpg/)

I'm not trying to power the dam cordless tool with car batteries. Crikey Dave, I am dumb bit that's a bit hard core. The cordless tools are to compliment a difficult repair regarding steel and welding if the need arises.

I do have a long set of jumper leads that I may as well use. Just thought the electrode would be easier in a proper hand piece instead of the bodgy alligator clamp.

[Blknight.aus]

Has Google failed me:)
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/6374/fieldweldwbatteries5.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/254/fieldweldwbatteries5.jpg/)

I'm not trying to power the dam cordless tool with car batteries. Crikey Dave, I am dumb bit that's a bit hard core. The cordless tools are to compliment a difficult repair regarding steel and welding if the need arises.

I do have a long set of jumper leads that I may as well use. Just thought the electrode would be easier in a proper hand piece instead of the bodgy alligator clamp.


trust me, I've been down this road, in about 18-24 months time you'll be asking yourself why does replacing the battery cost more than 3 of the tools in "skin" condtion. at least because your system is 12v nominal you can do the manual conversion to corded for use in the field.

[newhue]

Don't know what you're getting at here, why would you want to connect two batterys :confused:

No need to pinch your Dads 35mm welding cable, crikey, way to big, heavy and unweildy. As Dave said 10mm is more than enough. Get yourself a dud battery from somewhere, cut out and throw away the guts and solder the cable onto the contacts with aligator clips/plug on the other end and 'bobs your uncle'. But welding cable :o, a bit over the top.

Deano :)

Am I missing it,

I make of your post, I will end up with an empty battery box, with 10mm cables soldered to the terminals. This will be just a storage box to carry the leads but they will be per attached to the terminals.

is that all you are saying.

I then power it with something else.

[newhue]

trust me, I've been down this road, in about 18-24 months time you'll be asking yourself why does replacing the battery cost more than 3 of the tools in "skin" condtion. at least because your system is 12v nominal you can do the manual conversion to corded for use in the field.

So what's the alternative for welding?

Don't worry about the tools. I'm not interested in powering the tools from the car battery. The tool charger can cover any flat tool batteries.

[123rover50]

Your battery welder will work for small jobs. I have seen it done.
Though I bought an Auto-arc years ago and it does the job for me.
Keith

[DeanoH]

Am I missing it,

I make of your post, I will end up with an empty battery box, with 10mm cables soldered to the terminals. This will be just a storage box to carry the leads but they will be per attached to the terminals.

is that all you are saying.

I then power it with something else.

Hi Jason, What I'm saying is that for larger cordless tool jobs where playing battery changeover is neccessary to get the job done, it is easier and cheaper to get a stuffed cordless battery, rip it's guts out and solder wires to its terminals and have about 10 metres or so of reasonably heavy cable that you then connect to your car battery, also 12 volts, and use this to power your tools. :)

This is one of the big benefits of having a 12 volt cordless system over a system with higher voltages. Using the above method you can run your tools from a large battery (car battery) when needed without having to worry about wearing out your very expensive cordless batterys, you have full voltage/power all the time and don't have to worry about recharge time of the cordless batterys. In short it makes life a hell of a lot easier for bigger jobs. :)

I used this method for many years as a field service technician and had a cordless drill permanently wired in this manner. It saved a lot of hassle.:)

I missed the connection/mental jump from using cordless tools to in field welding using car batterys, sorry. :( I think this is where a bit of confusion may have arisen. Saw a bloke weld the rear axle ball joint fitting back on to a Defender axle housing a few years ago using this method and it worked well.


Deano :)

[goingbush]

In an effort to reduce weight and bringing useless junk....

My solution is a bit different, and probably because I'm towing a van.
I already have a 2000w pure sine inverter, and I have a 240 v extension cord.

I dont carry any cordless tools.

I have a small 240v drill and grinder,
each of these are more powerful than a similare sized & more expensive cordless tool.

and a few other specific tools. eg appropriate helicoil , ezyouts etc.

Was not a big decision to sacrifice a very small space & weight for welding gear.
I use the 2 AGM batteries from the car & the one from the Van,
all are the same 105A batteries

appropriate cables to link them up, and my heavy duty ( telstra exchange battery cable) jumper leads as welding leads, 2 pairs of vice grips, one as an earth clamp & one as electrode holder.

so really the only extra thing I have to carry is some short link cables, half a box of 2mm rods and a welding glass.

recharge starting battery with Van solar panel if need be.

oh and a big old fashioned copper soldering iron, that I can heat up on a camp fire or gas flame, for silver soldering or electrical repairs.

[weeds]

i used to always think about the taking a cordless to run off the car battery and stuff for welding......and than i thought i have never needeed to date

funny thing is i do have 1/2 welding rods in my tool bag......i should probably carry jumper leads and i could use them for welding