Stud gun shrinker

[Carbuilder]

Has any one made or reworked there stud gun to be just a shrinker. I need a spot shrinker & just dont have $1000 for a stud shrinker. The draw back to a stud gun is the preasure need to compress the center cone to work the ground I just want to do some light shrinking with out putting a bunch of preasure on the panel any thoughts.

[metal manny]

Hi Danny

The answer is yes. Look up this post by Babych44 under 'shrinking methods and results'

Below is a link posted by Robert using such a method.
http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showp...&postcount=140

[Dawai]

yes, but as currently configured the welder I built puts out 1650 amps @4 volts and gets way too hot. Am hunting parts to reduce power. I made a shrinker handle from a old rubber grip screwdriver, and a slide hammer from a couple pieces of bar-tube. BUT as currently configured it would burn a hole in the part. As a spot welder it needs water cooling and more mods.

I don't have a clue how to use them point shrinkers, I was hoping Robert would give us all some more insight.. I was playing- sticking the probe to the high spots.. then mist-spraying with a bottle. Made a lot of blue spots.

THE high dollar unit Robert was using had the "immediate lethal voltages" remote from your immediate grasp and spray bottle .

THE best thing I can say is to understand "all aspects" of the process you are using, be it "lethal & health destroying paint fumes", "vehicle crushing injuries" and "dangerous voltages" in equipment and "how" they might affect you. Even "oxy-gas" needs things to watch out for.

A flat plate of steel with a pot handle, heated by a "torch" would heat the high spots as well.

[Carbuilder]

Roberts machine is doing what I am looking for, but I have herd that you could rework a stud gun to do just shrinking & that is what I am looking for. The shrink disc dosent work well for what I need on some things & is to slow, the torch will cause to much damage. I am a firm beliver in buying quality tools & equipment & just do not want to use a credit card that is why I was asking about modifying a stud gun.

[Stretch]

I've got one of these DIY spot welding attachment guns

http://www.frost.co.uk/automotive-we...lding-gun.html

I bought it about 20 years ago but have never tried it...

Apparently they're not very good at joining two bits of metal together as they only work from one side - I've been told that they just heat up one side...

...do you guys think something like this might work for shrinking purposes?

I've seen them for less money on ebay / amazon than the price advertised - not much outlay if you want to take a punt.

[Dawai]

Ever see a 1800s soldering iron? It sat on a flame, had a pot like handle.. you took it off the flame and applied it to your work, soldered.. then put it back on the flame.

Now I am not suggesting you try that.. (I just have not yet.) Could be a simple "hot plate" produces enough heat to do this process. It gets cherry red.. meaning the eye is about 7-800 degrees.. My shrinking disc hit near 500 once, while it was turning the metal blue.. Shot with a temperature IR gun I use powdercoating.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Sold...item4d018bbffd

[MP&C]

Here's my machine with the model # visible





The handle contains both the push button switch to activate the machine and the slide hammer mechanism.





The end has a slot to accomodate the "throwing stars" with the visible bolt going through the center of the star to hold it in place. The end also has a hole to accomodate the heating tip, which just butts against the bolt and is snugged in place. When I first installed the tip it tended to not apply enough heat, but the tip end was about 1/4 diameter. I tapered it a bit more to about 1/8 diameter on the end, and the picture here shows the results. The direct contact diameter shows to be about 1/16 dia and the HAZ looks to be about 1/8 diameter.





The benefit to this size heat pattern is that is concentrates the heat in a smaller area. It does require quite a few more shrinks, but IMO this provides more precision in location and amount of shrink. I seldom use water on the shrinks, they tend to respond fairly well without it, so I didn't use the water on the bare metal. I'm sure it may shrink a bit more with the water, but I didn't want the mess in this case.

[Carbuilder]

Robert that is what I am looking at, I know there is a few of units out there just like yours spetznagle & the shark #11, I am working on a model A roadster body & some of the spots where I will need to shrink are in tight areas. Dan Pate & I talked about the way Cass does it with a torch & I will do some playing tomorrow that way on some scrap but I just like the very concentrated 1/8 spots for certain areas.

Robert I do have a question on time about how long are you triggering the spot 1/2, 1, 3, seconds & is there a heat range adjustability on it thank you.

[MP&C]

Danny, it does have the timer dial, with a 0 to 10 scale, but as I bought this used I can't say for sure it is functioning correctly. The 10 on the dial is typically where I keep it, and it is only on for about 1/2 a second. It is plenty to fuse the stars for pulling, and making the shrinks that you see in the pics. I don't think there is a variance in the heat output per se, only the length of time the heat is applied. I would have thought the 10 would have related to 10 seconds, but with no manual to go by, I have no idea.

[Dawai]

I can't say for sure it is functioning correctly.

That's my forte. Wish ya was closer.

Heat put into part = conductivity, contact surface, current, time. It'd be nice to see what the current output of your machine is.