06/09/2020. The Mactack. Handmade Portable Tinplate Sheet Spot Welder.
It is said that what people build reflects their personality and like me the Mactack is cheap and simple. I made this welder using an old microwave transformer by cutting out the HF coil and replacing it with 2 turns of 6mm starter cable. It will easily weld up to 0.5mm sheet and is perfect for building tinplate boats, its most effective for tacking prior to full soldering. The hand unit is an old cloggers hole cutter bought from Todmorden flea market for 50 pence! it needed re-working to hold the insulated electrodes. Total cost around 15 of your human Quids (That was for the starter cable) the rest was shed derived. Its a brilliant thing and I have spot welded a huge ball of scrap trimmings together under the guise of practicing, the piece is entitled "Arseholes for breakfast". I have sent a picture of it to the Tate modern. As yet, no reply.