A guide to buying a spot welder
- 6 Sep 2023
A guide to buying a spot welder
Do you need a shiny new spot welder for your workspace or factory? Our article will outline the pros and cons of spot welding, our best sellers, what to consider when purchasing and links to purchase. I know, we’re good right?
We’ll start with the pros:
- Perfect for sheet metal fabrication
- Faster process than other forms of welding
- Great for welding those hard to reach places
- Multiple metal sheets can be joined at the same time
- No fillers or extra materials needed. (This makes it cost effective too!)
- The strength of a spot weld is fantastic (when carried out right of course)
- It’s versatile and can be used for hobbyist welders, in workshops or factories
And the cons:
- Really not good for use on thick metal
- Working in confined spaces can be hard
- A good electric supply is needed at all times
- It creates lots of splatter that must be cleaned after the project
- There is no easy way to identify if a good weld has been completed
- Alignment of the metal is critical - get this wrong and you’re up the river without a paddle.
Considerations when buying a spot welder
- Do you need your spot welder for your home workshop, workplace or factory?
- Spot welders in factories are typically not portable, however, consider portability as an option when working outside a factory.
- Do you need a water cool feature? This is to decrease the temperature, preventing premature wear.
Bring on the welding machines!
Once you’ve answered the questions above you should have more of an understanding of what machine you need to purchase. This article will now take you through each of the points above, with handy links to purchase.
Workshop, workplace or factory?
Hobbyist welders in a workshop or garage
Most hobbyist spot welders will use a hand held machine for their automotive repairs and sheet metal fabrication.
We have a range of handheld welders on offer including:
- The Portaspot 230v 16Amp is perfect for mild steel sheets like metal furniture or for vehicle restoration.
- Tecna Spot Welder 2KVA is ideal for automotive and light sheet applications.
- Tecna Spot Welder 6kVA Pneumatic 400V Water Cooled has an extensive range of optional arms and electrodes available to suit this model.
- The Tecna Auto Spotter with Puller 230V is a multi purpose welder and is good for sheet straightening and has sheet localised heating.
Workplace
If you need your spot welder for work in automotive garages, engineering, and construction take a look at our welders below:
- GYS POT 32 D.X great for car body welding as the aluminium made clamp is lightweight and easy to handle.
- Tecna Mantis 10kVA includes multi-function and water cooled systems.
- Tecna RHINO Inverter Spot Stn 400V with 8679TS (450daN) features automatic recognition of sheet types and thicknesses.
- Tecna COBRA Evolution E2 comes equipped with an automatic proportional valve for managing the force at the electrodes.
Factory or large premises
If you are looking to get a new spot welder for a factory that carries out construction, automotive or aerospace engineering, these are the welders for you:
- Tecna Column Spot Welder Pedal Operated - Featuring adjustable arm length allowing a better working flexibility.
- Tecna Column Spot Welder Pneumatic - New design with the pneumatic commands and the compressed air pressure gauge placed at the top for easier reading and adjustments.
- Tecna Column Spot Welder Pneumatic - Designed for heavy duty services and designed for straight and angled fitting.
Consider portability
Let’s start with the most portable that can be used in a hobbyist workshop or automotive workplace.
- Featuring the handheld Tecna Spot Welder 2KVA with Timer. This is ideal for light sheet metal applications.
- The Tecna 36EZ Modular Inverter Spot Welder is portable on wheels. Featuring easy programming and performs with high quality on basic steels.
Water cooled machines
Decrease the temperature and increase the lifespan of your welder by opting for a watercooled machine.
Well there you have it. Our guide to buying a shiny new spot welder. Should you need any more support on specific features of a spot welder or recommendations on the right welder for you, contact our team of welding experts, on hand to help you.