Project #2: Foot pedal restoration...

I know there isn't any welding involved with this repair, but I wasn't sure where else I should put it.

I just got my new 25KOhm 2W Clarostat in the mail today and here in about an hour I will be starting to repair/restore the foot pedal on my Airco Heliwelder IV. The main reason for replacing the potentiometer is because about 2/3 of the way through it's rotation there is a semi-dead-spot where the ohm reading jumps up to around 150-170K for about a 1/32 of a turn. This dead-spot causes a wild fluctuation in the welder's output when the pot crosses this spot. The micro-switch inside the foot pedal is in working condition so it will just be cleaned and reinstalled, although I do have a spare in case it ever craps out. The body of the pedal is steel and is covered in surface rust, so all the electrics will be removed so I have an empty shell and it will be sand blasted and repainted. I will be installing small rubber feet on the bottom of the pedal and a new strip of "traction-tape" on the top. Also, I will be replacing the cable on the pedal with a much more flexible one, as the current one is very stiff, impossible to roll up, and has many spots where the outside coating on the cable has cracked and split and has been taped up and it just over all looks and functions badly. I'll have my camera ready and will be documenting the entire repair and I will update this thread this evening with all the pictures when I get home from the shop. Thanks for watching...

Make sure you get some before pics... I always think I won't do a good job, just a fix and afterwards wish I would have taken some before pics.

I forgot to take a picture of it before I took it apart. I do have a photo of what it looked like all torn apart prior to cleaning the body and repainting it.

Well the repair is complete and I must say that it made a HUGE difference in the smoothness and accuracy of the power control this welder has. Plus it looks a lot nicer now too!

Empty case repainted...
Attachment 7639
Top repainted...
Attachment 7640
The internals of the plug before I desoldered the old cord from it.
Attachment 7641
New cords attached to finished plug...
I couldn't find any 6-conductor wires of the same size of the original cord at the local supply stores, so I bought a 50' light-duty extension cord, cut it in half and made a 25' cord for the pedal. The two pieces of cord are zip-tied about every foot and it coils up much nicer than the 12' cord that was on it before.
Attachment 7642
New rubber feet...
Attachment 7643
Completed assembly...
Attachment 7644
A few aluminum beads after restoring the pedal. I laid all 5 of these beads one right after the other w/o letting the aluminum cool in between passes. I left the main amperage knob on the welder at the same setting I used before fixing the pedal, except when I ran all 5 of these beads, I didn't melt through the back of the plate once. The heat/power is so much easier to control after fixing this pedal it's a night/day difference in the way this thing welds.
Attachment 7645

I still have yet to get some glue, or some good double-sided tape and attach a piece of black 220-grit sand paper to the top of the pedal so my food doesn't slide off. I was going to buy some traction tape but the local supply stores only sell it in massive amounts so the sandpaper will work I'm sure...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blasphemy000

I forgot to take a picture of it before I took it apart. I do have a photo of what it looked like all torn apart prior to cleaning the body and repainting it.

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Sorry, no before pics, no credit. :P



Just kidding, I often find myself halfway through a project before I remember to grab a camera too.

Looks like a good restoration, nothing like good old American steel for toughness and durability.

I have a before picture on my digicam, but I can't find the cable for it. The pictures I posted I had to take with my cell phone. Thanks man!

Here is the final picture. This is of the 220-Grit, black, sandpaper that I glued to the top of the pedal to keep your foot from sliding off. I have to say it works absolutely great. I used some 3M Spray Adhesive that is actually meant to glue up foam-backed headliners to their backing boards in a car. It held it perfectly fine after being clamped for about 10 minutes. Thanks for watching everyone. I should have more projects coming soon as my shop will soon be open so that I can take on side jobs.

Attachment 7659

Looks like a real nice job. Glad you were able to bring it back to life!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MoparCar

Looks like a real nice job. Glad you were able to bring it back to life!

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Thanks man. I'm pretty anal about my equipment being in good shape. It wasn't that hard of a fix, just a little time consuming, but I'm quite happy with the results.