WOW! I've been on the fence, and while Ive seen all these companies offerring kits, I figured out the type of welder one company was using, and then started researching. Your video has helped me make a big decision much easier. Thank you!
Glad it helped. It’s a good machine for starting out. I still use it but the Orion is a great upgrade when / if things pick up for your business. Micro-tools has some good tool/plier kit options I would recommend, but as far as a kit for everything I can’t see how that would be good. And the training I just can’t see how that is worth it when everything is already on RUclips and Facebook
Thank you for the response and continued tips. I am curious for permanent jewelry; It welds gold, gold filled, but what about sterling silver? This seems to be questionable, yet I'm seeing Sterling being offered as a jewelry option. Have you welded Silver with the Amazon welder? Thanks
@@christinanicoll3650 yes I’ve welded everything with it. Silver welds great in general. The biggest cons with the Amazon unit are the settings jump to default after a certain time idle, and the power sensitivity limits you a bit. But like I said in video you can do 22/24g jump rings in any metal all day long. 26 and thinner it starts to get trickier.
Oh your VIDEO was SPOT ON the info I was needing!!! I arc weld and mig weld and I’ve been trying to understand if a rod or wire electrode, solder etc. was needed for this machine! Answer is NO! I think it welds two pieces that touch by actually melting/pooling them together….. Correct? However I’d still like to understand a few more things…. * like what metals don’t work well with this machine?? Silver??? *also I haven’t see a weld close up. So it’s hard to know how much sanding and clean up is necessary for a weld. Thank YOU for sharing your knowledge it’s very kind and helpful to know folks like yourself want to share and teach!!!!
@@amyh.2020 correct, it goes plasma and pools together. I’ve only used it with silver gold filled & steel. There isn’t much cleanup at the small scale I work with. Zero sanding as you can use more welds to smooth it out. It should be noted this machine is not at the level of more expensive micro welders on the market
Glad it was helpful! It’s a good time to be in it! I’d say we have another year or so before the trend wanes..I do about 50-60 clients per weekend, I have lots of intel I can share.
@@danielgraf2447 I sold this machine but it worked until I did. Like I mention in my videos this thing is a starter machine. Once you are making any money it's time to go pro
Thanks for this! I’ve just bought the Amazon welder and I’m so intimidated - can you show a video tutorial of a permanent jewellery weld, can’t find ANY online 😢
Thanks, this information was great, I’m just Scouting around trying to learn as much as possible about repairing my own jewelry vs trips to a jeweler. Weighing the difference. 👍🏼
Thanks for the review. Can you provide a link to the equipment you are reviewing. I really don't do permanent jewelry but want something that would weld jump rings to a chain or an earring without leaving the fire scaling that soldering tends to leave.
I am so excited to start my journey in permanent jewelry thanks to this video! Super detailed, super opinionated but honest!! I'm planning to work with stainless steel material!
It would be nice if you can post a video showing how to use it with different sittings, with different wires thickness and so on, that would be much better way, thanks
I hear you man. But there are just too many variables. Material, thickness, gas/no gas, electrode shape. The most important thing to know is that you can get down to at least .4mm in my experience and others are doing .3mm. Using the lowest settings.
@@Friction-Jewelry, this was a very respectable answer from you, it could have gone several different ways. I respect that you chose the one that you did. Respect is something that you earn and you did, with this! 👍🏼👍🏼
27 дней назад
12/3/24: could you please show how you setup the tweezers? I can not find a video that shows that setup.
I don’t use the tweezers. For permanent jewelry it’s not really a thing. Cross lock tweezers are occasionally useful but the ones supplied with these machines were useless to me
@@Friction-Jewelry Great, I just ordered them. Are you using the Xurons more than your other expensive pair? Also, is there some electrodes (link) you would recommend from amazon?
@@Friction-Jewelry Also is there a difference between purchasing the grounded ones or just grounding them with alligator clips? Theres a big price difference.
@@dabig77I use the tronex as well, the fine tip xuron are for smaller thinner gauge work. You don’t want to be using them like stainless steel, 20G gold filled etc. the tronex are a little more versatile. It’s hard to get one tool for everything. I think using alligator clip on the pliers is a hassle. You can make your own grounded pretty easily with xuron bc the handles slide off. But if you don’t have a soldering iron or just don’t want to deal ya get the grounded version.
Hello, the video is very useful, thank you. I did the installation, there is an air inlet, I connected it to the machine. But there is no air coming out during welding. What could be the problem? I will be grateful if you could help me🙏🏿
I have "Amazon" version and although it somewhat works, it is defective by design. It does not control arc current well. What it is inside is a 42V 130000mfd capacitor bank discharging through 0.1 Ohm resistor through stylus. There is no choke (inductor) and there is no smooth current rise, fall or regulation. As the result, the arc spot is uncontrolled while the stylus moves, and the current is larger than optimum for the used electrode diameter. It creates burns on materials that easily evaporate or meld (like bronze). The duration of the pulse is controlled in steps of 3ms up to 30ms. I did modify it to make it work better but it requires to be electronics professional, and throwing away the main control board.
Thanks for the info ! Very cool you reverse engineered it. I think for what it is (a cheap welder ) it can work for permanent jewelry. There are a lot of people in the industry who use it. As for other applications, ya man, it’s probably terrible. The bottom line is for people reading this, it’s a starter machine at best. As I said in the video upgrading should be a priority after proof of concept. I don’t even use this machine anymore so I’m not trying to convince people it’s awesome or anything.-just an easy way to get your business started. Also worth noting when this video was made, there were no mid tier micro welders on the market. It was like $300 or $2500. So there was a compelling argument for a starter unit. Now it’s no so clear with much more solid options in the $1k-$1500 ranges. Anyway thanks again for the info !!
Oi, consigo soldar titanio com essa máquina? Fica bem firme a solda? Ja estou a 1 semana pesquisando sobre essa máquina e ainda estou com medo de comprar
What should I do if there are lots of sparks and an explosive sound while welding on the lowest settings? Is this normal? Also what type of jump rings are best for welding, gold plated or stainless steel?
The best welding jump rings are solid gold :) I’d say stainless is better than gold plated from a consistency standpoint. Gold plated can be so many different things. As far you machine blowing up, it’s not normal under normal conditions. By that I mean, clean, sharp electrode, closed jump rings, clean tools. Any of those not true can causes big sparks
Hi! So I'm completely new to this business and machine altogether. Right now I am just trying to learn which metals are okay to spot weld with. I want to start practicing but not sure if gold plated is okay to use? I'm not practicing on a human just yet, I'm using a fake hand from nail school. 😅 So is gold plated chains okay to practice with?
This is a really helpful video for a newbie! Did you find a set setting for each metal? As in when you said 2/3 was that for sterling silver? Thank you!
Hi! There aren’t really settings for each metal, it’s more about the thickness or gauge of wire you are trying to weld. I only use 1/3 or 2/3, bc I’m welding 22 gauge or thinner metal. Normally for gold filled 22 gauge I use 2/3 but with a slightly Dulled electrode shape. I find a Sharp electrode (like 10 degree) focuses too much power for the Amazon welder on thin chains. So I sharpen the electrode to 20 deg, and then dull it slightly. This is where it gets tricky, because if you do use 10 deg sharp electrodes you can often get away with 1/3 on the setting. When it doubt, use the lowest setting ! And go up.
What are the chances or precautions with this welder with possibly burning someone? I am extremely scared of the heat transferring through the bracelet and burning the client. I really want to open my own business but I don’t know where to start. This video was awesome! Also could you go in depth about the use of Argon? What is a regulator?
Hi! I will make another update video to answer these questions since it’s been coming up a bunch. Short story: don’t worry about burning anyone. Don’t worry about argon :)
Sorry I realize that was kind of lame answer. Ok. Precautions you can take: 1) keep your settings low (1 or 2% power, 3ms) 2) if you are working on thick metal gauges that require more power, you can put a piece of leather on your client's wrist. The risk of burning is very very low. I can help you start your business but it would be best to DM or reach out via IG or something (too much info for this space ;). ARGON - I'll do a video on that soon, but for starting out, don't worry about it right now. I started without it, added it later. A regulator is a device that controls the amount of gas (or fluid) that flows from one point to another. In this case, a pressurized tank of Argon, and your welder.
Non jeweler question.. I want something I can micro fill in rust damaged gun or knife metal to ultimately flatten, polish and blue. Is this product something i can build up a millimeter or two of a gap in a ver small area? If these are limited to jewelry links I understand but if I can use it to build up material, albeit small amounts it might be a fit for me. I appreciate any feedback. Thanks for the video
Hmm. That is application I don’t have experience with. You can certainly add material to a gap, it’s harder to control vs something like solder. It will take practice but normally if I’m trying to add metal to a joint, I’ll ground the speed wire or whatever, place the electrode on the joint and then bring the wire into the joint.. hard to explain I should make a video on this 😊
@@Friction-Jewelry I appreciate the response. I think I understand.. you lay the wire in the gap then the wire supports as a filler. My application is the cocking teeth on the gun hammer in the RUclips video… ruclips.net/user/shorts1Kb3RcfkTrA?si=u2GupT3p_aEqw3kB
So do we just use the lowest setting on the Amazon welder? Does it come with instructions? Do you put anything to protect the clients skin when welding with it
Thanks! Nice review. I bought one for my shop, just starting it now. Any coments on argon flow and settings, were the ok for the kind of work you do? It is really hard to find reviews and configurations tips for this machine.
I keep the argon flow on the Low side 5-7 L/m. Note though I no longer use this machine. I still like it for the price but needed the low power accuracy of the higher end welders.
I make coin rings and would like to expand to making coin jewelry which involves cutting and joining ring pieces together. I’m used glue but it isn’t very durable so I’m looking at welding them instead. That’s what I meant by “will it work on coins”.
@@johnwheeler1031ya it’s got plenty of power to weld different alloys. Depending on thickness, you might need to hit it multiple times from different sides.
Thank you for the info! I make a lot of 2mm wide rings made from silver and gold-filled wire. Would the amazon one work well for joining the ends instead of having to solder?
It would work for the silver, you would need to clean it up after. For gold-filled the weld joint would always show bc the brass mixes with the gold alloy layer. So you would need to electroplate a layer to cover the weld .. pretty much how they make all gold filled chain..
Hi! There are a few good training videos online already, check the Sunstone ones, and also the Stones and Findings channel, Dana makes good training videos. There is no difference in welding a bracelet with the Amazon machine vs Orion, PUK etc, you just need to learn the machines settings for what you are trying to do. Set up is basically plugging it in, but if you email me via my website or IG sure I can answer any questions that come up :)
Mike, thanks for the unbiased video. It helped me make the decision to buy this welder. I have a couple of questions for you or anyone who reads this that has experience with this welder: 1) It seems like I make perfect perpendicular contact to the joint, but it takes 10 or more contacts before the welder engages. Is this normal? 2) The kit came with 2 or 3 various diameters of electrodes (welding rods). Am I to use lighter gauge electrodes with lighter gauge material? I know the Orion welder my daughter has are all the same gauge electrodes. Thank you!.
1) if by engage you mean fire (spark etc), no that is not normal. Usually if this is happening it’s an issue with your ground. Try other grounding methods or tools, touch the ground to the electrode, it should fire immediately. There is a short lag time in between fires, a couple seconds, which prevents rapid fire welding. 2) I only use 1mm electrodes with any of my welders. I have no experience with other diameters. In theory though, the larger electrodes will distribute power less densely, and at higher power should allow you to weld a bigger area. For lighter gauge, pin point welding like perm jewelry, a 1mm with fine point (10 degree) puts energy right where you need it. Hope that helps some
I've been soldering wire sculpture with range #16~#10 gauge wire and found to be tedious and full of frustration about to give up! May I ask how thick of a wire can this machine can tack weld two wire? Also can it handle various metal: aluminum, stainless steel, mild steel, copper, brass? Thanks in advance!
Hi! Personally I have never tack welded those gauges, but I think it would work great. Esp for 16 awg. At 10 I imagine you might need to hit it from opposite sides as just from the top the weld might not penetrate but that’s a guess. I used my machine only at its lowest power for my purposes.
this was very helpful. i purchased this machine and im in the process of learning. can you share your knowledge on the grounding clamp, some users clamp to their pliers and others clamp to the jump rings, which do you prefer?
Hi, I don’t use a clamp. It’s too inconvenient. I used grounded pliers, so the ground is perm wired to the pliers. You can make your own with a soldering iron or you can buy online. Xuron or tronex prob the most popular, but there are others on the market too :)
@@Friction-Jewelry thank you so much!! my machine came with large tweezers that are hard wired maybe just use those? or i can clamp to my pliers right?
@@simoneandnina ya you can clamp to your pliers but just take my advice on this one, buy the grounded pliers. They are like $40. or cut the handle to your pliers and cut the clamp off the wire you have and attach it. I've got a video on how to do it.
@@Friction-Jewelry i appreciate you soooo much! i ordered a pair! thank you again for all you do and the time you take to post these videos. much love!
how long does one electrode last? And where do you buy spare ones? i am choosing between this welder and the cheap simole one 80A wihout argon support. The cheap one use standard electrodes, you can buy it in welders store, but this one seems to be using very thin electrodes.
Argon is somewhat critical so there is your answer right there. Buy this one instead. Plenty of used on the market too. Lots of places sell 1mm electrodes, Amazon sells them for around $50 for a 10 pack. They last A LONG time especially If you don’t over grind when cleaning.
Great video. One thing other than jump rings that I want to be able to weld would be small pieces of copper and silver. If I were to layer 1mm pieces cut from copper, brass, or silver sheet, would this machine be able to weld them together? I don't expect it to survive rough handling, jus enough to keep them together when worn or light handling.
@@TeriJohnson-nu7xd Ok. You mean the jump rings. Well, the smallest I would probably do with the amazon welder is 24g. That number is a measure of thickness. I think 2.8 or 3mm is a good starting point as far as outside diameter of the ring. When are you learning, you could even start with 4mm. You could buy silver, gold-filled and stainless jump rings to practice with. IT's very important you learn proper plier technique for opening and closing jump rings. this is a critical skill for welding PJ. Good luck!
I have the jackery 300 (best) and ApolloSolar off Amazon (cheaper). As long as it’s like 250-300Wh and pure sign wave you should be good with most portable power stations.
anyone have any sucess to welder brass with the amazon one? I haven't any sucess. A have already read alot about the problem related to welder brass. I don't know if I spend more money and give a try with orion machine.
Can you explain the problem ? Gauge wire / material you are trying to weld? The Orion machines that go to 30J of power probably wont give you much different results. They have higher end models that do 100J+ ..but I'm not sure if power is your issue.
My machine went from working perfectly fine to blowing every single weld. One after another. I have troubleshooted and tried everything I can, to no avail. Any ideas?
Hi Mango! 9 times out 10, at least for me, a dirty electrode is to blame. Turn your settings to 1/3, then sharpen your electrode, then blunt it slightly. To blunt it just hold it perpendicular to the diamond disk for a split second. Make sure your connection (jump ring, link etc) is as flush possible. A gap will cause havoc. You also need to make sure just the point of the electrode is touching the seam, not the side, sometimes distortion from a magnifying glass at the wrong angle can trick you here. Outside of these fixes, I really don’t know I’m sorry. What gauge wire are you working with ?
Also, there are bunch of versions of this some with good reviews some with bad are they all the same? Just some come with extra accessories like foot pedal
I only know about the one in this video. But I assume they are all very similar or identical. The bad reviews are from people who have no idea how to use it, or they got a defective one, missing parts etc
@@lindzyoleii8269 I got it from LABFENG-US … as I mentioned in my video they will be useless so during the return window just make sure everything is working. Mine still works like the day I bought it. But I now have 2 orions so it’s on the shelf as a backup.
I think you are asking will this work with base metal like brass? Personally I've only worked with 14k, Gold-filled (which is gold alloy plated brass), sterling and stainless steel. This machine will weld any of those materials. The thicker the metal, the better this machine is. For fine chain, this machine is not the best option. On the lowest power setting 1%/3ms, you can weld wire down to maybe .4 or .5mm (26G or 24G). Less than that and things melt, it's unpredictable.
Thank you so much for this info! I've been using the Ding Xing and actually having pretty good results. I ordered this machine to go to my next level and after set up, it engages however does not "fire" or "spark". Do I just need to keep trying because I haven't gotten the hang of it yet?? The Ding Xing has a foot pedal for spark. Thanks again!
What do you mean by "engages"? When you touch the electrode to your metal, does it click? If it does not, that would be mean the ground is not connected or it is not sensing a complete circuit. If it does click but doesn't fire, there are 2 things that could be happening. 1) It's not working 2) You are touching it to the metal you want to weld, but during the delay between click and fire, you are moving the electrode away from your metal. In that case then yes, you just need to keep practicing. However, if the ground is connected properly to the machine and your pliers, chain etc, and it's never fired, then for sure your unit needs to go back to shipper. there is no tricky installation with this machine. It's super easy to use.
@@Friction-Jewelry yes, clicking/retracting electrode but no spark. I will keep practicing! Maybe I’m flinching too quick! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Best wishes to you
Awesome video. I've really enjoyed your videos and found them very helpful and amazingly straightforward. Thankyou. Not quite ready for a market but am practicing on anyone that comes to see me!
Thanks :) don’t wait too long to get out there ! What I do when training my employees is I offer their first 5-10 clients 30-50% off. It really kind of sets the stage with clients, calms them, and gives a newbie kind of room to make mistakes, take a long time etc. my advice to you is go for it !
Is argon gas required? I want to start up, but I hear argon is extremely expensive. I was wondering if I can just start without it, and add it in later as I make more money? Also, if it isn’t required, what product do you use to clean the black soot off the metal? Thank you for your videos! So so helpful!
I made an argon video where I go over the costs. It’s 2-300 range . It’s not required but highly recommended. I would just do an event or 2 without it, see how it goes. If you make some money then go get it. If you don’t have a gas refill station near your house that is something to consider. A jewelry polishing cloth will remove the fire scale.
Maybe but the main function of the argon is protect the weld from containments in the air and make the weld stronger, reducing porosity that you get without argon. now for perm jewelry, the welds wont have a ton of stress on them, so the reduced fire scale is a kind of the main benefit. keeping that electrode clean greatly increases consistency from one weld to the next. @@MoonDragn77
Thanks for this video as I'm contemplating getting one of these (not for permanent jewellery but for other jobs). I saw another video where they had problems with the Argon leaking and emptying their bottle in one fell sweep - have you used it with argon and have you had any problems with that?
I wish I could answer this but my welder arrived damaged with a cracked fitting.. I haven’t been motivated to repair it. I see no reason the female fitting on the back of amazon welder would leak( unless it’s broken). Most issues with these machine are user error. If it did leak you would be able to catch it, then just return it.
I believe I saw the same video. She used the same tubing from her other spot welder. It turns out it was slightly too small so it didn’t have a good fit.
You should always turn the tank valve off when done welding because downline there is usually a tiny leak somewhere. Even prof welders do this for same reason.
Can you use this Machine to solder Silver wire to Silver jewelry? Also, I've not seen any videos that talk about the Argon capability or how to use it with Argon gas. I might be looking at a different model but swore I saw this Machine mention Argon in its description. Thank you in advance and your video was awesome!
You can certainly weld silver wire to silver jewelry with this machine. It won’t “solder” but it will weld. As for the Argon, I can’t comment on using it with this machine specifically, bc mine came with a damaged hose connect.. I’ll update when I get around to fixing . I can say argon in general is very useful and it’s worth hooking up. Helps keep the electrode clean, weld clean, etc. the regulator that comes with the unit looks like junk to me so I would buy a decent regulator no matter what machine you buy.
Mine came with a air pressure gauge not a regulator. I believe you need both if you are using argon gas.@@Friction-Jewelry i’m not positive as I have not set up my machine yet. I didn’t realize I needed to purchase a regulator with the adapter for my set up.
I normally do .5mm (24g) with this machine, I think it could do .4mm (26g) on the lowest power setting. Thinner than that could be tough, likely depends on the material you are working with.
@@handmadebyesmae4481 Awesome ! Ya I don't experiment that small with this welder since I have the Orion as well. Have you tried sterling or gold at that thickness? Good?
Whats the highest thickness you have done? I'm looking into getting one for other types or jewelry and thus far I have not found an answer to the maximum it can weld.
It would be more helpful to people if the title was dont buy tha amazon welder. There is also a 80A welder which is about 150 $ and works fine. There are endless complain about the power issue. At 1% it keep metling metals instead of welding.
Hi Keno, did you buy the Amazon welder and it didn’t work out ? If so, Sorry to hear that..It works fine for me it will melt only very fine wire at 1%/3ms, but I use it all the time with 20-24 gauge wire. It’s certainly not the best machine out there but I would still recommend it for newbies. I have not seen the $150 option, you should totally make a video about it though !
@@Friction-Jewelry yes it did not work for what i bought for so closing jump rings. And i am not alone there are a lot of people that complain about the same problem. The 1% power if very very high and you are unable to use it in detailed work. It is a total waste of money. The cheaper version i mention is with fixed tungsteen and not automatic but manual with pedal. Thanks for the reply. Have a good day 👋
Another misleading video, too much talking and no real presentation of the device. Did you notice that the electrode broke when he attempted welding? Did you notice that there was not welding at all? The device require inert gas to function, like Argon. I haven't seen something on the presentation. Do you believe that a device that cost 9000$ is the same like the Chinese one. Seriously? I bought the Chinese one. It's useful if you need to make a simple spot welding. That's all.
This is a funny comment. You obviously didn’t listen to “all the talking”. No electrode broke. The welder does not require argon to function. It functions better with argon. No one is arguing a $250 welder functions like more expensive models (which I own). The only thing misleading here is your comment. But hey, it’s internet, you get the good the bad and the crazy. Thanks for watching. Watch that movie Trolls its right up your alley ;)!
WOW! I've been on the fence, and while Ive seen all these companies offerring kits, I figured out the type of welder one company was using, and then started researching. Your video has helped me make a big decision much easier.
Thank you!
Glad it helped. It’s a good machine for starting out. I still use it but the Orion is a great upgrade when / if things pick up for your business. Micro-tools has some good tool/plier kit options I would recommend, but as far as a kit for everything I can’t see how that would be good. And the training I just can’t see how that is worth it when everything is already on RUclips and Facebook
Thank you for the response and continued tips.
I am curious for permanent jewelry; It welds gold, gold filled, but what about sterling silver? This seems to be questionable, yet I'm seeing Sterling being offered as a jewelry option. Have you welded Silver with the Amazon welder?
Thanks
@@christinanicoll3650 yes I’ve welded everything with it. Silver welds great in general. The biggest cons with the Amazon unit are the settings jump to default after a certain time idle, and the power sensitivity limits you a bit. But like I said in video you can do 22/24g jump rings in any metal all day long. 26 and thinner it starts to get trickier.
@@Friction-Jewelry Thank you very much!
@@christinanicoll3650 late response ! yes silver welds no prob
Can you make a video of what settings you use on the Amazon welder for sterling silver, stainless steel and gold filled jewelry?
can you help us pleaseeeeee🥺🙏🏻
Please....
4:28
Can you make a set up video? I’m trying to figure out what is going on with the electrode and grounding
Oh your VIDEO was SPOT ON the info I was needing!!!
I arc weld and mig weld and I’ve been trying to understand if a rod or wire electrode, solder etc. was needed for this machine! Answer is NO! I think it welds two pieces that touch by actually melting/pooling them together….. Correct?
However I’d still like to understand a few more things….
* like what metals don’t work well with this machine?? Silver???
*also I haven’t see a weld close up. So it’s hard to know how much sanding and clean up is necessary for a weld.
Thank YOU for sharing your knowledge it’s very kind and helpful to know folks like yourself want to share and teach!!!!
@@amyh.2020 correct, it goes plasma and pools together. I’ve only used it with silver gold filled & steel. There isn’t much cleanup at the small scale I work with. Zero sanding as you can use more welds to smooth it out. It should be noted this machine is not at the level of more expensive micro welders on the market
Thank you! This was very helpful! I’m looking into getting into this and this definitely has some unbiased info I haven’t been able to find elsewhere.
Glad it was helpful! It’s a good time to be in it! I’d say we have another year or so before the trend wanes..I do about 50-60 clients per weekend, I have lots of intel I can share.
@@Friction-Jewelryquestion bud….its been like a year since these comments posted. How is machine holding up? Figured I’d ask.
@@danielgraf2447 I sold this machine but it worked until I did. Like I mention in my videos this thing is a starter machine. Once you are making any money it's time to go pro
Thanks for this! I’ve just bought the Amazon welder and I’m so intimidated - can you show a video tutorial of a permanent jewellery weld, can’t find ANY online 😢
Thanks, this information was great, I’m just Scouting around trying to learn as much as possible about repairing my own jewelry vs trips to a jeweler. Weighing the difference. 👍🏼
Thanks for the review. Can you provide a link to the equipment you are reviewing. I really don't do permanent jewelry but want something that would weld jump rings to a chain or an earring without leaving the fire scaling that soldering tends to leave.
I'm doing wire wrap and want to tackle some of the wires and ends. Is this for me?
I am so excited to start my journey in permanent jewelry thanks to this video! Super detailed, super opinionated but honest!! I'm planning to work with stainless steel material!
Yay go for it ! Glad you found the video helpful :)
It would be nice if you can post a video showing how to use it with different sittings, with different wires thickness and so on, that would be much better way, thanks
I hear you man. But there are just too many variables. Material, thickness, gas/no gas, electrode shape. The most important thing to know is that you can get down to at least .4mm in my experience and others are doing .3mm. Using the lowest settings.
@@Friction-Jewelry, this was a very respectable answer from you, it could have gone several different ways. I respect that you chose the one that you did. Respect is something that you earn and you did, with this! 👍🏼👍🏼
12/3/24: could you please show how you setup the tweezers? I can not find a video that shows that setup.
I don’t use the tweezers. For permanent jewelry it’s not really a thing. Cross lock tweezers are occasionally useful but the ones supplied with these machines were useless to me
Thanks for all the info! Can you please share a link for the precision clip?
I don’t recommend that clip. It’s too soft just doesn’t grip like you need it too. We use grounded pliers now with .7mm tips xuron 452
@@Friction-Jewelry Great, I just ordered them. Are you using the Xurons more than your other expensive pair? Also, is there some electrodes (link) you would recommend from amazon?
@@Friction-Jewelry Also is there a difference between purchasing the grounded ones or just grounding them with alligator clips? Theres a big price difference.
@@dabig77I use the tronex as well, the fine tip xuron are for smaller thinner gauge work. You don’t want to be using them like stainless steel, 20G gold filled etc. the tronex are a little more versatile. It’s hard to get one tool for everything. I think using alligator clip on the pliers is a hassle. You can make your own grounded pretty easily with xuron bc the handles slide off. But if you don’t have a soldering iron or just don’t want to deal ya get the grounded version.
Hello, the video is very useful, thank you. I did the installation, there is an air inlet, I connected it to the machine. But there is no air coming out during welding. What could be the problem? I will be grateful if you could help me🙏🏿
I have "Amazon" version and although it somewhat works, it is defective by design. It does not control arc current well. What it is inside is a 42V 130000mfd capacitor bank discharging through 0.1 Ohm resistor through stylus. There is no choke (inductor) and there is no smooth current rise, fall or regulation. As the result, the arc spot is uncontrolled while the stylus moves, and the current is larger than optimum for the used electrode diameter. It creates burns on materials that easily evaporate or meld (like bronze). The duration of the pulse is controlled in steps of 3ms up to 30ms. I did modify it to make it work better but it requires to be electronics professional, and throwing away the main control board.
Thanks for the info ! Very cool you reverse engineered it. I think for what it is (a cheap welder ) it can work for permanent jewelry. There are a lot of people in the industry who use it. As for other applications, ya man, it’s probably terrible. The bottom line is for people reading this, it’s a starter machine at best. As I said in the video upgrading should be a priority after proof of concept. I don’t even use this machine anymore so I’m not trying to convince people it’s awesome or anything.-just an easy way to get your business started. Also worth noting when this video was made, there were no mid tier micro welders on the market. It was like $300 or $2500. So there was a compelling argument for a starter unit. Now it’s no so clear with much more solid options in the $1k-$1500 ranges. Anyway thanks again for the info !!
Oi, consigo soldar titanio com essa máquina? Fica bem firme a solda? Ja estou a 1 semana pesquisando sobre essa máquina e ainda estou com medo de comprar
What should I do if there are lots of sparks and an explosive sound while welding on the lowest settings? Is this normal? Also what type of jump rings are best for welding, gold plated or stainless steel?
The best welding jump rings are solid gold :) I’d say stainless is better than gold plated from a consistency standpoint. Gold plated can be so many different things. As far you machine blowing up, it’s not normal under normal conditions. By that I mean, clean, sharp electrode, closed jump rings, clean tools. Any of those not true can causes big sparks
Hi! So I'm completely new to this business and machine altogether. Right now I am just trying to learn which metals are okay to spot weld with. I want to start practicing but not sure if gold plated is okay to use? I'm not practicing on a human just yet, I'm using a fake hand from nail school. 😅 So is gold plated chains okay to practice with?
Hey I’m wanting to buy one but there’s two options 110v or 220v which one should I buy?
How do you put it together! lol I just bought one and have no idea where anything goes
Check out my set up video
This is a really helpful video for a newbie! Did you find a set setting for each metal? As in when you said 2/3 was that for sterling silver? Thank you!
Hi! There aren’t really settings for each metal, it’s more about the thickness or gauge of wire you are trying to weld. I only use 1/3 or 2/3, bc I’m welding 22 gauge or thinner metal. Normally for gold filled 22 gauge I use 2/3 but with a slightly Dulled electrode shape. I find a Sharp electrode (like 10 degree) focuses too much power for the Amazon welder on thin chains. So I sharpen the electrode to 20 deg, and then dull it slightly. This is where it gets tricky, because if you do use 10 deg sharp electrodes you can often get away with 1/3 on the setting. When it doubt, use the lowest setting ! And go up.
What are the chances or precautions with this welder with possibly burning someone? I am extremely scared of the heat transferring through the bracelet and burning the client. I really want to open my own business but I don’t know where to start. This video was awesome! Also could you go in depth about the use of Argon? What is a regulator?
Hi! I will make another update video to answer these questions since it’s been coming up a bunch. Short story: don’t worry about burning anyone. Don’t worry about argon :)
Sorry I realize that was kind of lame answer. Ok. Precautions you can take: 1) keep your settings low (1 or 2% power, 3ms) 2) if you are working on thick metal gauges that require more power, you can put a piece of leather on your client's wrist. The risk of burning is very very low. I can help you start your business but it would be best to DM or reach out via IG or something (too much info for this space ;). ARGON - I'll do a video on that soon, but for starting out, don't worry about it right now. I started without it, added it later. A regulator is a device that controls the amount of gas (or fluid) that flows from one point to another. In this case, a pressurized tank of Argon, and your welder.
I would be interested in knowing more as well! What is your Instagram so I can DM for for information?
Non jeweler question.. I want something I can micro fill in rust damaged gun or knife metal to ultimately flatten, polish and blue. Is this product something i can build up a millimeter or two of a gap in a ver small area? If these are limited to jewelry links I understand but if I can use it to build up material, albeit small amounts it might be a fit for me. I appreciate any feedback. Thanks for the video
Hmm. That is application I don’t have experience with. You can certainly add material to a gap, it’s harder to control vs something like solder. It will take practice but normally if I’m trying to add metal to a joint, I’ll ground the speed wire or whatever, place the electrode on the joint and then bring the wire into the joint.. hard to explain I should make a video on this 😊
@@Friction-Jewelry I appreciate the response. I think I understand.. you lay the wire in the gap then the wire supports as a filler.
My application is the cocking teeth on the gun hammer in the RUclips video…
ruclips.net/user/shorts1Kb3RcfkTrA?si=u2GupT3p_aEqw3kB
So do we just use the lowest setting on the Amazon welder? Does it come with instructions? Do you put anything to protect the clients skin when welding with it
Can you share with me how to attach the argon gas using the connectors that come with the Unbranded machine?
I didn’t use the regulator that came with it. Looked junky. Did you watch my setup video ? I hook up argon in that one
Thanks! Nice review. I bought one for my shop, just starting it now. Any coments on argon flow and settings, were the ok for the kind of work you do?
It is really hard to find reviews and configurations tips for this machine.
I keep the argon flow on the Low side 5-7 L/m. Note though I no longer use this machine. I still like it for the price but needed the low power accuracy of the higher end welders.
what gas did you use. i watched a video where they used Argon Gas
100% Argon
Hey Mike. I have an Amazon welder. My question is.. Will it work on coins?
what do you mean coins like what are you trying to do?
I make coin rings and would like to expand to making coin jewelry which involves cutting and joining ring pieces together. I’m used glue but it isn’t very durable so I’m looking at welding them instead. That’s what I meant by “will it work on coins”.
@@johnwheeler1031ya it’s got plenty of power to weld different alloys. Depending on thickness, you might need to hit it multiple times from different sides.
@@Friction-Jewelry thanks for the info.. I’ve actually not used it yet. I’m for some reason afraid to lol. Do you know, does it weld nickel or copper?
Thank you for the info! I make a lot of 2mm wide rings made from silver and gold-filled wire. Would the amazon one work well for joining the ends instead of having to solder?
It would work for the silver, you would need to clean it up after. For gold-filled the weld joint would always show bc the brass mixes with the gold alloy layer. So you would need to electroplate a layer to cover the weld .. pretty much how they make all gold filled chain..
Would you be able to do a set up of the Amazon welder with a tutorial of welding a bracelet or do you offer training?
Hi! There are a few good training videos online already, check the Sunstone ones, and also the Stones and Findings channel, Dana makes good training videos. There is no difference in welding a bracelet with the Amazon machine vs Orion, PUK etc, you just need to learn the machines settings for what you are trying to do. Set up is basically plugging it in, but if you email me via my website or IG sure I can answer any questions that come up :)
Mike, thanks for the unbiased video. It helped me make the decision to buy this welder. I have a couple of questions for you or anyone who reads this that has experience with this welder: 1) It seems like I make perfect perpendicular contact to the joint, but it takes 10 or more contacts before the welder engages. Is this normal? 2) The kit came with 2 or 3 various diameters of electrodes (welding rods). Am I to use lighter gauge electrodes with lighter gauge material? I know the Orion welder my daughter has are all the same gauge electrodes. Thank you!.
1) if by engage you mean fire (spark etc), no that is not normal. Usually if this is happening it’s an issue with your ground. Try other grounding methods or tools, touch the ground to the electrode, it should fire immediately. There is a short lag time in between fires, a couple seconds, which prevents rapid fire welding.
2) I only use 1mm electrodes with any of my welders. I have no experience with other diameters. In theory though, the larger electrodes will distribute power less densely, and at higher power should allow you to weld a bigger area. For lighter gauge, pin point welding like perm jewelry, a 1mm with fine point (10 degree) puts energy right where you need it.
Hope that helps some
do you have to buy any other attachments to get set up?
No, just the argon gas but it can be used without.
Thanks for the video was very helpful!
Would I need argon to start out with the Amazon welder?
You don’t need it to start, add it after a few shows if your business is working.
Can you test whether you can weld 0.1 or 0.2 copper to steel?
I don’t see why not but I don’t have those specific materials
Does it weld aluminum? Like thin wall tubing ?
never tried. sorry :(
This was was so helpful! Thank you!
I've been soldering wire sculpture with range #16~#10 gauge wire and found to be tedious and full of frustration about to give up! May I ask how thick of a wire can this machine can tack weld two wire? Also can it handle various metal: aluminum, stainless steel, mild steel, copper, brass? Thanks in advance!
Hi! Personally I have never tack welded those gauges, but I think it would work great. Esp for 16 awg. At 10 I imagine you might need to hit it from opposite sides as just from the top the weld might not penetrate but that’s a guess. I used my machine only at its lowest power for my purposes.
@@Friction-Jewelry Thanks!
this was very helpful. i purchased this machine and im in the process of learning. can you share your knowledge on the grounding clamp, some users clamp to their pliers and others clamp to the jump rings, which do you prefer?
Hi, I don’t use a clamp. It’s too inconvenient. I used grounded pliers, so the ground is perm wired to the pliers. You can make your own with a soldering iron or you can buy online. Xuron or tronex prob the most popular, but there are others on the market too :)
@@Friction-Jewelry thank you so much!! my machine came with large tweezers that are hard wired maybe just use those? or i can clamp to my pliers right?
@@simoneandnina ya you can clamp to your pliers but just take my advice on this one, buy the grounded pliers. They are like $40. or cut the handle to your pliers and cut the clamp off the wire you have and attach it. I've got a video on how to do it.
@@Friction-Jewelry i appreciate you soooo much! i ordered a pair! thank you again for all you do and the time you take to post these videos. much love!
This was very helpful
how long does one electrode last? And where do you buy spare ones? i am choosing between this welder and the cheap simole one 80A wihout argon support. The cheap one use standard electrodes, you can buy it in welders store, but this one seems to be using very thin electrodes.
Argon is somewhat critical so there is your answer right there. Buy this one instead. Plenty of used on the market too. Lots of places sell 1mm electrodes, Amazon sells them for around $50 for a 10 pack. They last A LONG time especially If you don’t over grind when cleaning.
Great video. One thing other than jump rings that I want to be able to weld would be small pieces of copper and silver. If I were to layer 1mm pieces cut from copper, brass, or silver sheet, would this machine be able to weld them together? I don't expect it to survive rough handling, jus enough to keep them together when worn or light handling.
Do you mean like weld the seam of the sheet ? Most likely yes. I haven’t used even 10 percent of this things power.
@@Friction-Jewelry cool. Well, if you get a chance to, like, weld a couple of pennies together, I'd be interested in hearing how strong the weld is.
Good info, thank you! What other uses do you use the welder for other than jewelry?
Personally I only use it for jewelry. But it welds metal together and it’s powerful so get creative !
Can it be used to weld stainless steel jewelry?
Yes in fact that is prob the best use of this machine
@@Friction-Jewelry can it patch the jewelry or just connect/weld? Thank you very much for the answer. I really need this tool for watchmaking.
@@submariner144 it doenst "patch" unless you add material to the weld
@@Friction-Jewelry of course. I'm sorry for my english. Thank you once again, and have a good one!
What is the lowest setting on the Amazon welder?
1/3, check out my new video for more info
What do you recommend as the smallest gold or silver bracket to use? With the Amazon welder
What do you mean by “ bracket?”
Like the connector that connects the bracelet together? Sorry I’m learning before I buy.
@@TeriJohnson-nu7xd Ok. You mean the jump rings. Well, the smallest I would probably do with the amazon welder is 24g. That number is a measure of thickness. I think 2.8 or 3mm is a good starting point as far as outside diameter of the ring. When are you learning, you could even start with 4mm. You could buy silver, gold-filled and stainless jump rings to practice with. IT's very important you learn proper plier technique for opening and closing jump rings. this is a critical skill for welding PJ. Good luck!
Loved this video super helpful! Thanks!!
hello! I got this and I have a pop-up coming up and need a generator I cant find any information on the best one for this welder, any recommendations?
I have the jackery 300 (best) and ApolloSolar off Amazon (cheaper). As long as it’s like 250-300Wh and pure sign wave you should be good with most portable power stations.
@@Friction-Jewelry thanks so much for the reply! I gave you a follow!! Do you know if it works with the Wattfun portable power station 320wmax?
@@madisonlunde1078 that should be fine
Whats the name of the Amazon one?
I think “labfeng” was the seller I bought it from. I’m selling the one you see in this video if you want it lmk !
anyone have any sucess to welder brass with the amazon one? I haven't any sucess. A have already read alot about the problem related to welder brass. I don't know if I spend more money and give a try with orion machine.
Can you explain the problem ? Gauge wire / material you are trying to weld? The Orion machines that go to 30J of power probably wont give you much different results. They have higher end models that do 100J+ ..but I'm not sure if power is your issue.
Which welder is it? I am on Amazon and I see a few on here. Which one should I look at? I dont see a link
I ordered from
labfeng but I think ok Walmart you can get it for $388. All of the machines are same just different resellers
@@Friction-Jewelry Awesome thank you :)
My machine went from working perfectly fine to blowing every single weld. One after another. I have troubleshooted and tried everything I can, to no avail. Any ideas?
Hi Mango! 9 times out 10, at least for me, a dirty electrode is to blame. Turn your settings to 1/3, then sharpen your electrode, then blunt it slightly. To blunt it just hold it perpendicular to the diamond disk for a split second. Make sure your connection (jump ring, link etc) is as flush possible. A gap will cause havoc. You also need to make sure just the point of the electrode is touching the seam, not the side, sometimes distortion from a magnifying glass at the wrong angle can trick you here. Outside of these fixes, I really don’t know I’m sorry. What gauge wire are you working with ?
Also, there are bunch of versions of this some with good reviews some with bad are they all the same? Just some come with extra accessories like foot pedal
I only know about the one in this video. But I assume they are all very similar or identical. The bad reviews are from people who have no idea how to use it, or they got a defective one, missing parts etc
Thank you for your reply!! Would you mind sharing the seller from yours? Or maybe you don’t know because you mentioned you got it in warehouse…
@@lindzyoleii8269 I got it from LABFENG-US … as I mentioned in my video they will be useless so during the return window just make sure everything is working. Mine still works like the day I bought it. But I now have 2 orions so it’s on the shelf as a backup.
I and jewerly you think works whith solid metal to solder like lopps links braz
I think you are asking will this work with base metal like brass? Personally I've only worked with 14k, Gold-filled (which is gold alloy plated brass), sterling and stainless steel. This machine will weld any of those materials. The thicker the metal, the better this machine is. For fine chain, this machine is not the best option. On the lowest power setting 1%/3ms, you can weld wire down to maybe .4 or .5mm (26G or 24G). Less than that and things melt, it's unpredictable.
Thank you so much for this info! I've been using the Ding Xing and actually having pretty good results. I ordered this machine to go to my next level and after set up, it engages however does not "fire" or "spark". Do I just need to keep trying because I haven't gotten the hang of it yet?? The Ding Xing has a foot pedal for spark. Thanks again!
What do you mean by "engages"? When you touch the electrode to your metal, does it click? If it does not, that would be mean the ground is not connected or it is not sensing a complete circuit. If it does click but doesn't fire, there are 2 things that could be happening. 1) It's not working 2) You are touching it to the metal you want to weld, but during the delay between click and fire, you are moving the electrode away from your metal. In that case then yes, you just need to keep practicing. However, if the ground is connected properly to the machine and your pliers, chain etc, and it's never fired, then for sure your unit needs to go back to shipper. there is no tricky installation with this machine. It's super easy to use.
@@Friction-Jewelry yes, clicking/retracting electrode but no spark. I will keep practicing! Maybe I’m flinching too quick! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Best wishes to you
I did it!! Thanks again!
Awesome video. I've really enjoyed your videos and found them very helpful and amazingly straightforward. Thankyou.
Not quite ready for a market but am practicing on anyone that comes to see me!
Thanks :) don’t wait too long to get out there ! What I do when training my employees is I offer their first 5-10 clients 30-50% off. It really kind of sets the stage with clients, calms them, and gives a newbie kind of room to make mistakes, take a long time etc. my advice to you is go for it !
Is argon gas required? I want to start up, but I hear argon is extremely expensive. I was wondering if I can just start without it, and add it in later as I make more money? Also, if it isn’t required, what product do you use to clean the black soot off the metal? Thank you for your videos! So so helpful!
I made an argon video where I go over the costs. It’s 2-300 range . It’s not required but highly recommended. I would just do an event or 2 without it, see how it goes. If you make some money then go get it. If you don’t have a gas refill station near your house that is something to consider. A jewelry polishing cloth will remove the fire scale.
Thank you so much!
@@Friction-Jewelry can you use a self pickling flux like aqui flux to prevent the fire scale without using argon? would it work with the spot welder?
Maybe but the main function of the argon is protect the weld from containments in the air and make the weld stronger, reducing porosity that you get without argon. now for perm jewelry, the welds wont have a ton of stress on them, so the reduced fire scale is a kind of the main benefit. keeping that electrode clean greatly increases consistency from one weld to the next. @@MoonDragn77
@@Friction-Jewelry thanks for the info, impossible to find argon in stock near here though :(
Thanks for this video as I'm contemplating getting one of these (not for permanent jewellery but for other jobs).
I saw another video where they had problems with the Argon leaking and emptying their bottle in one fell sweep - have you used it with argon and have you had any problems with that?
I wish I could answer this but my welder arrived damaged with a cracked fitting.. I haven’t been motivated to repair it. I see no reason the female fitting on the back of amazon welder would leak( unless it’s broken). Most issues with these machine are user error. If it did leak you would be able to catch it, then just return it.
@@Friction-Jewelry Thanks
I believe I saw the same video. She used the same tubing from her other spot welder. It turns out it was slightly too small so it didn’t have a good fit.
You should always turn the tank valve off when done welding because downline there is usually a tiny leak somewhere.
Even prof welders do this for same reason.
Can you use this Machine to solder Silver wire to Silver jewelry? Also, I've not seen any videos that talk about the Argon capability or how to use it with Argon gas. I might be looking at a different model but swore I saw this Machine mention Argon in its description. Thank you in advance and your video was awesome!
You can certainly weld silver wire to silver jewelry with this machine. It won’t “solder” but it will weld. As for the Argon, I can’t comment on using it with this machine specifically, bc mine came with a damaged hose connect.. I’ll update when I get around to fixing . I can say argon in general is very useful and it’s worth hooking up. Helps keep the electrode clean, weld clean, etc. the regulator that comes with the unit looks like junk to me so I would buy a decent regulator no matter what machine you buy.
Mine came with a air pressure gauge not a regulator. I believe you need both if you are using argon gas.@@Friction-Jewelry i’m not positive as I have not set up my machine yet. I didn’t realize I needed to purchase a regulator with the adapter for my set up.
suuuuuuper helpful thank you !
How much minimum mili meter it can weld
I normally do .5mm (24g) with this machine, I think it could do .4mm (26g) on the lowest power setting. Thinner than that could be tough, likely depends on the material you are working with.
I've been doing 0.3mm with no issue. Setting 1/3. Vermiel.
@@handmadebyesmae4481 Awesome ! Ya I don't experiment that small with this welder since I have the Orion as well. Have you tried sterling or gold at that thickness? Good?
Whats the highest thickness you have done? I'm looking into getting one for other types or jewelry and thus far I have not found an answer to the maximum it can weld.
@@mischiefforge2020 I don’t weld over 20g but this thing could do way higher power. I’m running it on 2% !
Thank you
Would this machine work with thin gage metal. I have used the Orion, and it worked great on thin gage metal?
It should ya!
It would be more helpful to people if the title was dont buy tha amazon welder. There is also a 80A welder which is about 150 $ and works fine. There are endless complain about the power issue. At 1% it keep metling metals instead of welding.
Hi Keno, did you buy the Amazon welder and it didn’t work out ? If so, Sorry to hear that..It works fine for me it will melt only very fine wire at 1%/3ms, but I use it all the time with 20-24 gauge wire. It’s certainly not the best machine out there but I would still recommend it for newbies.
I have not seen the $150 option, you should totally make a video about it though !
@@Friction-Jewelry yes it did not work for what i bought for so closing jump rings. And i am not alone there are a lot of people that complain about the same problem. The 1% power if very very high and you are unable to use it in detailed work. It is a total waste of money. The cheaper version i mention is with fixed tungsteen and not automatic but manual with pedal. Thanks for the reply. Have a good day 👋
@@kenokoci9853 could you give me a link to the one u mention? or where i can buy it?
🤩 *promo sm*
Another misleading video, too much talking and no real presentation of the device. Did you notice that the electrode broke when he attempted welding? Did you notice that there was not welding at all? The device require inert gas to function, like Argon. I haven't seen something on the presentation. Do you believe that a device that cost 9000$ is the same like the Chinese one. Seriously? I bought the Chinese one. It's useful if you need to make a simple spot welding. That's all.
This is a funny comment. You obviously didn’t listen to “all the talking”. No electrode broke. The welder does not require argon to function. It functions better with argon. No one is arguing a $250 welder functions like more expensive models (which I own). The only thing misleading here is your comment. But hey, it’s internet, you get the good the bad and the crazy. Thanks for watching. Watch that movie Trolls its right up your alley ;)!
What is the Argon for? Does it need Argon gaz?
Doesn't "need" like it will work without. But its recommended for various reason I cover in other videos
Do you have to use the argon gas to weld?
@@robertomesa428 no. But I recommend it.