Eclipse magnetic chuck/baseplate

[sparky mikeParticipant @sparkymike]

[sparky mikeParticipant @sparkymike]

I have just acquired an Eclipse magnetic oblong chuck/surface plate.

Can this also be used for positioning items during arc welding, or will the welding process weaken, or destroy the magnets.

Anyone know of a link to original info pages sent out with these when new?

Model no. is AX 105 (10" X 5" size.)

Mike.

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Mike, I would suggest its too good a tool to use as a welding table ! Most common use if these is on surface grinders among other uses.

As far as welding currents depleting the magnetism I don't know the answer but I'm sure some with that knowledge will be along soon.

John

A couple of links added

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/documents/eclipsemagneticchuckhandbook.pdf

https://www.eclipsemagnetics.com/row/product-range/workholding/ax47-p-rectangular-premier-chuck.html

Edited By JohnF on 11/08/2018 11:33:57

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

I doubt you would damage the magnets with heat or current as they are hidden inside the body of the chuck. If this has no further use as a magnetic chuck on a precision grinder, it may well be a useful welding accessory. Using a brand new magnetic chuck for this purpose would be like using a Roller to pull a plough but if it's yours you can do what you like with it, particularly if you didn't pay much for it and it has had its day. A lot of these seem to get thrown out once they have been skimmed down a few times.

Murray

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

One thing that is likely to cause problems is the welding current. It would be tempting to use the shiny surface of the magnetic chuck as the earth contact, and not use a proper earth clamped-on to the component itself. This would lead to arcing (a) on the surface and (b) within the magnetic chuck. The first would destroy the flatness, and the second could weld the internal moving parts together. Not a good idea in my book.

Regards, Tim

[John Paton 1Participant @johnpaton1]

Sparky, I agree with Tim

Seems a shame to risk damaging a decent chuck (unless it has already been subjected to a heavy life) . arcing from the earth connection and weld splatter would be the most obvious causes of damage unless welds run off the edge of the workpiece onto the chuck itself. Most welding benches get an angle grinder run over them from time to time to clean them up – not what you would want to do to a precision chuck (or to a decent vice for that matter).

If needing to use the magnetic chuck I would be tempted to try putting a thin sheet of stainless or alloy over the magnetic chuck, using that as the earth sheet. This will prevent arcing and splatter from damaging the surface of the chuck, while (hopefully) allowing sufficient magnetic force to transmit through the sheet to restrain the work piece overlying it. The top of the thin sheet will then be the item which gets defaced first.

Much cheaper is a sheet of 2mm mild steel and a couple of the 45/90 degree welders magnetic clamps to hold the work. You could clamp the MS plate to the chuck if the chuck in an important feature of your bench set up for other reasons.

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

The word Vandal springs to mind

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

I doubt if he would have paid anything like full new price if he "picked it up" and plans to use it for welding, given that they are about £800 new but perhaps I'm wrong.

Lots of handbag action here but as I said, they often get thrown out or sold off when they are ground down to near the limit or just past their best. I turned down the opportunity to acquire one for free 2 years ago (and the grinder it was attached to). Both were well and truly buggered. Might have been tempted to use it as a welding table but I have enough junk as it is. Should it go straight from the grinder into the skip?

You'll see that most non-armchair welders don't bother clamping their work and instead find that gravity is usually sufficient to make an adequate contact. No arcing or sparking and certainly nothing to threaten the chuck innards or surface. It either strikes an arc or it doesn't. Unless you connect the only earth connection to the actuation lever I fail to see how you could knacker anything internally if you tried.

Murray

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

Indeed , Kwil,

I thought I had heard it all,but no !

Why not use it as a bench block ?although I,m sure it has many other uses,starting with a doorstop !

Time to go to the pub !!!!!

[sparky mikeParticipant @sparkymike]

Thanks for all input,

I most certainly don't want to damage it ,but will restore it like many of the other workshop tools that I have rebuilt due to previous vandals misguided efforts.

I was just curious to effects of welding current on the magnets.

Mike.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Muzzer on 11/08/2018 18:33:38:

You'll see that most non-armchair welders don't bother clamping their work and instead find that gravity is usually sufficient to make an adequate contact.

I have a set of magnetic welding clamps.

I might even use them one day

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

I regularly use magnetic welding clamps as well as the Mole Wrench variety when gravity doesn't cooperate.

Having had to disassemble an Eclipse mag-chuck for maintenance/rebuilding, I wouldn't think twice before using one as a welding clamp, with one proviso:- The chuck will come to no harm whatsoever from welding currents. It'll conduct far more current than any welding set you can buy, without any issues at all. However, if welding thinner stock, you may find that the arc wanders about a bit due to excessive magnetic field close to the arc. if this happens, wind the mag-chuck handle back a bit to reduce the force/field.

If the mag-chuck seems at all stiff in operation, drill a couple of holes in the opposite end castings, flush it through with clean oil, then plug the holes. The major cause of failure with the older Eclipse chucks is the casting failing due to excessive force from the eccentric moving the magnets once it gets dried out/contaminated with coolant.

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