Stud welder gave out mid-job on a Toyota Corolla door

I was about halfway through pulling a dent on a 2017 Corolla door last Tuesday when my stud welder just quit. No spark, no noise, nothing. I had about 12 studs left to go and the dent was still pretty deep in the middle. I tried swapping tips and checking the ground clamp but it was dead as a doornail. Ended up having to finish the pull using my glue pulling setup instead, which actually took twice as long. Took the welder apart that night and found a broken wire inside the handle. Soldered it back together and it's working fine now, but I'm thinking about picking up a backup unit for days like that. Anyone else have their hammer or welder crap out on a job where you really needed it?

2 comments

2 Comments

grace8912h ago

I actually read somewhere that those handle wires are a common weak point on the stud welders... they get flexed too much over time and snap. Good thing you found it, could have been way worse if you didn't catch that. Smart move thinking about a backup though, that glue pulling trick must have been a real pain.

uma_taylor478h ago

Glue pulling a deep dent sounds like fun. Did you end up with more glue on the door than on the puller? Always the way. Wire snaps halfway through and you're suddenly a glue gun mechanic.