Opinions on a Forney C6 Welder

[Iplayfarmer]

I have an opportunity to acquire a Forney C6 welder.

I've been looking for a DC stick welder. My old AC is fine, but everyone tells me DC is so much easier. There's a guy that has what he calls a Forney C6. He says he's not sure if it's DC or AC. A friend of his said that it welds like a DC but sounds like an AC. I'm sure someday I'll understand what that means, but for now I'm at the mercy of those who know more than me.

Anyone know what kind of welder this is? Good? Bad?

 

[RPW]

Don't know anything about them but I found there phone number "1-800-521-6038". They appear to be out of Ft. Collins, CO.

BTW; DC does have it's place. With normal welding DCEN (DC Electrode Negative) will give deeper penetration than AC. If doing light sheet then you can use DCEP (DC Electrode Positive) and you won't burn through your sheet metal as quickly.

 

[JB4310]

With normal welding DCEN (DC Electrode Negative) will give deeper penetration than AC. If doing light sheet then you can use DCEP (DC Electrode Positive) and you won't burn through your sheet metal as quickly.

I could be wrong but,
I thought it was the other way around? less penetration with EN.

It's confusing cause reverse polarity is EP, seems like it should be the other way around, I know.

Every one told me DC was so easy, My first DC was a Honda portable (still a 2 man B-buster) 170 amp, pretty nice machine but I wasn't blown away by how much better or easier it welded over my old AC unit.

With a little more time and a 220 volt AC/DC unit I can now appreciate cleaner smoother welds, easier re-strikes etc. with the DC.

The portable is great for, well, portability taking on jobs etc.

JB.

 

[DanD78]

I have to agree with 4310. I always use DCEP for 6010 and 7018. My father in law had an old Forney with all the taps on the front and it was a straight AC unit. I have no clue on the modle number.

Dan

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I have to agree with 4310. I always use DCEP for 6010 and 7018. My father in law had an old Forney with all the taps on the front and it was a straight AC unit. I have no clue on the modle number.

Dan

That sounds like the one this guy described. He said that there are a bunch of connections on the front and a High and Low ground.

 

[Workstead]

I did a Google search and found this:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1-Forney welder Model C5 welder
220v/180amp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know that this in not your model number but it may have similar specs. I also saw a listing in the search that showed the C6 as being a 180 amp AC - 220 volt welder. I went to the Craigslist link but the listing had been removed.

I also saw a few pictures of older Forney welders and they all had a number of plug-ins on the front panel.

You can probably find an older Lincoln 225 amp AC welder for about $100. They also have a variable transformer that changes the amperage with a hand crank on the front panel. To change from HIGH to LOW range you move the red lead to the appropriate plug-in. These older welders usually have copper windings rather than aluminum windings on the newer ones. This started to change around 1980.

HTH,

Clem

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I did a Google search and found this:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1-Forney welder Model C5 welder
220v/180amp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know that this in not your model number but it may have similar specs. I also saw a listing in the search that showed the C6 as being a 180 amp AC - 220 volt welder. I went to the Craigslist link but the listing had been removed.

I also saw a few pictures of older Forney welders and they all had a number of plug-ins on the front panel.

You can probably find an older Lincoln 225 amp AC welder for about $100. They also have a variable transformer that changes the amperage with a hand crank on the front panel. To change from HIGH to LOW range you move the red lead to the appropriate plug-in. These older welders usually have copper windings rather than aluminum windings on the newer ones. This started to change around 1980.

HTH,

Clem

I actually have a 230 Amp AC already, but it's an old montgomery that it sometimes very hard to strike an arc with. Ideally, I'd find me an old AC/DC that I can get for cheap and get rid of the old AC only machine.

I think I've got my answer that a forney C6 is an AC machine. It may be better than my montgomery, but unless it's a lot better it probably won't be worth it.

 

[Workstead]

I actually have a 230 Amp AC already, but it's an old montgomery that it sometimes very hard to strike an arc with. Ideally, I'd find me an old AC/DC that I can get for cheap and get rid of the old AC only machine.

I think I've got my answer that a forney C6 is an AC machine. It may be better than my montgomery, but unless it's a lot better it probably won't be worth it.

If you have an old machine you probably have at least a half way decent machine. I have a 35 year old AC only machine that I thought wasn't worth a fip, and I was right-------- until I tried some different rods and played with the machine, adjusting it up and down and used different rods and adjusted it up and down. Guess what? That is a pretty darn good machine. When I have the right size rod, the right heat setting on the welder, a good ground and the right touch when striking the rod, it works real well. Now I enjoy using the welder and look forward to getting it out to make or repair something. Practice doesn't make me perfect BUT practice makes me better.

Play with it before you give up on it. A DC machine, by itself, won't make you a better weldor. (I read somewhere that a welder is a machine and a weldor is a person.)

Clem

 

[mojoinco]

Dc machines will usually cost you a bit more, and having a tap versus crank adjust amperage setting is just fine -- no moving parts to wear (the wiper on the crank).
A welder friend of mine used an old Dayton AC unit I used to have. He pointed out that the open circuit voltage was too little, and made it harder to strike an arc. For $40 I didn't care, but that's one of the things you get in an a cheap (maybe just older -- if it has capacitors, then they could be just dieing). Anyhow, Miller & Hobart have good user groups, and there are a few others that are good places to watch for general info (and to post questions). I usually post search (Google) questions and add the word 'forum'. That really focuses the question and usually gets me a lot closer the the answers I am looking for.