cheapy CH arc welder

[Soundguy]

I'm tenatively thinking about betting a bigger arc welder. Currently, I have a campbell hausfeld 70a AC (120v) arc welder.. not good for much but 3/16 and 1/4 rod plate w/ 5/64 , and sheet metal on 30a setting with 1/16 rod. ( good at that ). When i need real welding done.. I cart my metal down to work and use our old toombstone 225a lincoln or 2??a miller mig.

That's getting a bit tedious. I don't do enough welding to justify a mig welder.. besides with 2 consumables, and not being able to easily change out the weld wire for different materials, like with a stick.. .. I'm just not going there... If I -have- to use a mig.. i can go to work. That leaves with stick. Again.. Not much welding.. not worried about OP welding..not enough to even justify DC.. just need big AC amps to burn thru 50 year old paint and rust to glue the 3/8 and 1/2 stuff together on occassion.

Been shopping the box stores.. and found lincoln ac 225a for 250$ and 269$ lowes/HD.. and Hobart at TSC, 220? for 240$.

While browseing online i see that cheapy campbell hausfeld has an AC 235A stick welder. I've only seent hem listed at a chinese store .. online .. but no price. Anyone know who has these on the shelf?

I'm not afraid of a CH welder.. I've used my cheapy 79$ CH buzz box at 2x to 3x the duty cycle before, and have only ever once got a duty cycle warning lamp... works good enough for me..

If the ch is significantly cheaper than the hobart stickmate for 240$ at TSC.. I'll get it if i can find it. ( besides.. from the pic.. the CH has a nice built in cart and casters... a real plus! )

Any help or other sugestions for a cheapy stick arc welder.. Looking new here... don't feel like rolling the dice at yard sales and pawnbrokers.

thanks

Soundguy

 

[uhmgawa]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Any help or other sugestions for a cheapy stick arc welder.. Looking new here... don't feel like rolling the dice at yard sales and pawnbrokers.)</font>

I share a similar perspective on the bang/buck utility of stick
welders, though have a different take on used machines.
A stick welder is about the only type of welder I would buy
used. It has long ago become a mature design and there is
little that can go wrong with your basic AC boat anchor. At
least around here 200-235A used, u-lug-it-home machines can
be found in the $50-75 range. Though with an AC/DC box I'd
probably want to test the rectifiers before considering a purchase.

 

[Highbeam]

I was a little disappointed, or maybe impressed, when I opened up my AC225 tombstone toa replace the short cord with a long and better one. The shell is quite big but when you get inside the actual heart of the thing is about the size of a lunchbox with a bunch of cooling fins and a fan. No moving parts except for the amp selector. If getting something other than a name brand doesn't save a good bit of money, like half, then I would get the Lincoln. You know it works.

 

[daveh1]

Soundguy, I went down that same route a while ago with a cheapie welder. I got an older but in good shape Lincoln 225 AC welder at a garage sale for $130 and have been VERY happy with it! It seems to do most anything I need by using different type rods and setting. Very easy to use (I have no formal training) just read a welding manual! Even though I had to wire a 220 outlet it was well worth it! Anyone who has a tractor and implements should have one. Daveh1

 

[Farwell]

$130 is what I paid for my 225 amp ac Lincoln when it was new about 30 years ago. Still a great welder for the type of work I do. Kinda wish that I had purchased an AC/DC unit though, oh well, maybe next time.
Farwell

 

[Jay4200]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm tenatively thinking about betting a bigger arc welder. ....When i need real welding done.. I cart my metal down to work and use our old toombstone 225a lincoln or 2??a miller mig.)</font>

Go with what works. I have two welders, a Little Lincoln Weld-Pac 110 and a Lincoln 225ac. The coil welder is perfect for all the little stuff (to ~1/8 or a little bigger) and I use the 225ac arc for everything bigger. It seems that you are primarily welding mild steel, so I wouldn't spend the extra dough for a DC unit. For only $250, I'd buy the Lincoln - I spent more for mine when I bought it back in '98. As you know, the Lincoln is built well, is heavy (big transformer), has gobs of power, and has a beefy and solid selector switch. The thing about the cheepies is not usually the raw mechanics failing (a welder is pretty much nothing but a transformer and a fan), but little stuff like knobs cracking or the cheap electrode holder breaking. Not being about to fix something two years from now because your selector knob cracked in half isn't worth saving a couple of bucks, IMHO. YMMV.

Jay

 

[HGM]

Soundguy,

Not sure if you've been to the site but it shows $230... Also, maybe your local Walmart, though I doubt they'd have anything that big... Just a couple thoughts..

 

[Toolguy]

I have a Miller 135 amp 110v mig welder which I use for sheet metal and 1/8" stuff. Anything thicker than that I use my Lincoln 225 Arc. To get a mig welder that will do a good job up to 1/2" is big bucks. Great if you weld for a living but not anything the average guy can justify. The Lincoln is a great bang for the buck. My dad has had one for over thirty years. I bought mine about 5 years ago and expect it to outlive me. Get some 6011 rod and you can weld through rust and paint and have fun. For clean metal and a better look I use 7014. There are lots of opinions on rods to use but for general farm type use they work for me.