Everlast Powerarc 140ST vs tombstones

[handirifle]

I am learning tons of info here about DC vs AC advantages (from you guys) and am looking for a new/used welder as you probably already know from previous posts I have made. Mark at Everlast made me a good offer on the 140ST and it looks like a good welder, so here's my question.

Given that I do light repair/fabricating welding, for myself, and probably the heaviest metal I will ever weld will be for a log splitter, so prob 1/2" thick, would this provide me enough power to do single pass welds? Would penetration be sufficient with 140 amps? I know DC (cause you guys say so) penetrates better amp for amp than AC. Sorry for asking the newby questions, but the powerarc seems to fill the bill pretty well if you guys think that's enough power, I might just go ahead and get this thing.

If it's not heavy enough, I'll just go with an AC unit and deal with it.

After reading a bit more of the powerarc specs it seems they state 3/16" single pass. So maybe I just answered my own question.

 

[Shield Arc]

I'm fairly new to this welding hobby myself! I wish someone would explain to me 3/16-inch in a single pass, is that the size of the bead, or the thickness of the material? With a 140-amps, and the right joint, I can get a 3/8-inch weld. You put a 3/8-inch weld on 3/16-inch thick plate, and you're gonna have problems!

I can't stress this enough, there is more to welding than just running beads! There is a reason those engineer types put joint design / prep on the blue prints! Then they spec the size of the welds!

If all I had was a machine capable of 140-amps, I wouldn't have a problem in the world welding 3/4-inch or even 1-inch think material. But I get to pick the joint prep, and size of welds! I like 3-pass and 6-pass fillets. Now this isn't saying I wouldn't be bored to tears, because with only 140-amps, you can pretty much forget 5/32-inch 7018, with any real production. So you're pretty much stuck with 1/8-inch 7018, which for the average guy here, that is more than enough for home projects.

 

[k0ua]

In my very limited welding experience, I have never used anything larger than 1/8 inch rods for all my repairs and fabrication. And as such the currents I have used have been in the 120-125 amp range for 7018 and 130 or so for 7014. I also use more 3/32 rods than 1/8 with corresponding less current settings. While I have turned up the welder to 140 amps when using the TIG torch, just to see what I could do with it, Most of the time in my TIG work I am using less than 70 amps and often less than 50, as I am trying to repair some light thin material. If it is thick materiel, then I can use the stick (SMAW) process to repair it. So take it for what it is worth, I am a sales engineer, not a weldor, but I weld a little on the weekends

James K0UA

 

[gwdixon]

Since you don't mention TIG as what you are looking for, how about considering the PA200 stick welder? It has more than enough amps for what you are doing or may do and is simple to use. The only issue is if you don't have 220V available.

It is only about $50 more than the 140ST but will handle up to 5/32 rod. Even that newbie to hobby welding , Shield Arc, has one and has written that he likes it.

I also have the PA200 and it will stick together anything around the farm that needs repairing or fabricating.

If you ever seriously get involved in hard-facing farm equipment you will want the extra amps it provides. The PA200 runs 5/32" Stoody 31 hard rod just fine at 190 amps.

My Lincoln AC and AC/DC tombstone welders have not seen an arc since the PA200 arrived. See what kind of deal Everlast will give you on it.

 

[handirifle]

Great responses guys, thanks. Shield arc I get your point very well about prep, and penetration. I cannot claim at all to be a welder, just because I use one, nor could I ever hope to understand what someone might set on blueprints for production. I struggle sometime just to make the bead look good. My grinder does get a workout.

Just last week doing some improvements on my trailer, I redid some welds that I knew didn't penetrate well, but was happy with the redo. I could actually see the base metal puddling better that time around, so I am not totally hopeless.:laughing:, just partially.

Dixon
I didn't mention TIG since I think I would be dreaming if I tried to learn that too, hard enough to just weld. Getting 220 is not a problem, I left the walls of my shop open studded for just this reason, I wanted to make sure I had all I needed before insulating and closing them in.

I will talk to Mark and see about the 200 (IF he didn't mention it already and I glossed over it). Thanks for the tip.

 

[handirifle]

Ok spoke with Mark and was surprised to find the PA200 is cheaper than the 160, less features, which is fine for me. Hopefully the AR receiver sells soon.

 

[Furu]

Not to HJ the thread but as good as Mark's stuff is look at the Stickmate 250 from one of his competitors. It is amazing and near the first of the month you can get an amazing deal on it. There are several reviews on here about it. Just more information to make the decision harder.

 

[handirifle]

Not HJ at all, I will look into it.