New to welding

[BMan2005]

I'm looking to get set up with a stick welder for all the small project's, mostly broke or cracked equipment on the farm that keeps coming up. It gets old to keep taking stuff off to be done when I should have been doing this all along. I'm not looking to jump into anything major just odd and end hobby farm welding. Can you guys help lead me in the right direction of a good but economical welder? Even older ones recommend I could maybe find used is fine. Feel like I'm in for a big learning curve here.

 

[Pete6114]

I learned on a cheap 200$ Italian made unit and quickly realized it's limitations. I then got a Miller Thunderbolt XL (stick). After that a millermatic 251 MIG and haven't used the stick welder since.
I'm not one to recommend anything to anybody not being a pro, but you get what you pay for seems appropriate. A MIG in my opinion is much more user friendly

 

[Shield Arc]

BMan2005 I own some of the best welding machines ever built! I' am so impressed with my Everlast PowerArc 200 ST. It welds every bit as nice as my $4,500.00 Lincoln V350-Pro.
Here is what it can do with 6010, and 7018.

 

[3Ts]

I started out with an AC only stick welder. Finally got to "decent" on my welds. Then I got a MIG welder. It is so much easier and makes nicer welds. For starting out, I recommend a MIG welder. You'll need to determine how thick the steel that you're going to weld will be and get a welder that will handle that (whether it is stick or MIG).

 

[Shield Arc]

If you buy a Mig welder, buy one with power! Mig welders are notorious for making cold welds that look good, but there not!

 

[BMan2005]

BMan2005 I own some of the best welding machines ever built! I' am so impressed with my Everlast PowerArc 200 ST. It welds every bit as nice as my $4,500.00 Lincoln V350-Pro.
Here is what it can do with 6010, and 7018.

Can you weld 1/2" steel with this welder? I don't foresee welding anything larger than that.

 

[Shield Arc]

Can you weld 1/2" steel with this welder? I don't foresee welding anything larger than that.

If you are going to splice beams or plate. With the proper joint prep yes! Fillet welds on 1/2-inch thick material, no problem with the correct weld size.
PM Mark with Everlast to see what kind of a deal he can make you.

 

[California]

How much do you want to spend? If cost isn't important listen to what the pros have already said.

On the other hand - there are always old 200+ amp 'buzzbox' AC stick welders on Craigslist cheap. I paid $50 for one. These were sufficient for shipbuilding in WWII, and after a little practice mine worked fine for my first project: weld a trailer hitch on the back of my box blade. I've done some other simple farm fabrication and repairs on heavy material like that. Everything broken that I've welded hasn't broken again.

Watch some Youtube videos before starting out.

I now own a mig welder and also an inverter unit for dc stick welding. Both are more convenient but I'll keep the buzzbox. There's one thing only it can do - I got an inexpensive used carbon arc 'torch' for it that is handy for heating and bending metal.

But if you want a big step up in convenience and weld appearance, then look at the modern gear suggested by others, above.

Typical project with the buzzbox: I added a flat plate to beef-up something that looked under-designed. 1/8" 6011 rod.

http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70932&d=1312254019

http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70933&d=1312254064

 

[4570Man]

A mig defiantly works better on clean metal. IMO, a stick welder works a lot better on dirty metal and I'm too lazy to clean all my broken rusty stuff.

 

[California]

A mig defiantly works better on clean metal. IMO, a stick welder works a lot better on dirty metal and I'm too lazy to clean all my broken rusty stuff.

:thumbsup: Yeah that too.

Photo: rear pallet forks/carryall base, made from scrap.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...71849409-pallet-forks-rear-3-pt-p1050890r-jpg