Which Stick Welder for a New Welder?

[Soundguy]

wow.. I wish I did welding projects that only needed 2 rods before I moved on to something else. seems I'm always doing the 'handfull of rods' type of projects.

like building up rollers and sprocket teeth.. etc.

IE.. \setting in a chair and welding till the 5-10# box of electrods you set out are empty and you need to walk over to the cabnet and grab another..

and no 'real' welder yet. stick is fine for me.. got a mig at work to play with.. and don't see any need to 'upgrade' for the farm welding I do.. ...since opinions are free and all.. and worth so much..


soundguy

 

[dstig1]

amen to that. I'm unproductive enough on my own w/o a machine slowing me down.

Go prove to us you can actually weld for more than 2 min out of 10 and then you will have a case. You say you are just learning, but you are perhaps not listening. And I'm not trying to be offensive. If you want offensive responses, go post on Welding web

If you are truly learning, you will never hit 20% duty cycle. And again, if/when you find yourself getting there, you can resell your buzzbox for what you paid for it or more and buy a very serious welder. BTW, if you are thinking of the Everlast 140, it is only 35% at 140A, per their website. You trying to tell us that is the difference between running rod after rod or not?

BTW, since you seem to want to jump into the deep end...want a Thermal Arc MST400 Industrial DC Inverter welder? Got one for sale. Can do up to 300A at 60% duty cycle on 220V/1-phase...Stick, MIG or Lift Arc TIG...

 

[gwdixon]

amen to that. I'm unproductive enough on my own w/o a machine slowing me down.

OK, I tried to stay out of this thread but the temptation is too much.

The Everlast PowerArc 200 is a brute. ShieldArc, an experienced professional, even has one and likes it. It will not let you down in my experience, will not run out of power, and welds beautifully.

For the price, even if it dies after the five year warranty, you will have gotten your monies worth. Buy another one. Failure is so doubtful in your use that it will likely last until another welding technology comes along that we all "just have to have".

The PA 200 will lay down excellent beads of 3/16" hardfacing rod at 180 amp if you ever need it. There is not reason to go small if for a few dollars more you can get the full 200 amps.

Not to undercut Mark, but he has to take his commission on welder sales.
Go to the Everlast website and deal directly with the owner, Oleg.

Next you will want to save up for a plasma cutter. My PowerPlasma 70 is a dream come true.

 

[dstig1]

wow.. I wish I did welding projects that only needed 2 rods before I moved on to something else. seems I'm always doing the 'handfull of rods' type of projects.

like building up rollers and sprocket teeth.. etc.

IE.. \setting in a chair and welding till the 5-10# box of electrods you set out are empty and you need to walk over to the cabnet and grab another..

and no 'real' welder yet. stick is fine for me.. got a mig at work to play with.. and don't see any need to 'upgrade' for the farm welding I do.. ...since opinions are free and all.. and worth so much..


soundguy

Soundguy - I can't improve on that any... Opinions are worth only so much... Both yours and mine...

How many of those "handful of rod" jobs you do are over 150A? And what are you running? I assume you consider yourself a newbie just learning to run a bead for the first time, then? Ya right

Frankly I don't think you are in the same league as the OP. He is looking to learn and needs to find out what if anything he wants to do with welding. Telling him he need and XMT350 or an Invertec is not appropriate, IMHO. Begin, Learn, Adjust, Move on. That is where the buzzboxes shine.

But if you think he needs an Idealarc400, then you should let him in on what that costs... Begin. Learn. Adjust. The used buzzboxes are perfect as you can resell in 2 seconds for what you paid. Why are there so many arguments about this? How many people who try welding really stick with it?

Eh Whatever...

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Yes,
Its 35% at 140 amps...But...that's ALMOST 60% more than the Tombstone is at 125 amps, which is the DC limit posted on that machine.:laughing:

And it will work on 110V, and its rated for 100 amps @ 35% duty for that.(Though if you have a 30 amp 110V breaker it will nearly hit the 140 mark, even though the duty cycle is down to about 20% at that level)

20% is given by Miller now as an industrial rating, though I don't consider it such. Other PowerArcs are 60% at full rated power. 35% is an intermediate level machine...though it doesn't mean its not capable of day in and day out use...its just that it the application for it should fit the units capability. See: http://www.millerwelds.com/products/helpmechoose/basics6.html

Add to that the fact that it does support TRUE lift arc tig, and comes complete with a 17V series tig torch, there still isn't much comparison in performance and capabilities...Plus the digital readout, while not necessary has a cool factor and does serve a practical function of helping repeatability of settings. Also, keeping in mind you can adjust it amp for amp, without a "click" setting.

 

[dstig1]

And that all good stuff, Mark. But if you decide it isn't enough welder for you, you will have a heck of a time reselling it, as I noted. Even "solid" US brands are hard to resell if they aren't Lincoln/ Miller...The imports have a pretty small track record, so they will be very hard to resell. You can't deny that. A used Buzzbox is hard to beat for Newbs...

 

[Soundguy]

How many of those "handful of rod" jobs you do are over 150A? ...

the long jobs.. over 150a? few to none.

bulk of my welding is 70-120a... with 'long' welding at 90-110 mostly. and some sheetmetal welding at 30a using 1/16 and 5/64 rod

And what are you running? ...

just a hobart stickmatexl 235AC I liked it's variable amp output vs the lincolns switch adjustable amperage settings. Most of the rod I run is 6013 and 6011, some 7014/7018ac

have run plenty of hardfacing rod, and nickle content rod for cast iron.. not sure what electrod numbers those were/are though. Depends on if I am building up, burning in or tacking.. harfacing.. etc.. 3/32 and 1/8 ar ethe bulk of the rod i use.. 1/8 mostly. some 1/16 and 5/64

I assume you consider yourself a newbie just learning to run a bead for the first time, then? Ya right...

i don't consider myself a 'welder' but I do own a couple welders, and I have no problem striking an arc and running a bead and making stuff that don't come apart.

Frankly I don't think you are in the same league as the OP. He is looking to learn and needs to find out what if anything he wants to do with welding. ...

when I thought I wanted to weld I got a lil campbel hausfeld 30/70a stick welder from walmart. 1/16 and 5/64 rod. did lil projects with it. i now use that as my sheet metal welder.. or for making lil things.. like custom buildup on pins or welding out bearing races or studs.. etc. first time I needed a bigger welder was when the wing broke off my jd batwing mower.. cost of a mobile welder was more $$ than that hobart on sale at tractor supply. decided to get it. welding some 3/4 material on the hinges on them wings was probably the heaviest material and most amps I've used.. again.. 200a and 12 welds of 6" each on that project using 5/32 rod multiple rods ber 6" bead.. but still not a continous run as i was tacking then welding in new hinge es and backing plates and building up areas... that was alot of repositioning on that project.. thus even though close to duty cycle on amps / time.. not exceeding it due to having to move from hinge to hinge and adjust jacks and stands and clamps and whatnot inbetween.

Telling him he need and XMT350 or an Invertec is not appropriate, IMHO. Begin, Learn, Adjust, Move on. That is where the buzzboxes shine....

i never told him he needed that.. I mentioned a cheap buzzbox...

But if you think he needs an Idealarc400, then you should let him in on what that costs... Begin. Learn. Adjust. The used buzzboxes are perfect as you can resell in 2 seconds for what you paid. ...

again.. i mentioned a cheap buzzbox...

Why are there so many arguments about this? How many people who try welding really stick with it?...

can't answer that. I 'stuck' with 'stick' out of need. to much $$ to hire welding done when needed.. which.. on a farm, is like every day. might be 5 minutes or 3 hours.. or then.. none at all for a week, then back to fixing or building something. way too much a hassle to drive to some place and pay someone to make sparks when I can do it myself.

Eh Whatever...

i like stick.. see no need to 'upgrade' past that. have access to a miller250 mig at work.... doesn't blow any smoke up my skirt.... runs like junk in the wind... stick runs fine in the wind... and a lil rain.. over rust and paint.. using a 6011 rod..

soundguy

 

[dstig1]

Thanks. You made some nice points, with facts. Thank you for that. The Duty cycle is much better at those amps. Though I can't say what it is exactly...

OP...read and absorb.

Thanks, SG.

 

[Cacinok]

Go prove to us you can actually weld for more than 2 min out of 10 and then you will have a case. You say you are just learning, but you are perhaps not listening. And I'm not trying to be offensive. If you want offensive responses, go post on Welding web

If you are truly learning, you will never hit 20% duty cycle. And again, if/when you find yourself getting there, you can resell your buzzbox for what you paid for it or more and buy a very serious welder. BTW, if you are thinking of the Everlast 140, it is only 35% at 140A, per their website. You trying to tell us that is the difference between running rod after rod or not?

BTW, since you seem to want to jump into the deep end...want a Thermal Arc MST400 Industrial DC Inverter welder? Got one for sale. Can do up to 300A at 60% duty cycle on 220V/1-phase...Stick, MIG or Lift Arc TIG...

My comment was somewhat tongue in cheek - guess I should have found the sarcastic smiley.

Actually, I am welding for 2 minutes straight. The mig welder i'm borrowing has a 20% duty cycle and I hit it all the time. Course all I'm doing now is running long *** beads on scrap metal practicing my technique and practicing joining two pieces of metal. Perhaps this is not the best learning method, don't know. When I'm actually building things, I doubt I'll be running as long as I am now. Of course when my buddy fixed my brush hog, he easily went through three or four rods straight through. He welded an 18" piece of C channel on, so a lot of welding.

Not trying to sound arrogant, just stating my experience. A weak duty cycle has already become an annoyance to me. Migs that don't have a lot of adjustment to the amperage are also a bother and I wonder why they exist other than they are cheap.

You do have a good point about resale value. However, my tools are like my guns, I buy and not sale. Again, not trying to sound arrogant, just a philosophy of mine.

Not sure I could afford your Thermal Arc. There is a Miller Dialarc 250P AC/DC 90 miles from here going for $350, I'm seriously considering blowing the budget and picking it up - just not sure I want the wife to shoot me right now. So yeah, I tend to jump into the deep end - I opened my own business 5 years ago and I'm still around, so occasionally I get it right.

And I've spent a lot of time at welding web and hobart's "weld talk message" board, why do you think I asked the question here versus one of those two sites? I already know the red and blue answers I'd get, even if there's a viable alternative.


@gwdixon, thanks for the response. I'm already budgeting for a plasma cutter.

 

[Cacinok]

Thanks. You made some nice points, with facts. Thank you for that. The Duty cycle is much better at those amps. Though I can't say what it is exactly...

OP...read and absorb.

Thanks, SG.

I tend to read a lot and speak little, on TBN at least, where I've got a lot of learning to do. ****, look at my post count, I haven't had much to say in the last 9 years, but I check the forums about every other week unless I'm prepping for a project. I speak more in other forums where I actually have more knowledge.