New stick welder

[joeu235]

I'm looking to buy a plug in stick welder. Currently only have a Miller Bobcat 225. Looking for opinions on something like a used Miller Thunderbolt vs a new Everlast machine.

 

[yomax4]

I'm looking to buy a plug in stick welder. Currently only have a Miller Bobcat 225. Looking for opinions on something like a used Miller Thunderbolt vs a new Everlast machine.

You'll get a ton of response on this topic. I vote Inverter 150 amps or more for the soft forgiving arc and small footprint. Good luck on which ever you choose.

 

[PILOON]

Monitor Craig list and other local sources and for sure you'll luck out.
Essentially a stick welder is not more than an engineered transformer so very little can go wrong.
If with DC then diodes can be faulty but that is easily verified with simple test welds.

 

[k0ua]

I'm looking to buy a plug in stick welder. Currently only have a Miller Bobcat 225. Looking for opinions on something like a used Miller Thunderbolt vs a new Everlast machine.

Do you need a welder you can pick up and put on your shoulder with a strap and walk off with? or do you need a welder you can't lift any more without machinery and has to sit on a pallet or be put on wheels to move it around?

 

[Gordon Gould]

I have an EverLast PowerArc 200ST and am completely happy with it. I prefer using it over my old Lincoln AC 225 Buzz Box any day. The Everlast DC arc is smoother, striking an arc is much easier. and the fine currant adjustability is a big improvement not to mention the weight difference

gg

 

[k0ua]

Here is my little Everlast PA160. Welds smooth as butter with 125 amps 1/8 7018. Tiny little thing, pick it up and walk off with it. Also fits in the bottom drawer of that cabinet.

 

[RNeumann]

If the used market is where you are looking it’s hard to beat the old Lincoln buzz box. You can get ac only or Ac/dc.

When you go inverter (new) you may find some limitations with some rod. Most don’t like 6010 and some don’t even like 6011. That info is a few years old so verify it.

 

[yomax4]

For an Inverter just look into the OCV . ( Open Circuit Voltage ) to see if it will run 6010-6011 if that's important to you. 60 or higher should get it done. Some rods will work with less OCV but do read up on it. Most have a pretty good inductor to help so read up on that too.

 

[stuckmotor]

Here is my little Everlast PA160. Welds smooth as butter with 125 amps 1/8 7018. Tiny little thing, pick it up and walk off with it. Also fits in the bottom drawer of that cabinet.

In the 70's and 80's I welded with an old style Thunderbolt rebranded Liquid Air. It welded really good but, I got tired of cranking the wheel on top to change the amp setting.
Now, I have the same welder as James, in fact he showed me which plug to buy. The box it came in says 25# and I agree with what he said.

 

[BukitCase]

I bought this one just for the DC tig and memory (and solid state HF, no air gap) - already have an old Solar 250 amp ad/dc.

Power i-TIG 2T - TIG Welders | Everlast Generators

Then I tried the stick side on some container supports, using some 20 year old 6013 and 7014/7018 - haven't fired up the old Solar since :thumbsup:

Machine (all 18 pounds of it)

Ancient 6013 -

Ancient 7018 -

BTW, those are the first stick welds I'd done since getting my MM252 about 7 years ago - I'd like to take the credit, but I KNOW better

I know the OP isn't looking for anything this fancy, not the point - only that the newer inverter machines typically have the same hot start and dig in 'em, you've already heard from members with the PowerArc series. I've had the same results with the stick portion of my machine - I haven't done much with TIG yet, but I'm not worried; mine is the ACTUAL demo machine Mark used to make at least 3 uTube vids, welding RAZOR BLADES (goes down to 2 amps)... Steve

 

[stuckmotor]

If the used market is where you are looking it’s hard to beat the old Lincoln buzz box. You can get ac only or Ac/dc.

When you go inverter (new) you may find some limitations with some rod. Most don’t like 6010 and some don’t even like 6011. That info is a few years old so verify it.

My Everlast PA 160 has a 6010 port.

 

[Vaquero]

Sorry. You're not going to find a "plug in" that performs as well as the Miller Bobcat 225.
Prepare to be disappointed.

 

[k0ua]

My Everlast PA 160 has a 6010 port.

yep....Same here..

 

[sd455dan]

Sorry. You're not going to find a "plug in" that performs as well as the Miller Bobcat 225.
Prepare to be disappointed.

Have you seen some of the welds Shield Arc has done with the Everlast Power Arc welders?

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/395592-liking-my-new-everlast-powerarc.html

 

[Shaneard]

Here is my little Everlast PA160. Welds smooth as butter with 125 amps 1/8 7018. Tiny little thing, pick it up and walk off with it. Also fits in the bottom drawer of that cabinet.

What’s the duty cycle on that?

 

[Big Barn]

Have you seen some of the welds Shield Arc has done with the Everlast Power Arc welders?

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/395592-liking-my-new-everlast-powerarc.html

Yes, but Shield Arc could make great welds with any decent welding machine.

 

[sd455dan]

Yes, but Shield Arc could make great welds with any decent welding machine.

:laughing::laughing: Yes he can

but SA's comments like this speak well of the PA inverters

(PowerArc 200ST is a very impressive welder! Mine will stack 6010 like my Lincoln SA-200s. It is also a dream to run 7018 with it too.)

 

[Birdhunter1]

I've had a Everlast 140 amp Mig and an Everlast 200 amp stick machine and love em both. I had a Lincoln AC 225 and sold it right away after getting my 200 amp stick machine, I had no desire to touch that Lincoln again.

 

[mike48130]

Bought the Hobart AC/DC from Tractor Supply 15 years ago or so. Works good for what I need it, but I also don't need to lug it around, and if you already have the Bobcat 225, neither do you. The only thing I ever did was take off the cables and add plugs so I can use an extension for reaching outside the garage.

The new inverter ones are great, but a lot more to go wrong. If all you are doing is stick welding, keep it dumb and simple. If you want to get into TIG, then look at the better inverters.

 

[k0ua]

What’s the duty cycle on that?

60 percent. Unfortunately you cannot buy one any longer.

Whether it was really 60% is anyone's guess. The most I have pushed it was burning 5 7018 rods as fast as they would go at 125 amps. It never broke a sweat, and no duty cycle light came on. So I have never had to wait on the welder. It's replacement is only rated 35%, but it has provision for TIG solenoid and even a pedal and has HF start for TIG. My tigging is just scratch start with a manual 17V torch. It works well though.