Best NEW stick welder for farm and fab and why?

Soundguy · Jun 12, 2006

An old 225A AC tombstone ( lincoln ) stick welder can be had as low as 50$ from yardsales and pawn shops.. they will burn a rod as good as anything out on the market. New they can be picked up for about 250$

If you do some out of position stuff.. spring another 140$ and get the 180dc/225ac models.. Hobart has one.. etc... Can't really go wrong with -any- major brand..

your 2000$ budget will buy you pretty much any consumer grade arc welder and all the goodies you want. Would also get you a real decent mig setup to weld 1-pass 1/2" easilly.. plus some goodies..

Soundguy

Soundguy

accordionman · Jun 12, 2006

SIR,
do you want a welder that can be used in the field?
put another 1k with the 2k, and buy a gas driven
welder. i have a bobcat 250, nice machine, and it
is a generator too.
good luck with your projects.
accordionman
wlbrown
wrigtht city, mo.

wushaw · Jun 12, 2006

A MM251 can be had for @1700.00 and OA set-up will run @300.00 depending on what you want. Then there is all the other stuff you need like a Helmet, protective clothing, clamps....etc.

A stick and OA set-up with all the other stuff you need will keep you in your budget.
As far as which brand I would stick with the big three Miller, Hobart & Lincoln. Miller is the parent company of Hobart.

A mig is easier to learn on than a stick but if you learn on the stick then the mig will be a cakewalk.

sparkkky · Jun 12, 2006

What can you do with Sams 125A Welder- Gen. combo?

Highbeam · Jun 12, 2006

This arc cutting is something I wouldn't worry about. An arc welder only does one thing, send amps to the rod. The ability to cut with a carbon arc tool.... is this some extra added feature or is an obscure use that someone came up with that really isn't unique to the machine at all?

The guys used carbon arc at the shipyard to cut up submarines. A very loud and destructive process. The precision of carbon arcing was far lower than a oxy/acetylene torch.

I recently added an oxy/acetylene setup to my tool supply. The torches were 150$ and the tanks another 300$. So now I can slice up plate to make shapes, plus heat and bend things.

I do not understand spending 1700$ for a machine that would serve you as well as a 350$ one. Many tombstones are around and serve their owners very well. If you are going into production work with the thing then maybe there is some high production benefits like efficiency to be had with the 1700$ types.

A 14" abrasive chop saw, ac/dc tombstone, and an oxy/acetylene torch is an inexpensive setup to allow you to build anything you want out of steel. Maybe some magnets, and a tape measure too. Almost forgot, auto darkening hoods are great.

ronjhall · Jun 13, 2006

My 295 amp Tombstone is 30 years old. Welds as good as the first day I bought it. I bought the 295 because I wanted a higher duty cycle than the 225 offered. My Uncle (who was a retired welder) would weld enough to get the 225 very hot to touch. If I remember correctly the 225's were wound with Aluminum wire and the 295's had Copper wire.
Like Highbeam I have a set of torches to do all my heavy cutting projects. It will cost to use the torches. But they can be used in the field without any electricity. When working with old farm equipment the torches work great for cutting off them rusted bolts.
I also have a AC DC welder. But do not use it as much as the Lincoln.

bobodu · Jun 13, 2006

I have an old Lincoln tombstone that has had hundreds of pounds of rod burned and love it.Have heard that the newer ones have aluminum windings and don't have the same duty cycle..don't know,but it doesn't matter because I don't think I'll need a new one for years! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Also have a Lincoln SA3 (or 3SA) engine welder but only use it when I can't get the job to the shop or when I want DC for pretty welds.
Don't worry too much about cutting/gouging with a welder...kinda like using a chainsaw for cutting bread.Get a torch set.They are so absolutely handy...cost a bit at startup (tanks and such) but I'd hate to go without mine.I can light the stove when I'm cold,heat metal,cut bolts,solder/brase....oh yeah WELD with it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Tim_in_IA · Jun 13, 2006

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. That is exactly what I needed to hear. Right now I am having the local machine shop fix my baler so I don't need to rush out and get a welder. I'm combing through ebay to see if I can find a good used one. Might start out with the lincoln ac/dc buzz box or something similar and then I'll know what I am in for. I have heard this is an addictive hobby so I am sure I'll be adding equipment later. Still a little concerned about the gas but I guess as long as I follow the safetey guidelines I shouldn't have any explosions.

Dargo · Jun 13, 2006

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Still a little concerned about the gas but I guess as long as I follow the safetey guidelines I shouldn't have any explosions. )</font>

Oh, one thing on that as well. I have found that I now use my propane torch more than my O/A. It's cheaper to use and comes within about 500 degrees of the same heat. I think my O/A burns at 5700 degrees and the O/P burns at 5200 degrees. The propane tips are not nearly as picky about being cleaned either. At our largest metalworks plant locally and at both of our local large coal mine operations they have gone completely to propane torches. It is much less expensive of a gas and in a pinch you can always just use the propane tank off of your grill if you run out of gas at a time that isn't convenient to refill.

Again, the advantage of any torches over a plasma cutter will be portability. If you are actually building something you will spend quite a bit of time on a grinder if you use any torch for your cuts. Although it is relatively expensive, I've been amazed at the precision and complex cuts in heavy steel I can make with my HyperTherm 1250 plasma cutter.

I've been welding for about 20 years and my dad for about 45 years. One of the biggest differences in a cheapo buzz box (I have 3) and a decent MIG is your learning curve to be able to produce a sound, strong, and decent looking weld. Besides that, there really is a difference. Someone who tells you that a new $200 welder is just as good as a $2000 welder most likely just doesn't know what they are talking about. Do you think they could sell a welder for $1800 more if it were the same? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Also, if you are planning on building something, just look at anything that is welded that you have bought; any tractor, tractor implement etc. They all were most likely welded with a MIG. It's probably been 40 or 50 years since they had guys at the mfg plants burning rods all day building your equipment.

Highbeam · Jun 13, 2006

"Do you think they could sell a welder for $1800 more if it were the same?"

They wouldn't sell it to me. Please tell us the difference between a tried and true ac/dc buzz box and these 2000$ arc welders. Is it just duty cycle? More durable materials? though I can't imagine needing anything more durable than a buzz box. The difference that justifies that cost increase is very related to the original question. I agree that there must be some difference but I don't know what it is.

I have welded continuously for hours with the AC arc welder and never had degradation in arc quality and never felt a hot tombstone. True, I was only throwing 120 amps or so but that's what's needed for most welding.

For using an arc welder to cut I have just cranked the amps way up and had a controlled burn through. Folks have mentioned using wet rods to cut metal in the same manner. The torch leaves much cleaner cuts. The plasma cutter is leaps better.