Best NEW stick welder for farm and fab and why?

[_RaT_]

You are correct in wanting a ARC versus a MIG unit for what you plan to weld and at much less cost then a MIG. Their is no question that you will indeed get better penetration and the ability to weld dirty metal with a ARC. You can weld in the outdoors in the wind, you can get into some places a MIG simply cannot. Your welds will rarely look as pretty as MIG. I would only suggest that you at least get or have the ability to go DC. On some metals that get magnetized like some hay equipment, you need AC. Dollar for dollar, an ARC will give you super welds. While almost all of my welding today is MIG and some flux core, I still resort to my ARC for critical welds and where cleaning the steel is not practical, its also what I am certified in. I use both Miller and Lincoln, both are great companies building nice welders, I find little difference in todays ARC welders between these two manufactuers. Get some 6011 3/16 rod for starters and a chipping hammer.

PS, $2K will get you a high duty cycle ARC with high current. Another consideration is to go invertor based ARC machines, lighter, fairly powerful, and more energy efficient.

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( "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. )</font>

I'm not selling welding machines so I don't care if you would buy one or not. For your other question, you can start here Welding schools Nothing personal, but I haven't the time to teach you all of the nuances of welding. Your question tells me that you could greatly benefit from the link I listed.

 

[_RaT_]

You are right on with your comments. After learning stick as a 4th grader and welding for decades with my old Lincoln "tombstone" a 180 amp AC only unit back then, I found MIG to be so easy that even folks who had their MIG for years and never did ARC were a bit irritated that with my first welds I was putting down beads much nicer then theirs. One thing about a ARC welder is that it always works. Simple. My Miller MIG always works as long as I have gas, my tip is good, I have the correct feed wheel for the wire size, I don't have to weld off a ladder higher then my cables stretch and there is no wind!

 

[Highbeam]

I'm not looking to learn how to weld. I can stick metal together just fine. I was hoping you knew why someone would want to pay 2000$ for a 350$ welder. Guess not, me either.

Lincoln AC/DC tombstone at home depot. You'll be burning rod in no time.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have found that I now use my propane torch more than my O/A. )</font>

Most of the metal salvage peopl edown here, and most of the metal yards i visit I see the O/P setups vs the O/A .. etc.

On the mig vs stick debate.. all I can say.. is for a person who knows how to weld good... an object can be welded on a 300$ ac/dc buzzbox and it will be just as strong as if on a 2000$ mig. The buzzbox weld may not look as pretty.. and may have a lot of grinding and chipping done on it... but the actual weld should be similar in strength.

One thing i will say in favor of the stick welder... It gives you the ability to switch rod types per job with no spools or liners to change out. And as long as you have rod.. you never run out of shielding gas.... wind and light rain don't nearly bother you as much as with mig.... surface prep may not be as picky depending ont he type of repair you are making.. ( hard to beat a 225ac stick welder and a 1/8 or 5/32 rod in a pinch to make an emergency repair on a piece of rusty equipment in a strong headwind with rain stepping up... don't have to be purty'.. just has to hold till it can be repaired or replaced later.. etc. )

Soundguy

 

[Highbeam]

One limitation I thought I would mention with my ac225 buzzbox arc welder. It is not very good at welding thin material like exhaust tubing or fence tubing. It can be done in a pinch and I have had to do it but the welds are not pretty. A mig will glue the thin tube together with less risk of burning through.

 

[Soundguy]

I agree.. I find it easier to weld thin materials like sheet metal with a mig.. however.. I'v welded many rods on sheet metal with a 70a buzzbox and some 1/16 5/64 rod.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm not looking to learn how to weld. I can stick metal together just fine. )</font>

That's what I assumed and that's why I posted the link to help you. Anybody can "stick metal together". It's my understanding that the original poster was wanting to repair implements and build things. There is a huge difference between being able to stick metal together and doing a quality welding job, thus my link to help you begin learning and understanding that fact. And, yes, I do understand quite well from your posts over the last year that price is the driving factor in all of your purchases. However, with the price range listed by the original poster, it is obvious that he is looking for quality items for a fair price, perhaps with quality being placed ahead of price in importance. Quality means things to people and, in general, quality will cost you a little more. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Dargo]

The Miller Dialarc 250 AC/DC does an absolutely excellent job of welding everything from thin gauge sheet metal to heavy materials. Having used my early 70's vintage Lincoln to weld sheet metal in the past with the appropriate rods, I can appreciate the difference the new higher quality stick welder makes for all around jobs.

 

[Spiffy]

My welding skills are a hobbiest at best, but I have used everything from real cheapo wire feed to several $K welders at one time or another. There is a difference. Ironically, about half the features that pro's have an appreciation for are even more convienient for someone less experienced [like easy arc starting, etc.]. That's not even getting into quality differences, though I don't keep updated enough to give comparisons.

It was noted before, but if maintaining a budget is a large part of the equation [say under $500], I don't think you can beat the flexibility or reliability of having a quality torch kit and an old [or perhaps new] buzz box. Both are pretty foolproof on reliability too, but the learning curve is tougher - not to mention learning several tools.

Since I use the FIL's little MIG for thin stuff (or I often just braze it), I'm not planning to buy a wire feed until I can justify a good quality multitasking unit - definitly with TIG and preferably with SubArc ability [SubArc being of somewhat limited application and I'd never have a true justification for it, but it works so nice where you can use it].