If you are serious about learning to weld; get a used 230A AC buzz box. They are available all the time on CL, garage sales, and auctions. Do not pay over $100 as that is the max going price unless there is something special like 100' of cable. Never pay extra for open container welding rod, tell them to keep it or throw it in for 0. Then practice, practice and practice some more. Take a course at your local tech school or community college. I will pay you dividends over sending it out all the time plus controlling your down time. The there is "Soul Satisfaction". You will soon be moving up to better. Do not overlook O/A welding either.
I buy, sell, trade this stuff from time to time. I have paid as little as $30 at garage sales and $50 at auctions then sell on CL for $100. On these buzz boxes; in genera, one brand is a good as another except, for part availability. Most of the off brand are China clones of major brands and or produced for corporations like Sears under there name by a name brand. ESAB, formerly Victor, has bought out a lot of other brands and still part support them. Lincoln and Miller produce several different brands. Some times I have to make minor repairs or cleaning/painting. Beyond that they are either parts or scrap. Not many original brands, that we all know, are left. HF is really into the market. Their stuff is clones of major brands for the most part. Some even made by the same Chinese factory. There O/A torches are clones of Victor, all three the 300, 100, and J series. I have all of them and never had one not work properly. I can sell a an O/A package with mixed HF and Victor clone pieces and really provide a bargain. Just sold a Victor 300 set with filled cylinders and a cart for $500 which is $750 less than buying all new Victor Journeyman set w/ cylinders and cart.
Ron
