Help choosing a welder

[mojoinco]

You can do a pretty good job with a cheap used AC stick machine. Some 6011 rod for base passes and rusty metal. Other rods (7018, 7014) for other purposes (fill, certain positions). The welding machine/supplies manufacturers make pretty well priced books on the subject.

I was around the mechanical services guys from the regional Cat dealer and they were welding seriously thick steel with a mig machine -- but running flux core wire so that they had plenty of protection in the event of occasional wind. I don't know what polarity they were using (opposite polarity for each method).

I started out with an AC box. Still have one (was a Dayton, now Monkey Wards). Paid $40 for one, $75 for the other. Divorce in between. Also eventually bought a mig (20 amp 115vac unit). It wore out, and I with newer wife have 208 in my shop. Now have a private label of the Hobart Handler (Weldmate?). Did notice that Hobart mig is a lower price point than the Miller.

You will need oxy-acetylene as well. I took community college / trade school classes years ago. Still remember just a little bit of it. Might be the best option, as you get to use nice industrial machines.

 

[patrick_g]

I agree with everything mojoinco said. In addition, just about everything you can do with the cheap AC machine can be done a little better with DC for a few more bucks. I've seen several folks with AC-DC machines and rarely see any of them in the AC position.

Pat

 

[Soundguy]

Got a question for the welders. For single pass penetration.. will dc 180 do everything AC 235 will do?

soundguy

 

[xlr82v2]

Assuming that you're using the same electrode... no. Amps are amps, and 235 trumps 180, even though one is AC and the other is DC. If you're going to be welding the thick stuff and want to do it single pass, you'll have to switch the machine to AC to get the higher amps. The arc won't be as smooth, but it still works fine.

 

[Sully2]

Assuming that you're using the same electrode... no. Amps are amps, and 235 trumps 180, even though one is AC and the other is DC. If you're going to be welding the thick stuff and want to do it single pass, you'll have to switch the machine to AC to get the higher amps. The arc won't be as smooth, but it still works fine.

Thats the way I understand it!

 

[Sully2]

Got a question for the welders. For single pass penetration.. will dc 180 do everything AC 235 will do?

soundguy

But the next question is....how often do you NEED to run even the AC side at 180 amps output? ( didnt say run it there..asked NEED to run it there!)

 

[xlr82v2]

I dont' know... I do know that I've never had a need to. ~150 amps I think is the most I've EVER had my machine or any buzz box that I've used for that matter, up to. That's getting pretty warm!

 

[patrick_g]

The minority report:

"Amps is amps? Not really. DC + or DC - is not interchangeable either. With AC, half of the power is DC+ and the other half is DC - (Straight or reverse polarity)

Penetration, electrode melting, and other arc characteristics are NOT THE SAME for DC+, DC-, or AC. (Note some electrodes are not "all mode")

If the RMS arc voltage were held constant and the amps were held constant and the same in each of the three cases, then the Kw of heat generated (Btu) would be the same and the electric meter would spin the same BUT the arc characteristics and the bead produced would not be the same. The technique used to produce the best quality weld would not be the same either. (Rod selection could be involved as well.)

Sometimes these differences are quite significant and sometimes not. Ignoring them or being ignorant of them may simplify your approach but randomize or otherwise degrade your results.

Pat

 

[rebb]

Polo,

if you're still following this thread, i took i don't know how many welding classes at a jr. college some years ago; was working at a job negotiating contracts which had lots of metalwork in them, and wanted to understand the details. found out i liked it...was amazing to me to make that flame from the oxy/acetylene run a puddle of steel; the lathe and mill class i took made me even more intersted....so i had a number of hours of production time and blueprint reading. burned a lot of rod; made my own home welding table, and a whole bunch of other stuff, trailer hitches, boat trailer attachments, tool repair, workbenches, ladder hangers, small tractor parts, mounts for a lathe and mill...you name it, i messed with it. did it all with an oxy/acet rig and a lincoln ac/dc. then i got kinda nutty and needed to weld some stuff in my workshop in the house, and bought a little cheap 100 volt stick welder from northern tool. i use that dang thing more than i use the lincoln now...it'll weld 3/32" 6013 like a champ, or 1/16" for light metal, like a spot weld pattern; you got to be ticklish striking the arc, but i welded a 'sling blade' to its handle tonight. got tired of the ever loosening nuts and bolts on the dang thing...won't come off now...lol!

two ways to learn welding; get the tools recommended by the folks here, some scrap metal and a used welding book from amazon; burn a box of sticks, and a few grinding wheels, and, in a year, you'll be doing good work if you stay at it; or take a couple of night classes like i did, and you'll get good fairly quick (if you have an insructor like tony holmes, as i did-he was great).

i got a porter cable portable bandsaw; it is the cleanest, straightest, least cleanup way to cut tubing and small stock i know of; not a lot of grinding to clean up for welding after the cutting...i would recommend it or the milwaukee, if you want a portable outfit. i have fixed some friends' stuff with a small generator or large extension cord, the 110 welder, the bandsaw, the grinder and a makita grinder with a wire cup brush on it. get some useful return favors for this work...like a pan of brownies from one guy's wife the other night (yum!)

have fun; i still just love making that puddle flow just remember, them sparks is hot, and the metal is even hotter...wear gloves, keep your shirt collar closed, no synthetic clothing (burn the c out of ya), and keep a fire extinguisher handy....i got a nice leather apron that buttons up the front to my neck; got tired of burn marks on my chest and arms...worth the money, unless you're a *********.....and don't weld no galvanized junk without a fan blowing-it might kill ya....makes a deadly gas...

hope this helps some; i really enjoy welding...it takes my whole attention and time flies by....
rebb

 

[xlr82v2]

The fumes from welding galvanized won't kill you... but they surely will make you quite sick if you inhale too much of them. The fumes are not deadly... however you may WISH you were dead.

Just don't want to see things OVER dramatized...