I "need" a welder..?

[SkyPup]

Re: I \"need\" a welder..?

Awe...GEEZE!!! Now ya got me to thinking again....

Don't do that, just go out an purchase a good 220V MIG unit.

 

[Sully2]

Re: I \"need\" a welder..?

Don't do that, just go out an purchase a good 220V MIG unit.

I may..? Guess Im still not convinced that a rig like the Hobart Handler 140 ( 115 volt) wouldnt do me A-OK for MY NEEDS..? Says it can weld 1/4 thick stuff.( Course it dont say that it takes 2 hrs...LMAO)

If I go with 230...I have to pull about 90 feet of new wire to get to where Id want the new outlet....with 115 volt Im already there..

"Duty cycle" and such dont mean a lot to me...I really could care less how much "time off" Id have to give a setup. Im sure whatever time out Id have to give it is a lot less than the "wait time" to stand in line at a welding shop! IF...IF I could even get my tractor TO a welding shop..( No trailer..and no vehicle I could pull it and the tractor BOTH..even if I HAD a trailer for it...)

Duty cycle I understand...but to me ( a total newbie to welding) AMPS are AMPS...so if I see someone saying that they do most of their small stuff at a 120 amp setting..then to me ( and I may be 10000% WRONG..?) it dont matter if the rig is powered by 440..230..or 120???

 

[knute_m]

Re: I "need" a welder..?

I'll just repeat that I am real happy with my 115 VAC / 140 amp Lincoln welder, which has virtually the same specs as the Hobart. It has done everything I've needed to do around the farmstead in the past year, or so.

Knute

 

[SkyPup]

Re: I "need" a welder..?

Trust me when I say that you will be grossly disappointed in any 110V unit for anything beyond minimalistic use, it is worth whatever expense it takes to install the 50 amp 220V line, there really is no comparison in performance.

 

[knute_m]

Re: I "need" a welder..?

Trust me when I say that you will be grossly disappointed in any 110V unit for anything beyond minimalistic use, it is worth whatever expense it takes to install the 50 amp 220V line, there really is no comparison in performance.

There's an old saying: "It's the poor craftsman who blames his tools."

It is amazing how happy some of us low achievers can be with the minimalistic craftsmanship we can produce on our minamilistic budgets.

Knute

 

[crd]

Re: I "need" a welder..?

One bit of advise I might offer would be to see if your local high school or vo-tech offers Adult Ed welding courses.

I did this, and the shop where where I took my course had small Mig (no gas), larger Mig (with gas), stick, oxy and even a plasma cutter that we got to try during the course. Nothing like some hands-on before before you buy -- and the folks who teach these courses can be real pros.

 

[Soundguy]

Re: I "need" a welder..?

There's an old saying: "It's the poor craftsman who blames his tools."

It is amazing how happy some of us low achievers can be with the minimalistic craftsmanship we can produce on our minamilistic budgets.

Knute

Be that as it may.. I do feel that 110v welders.. mig or stick.. are really just made for light duty welding. That's not to say that you can't patiently work your !BLEEP! off and glue some big stuff together.. but it takes lotsa work.

I have a 110v stick welder. it's great on sheet metal and 3/16. 1/4 takes a couple passes.. or perferably.. both sides available to weld. Anything higher is .. well.. torture. Right now.. i take anything over 1/4 to work to use our big mig or big stick welder ( that is.. untill I break down and finally buy a big stick.. ). I have welded a 3/4 rod one time.. had to make a tractor repair, and rod on a lift link broke. I guess it took me a couple hours burning 5/64 and 1/16 sticks to get that rod glued together. I v-cut each piece to at least half the depth of the material, then welded up and worked my way around, chiping, and grinding and welding.. then roll the rod a bit and start over. I know i got 100% penetration that way.. but it was darn tedius. The lift link is still solid today.. , after 2+ years of use.. but if I had had a 225a arc welder and some 1/8 or 5/32 rod.. or even a good 180 mig.. I'd have done the job in 5 minutes with the mig.. or 15 minutes with the arc.. and that included all the prep and cleanup.

Soundguy

 

[Sully2]

Re: I "need" a welder..?

Be that as it may.. I do feel that 110v welders.. mig or stick.. are really just made for light duty welding. That's not to say that you can't patiently work your !BLEEP! off and glue some big stuff together.. but it takes lotsa work.

I have a 110v stick welder. it's great on sheet metal and 3/16. 1/4 takes a couple passes.. or perferably.. both sides available to weld. Anything higher is .. well.. torture. Right now.. i take anything over 1/4 to work to use our big mig or big stick welder ( that is.. untill I break down and finally buy a big stick.. ). ..[/QUOTE}
And thats all the larger I'd ever be welding on. As I said in my opening...items such as weld on hooks that are presently on ny FEL...those sort of items...

[QUOTE}
I have welded a 3/4 rod one time.. had to make a tractor repair, and rod on a lift link broke. I guess it took me a couple hours burning 5/64 and 1/16 sticks to get that rod glued together. I v-cut each piece to at least half the depth of the material, then welded up and worked my way around, chiping, and grinding and welding.. then roll the rod a bit and start over. I know i got 100% penetration that way.. but it was darn tedius. The lift link is still solid today.. , after 2+ years of use.. but if I had had a 225a arc welder and some 1/8 or 5/32 rod.. or even a good 180 mig.. I'd have done the job in 5 minutes with the mig.. or 15 minutes with the arc.. and that included all the prep and cleanup.

Soundguy

Whereas I..me personally...wouldnt have attempted to weld it! I'd have taken it to a pro somewhere and paid HIM to weld it properly. I dont mind ( I dont think??) making more than one pass down a 3-4 inch long weld..even down BOTH SIDES of say a weld on bucket hook.

I have a little project coming up. A 50 caliber ammo box "tool box" for my B3030. I can buy the material...I can cut it and grind it nice and square...cant "stick it together"..? 1/8th in and 3/16ths stock.

But thats OK fellas and I appreciate the input from almost everyone... I had never intended to answer anymore posts to this thread after I got the gracious reply of " go look it up elsewhere".

 

[Sully2]

Re: I "need" a welder..?

There's an old saying: "It's the poor craftsman who blames his tools."

It is amazing how happy some of us low achievers can be with the minimalistic craftsmanship we can produce on our minamilistic budgets.

Knute

.......

 

[Soundguy]

Re: I "need" a welder..?

>Whereas I..me personally...wouldnt have attempted to weld it! I'd have >taken it to a pro somewhere and paid HIM to weld it properly. I dont mind ( >I dont think??) making more than one pass down a 3-4 inch long weld..even >down BOTH SIDES of say a weld on bucket hook.

I didn't have the option to run to town.. I had a tractor broke down in my driveway with 500# of dirt in a rear scoop and a seperated lift link arm... That's why I welded it.. vs taking it to work to fix..

Soundguy