Long out of practice stick welder.

[torrin]

Good Morning;

I am a long out of practice welder who has a project the is causing me to question my sanity.

I bought a used lawn roller cheap and need to rebuild the hitch frame. My buzz box (Lincoln 180) only seems to work at over 100 amps (7018 1/8" rod). It is blowing holes in my tubing.

I had the same problem with another buzz box, and found out it the transformer was only partially conducting so 135 amps work out to about 60.

Anyway, I am looking to do one of two things. Purchase an inexpensive 150 to 200 amp DC welder, or go to a wire welder. My concern is I have heard so much negative about wire welders that I am not sure that is the way i want to go.

I found that Everlast has a nice ac/dc stick welder for under $250, but no local dealers. I can get Miller, Lincoln, and Hobart locally, but the price includes the reputation and name.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[flusher]

Buy the Everlast, pay the shipping cost, stop agonizing and enjoy your new welder.

Good luck.

 

[AaronS]

I recently bought an Everlast that doubles as a wire welder and stick welder. I don't weld often and can't imagine being restricted to stick only. Wire welding is so much easier.

 

[k0ua]

I am very pleased with my Everlast PA160 DC stick welder. I also use it to TIG with when I need to weld thin lightweight materials including brass and copper.

 

[Big Barn]

Buy the Everlast, pay the shipping cost, stop agonizing and enjoy your new welder. Good luck.

You will have a good welder with either option, but I too would go with the above advice. Let us know what you do.

Terry

 

[Big Barn]

I am very pleased with my Everlast PA160 DC stick welder. I also use it to TIG with when I need to weld thin lightweight materials including brass and copper. <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386971-long-out-practice-stick-welder-img_20131023_145811_920-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386972-long-out-practice-stick-welder-tig-ground-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386973-long-out-practice-stick-welder-dscf0525-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386974-long-out-practice-stick-welder-dscf0520-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386975-long-out-practice-stick-welder-img_20121117_165336_859-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386976-long-out-practice-stick-welder-img_20121117_165303_772-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386977-long-out-practice-stick-welder-6outside-weld-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386978-long-out-practice-stick-welder-picture-015-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386979-long-out-practice-stick-welder-picture-006-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386980-long-out-practice-stick-welder-picture-007-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386981-long-out-practice-stick-welder-picture-011-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/386982-long-out-practice-stick-welder-17v-torch-jpg"/>

You know James, I never get tired of seeing that pic of hook on your loader bucket. I like it!

Terry

 

[k0ua]

You know James, I never get tired of seeing that pic of hook on your loader bucket. I like it!

Terry

It is all I got Terry.:laughing: You should see some of my failures!

 

[k0ua]

I tell you what though, welding those chain links or welding those copper rings was a heck of a lot harder to do!

 

[Reverser]

Good Morning;

I am a long out of practice welder who has a project the is causing me to question my sanity.

I bought a used lawn roller cheap and need to rebuild the hitch frame. My buzz box (Lincoln 180) only seems to work at over 100 amps (7018 1/8" rod). It is blowing holes in my tubing.

I had the same problem with another buzz box, and found out it the transformer was only partially conducting so 135 amps work out to about 60.

Anyway, I am looking to do one of two things. Purchase an inexpensive 150 to 200 amp DC welder, or go to a wire welder. My concern is I have heard so much negative about wire welders that I am not sure that is the way i want to go.

I found that Everlast has a nice ac/dc stick welder for under $250, but no local dealers. I can get Miller, Lincoln, and Hobart locally, but the price includes the reputation and name.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

If your welder is AC only, it will not run regular 7018. That may be your problem right there. I have an Idealarc that will run it on the AC side, but it's more of an industrial unit. Smaller AC units like yours will run 7018AC though.

If you want to stay with what you have, try a pound of 7018AC and it'll probably run that fine.

 

[k0ua]

Here are some fairly decent beads welding on a piece of reinforcing flat bar on the top of my old Kubota bucket.

 

[bigdeano]

The 7018 is your problem, it requires more open circuit voltage than most buzz boxes have on low amp settings. 7014 works great on my old Sears buzz box. If the tubing is thin, get 3/32. If you don't weld a lot an old buzz box will serve you fine.

 

[Fifelaker]

Open circuit voltage is close to the same. The issue is ac the voltage drops to zero 30 times per second. The 7018ac electrodes have stabilizers in the flux to keep them burning during the zero volt part of the cycle. The regular 7018's do not have that stabilizer so they go out. AC is 60 cycles per second +,zero,- ect. The zero happens 30 times.

 

[BigE_]

Open circuit voltage is close to the same. The issue is ac the voltage drops to zero 30 times per second. The 7018ac electrodes have stabilizers in the flux to keep them burning during the zero volt part of the cycle. The regular 7018's do not have that stabilizer so they go out. AC is 60 cycles per second +,zero,- ect. The zero happens 30 times.

The zero crossing is 120 times per second, so even worse. (2x per cycle).

 

[Fifelaker]

The zero crossing is 120 times per second, so even worse. (2x per cycle).

Yes it is I am not sure what I was not thinking when I posted. My bad.

 

[Arc weld]

I don't think anyone said MIG machines were bad. I think it got confused with pushing a small 110 volt MIG beyond it's rated capacity. For thin tubing, MIG hands down is 100% easier. With stick try 3/32" 6011 on thin material. 6011 will burn through the flux so you can do a bunch of small tacks to make a weld if you have to.

 

[torrin]

Well I solved my problem, just not in the way I was going. I search the Craigslist for several areas close by and found a Hobart Stickmate LX AC/DC 235/165 welder for $250.00. I did not even have to drive more then 10 miles out of my way.

Thank You all for the input. I am sure I will be pleased with the welder. Know anyone in West Mi looking for 180 Amp Lincoln Buzzbox LOL

 

[Reverser]

Well I solved my problem, just not in the way I was going. I search the Craigslist for several areas close by and found a Hobart Stickmate LX AC/DC 235/165 welder for $250.00. I did not even have to drive more then 10 miles out of my way.

Thank You all for the input. I am sure I will be pleased with the welder. Know anyone in West Mi looking for 180 Amp Lincoln Buzzbox LOL

Congratulations!!! You did good.:cool2:

 

[bigdeano]

With stick try 3/32" 6011 on thin material. 6011 will burn through the flux so you can do a bunch of small tacks to make a weld if you have to.

I have a question. Why use 6011 on thin material? Isn't it a deep penetrating rod? When I try to use 6011 on low amps like you would for thin material it just sticks to everything. Thanks.

 

[roadhunter]

Well I solved my problem, just not in the way I was going. I search the Craigslist for several areas close by and found a Hobart Stickmate LX AC/DC 235/165 welder for $250.00. I did not even have to drive more then 10 miles out of my way.

Thank You all for the input. I am sure I will be pleased with the welder. Know anyone in West Mi looking for 180 Amp Lincoln Buzzbox LOL

Sounds like you got a good deal! Congrats.

 

[CNC Dan]

I have a question. Why use 6011 on thin material? Isn't it a deep penetrating rod? When I try to use 6011 on low amps like you would for thin material it just sticks to everything. Thanks.

Because it's a 'fast freeze' rod.