rangerfredbob
Veteran Member
last year I picked up a Miller Thunderbolt stick welder:
Once it's going it welds fine for an A/C welder, but striking an arc is an exercise in patience... (my other stick welder is a Montgomery Wards branded Century AC/DC unit, I'm not a novice) it was picked up on an online estate auction, looks like it was sitting for a while, cooling fan works, ground clamp was junk so I changed it, electrode clamp is fine. To me it seems like the contacts are likely corroded and it takes a bit to get through the corrosion or whatever but don't know if I'm thinking right... The picture likely doesn't show good enough but there's high and low amp plugs on the front and the crank on the top for amp control. At one point I got frustrated and cranked it up so it would strike an arc but it burned through just after that so there's some contact issues I'm pretty sure... I haven't removed the panels to look at cleaning the contacts and maybe increase any pressure on contacts if needed but it would be a handy backup welder for the garage... A/C isn't my favorite but it works just fine and for around $100 I hopefully didn't do too bad once it's going... been a while since I've cracked open a welder and figured I'd ask before I jumped in...
Thanks
Once it's going it welds fine for an A/C welder, but striking an arc is an exercise in patience... (my other stick welder is a Montgomery Wards branded Century AC/DC unit, I'm not a novice) it was picked up on an online estate auction, looks like it was sitting for a while, cooling fan works, ground clamp was junk so I changed it, electrode clamp is fine. To me it seems like the contacts are likely corroded and it takes a bit to get through the corrosion or whatever but don't know if I'm thinking right... The picture likely doesn't show good enough but there's high and low amp plugs on the front and the crank on the top for amp control. At one point I got frustrated and cranked it up so it would strike an arc but it burned through just after that so there's some contact issues I'm pretty sure... I haven't removed the panels to look at cleaning the contacts and maybe increase any pressure on contacts if needed but it would be a handy backup welder for the garage... A/C isn't my favorite but it works just fine and for around $100 I hopefully didn't do too bad once it's going... been a while since I've cracked open a welder and figured I'd ask before I jumped in...
Thanks