What do you use for a welder?

Daren Todd said:

as tj says, pics or it didn't happen!!!

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Here we go! Fresh outta the box!!

It's Alive! It's Alive!!

Damn thing to see a "screen" on a hobby welder.

Wat???
Dont Need no tv on a welder!! Never gonna get any work done playin with it.

Tooljunkie said:

Wat???
Dont Need no tv on a welder!! Never gonna get any work done playin with it.

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Are you sure we were looking at welders? No rust, no dust, no weld splatter...More shine then my tractor when it was new.

Gas weld and braze for a lot of stuff. Victor torches in various sizes: big nut and little nut and assorted tips. All the way down to tiny HVAC torches for fine work.

Started arc with old Miller BlueStar from late '70's with 16-hp Tecumseh engine. That little guy ran when nothing else would and helped us survive couple ice storms using hotplates. Had 3,000-watts aux power output. Sold it about ten years ago for $800 to kid to build a sandrail.

Upgraded to Lincoln (one of the several Ranger models) with all the bells and whistles and 12,000-watts aux power. Remote control, MIG and TIG capability, infinite arc and arc 'softness-crispness' settings. Mounted on wheeled cart with lifting lug. Got it off a Lincoln corporate showroom floor at a bargain. Never failed until mouse chewed fuel line once. Keep it on battery float constantly.

Miller MIG. Later model but don't remember the model number. Nice lash-up. Use it with 0.030 flux core wire and gas together and get great welds. Only thing I can't figure is why they left the lifting lug off the top. Have to stab it with forks to get it onto truck (driven by Lincoln) if want to use two MIGs in field.

Through a series of trades wound up with Lincoln cracker box AC-DC 225-Amp tombstone welder. Honestly it gets used around the shop more than any of the others. Older, with true copper windings throughout. Weighs a ton. Sits on an HF $7 on sale furniture mover.

Use Tweco quick-connects on all cables and leads so can stretch out to wherever is needed.

Also got 50-A pedestals all around the place so never too far from power. Use same break-out boxes with pedestals and also from engine-driven Lincoln when in the field for drills and grinders and whatever.

Auto-dark hoods are the way to go.

For a while for some reason RV-type 50-A cord sets were popping up at auctions for nothing: rarely paid more than $25 for 50-ft cable and have one 100-ft somebody dumped. Hugely heavy but handy for that bit of extra stretch.

Completely self-taught through oilfield until spouse and I together took evening classes at local vo-tech. Same training as at commercial welding school but for just hundred bucks each (three hours a night twice a week for four months just welding anything and everything). Learned a lot. Helps to have two capable welders depending on what we're doing. She's got a better weave in her hand than I do and can see better to boot. "Here, Hon, stick this together for me."

miller 180 mig and a victor gas welding/cutting set

Victor torches large and small (forget the models) for gas welding/brazing/soldering (and cutting/heating). Miller 175 for day to day MIG needs. Syncrowave 351 for heavy stick and TIG.

Did my first bead with the Lincoln 210 MP. My first trip with a MIG.

Started okay, could use improvements, but went to crap.

It did burn through well.

Got better with next few beads.

Daren -

Thanks - I got better.

I may be looking for more advice as I use it more.

Daren Todd said:

Rcw, here's some links that helped me out when I started getting back into welding.

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Thanks, bud. Much appreciated. They are a great help.

Daren - this is an inverter, doesn't draw a ton of juice. 15A at 110, and 14.7 at 220.

I only have 110 in the garage.

Thinking of trying it on my 5500/8250 (start) generator. Some stuff I saw says its generator compatible......

I learned to weld watching my next older brother on dad's old Fourney then
practicing on my own then forced into doing it more often welding drill stem pipe, ears for the slip coupler and the "boxings" which are the male and female ends. That was done with the all to familiar Lincoln 225 tombstone
welder that are common and can be bought on Craigslist nearly any day of the week in every part of the country for $125.00. I've had one for over 35 years and all 3 of my boys learned to weld with it too. A dozen years ago I picked up a Miller 200 mig welder complete with an aluminum spool gun
for $800.00 and personally have never used it. My youngest is an awesome
welder can do it all so I learned to delegate unless he's not around the I do
what I gotta do. He's scoffed at several things I've built over the years at
my sometimes not to pretty welds, but he has a bunch of respect now as he
hasn't managed to destroy anything I've welded together and he's the type that can break anything he touches LOL!
Just make sure whatever you do that the power source is good with heavy enough wire to handle the current draw whether it's 110 or 220. I've seen many air compressors and battery chargers smoked because they used a light extension cord that caused a meltdown of the unit.
Al

Daren Todd said:

Are you using flux core wire, or steel with gas? what size wire are you using

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Right now using 0.025 with gas. (Sample roll that came with the welder)

I intend to go to 0.030 with gas. Seems to be the common wire.

Not great - but I think getting better. Some of the "skips" were on purpose - just learning...

Just 1/8" with 110v. 0.025 wire with gas.

I use a Hobart 235 stick welder, Can,t kill it.