Welders

Will In Tx

New member

Equipment
L3400 HST/FEL, Box Blade, RTV 900 Camo, ZD323 Zreo Turn Pro Mower + More
Mar 21, 2010
303
2
0
Rosharon, TX. USA
What type of welders do ya'll use and why?
Need some real indepth insight on this.
 

traildust

New member

Equipment
B7610HST 4WD, LA352 FEL, Gearmore 2 Spool Top & Tilt Box Scraper
Jan 27, 2010
1,490
1
0
Phelan, California
What type of welders do ya'll use and why?
Need some real indepth insight on this.

Lincoln Pro-mig 175. I purchased it about six years ago to build an lifting device to pull the engine out of my boat.

I don't have any real in depth insight to give other than it seemed like the right machine at the time. I couldn't afford to have somebody build what I needed and I most definitely can not afford to have somebody rebuild the engine when I can do it myself.


Scott
 

dusty-t

New member
Feb 17, 2009
974
2
0
Mountforest Ontario
Stick 225 old old. Tried mig and I'm not comfy with my welds. But I'm just back yard grease monkey. The stuff I do is for me and I don't mind teking my time doing it. Mig would be a lot faster maybe.:D Dusty
 

traildust

New member

Equipment
B7610HST 4WD, LA352 FEL, Gearmore 2 Spool Top & Tilt Box Scraper
Jan 27, 2010
1,490
1
0
Phelan, California
Stick 225 old old. Tried mig and I'm not comfy with my welds. But I'm just back yard grease monkey. The stuff I do is for me and I don't mind teking my time doing it. Mig would be a lot faster maybe.:D Dusty

Dusty, I've seen pic's of your welds. You aren't a back yard grease monkey. Nope, you're somewhere up by the front porch :D


Scott
 

Eric McCarthy

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Lifetime Member

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Kubota B6100E
Dec 21, 2009
5,223
6
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42
Richmond Va
I've got an old Lincolin "buzz box" stick welder. Picked it up for 75 bucks used and I think theres either something wrong with it or I trashed the wireing in my gargage at my old house.
 

Eric McCarthy

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Equipment
Kubota B6100E
Dec 21, 2009
5,223
6
0
42
Richmond Va
Oh you mean my boat ancor! Fat lot of good it will do me to fix it. I cant use it where I'm at right now anyway
 

TopGear

Member
Mar 21, 2009
68
0
6
Australia
Hi

I use an inverter welder. Its amazing! Its the size of a shoe box and light and can weld 4mm arc rods @ 170 amps. It converts AC to DC so you can use it at the end of a 50 ft extension cord and not melt the cord.

I use it on low amps and with stainless rods and can weld very thin sheet metal. On 170 amps and with normal rods I haven't found anything yet I couldn't weld. I built my B6000 front end loader using it. A picture attached below of the unit.

Migs are nice but the cheap ones have a low duty cycle hence you tend to wait around for them to cool off all the time when your building something.
If you buy a mig I would try and buy a big one with a high duty cycle.

My inverter has been priceless. I build everything with it from sheds, to front end loaders!


Cheers John
 

Attachments

handyman

New member

Equipment
Kubota B7100HST-E
Sep 18, 2009
452
1
0
Dayton,Tn.
Will for whatever good it may do I will throw my 2 cents worth in. Its according what you want to weld and how much and how often. I have 2 welders at present let my son have the rest but at present I have a lincoln idealarc tig/ 250/250 but you can adjust it to 275 amps max. I also have a lincoln G8000 portable. I am sentimental to these welders. I like the idealarc arc it is a older welder capable of welding all day long and not stop with a 5/32 stick rod and I have welded long hours with a 3/16 rod and not stopped.When you buy a welder notice duty cycle if duty cycle says 20% duty cycle at 120 amps (Just example)this means you can weld 2 minutes out of 10 minutes without the machine shutting down on its on or you burning the machine up. Mig welding is one of the easiest to learn to weld with (Flux core)but if you go with mig get one you also can use with gas. I also would recommend 220 volt machine instead of a 110 if you can wire it up to run off your garage if not garage or your dryer plugin.I am like dusty I prefer a stick welder personally. This is getting to long send me a pm and I will discuss in more detail.I will go a little more in depth. If you decide on a stick welder buy a ac/dc they are not that much more and you can weld straight or reverse polarity with these machines and have a wider choice of electrodes or rods whichever you want to call them. The tig welder I have is quite a bit more expensive unless you can find a good used one then they still will be a little pricy. You can weld any type of metal with the tig I have, that is weldable and some that is not known to be weldable. I prefere stick if it is going to be some thing with a LOT OF STRESS ON IT. I am sorry for to much info. please send me a pm and I will go in more depth with you. I apologize to all for a lenghty reply but Feel most people need to know what to expect when they spend their hard earned money on something especially prices of welders. Also ther are several other VERY knowledgable welders on this site that can probably explain things better than I can.handy
 

traildust

New member

Equipment
B7610HST 4WD, LA352 FEL, Gearmore 2 Spool Top & Tilt Box Scraper
Jan 27, 2010
1,490
1
0
Phelan, California
Handy,
Thanks for posting more of your welding knowledge, I enjoy learning what ever I can from you!


Thank you,
Scott
 

Eric McCarthy

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota B6100E
Dec 21, 2009
5,223
6
0
42
Richmond Va
I'd like to learn more about that little lunch box sized welder John has. That little slice of heaven looks like it can build alot and its awesome you can use it on standard house hold current.

Oh and Handy is an awesome fella with his vast knowledge of wisdom with welders. One could say he's a welder god.
 

avi8tor

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Lifetime Member

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L2800DT, BX2380, RTV X900
Mar 14, 2010
101
0
16
Cleveland, Alabama
I use a Lincoln buzz box at home, at work a ESAB Mig. The mig is easy to use, but I'm much more comfortable with the stick. Thanks for your input Handy - I never can get too much information.
 

handyman

New member

Equipment
Kubota B7100HST-E
Sep 18, 2009
452
1
0
Dayton,Tn.
Im no welder god just have been lucky enough to have done it for a living over the last years. It is still a lot for me to learn and I am first to admit that but like to share what little I do know especially with people thats really interested. There are several other good welders on this site. I still drewl over wildfires equipt. hear that wildfire.Thanks for all the kind words. handy
 

Eric McCarthy

New member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota B6100E
Dec 21, 2009
5,223
6
0
42
Richmond Va
Thats the perfect welder right there. You can pick one up from Lowe's for under 400 bucks. And it will weld up to 1 inch thick steel.
 

handyman

New member

Equipment
Kubota B7100HST-E
Sep 18, 2009
452
1
0
Dayton,Tn.
Those are nice little welders for price check around on price they will vary a great deal also check tractor supply etc. just dont overheat them. you may want to also look at millers small ac/dc welder they are also very good.handy