AC-DC Miller Thunderbolt Welder

[ecbaatz]

I found a posting on craig's list for a AC-DC Miller Thunderbolt welder. The seller is asking $300 for it. It sounds like a good price as new on line is $653. But my question is, is this a good welder and even better is the price reasonable?

Welder-AC-DC Miller Thunderbolt

Thanks for the help,

Eric

 

[k0ua]

I found a posting on craig's list for a AC-DC Miller Thunderbolt welder. The seller is asking $300 for it. It sounds like a good price as new on line is $653. But my question is, is this a good welder and even better is the price reasonable?

Welder-AC-DC Miller Thunderbolt

Thanks for the help,

Eric

I have never welded with one, but I have heard they are pretty decent. You have continuous control of current instead of steps that are often too cold or too hot.

 

[Fawken]

I think everyone on this forum has a stick machine. I'm not familiar with that one so I would ask what is the max amperage output? Most of my stick weld projects are on 12ga steel and thicker so I use around 130A- 175A most often, but it's good to have 200A or more available for heavy implement repair. So, I guess it depends on if you'll do more sheet metal work or heavy fabricating like building trailer frames etc.

 

[grsthegreat]

I bought a new one a few years ago. Wonderful machine.

 

[skylarkguy]

I like mine...it does what i need it to do. I replaced the cooling fan in mine but other than that it has had no problems. I paid 1/3 the price they are asking...bit mine looks uglier than that one.

 

[ecbaatz]

Thank you all for the replies. I will have to go look at it.

 

[stihlman]

I'm sure they are great welders and will serve you well. I might suggest if you don't purchase the Thunderbolt is to watch Craigslist or your local sources for a used Miller Dialarc 250 or Lincoln Idealarc 250, these are truly commercial grade machines that can be had in the $400-$600 range used and will literally last a lifetime. They will run fine on a 50 amp service if you have that available. I just bought a 1960 Lincoln Idealarc 250 recently that looked rough cosmetically but welded great. Just a suggestion

 

[Big Barn]

I'm sure they are great welders and will serve you well. I might suggest if you don't purchase the Thunderbolt is to watch Craigslist or your local sources for a used Miller Dialarc 250 or Lincoln Idealarc 250, these are truly commercial grade machines that can be had in the $400-$600 range used and will literally last a lifetime. They will run fine on a 50 amp service if you have that available. I just bought a 1960 Lincoln Idealarc 250 recently that looked rough cosmetically but welded great. Just a suggestion

I agree. I recently picked up an Idealarc 250-250 with 50' leads for $$300.
It welds really nice. It's currently one of my restoration projects.
Here's a pic of it after pressure washing.



Terry

 

[Shield Arc]

I think you could drop those Idealarcs out of an airplane, and they would still work. Only thing I've ever heard that seems to go wrong with them. Is the on / off switch goes out, but generally not for the first 100-years.:laughing:
I have a 1937 Idealarc 300, still welds like a dream!:cool2:

 

[Fawken]

Restoring a welder in the age of throw-away-n-buy-new. Well have you ever hand re-wound the stator on a 1976 Craftsman 10" Radial Arm Saw? Was my favorite shop tool and the new ones are crud.




And here is the schematic I made for anyone else so inclined:

 

[Big Barn]

I think you could drop those Idealarcs out of an airplane, and they would still work. Only thing I've ever heard that seems to go wrong with them. Is the on / off switch goes out, but generally not for the first 100-years.:laughing: I have a 1937 Idealarc 300, still welds like a dream!:cool2:

Nice. I need, I mean want one of those.

Terry

 

[Big Barn]

Restoring a welder in the age of throw-away-n-buy-new. Well have you ever hand re-wound the stator on a 1976 Craftsman 10" Radial Arm Saw? Was my favorite shop tool and the new ones are crud. <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/426948-ac-dc-miller-thunderbolt-welder-0602121540-00-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/426949-ac-dc-miller-thunderbolt-welder-0603121930-00-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/426950-ac-dc-miller-thunderbolt-welder-0609121505-00-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/426951-ac-dc-miller-thunderbolt-welder-0611121319-00-jpg"/> And here is the schematic I made for anyone else so inclined: <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/welding/426952-ac-dc-miller-thunderbolt-welder-saw-motor-stator-jpg"/>

Thanks, Fawken. I just printed the schematic for reference.

Terry

 

[Fawken]

Thanks, Fawken. I just printed the schematic for reference.

Terry

Do you have one too?

 

[Big Barn]

Do you have one too?

Yes. One i use as a cutoff saw and another one I picked up free as a parts machine.

Terry

 

[Fawken]

The new ones don't have a threaded shaft for attaching a drill chuck- plus they're made in China. I built a house with mine and remodeled another. I have the blades that let you make crown molding, cabinets, and base boards. The drill chuck I use for polishing wheels and sometimes a long travel, horizontal drill press.

 

[Big Barn]

Fawken. Both my motors have the threaded shaft. ( had to look)

Terry

 

[Fawken]

Great get a 1/2" chuck and you can do some polishing and grinding or even high speed drilling. I believe these saws were made by DeWalt in NY. There is a start capacitor that can go bad, but what I usually see is the on switch or the start relay become high resistance and cause the coils to overheat.

 

[dragoneggs]

I think you could drop those Idealarcs out of an airplane, and they would still work. Only thing I've ever heard that seems to go wrong with them. Is the on / off switch goes out, but generally not for the first 100-years.:laughing:
I have a 1937 Idealarc 300, still welds like a dream!:cool2:

That is just plain cool!

 

[HenryIV]

Last month I saw a Miller DialArc250 nearby on CL. I had been looking hi and low for weeks. The guy had two other bigger rigs, a Lincoln SA-200 and another one IdealArc400 maybe, about the size of a deep freezer. He got them at an estate sale, with some guys other toys that he won't be needing anymore. We had no way to test the welder, but I figured it had enough metal in it to get some $ back at the scrap yard if it was a total loss. I offered $300 and he kinda consternated a bit while kicking a pebble or something and took it. From my standpoint it could be a boat anchor, but it had that $300 retail wheel kit on it so money changed hands and he help me push the monster into my trailer, take it home. My Mrs picks up my materials order and I spend a few hours during the week to wire in a 50A circuit from the panel. TIP: Put the wire in hard conduit and don't try to save a few pennies with 1/2" conduit, step up to 3/4" conduit. Then you don't have to curse your cheap *** during an hour of wire pulling on an otherwise easy job. The DialArc had a crap 30A plug on it that the former owner partially cut and bent the prongs on to fit into 50A receptacle..WTF?!! You get that big welder then cut down on the juice running to it? I replaced that with a legitimate 50A plug too.

I also opened up the welder and used contact cleaner on all the important bits, and vacuumed the dust out of it. Flipped the switch and presto!!...the fan started to whirr and I made my first stick bead. All in I spent about $400 including materials for the circuit. I replaced the sticker with one from Harbor Fright and that helps me pull off my stuck rods better So far it runs great, and I didn't spend any more than I would have for a buzzbox at the Orange Portal to H3LL.

My only advise is to be patient, and hold out for a AC/DC rig. The YouTube has a lot of videos to help you out.