New to welding

Shield Arc · Oct 21, 2017

BMan2005 said:
I'm sure I'll be back in here with alot of questions, so excuse the newbie in advance.

We all learn from each other.

Gordon Gould · Oct 22, 2017

As always you are getting some very good advise and info here. When I was in your boat I decided to buy a cheap second hand Lincoln 225 Tombstone AC stick welder just so I could learn about the basics of welding and figure out what I really need in the process. That was about 2 years ago. It is getting harder for me to justify any thing better now because I can do just fine with my AC stick welding on my barnyard projects, dozer, and tractors. I do know now what I would like to have and if I was younger I would upgrade in a minute. Learning with AC stick can be a challenge, maybe, but you gain a lot of understanding of the welding process that way.

gg

MinnesotaDaveChalmers · Oct 22, 2017

BMan2005 said:
I'm looking to get set up with a stick welder for all the small project's, mostly broke or cracked equipment on the farm that keeps coming up. It gets old to keep taking stuff off to be done when I should have been doing this all along. I'm not looking to jump into anything major just odd and end hobby farm welding. Can you guys help lead me in the right direction of a good but economical welder? Even older ones recommend I could maybe find used is fine. Feel like I'm in for a big learning curve here.

Economical and works very well, ESAB 161. ESAB Miniarc 161 LTS Stick Package 0558101694
$480 DC stick welder that will also tig later if that bug bites you.

I have 2 of them in the classroom (in addition to other large machines) and the students really like them.
I use one almost every day for demonstrations - both stick and tig.

At this price point the electrode holder is a cheap version, but the kids didn't wear it out after a year, an hour a day. Cables could be nicer but work fine.

Big Barn · Oct 22, 2017

If you decide to go stick, my opinion on options are:

1. An older transformer welder. $0 - $250. (Similar to my red ones in first photo). AC or preferably AC/DC. You will always get your money back most likely for scrap copper value alone. The downside is they're somewhat heavy.

2. A "modern" dual voltage inverter welder like MinnesotaDave suggested. I like my Miller Maxstar. (Pic below)

3. Not the best option but if portability isn't a concern and for some reason you've bypassed the power meter from your street transformer.....

These can be had for a song and weld okay.

Terry

yomax4 · Oct 22, 2017

All of the above. Anything that arc's n sparks is great.. Soon you'll be fixing and building things and knowledge will get the best of you in that you will start wondering what else is out there. It's like anything else. There's always another level. Enjoy them all.

BMan2005 · Oct 22, 2017

Shield Arc said:
If you are going to splice beams or plate. With the proper joint prep yes! Fillet welds on 1/2-inch thick material, no problem with the correct weld size.
PM Mark with Everlast to see what kind of a deal he can make you.

What is Mark's username?

Shield Arc · Oct 22, 2017

BMan2005 said:
What is Mark's username?

Here you go.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/172746-everlast-welders-welders-plasma-cutters.html

kydick · Oct 23, 2017

i live on a farm and always thought i would like to do welding so i bought me a lincolon 225ac welder in 1990. there was a 6 week course on welding 1 night a week at a local high school ag class that year. learned the basics. my rods are one eight 6011 and 6013 and five thirty-seconds 6011 rods. usually keep a few nickle rods on hand and a few smaller rods for thinner steel. i can do just about all my welding with these rods. hardly ever do i have to go to a welding shop. lots of time i can weld my part and get back to the field what time i would be going to the welding shop. plus sometimes you have to leave it and go back in a day or two to get it. when the amish lived in my community i did a lot of welding for them. so i recommend a 225ac lincolon welder...27 years and not a problem 1...and the 6011 and 6013 rods and you are ready to weld.

BMan2005 · Oct 23, 2017

Shield Arc said:
Here you go.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/172746-everlast-welders-welders-plasma-cutters.html

Thanks

BMan2005 · Oct 23, 2017

kydick said:
i live on a farm and always thought i would like to do welding so i bought me a lincolon 225ac welder in 1990. there was a 6 week course on welding 1 night a week at a local high school ag class that year. learned the basics. my rods are one eight 6011 and 6013 and five thirty-seconds 6011 rods. usually keep a few nickle rods on hand and a few smaller rods for thinner steel. i can do just about all my welding with these rods. hardly ever do i have to go to a welding shop. lots of time i can weld my part and get back to the field what time i would be going to the welding shop. plus sometimes you have to leave it and go back in a day or two to get it. when the amish lived in my community i did a lot of welding for them. so i recommend a 225ac lincolon welder...27 years and not a problem 1...and the 6011 and 6013 rods and you are ready to weld.

That's good to know being that's what it'll mostly be used for.

4570Man · Oct 23, 2017

My only encounter with an ac welder was terrible. DC is much better IMO.

Big Barn · Oct 23, 2017

4570Man said:
My only encounter with an ac welder was terrible. DC is much better IMO.

We only had an AC welder on the farm and that's all I ever used for 45 years. You're right. DC is much nicer for SMAW.

Terry

Shield Arc · Oct 23, 2017

4570Man said:
My only encounter with an ac welder was terrible. DC is much better IMO.

What are you talking about

? AC works great for Tig welding aluminum!

4570Man · Oct 23, 2017

Shield Arc said:
What are you talking about? AC works great for Tig welding aluminum!

I thought the discussion here was stick welding, and that's what I was referring to.

Shield Arc · Oct 23, 2017

4570Man said:
I thought the discussion here was stick welding, and that's what I was referring to.

I know, I was just picking on you.

Gordon Gould · Oct 24, 2017

4570Man said:
My only encounter with an ac welder was terrible. DC is much better IMO.

I am not trying to be wise or the like but if you only tried it once what would you expect. It has been proven over the ages that you can weld just fine with AC. To me it seems worth knowing how if you need to weld with higher currant because most affordable (which means something different to each of us) DC machines I have seen have limited currant capability or restrictive duty cycles.

gg

Shield Arc · Oct 24, 2017

SMAW with AC really helps if fighting arc blow. When we drove H-beams in the ground, arc blow was always a problem when welding another H-beam to it. All of our welders were engine drives, so we didn't have AC. If changing direction didn't help. We would heat the weld zone, and let it cool before welding. H-beams can have arc blow without being hit with a hammer 100 to 150 blow per foot.

BMan2005 · Oct 24, 2017

Alright so after some recommendations from y'all I have done some more research & talked with Mark at Everlast a bit and decided to order the Everlast PA 200ST. I like the idea of being able to throw it & my inverter generator in the Polaris to be mobile for small repairs running 110v.

Shield Arc · Oct 24, 2017

BMan2005 my PowerArc 200ST runs about 15 to 20-AMPS hotter than any of my other welders. So don't put a lot of stock in charts you will see on the internet.
I suggest you get a note book, and write down the settings for different size, and types of rod, and in what position you run them.

BMan2005 · Oct 24, 2017

Shield Arc said:
BMan2005 my PowerArc 200ST runs about 15 to 20-AMPS hotter than any of my other welders. So don't put a lot of stock in charts you will see on the internet.
I suggest you get a note book, and write down the settings for different size, and types of rod, and in what position you run them.

As in you have to run it hotter or you run it less than suggested? Good idea on the notebook!