Potato truck bed repair?

[bjr]

I hope I'm posting on proper site. My question is I'm repairing old beat-up potato truck beds (field trucks). Very thin bodies maybe 12 ga. They crack and break in every imaginable place. The heaviest steel I'd probably have to repair would be 1/4". I need to have a very light portable stick welder that could be ran off of 115 volts (15 amp breaker) house hold receptacle, with a heavy duty extension cord to be able to maybe bring the welder right up in to the bed with relative light short welding lead. I've added 10ga. stiffener plates all over. What kind/size stick/wire feed welder would you suggest. I've never welded with a wire feed and am not sure if they would be good on out of position/poor fit-up and dirty welding. I would like to get portable to go where the trucks are parked to do this repair welding. A quick and dirty job in the evenings when the trucks come home. They're parked in various private driveways. but I've would have access to household outlets, 15 amp breakers would this worked with one of the Everlast welders. Any help/solutions/advice is appreciated. Thank you. bjr

 

[CNC Dan]

Mig with flux-core wire would be my choice.

But you can do it with stick welding too.

The Everlast PA140 should work OK, but with 115 volts at only 15 amps, you will be limited to 1/16" rods or maybe 3/32" rods.

If you can use a device like "quick 220" makes, you should have no problem.

110-120 and 220-240 Voltage Converters & Accessories

 

[Sodo]

You can weld the 12ga on 15A. You may have trouble with a 15A breaker at 3/16" thick settings for more than an inch of weld. I have done a LOT of welding as you describe, using a 115v welder on 3200W sustained output generators (4,000W). Except I use gas-shielded, not flux-cored.

My opinion is wire-feed is much better for poor fit-up, and out-of-position, and body-type repairs. I can't speak for flux-cored wire feed because I've never used it. I would not drive up to some guys house on a windy day and expect to weld with gas.

I would never use a 3/32 (or smaller) stick welder if a wire-feed "was nearby". MIG would be so much faster and easier.

You might consider bringing a generator along in case they guy's 15A breakers aren't cutting it. You will need a generator appx 6,000W (5,000w sustained) to run a (modern) 115v Welder such as the Everlast --->at full power<---. Keep in muind that the job you describe does not require --->full power<---. Smaller generators will can support lower settings on the welder. For the job you describe I could produce great results with my 4,000w(3200w) setup with inverter welder, so there you have a baseline.

 

[Shield Arc]

If I were you, I would look into the Everlast Power I-Mig 140E. Then contact Mark with Everlast to see what kind of deal he can make you. You can run Lincoln's .030" NR-211 self shield flux core for outside work and Mig for inside work.
I ran an endurance test with member here roadhunter's I-Mig 140 on a 120-volt, 15-amp breaker.
Power i-MIG 140E - MIG Welders | Everlast Generators

 

[bjr]

If I were you, I would look into the Everlast Power I-Mig 140E. Then contact Mark with Everlast to see what kind of deal he can make you. You can run Lincoln's .030" NR-211 self shield flux core for outside work and Mig for inside work.
I ran an endurance test with member here roadhunter's I-Mig 140 on a 120-volt, 15-amp breaker.
Power i-MIG 140E - MIG Welders | Everlast Generators

I may need as much as 100' of extension cord. What would be the length/size of extension cord limitations any recommendations there. I know I'm asking a lot here. Access to the trucks are sometimes limited as there always seem to be a barrier of Black and sometimes White Escalades/or other SUV's blocking the trucks in, they're usually gone by daybreak. The drivers are usually trying to wash down 12 hours of field dust and rest up for the next day, so, I try not to disturb them and their activities. I deal is, I quietly & discretely (sometimes I have sledge hammer a piece into place at my own peril) get the bed to stay on the truck without too many pieces falling off on the next days job. The repair for the most part is only good for a day as it'll be busted again when they get home. Yes, on being windy here in E. WA. and then it blows very hard, so, flux core probably is what would be used. Any more I divulge would probably just produce trouble for the drivers. Just sayin' there's no awards for good behavior in this group. I won't even go into how the local DOT people deal with the fleet as that's another story for someone else to tell. bjr

 

[Sodo]

Sounds like you have to make this work. I would call Everlast and ask what wire size they recommend for 100 feet. Tell them you have to weld at 50-75% power and you don't care "how it won't work" but want to know how to "make it work".

Also having two 25 footers and a 50 foot cord is FAR better than one 100ft cord, because you can reduce cord length. But you want good, clean cord ends (connectors) if using multiple cords. And take care of your plugs/receptacles. An inverter welder may help in this regard (multiple connections) because it may have a little bit of storage capacity that can smooth out the inrush current. Might check with Everlast if their 140E can tolerate several connections.

Since you have to carry this welder you will be VERY happy to have an inverter welder, and the few dollars more will be much appreciated quickly in the power-to-weight ratio. Plus an inverter welder might have a little more capacity to weld on extension cords.

I can see these potato trucks need your assistance, and will probably pay for it, you have a good business plan. You can be johnny-on-the-spot for "End of the day" & "repairing it on-site". Get VISA billing on your smart phone and things will go even better (if you have cell signal). Better get a welding blanket to drape over those SUVs. You will be surprised how far welding berries can fly and still fuse to a glass SUV window.

 

[Big Barn]

I don't have anything useful to contribute here as our potato boxes never required repair. We ran Lockwood and Double L self unloading steel boxes. The best 2 we had were plywood lined boxes from Sinner Mfg in your area.

Long time ago though....

Terry

 

[Shield Arc]

I may need as much as 100' of extension cord. What would be the length/size of extension cord limitations any recommendations there.

Personally I wouldn't deal with anyone but Mark at Everlast!

Don't worry about the wind with self shielded wire. The winter of 1982 another guy and myself welded all the pre-cast concrete deck panels for the city of Dillingham Alaska dock. The local radio station came on at 6:00 AM. One day the first thing out of disk jocky's mouth. If you have a boat or airplane you better get to it now! That day we had 90-MPH winds. Couldn't hardly walk around but we could sit and weld for 12-hours.:laughing:

 

[bjr]

Most, are extremely wore out Double L's with a smattering of other brands. I've kinda gotten myself into overbooking on bed repair and someone else could be doin' a whole lot of other mechanical repairs. Such as U-joints, clutch adjustments, torque arm bushing replacement, brake shoe replacement. lights, mudflap, tire repair, greasing said components and air filter maintenance. I have close my eyes and just do what I can. One time last season, one drivers kept a battery charger on his truck and then went down the street pull starting the rest. The feeling is what ever they get paid for the haul is all profit as they certainly won't put money back into repairs and maintenance. There is only a few of the more honorable drivers I deal with as most Won't pay, I don't know how they even get fuel to run on. Out in the field when a truck breaks down under they digger/loader they just use a big tractor to drag him off to the side of the field and call in another truck. I quit tryin' to help those guys that don't even try to maintain their equipment, it just wears you out. Yeah, I'm gonna get one of guys started on learning welding and he can take over, I'm 64 now too damned old to be climmin' up and into those potato beds. bjr

 

[Shield Arc]

bjr here is what that Everlast Mig machine can do with Lincoln's NR-211 self shielded wire.