Welder Recommendations

[California]

re the heavy Tombstone welder, my $50 Wards PowrKraft AC230 is similar capacity, and weight. It's a beast. 3/8 2011 rod takes about half throttle.

Prior owner adapted a bottle truck to make it portable. Current is varied by a lever that pulls a slug in/out of the transformer core. And the cables are removable for storage. They attach with tapered brass plugs.

I've done some good work with this for example a trailer hitch added to my box blade. My first project was to repair where a pin tore out of an old garage door hinge.

But I've bought several smaller welders since. A dual voltage small flux-core welder is more convenient. I very seldom drag out this big guy, any more.

 

[hgl1tbn]

Hello to all,

In my 60's and have had a ranch for 30 yrs. Any and all metal fixes I have taken to a nbor, but now it's time to get my own welder.

My main applications would be fixing existing broken things [like BBQ pits, metal fence, farm machinery, etc]. I am sure if I enhance my welding skills, I will engage in many other metal-based projects if I had one.

Looking for make and models of welders that would fit my needs. I know you get what you pay for, and not looking for really cheap products, but do not want to bust the bank either. If you have any questions, pls let me know?

Thank you in-advance for your help & suggestions!

I am not a "welder" by any means, however I have 2 of them. A Lincoln MIGPAK(?) and Lincoln tombstone AC/DC.
The MIG is what I use for light stuff like body panels and basic light stuff.
If I need to cut something with my oxy torch or band saw cause it is too thick for my manual hack saw (because I am too old, retired and not that ambitious anymore) to use it gets stick welded.
Basically less than 1/8 inch = flux core MIG, anything bigger = Stick even tho' both will work for either.
Both require nearly the same skill set so see above retired comment.
Starting out I would get a 110/220V MIG and let the nbor tackle the rest till you find out if any welding is in your future.
Just remember, if you are just starting out and it will hurt someone or something if your weld broke then DON'T!
Happy welding.

 

[Cub 7275]

Squirt gun strikes again......


Neighbor returned from a trip yesterday and said the trailer jack scraped the ground when pulling out of a gas station. At least that bead would have looked suspect before the paint went on. The scary ones are those that look good but only have fusion at the outermost edges so they look ok on visual inspection.

 

[dieselscout80]

I have a PrimeWeld MIG 180 and its the best welder I’ve had. Comes with a no B.S. warranty for three years. This machine will make you look like a pro welder. Primeweld is in New Jersey with a full staff. When you call they answer and help you right away. Best $550 bucks I’ve ever spent. I went the 15 foot Lead and not sorry I did.

I like that welding cart.

 

[California]

Squirt gun strikes again......

View attachment 3653582
Neighbor returned from a trip yesterday and said the trailer jack scraped the ground when pulling out of a gas station. At least that bead would have looked suspect before the paint went on. The scary ones are those that look good but only have fusion at the outermost edges so they look ok on visual inspection.

I don't understand how anyone could 'weld' like that, just laying bead on top of one side. Amateur here, but the minimum spec while welding is that the pool has to cut into both sides of a joint and have some obvious depth.

 

[paulsharvey]

I don't understand how anyone could 'weld' like that, just laying bead on top of one side. Amateur here, but the minimum spec while welding is that the pool has to cut into both sides of a joint and have some obvious depth.

I think to some minor degree you miss an important point. That Jack held for a while, maybe years. Not every repair needs to be permanent. Bridges, gas lines, ecr yep; a non structural weld like that, with no danger and no real cost if it breaks... no so much. Yes, a good weld is always better than a bad weld; but Sometimes a bad weld is better than a broken part (not always).

 

[ArlyA]

I think to some minor degree you miss an important point. That Jack held for a while, maybe years. Not every repair needs to be permanent. Bridges, gas lines, ecr yep; a non structural weld like that, with no danger and no real cost if it breaks... no so much. Yes, a good weld is always better than a bad weld; but Sometimes a bad weld is better than a broken part (not always).I

I thought he was referring to a smallish welder filling a large gap. Takes multiple passes.

 

[paulsharvey]

My point, is not expressed well; if you never did some kinda iffy welds, you would never do any welds; cause you got to start somewhere. Not every weld needs X-rayed, (or posted on Instagram).

 

[paulsharvey]

I thought he was referring to a smallish welder filling a large gap. Takes multiple passes.

Yes, but the welding community is bad about "gate keeping" and attacking everyone. Truth is, sometimes slag inclusion doesn't kill, or undercut, ect. Sometimes you just need to stick this piece to that piece, and butt ugly, non text book stuff is fine.

Even on TBN, not as bad as it used to be; guy buys a welder, and posts a picture or 3, cause he's proud he did he's first weld. Boom, 12 guys attack him, his welds, his shield, his welder, and his dog.

Not often you see somebody say "good job, but next time give it 15 more amps, and try a slower weave"

 

[paulsharvey]

I thought he was referring to a smallish welder filling a large gap. Takes multiple passes.

Looking at it, it looks like there was no gap prior to hitting the jack. They just got no penetration on the tongue and all on the jack plate.

The nice part about metal work and welding; if you look at it, assuming the jack tube is fine; wire brush; smack it with a 4# sledge to get it sitting right, and run another bead. No harm, no foul.

 

[California]

Maybe I wasn't clear. During the welding process, hood down, if I don't see any penetration on one side of a weld then I stop immediately and figure out what the problem is. I thought everyone does this. No?

 

[Runner]

Maybe I wasn't clear. During the welding process, hood down, if I don't see any penetration on one side of a weld then I stop immediately and figure out what the problem is. I thought everyone does this. No?

The key word is SEE. For me, actually seeing what I'm welding is pretty hard. I wear readers under the hood, but it's still hard to actually see the weld puddle.

 

[tstex]

The key word is SEE. For me, actually seeing what I'm welding is pretty hard. I wear readers under the hood, but it's still hard to actually see the weld puddle.

If you cannot see the weld your making, how can you tell if the weld is being properly done, or not? It's been over 48 yrs since I welded in Jr HS Metal Shop. Made a bench press out of angle iron and used it for over 25 - 30 yrs. Had 325lbs on it and it held up perfectly. All angle iron

Before we painted it blk, i remember taking a sm pointed like hammer and always knocking off the slag. We only had stick welders then, but i got an A on the project & the welds were pretty robust.

 

[paulsharvey]

If you cannot see the weld your making, how can you tell if the weld is being properly done, or not? It's been over 48 yrs since I welded in Jr HS Metal Shop. Made a bench press out of angle iron and used it for over 25 - 30 yrs. Had 325lbs on it and it held up perfectly. All angle iron

Before we painted it blk, i remember taking a sm pointed like hammer and always knocking off the slag. We only had stick welders then, but i got an A on the project & the welds were pretty robust.

Well, if we want to go full send; you can't see the quality of a weld; you need to A) X-ray it; B) cut and acid etch it; C) stress load it to the ultimate yielding point (IE break it). Even a perfect looking "stack of dimes" doesn't necessarily mean a strong weld, fully melted into the parent material.

This is easier to do/miss with a MIG/Flux, which is what he mentioned by the glue gun. Arc, easier to get penetration; but also easier to get slag inclusions, voids, and all.

So for this trailer jack; there was likely a very fine, dark line, that was visible after clean up; which would be more visible with a bright light in a dark room; but there would be a distinct lack of undercut on the picture forward side, on the trailer tongue. Some of it clearly did get a good enough "bite", and the axle side clearly was all on the jack.

So, the guy welding it; after clean up, "should" have seen that there might not have been good burn into both pieces. At which point, he could either run a 2nd beed, half on the frame and half on the 1st beed, not text book, but effective; or grind out the questionable part, and start over.

 

[paulsharvey]

We can also note; this jack took load in an un-intended way, and was side loaded, at the end of a 24" lever. It was designed for straight tension (the jack pulling vertically away from the tongue), but when they drug the jack; they introduced a bending moment. If it was Designed to resist that, it would be specifically welded at the corners, to prevent the start of the bending.

Still, more amps, slower travel speed, better pre-weld cleaning, and a post weld/post clean-up inspection would show the weld wasn't great.

So, if Mig, the pass should have looked down to the frame if swirling, or should have been at a 45, right in the V of the joint, with a slower speed, and "possibly" more amps, but not necessarily.

If Arc, your amps look fine, but the rod needs swept down to the frame more on each "C", looks like we just stuck the rod and got an arc and rolled with it.

 

[California]

The key word is SEE. For me, actually seeing what I'm welding is pretty hard. I wear readers under the hood, but it's still hard to actually see the weld puddle.

The best thing I ever did to improve seeing what I'm welding, was attach part of an old black t-shirt at the back of my helmet so there's no light getting inside. A huge improvement in visibility!

 

[BnRidge]

The best thing I ever did to improve seeing what I'm welding

Readers and a hood. I struggled trying to learn stick on my own. Did ok, but very inconsistent. Until I put on a pair of readers and something to eliminate glare. All the learning, trial and error over and over and over, different rods, settings, positions and rates and weaves - bingo, all is well now. I couldn't see what I was doing. I have an AC225 and a stick/tig/plasma to get started with (Lotos LTPDC2000D). The AC225 mostly sits idle. It was my dads, have a lot of memories, but the Lotos is so much easier to work with. Higher current, digital readout, versatile, it can cut 3/4" plate and turn right around and weld it in place. One stop shopping.

 

[California]

First trial run with the black T-shirt blocking all light from getting inside my helmet. This worked so well that I cut down the T-shirt and mounted a piece of it, permanently.

Light blocking trial run

 

[chim]

Good thing my first experiences were before all this social media. I probably would have been discouraged by the comments after posting pictures. My welds were not things of beauty. After tinkering with a few small things (not nearly of a size to call "projects") I bought an old Belleview winch and mounted it on my K Blazer.

A couple years later I bought an older Blazer that had a Western power angle plow, kept the plow and resold that Blazer. To mount the plow, I added on to the winch frame on my Blazer. The way it worked out the winch could still be used with the plow fully raised. The winch didn't affect handling too much, but when the plow was hanging out there it wasn't something you'd want to run in a fast slalom competition. Back then enthusiasm outpaced finesse, but blasting into snowdrifts, hard winch pulls and general misbehavior never damaged my welds.

 

[brewdog]

I like that welding cart.

Thanks Dieselscout80! I had some steel odds and ends and an old shelf unit I welded up 15 years ago and didn’t use so I cut the 4' shelving unit up and threw it together. The MIG and TIG fit on it with all the cables.