Which Stick Welder?

[cjw]

Go with the Lincoln. I have a G 9000 in 92 it was the bigest one made before going to diesel. Right out of high school I attended welding school at Lincoln Electric in Cleveland, Ohio. It was a three month course, so i guess Im prejudice towards lincoln. In school we welded with millers. They were good machines too. Just yesterday I took a picture of it after welding hooks on the bucket of my Mahindra

 

[Boone]

Got to thinking about mig joints this morning after pounding some T fence posts with the post pounder, I noticed the handle had come apart at the weld. Owning welders turns this situation into a slight inconvience. Do I stick it together or run a mig weld to repair it, nice to be able to choose.

 

[gerlacr]

I just had to add my two cents. There has been allot of good advice in this string of messages. Taking a welding class with a good instructor is probably the best thing you can do. Then practice, practice and practice. I agree with the DC/AC vs AC only comments. The added cost of the DC is well worth it. The comments about learning how to stick weld first are right on the money. Personally, I like my Miller Thunderbolt. Something that may interest some of you out there is a modification that I made to mine. It should apply to any of the lower end AC/DC stick welders. I added capacitors to the output of the rectifier that converts the AC to DC. I used 5 electrolytic capacitors that are 3300mfd and rated at 150V. You have to get the polarity correct and make sure they are connected after the rectifier but before the output choke. I compared the welding characteristics with and without and there was a definite difference. The DC output of these AC/DC welders is actually pulsed DC that comes from rectifying the AC. The capacitors filter out the ripple and turn it into constant DC. The arc is easier to start and once started produces a smoother arc. It also seemed to provide a hotter weld for the same setting. It welds more like the big machines we used in class.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Dear poverty row youth: /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif One little trick that welders use when "in the field" is to keep two different sized rods in the rod pouch. You can slip a piece of light wall PVC pipe in there to use as a separator. You can then carry, for example, 1/8" and 5/32" rod right in the same pouch. If what you are welding needs a scooch more heat, drop down to the 1/8" rod. Saves crawling up and out of the bell hole and up onto the truck to adjust the machine and then doing it all over again five minutes later. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif The same goes for in the shop. By having the two different sizes you can get that welding heat range that may be right in between the welder detent adjustments. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I grew up with a "tombstone" Lincoln AC machine and you would not believe the number of pieces of equipment we built with it. We even built up tracks on the Cats and hardfaced subsoiler shanks with it....going hour after hour in the farm shop. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I have never tried to weld aluminum with stick,just m.i.g. and t.i.g.,but it is done .D.C.E.P. is what you use.Pre heating would be a good thing with a torch.Cleaning all slag between passes and the finished weld is extra important because the slag on aluminum stick is supposed to be corrosive.Now as far as what kind of rod,you would need to ask a welding supply place or get on LINCOLNS web page.AMPS ,you would have to experiment,I would try yo go no bigger than a 3/32" rod,and start with about 80 amps.You need some scrap. RICHARD GAUTHIER

 

[Spencer]

Richard, where are you from? Did you have any family in Michigan?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

W.VA.,.Probably,I'm a stray.But not any relatives that I know about. RICHARD GAUTHIER

 

[Taylortractornut]

I bought a Miller AC/DC Thunderbolt when i was 14 and im 23 now, Ive built brush rakes for small dozers welded loader buckets and the like jus took a while. I respected the duty cyale and its still a good machine. I had been gettin ragged by a friend to sell me this little welder when i bought my old Millermatic 35 mig welder. i told him i couldnt sell something that reliable that mig wont do it all and while i was welding his trailer yesterday i was puttin the expanded metal in the floor and ran out or wire, This town rolls up the sidewalks at 12:00 on Saturday. I rolled out the little stick and kept on a truckin. As for the DC welders ive seen a few folks here take hug ac welders and put a DC converter between the wall and the machines to get a DC welder. i

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Just got back from my third night at welding school. Spent the evening running beads over sheet metal (gas welding--everyone else is using stick or mig). Tomorrow night I get to try welding two pieces together. Yay!.

Thanks for all the advice. I really appreciate it. I am really interested only in AC/DC stick beyond the gas rig I recently picked up.

I will look into the Miller Thunderbolt too. It sounds like it might be what I'm looking for.

Again, thanks for all the advice.

SnowRidge

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I had 145 Amps transformer stick welder before, and sold it, because it was too "weak". Now I'm using home made 220/380 Volts, about 250Amps, AC/DC stick welder, most time on DC. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
If you are buying for a long time, go with over 160A. Maybe you will not need its full amperage, but on lower welding currents (about 100 Amps), it has good intermitence (full time welding). /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif