I'd like to get a new welder since the ones my dad has seem very old fashoned. What is the best one to do things like roll cages, axle swaps, frame work, and possibly exaust work. How much do they go for?

this works for about everything...$219 at Home Depot (list $300)

from thier site...
AC-225

AC Stick Welder
List Price:308.00 (USD)
K1170 AC-225 230/1/60




The AC-225 is Lincoln's Best selling arc welder of all time. It has a broad welding amperage range of 40-225 amps. The AC-225 produces an extremely smooth AC arc for welding a wide variety of materials including carbon, low alloy, and stainless steels as well as cast iron. Metals 16 gauge and heavier can be easily arc welded with the AC-225.

Applications include: maintenance repairs, fabricating or modifying equipment, building tools or fixtures, rebuilding worn parts or dies, and hardfacing new or worn parts for longer service life. Also for cutting and piercing holes in steel.


Advantage Lincoln


• Easy to install. Comes with attached input cable and plug.
• Easy to operate. Full range 40-225 amp selector switch quickly sets the welding current and ensures a uniform arc each and every time you weld.
• Unit includes insulated electrode holder and cable, heavy duty work clamp and cable, lightweight headshield with lenses, sample pack of electrodes, helpful Welder’s Guide, and input cable with attached plug.
• Traditional design provides long-life and low cost operation.
• Compact size allows for easy storage and handling.
• Smooth arc makes it easy to weld with different electrodes, including mild steel, low hydrogen, stainless steel and hardfacing electrodes.
• 225 amp AC output is enough for 3/16” diameter general purpose mild steel electrodes and 5/32” sizes of other electrodes.
• Optional carbon arc torch for brazing and soldering applications, for heating rusty nuts for easier removal, and for bending or straightening metal.
• Fan-cooled for extra thermal protection.
• 3 year warranty on parts and labor.
• Manufactured under a quality system certified to ISO 9001 requirements.


Physical specifications


Weight:109 lbs. (49.5 kgs.)
Dimensions (in) HxWxD:24 x 17.25 x 12
Dimensions (mm) HxWxD:610 x 438 x 305

i dont' know any specs, but i hear alot of people use miller 180s or 185s or something like that ( i forget the #)

Unless you need to do sheet metal get the lincoln....cheap and will do most anything.(unless your anal)

Tas---for all those applications you mentioned..... the Hobart MIG 175 comes to mind for 550

if you are new to welding, don't go with the stick. Speaking out of experience...you will burn holes in stuff and then make it worse by trying to cover it up, or catch the paint on the outside of the vehicle on fire (nice scorch marks on mine) Go with the a mig..those things are pretty much point and shoot, all you really have to do is set line speed and amperage (if even that...maybe only line speed) If you have been doing this kind of thing for awhile, a stick will be good. Or you could do what I did....but the cheapest POS you can find and take welding at the local Community College

I just recently bought a Holbart 135 mig, and have been real happy with it. The reason I went with the 135 or the 175 was partly price, and partly 110 V convience (my rental house garage doesn't have 220 readily available) It works great for everything up to about 3/16" Over that, you need to beveal the joint, and make several passes. Still not bad.

If money is no object, I'd go with the Holbart 175's it's got a lot better duty cycle, and would handle thicker metal a little better. Of course if money's really no object, there are plenty of welders out there, but the 175's probably the best quality bang for the buck out there in 220 migs.

For the record, I'm no expert welder, I learn on an arc years ago, both on the farm and in class, but I really like the wire feeds, even with the light duty cycle, I can lay down a lot more weld, a lot quicker with the constant wire flow of the spool welders. I will admit however, there are a lot of things that a stick welder is great for, and I plan on picking up a used one, one of these days, with so many used tombstones out there, I couldn't justify buyinga new one.

chad

I use the lincoln 225. its good for everything but sheetmetal work. If you need to do sheetmetal work just go rent the home depot wire feed for 35 bucks a day.

I got a lincoln 100 I think it was. It is a fairly inexpensive wirefeed that uses flux core wire. You can get a mig conversion kit for it if you ever want to upgrade it. I have done everything from my suspension to my own exhaust and have had no problems with it. It can weld just about anything I have tried. It says that it can go up to 1/4 in. steel but I've used it on 1/2 and it took just fine. I'm sure it didn't go all the way through but it worked great. I have also shortened my own driveline with it and I havn't broke the weld yet even dropping the clutch with 350 horses pushing it. I am pleased and suprised with its performance. I got it at Home Depot and I think it was in the range of $350.

Its the lincoln weldpak 100, I just got mine and I cant wait to fire it up

Well what is your buget? If you spend 2K you could buy a Miller Vintage mig that is good up to 300amps with a bottle, wire, and helmet. You would never need to buy another welder again. All the other welders listed with exception of the lincoln 225 stick will not do everything you listed. The 175 or 185 can do everything listed if you know how to prep everything correctly but not recomended on housings other than Ford 9" ones. I feel that most of the people on here shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to buying a welder. It is one of the most used and most important pieces of equipment to have then everyone looks for the cheepest one they can get away with. I say bare minimum get a 210amp machine and be done with it and never have to worry about if your welder is good enough but if there is no possible way to pay for a really good welder then for sure never ever buy a 110v welder unless it is for body work or exhaust.

I totally agree with ya 66CJdean! I use my Lincoln for everything. I have an old 110V MAC mig I bought used, I guess I can use it for sheetmetal, but it just sits in the corner catching dust. I enjoy stick welding more than mig. When I get a sweet bead i'm proud! ...but there's a bunch of booger welds in between the good ones:D I've been going thru about 10 lbs of rod a weekend so I might just get a bit better. My Lincoln is probably the one garage toy I would not want to be without.

get the lincoln buzz box, but get the AC/DC model instead.

also at home depot.

Plus the nice thing about a stick welder (like the Lincoln mentioned above) is 100% duty cycle. Most of the cheap migs are around 10 or 20% duty cycle at best. I do a lot of welding that involves long welds and 10 or 20% just doesn't hack it.

I too have the Lincoln Weld Pack 100 and let me tell you it does not do everything you'll want it to...I dont think I would trust it on even 3/16 stuff and you cant fine tune the settings enough to do sheet metal very well either...if you have the ability to run a 220 unit(meaning the outlet in your garage) I would go 220 and never look back...stick is good for a lower cost all around machine because there is no special gas or special tips or anything like that needed...just get the proper stick, set the correct Amps and current flow(AC or DC), and let it rip...and you can do anything from steel to cast to aluminum...get the AC/DC model for sure and practice with it a lot because stick is harder to learn than mig but I feel better about my welds using a stick machine(even over a $7300 Miller machine using MIG, but it does everything:D)...just my $.02:D:D:D

Originally posted by Peabody
Plus the nice thing about a stick welder (like the Lincoln mentioned above) is 100% duty cycle. Most of the cheap migs are around 10 or 20% duty cycle at best. I do a lot of welding that involves long welds and 10 or 20% just doesn't hack it.

THeir dutcy cycle may be 100% but your stick isn't endless:D:D:D

:flipoff2: true but not nearly the down time especially with my new needle scaler. :D :D

the weldpak 100 was a copy of the SP100 from 10+ years ago, but performance is no where near. If you get a mig, buy the gas bottle. You can get by with the flux core, but it is night and day what the differance in penatration and how clean it'll be. Also buy a US made unit. You have consumables : Tips, sleeves, gas sheilds, and the ocasional parts internal to the gun after dropping once too many times. The unit should have a fan to help cool the transformer, not often found on imports.
Walk into a welding shop and ask for a Hobart and they'll flame you. If you anticipate welding a lot over 3/8", get a stick. And remember- you will get what you pay for.

Originally posted by Peabody
Plus the nice thing about a stick welder (like the Lincoln mentioned above) is 100% duty cycle. Most of the cheap migs are around 10 or 20% duty cycle at best. I do a lot of welding that involves long welds and 10 or 20% just doesn't hack it.

Most of those are arounf the 60% duty cycle. Course at lower amperages.... Then again, good migs have about the same duty cycle. Coruse its way too easy to make great looking beads that arent worth a shit with a mig. Cant do that with a stick. Awww hell, get a mig and use flux core wire ;)

I run the lincolin weld pac 150(its the next step up from the 100)
I have the gas conversion and have used it to weld everything from my roll bars, to sheet metal, roof racks, bla bla bla....
If you can afford a 220 unit i say go for it. if not go for the 150 it gets hotter than the 100....

i have the lincoln ac-225 and have actually done some exhaust work with it...its pretty tricky to do light work but on the fatter, 1/4,1/2 it really digs in good...and the welds look decent using a 7018 rod...

Old post:d

I would love nothing more than to spend a grand on a new 220V welder that will serve me tea and crupets while I weld but I'm on a budget and can't spend hundreds of dollars. :flipoff2: I've done my whole jeep with my lincoln 110 and it may not burn through 1/2in steel but it didn't roast my exhaust when I did it either. I trust every weld on my jeep and while a 220V would be nice, unless you've got the cash to spare you can get by perfectly fine with a 110 and get a couple cases of :beer: :beer: :beer: with the extra money to make you welds look extra nice.:rasta:

Originally posted by jeepinit
I've done my whole jeep with my lincoln 110 and it may not burn through 1/2in steel but it didn't roast my exhaust when I did it either. I trust every weld on my jeep and while a 220V would be nice, unless you've got the cash to spare you can get by perfectly fine with a 110 and get a couple cases of :beer: :beer: :beer: with the extra money to make you welds look extra nice.:rasta:

Well all I can say is once you buy a real welder you will then see for yourself how badly those weld suck. :flipoff2:I used my Lincoln 155 220v for many years and was very happy with it. I loved the way it welded and was confident with the welds. I now have the Miller Vintage and it was a night and day difference on anything over 3/16. I now know that just because you melted some wire in there does not mean you welded anything together.

So I still stick to my advice that if you are going to buy a welder then buy a welder or 210 or better.

Originally posted by 66CJdean

. I now have the Miller Vintage and it was a night and day difference on anything over 3/16. I now know that just because you melted some wire in there does not mean you welded anything together.

So I still stick to my advice that if you are going to buy a welder then buy a welder or 210 or better.

Good advice. I love my MM200 (no longer made, pretty much the same as the 250/Vintage) :D For about what a 175 would cost new I got a pulser, stitcher, spot controller and the ability to spray arc should I so desire. Worth the minor $$ if you ask me for the flexability. Then again, my stick box is a commercial box too (also bought used).. so maybe I was continuing the trend. Not. Spend the $$ FWIW I can think of a thousand different reasons a TIG would not be a good starter box. Is it a good process? You betcha. But I can also think of many times I would rather be using MGAW, FCAW or even SMAW to TIG. So, my advice is if you need to look at used, but go 220 if at all possible, cause in the long run you'll like it more.

I agree, a 225 and if you need to do some bodywork pick up a stich attachment from Eastwood for about $60. and since yer dad can weld, you have someone to pester with stick questions if you don't feel comfortable welding yet. (i'm betting you do).
Can we end this thread now? Show us what ya picked.:D (so people can flame it:flipoff2: )

One more thing. If you go stick get an AC/DC unit. DC's a lot nicer to weld with. Oh and I tried the stitch attachment from Eastwood once, could never get it to work. But the little sticks it came with were nice for exhaust work.. :D

I got a 300 amp ac/dc lincoln arc welder and I got a 250 amp hobart mig welder
By far the best of both is the mig ; its faster, cleaner, wire is cheaper, easier to learn on
The last time i fired the arc welder up was to tig weld something about 3 months ago
If you don't have much experience I would recomend the mig by far

Originally posted by ashmanjeepXJ
Mig is good for metal about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Sheet metal is difficult to weld with a mig it will often burn through, and thick ASS metal is too thick for the current raiting on "most" migs. A fulx core is cheeper then a nonfulx with gass but the gass will be much cleaner I love it. It uses argon gass.

Arc is good for thick stuff. you can get a 220V older used Arc "stick" welder for like $150 used, i have a lincon arc it goes up to 225Amps, its alot of fun but not very clean.


http://www.cyberweld.com/hobmigwel.html
:barf:

Yeah pretty much what he said. I am one of few who can run a bead with stick better than with mig.

I just feel it better.

Stick is my choice. I can run solid 8" + beads on 1/4" w/o a problem Depending on how heaving i am laying it down it may be longer but i'd say on average i get an 8" bead per stick.

The rock rails i was producing I was using 13+ sticks per side. It was insane, but the welds ARE SOLID.

On the very cheap, I picked up a 220 arc from Harbor Freight Tools around 5 months ago. It's a Industri Arc 180 AC/DC, paid only $140.00, + $36.00 for cables. Haven't got to use it yet, but heard some good news about it from others who have used it. Don't need to stitch sheet metal, so no loss there.
If I ever need a wire feed, I have a friend who has a Hobart. Damn thing works nice. :cool: