Stick Welders...

[CaseyP]

OK...so i have leaarned to MIG, and stick. Looking at the 2, ive decided that once i get into the new house into december, i want to get a stick welder. I have used the Lincoln AC 225, and really liked it, and the price is hard to beat on it. Was wondering what stick welders everyone is using, and with the kind of fab that everyone is doing, is it the best way to go?

Any input would be greatly appreciated..

Thanks Guys,

Casey

[scoutver5.7]

Get a Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC machine.

Should be able to pick one up at a pawn shop for $200 - $250, maybe less.

[stomper4x4]

Lincoln 210 AC/DC 225amp.....I have used this machine for 2 years and have used it to weld steel from 1/8" to 1-1/2" with no problems.......

[woody]

I've got a Thunderbolt at home, great for those cast or thick projects....

however, I get much more use out of my Miller 185 and find it much easier to grab and use....

[bron86co]

I've got a millermatic 175 mig, i wouldn't trade it for the world. I can weld up to 1/4 inch in one pass and then go back and do sheet metal its the best of everything. this set up cost me $1040.56 well worth it. It'll last forever and i'll never need a bigger machine !!! that price also included a nice auto darkening helmet and that tank filled.

[morpheus]

I think if your time is worth anything at all you'll get a MIG welder.

[jvmin]

most people use a mig if they can afford it
a stick welder is fine for most stuff though but if you are planning to weld sheet metal or thin stuff then get a mig. it just makes life easier. The mig will do you a lot better in the end since it is a lot more versital.

[Scout Dork]

As you can tell most use a mig. I picked the AC/DC, thinking I might want use the DC rods. Its was $264 at HD, plus a 10% discount. This was last summer. Used it twice, got it as a back up to my 110.
I put quick connect plugs on the ends, the leads are to short. I have 25' and 90' leads for my miller bobcat. I can weld anywhere without moving the machine around, which I made a dolly with wheels
I got it to mostly to weld on rusty oil well pipe.
I went to a pawn store and they wanted something like $250 for the thunderbolt, that was missing parts. If you go to HD, ask the store manager for a discount coupon, they normally have them in their pockets.
And I can say that I won't be using it much, I will be looking at getting the miller 210, my co-worker got one for $1150 w/helmet and $140 for the tank, no sales tax. I'll check next week.
Scout Dork

[CaseyP]

i dont ever plan on welding sheet metal or anything thin.....and if i ever do...i use my buddies mig...but with stick, im gettin good welds, and i actually like welding with stick better than i do with MIG (I'm not really sure why though)

Casey

[Toploader]

Originally Posted by CaseyP

i dont ever plan on welding sheet metal or anything thin.....and if i ever do...i use my buddies mig...but with stick, im gettin good welds, and i actually like welding with stick better than i do with MIG (I'm not really sure why though)

Casey

I mainly use a stick welder at work, Miller 402 big blue ac generator/welder(field use). Its great for big jobs until you have to try and weld upside down. We even have the tig/mig set-up(pain in the ass to set it all up). 220v ac old ass lincoln in the shop that works good. For the shop I just like to use the mig, much easier to use and less of a hassle. But hell, if your getting good welds with the stick, then just use it.

[CaseyP]

if i end up going over to my buddies shop today, and end up using his welder, ill try to remember and grab some pics of my welds too

Casey

[BlackSkies7]

ive been giving my lincoln 225amp AC/DC welder a good workout for sometime now, works great. I bought it used for very cheap.

[crawlinxj]

Originally Posted by CaseyP

if i end up going over to my buddies shop today, and end up using his welder, ill try to remember and grab some pics of my welds too

Casey

hey jackass just a reminder when your grinding wear safty glasses and not my auto darkining welding hood maybe then you wont get a eye full of slag



thread high jack over


jeff

[CaseyP]

Originally Posted by crawlinxj

hey jackass just a reminder when your grinding wear safty glasses and not my auto darkining welding hood maybe then you wont get a eye full of slag



thread high jack over


jeff

asshat i wasnt wearing the auto darkener...

i was wearin a flip up one

[crawlinxj]

yea ok you still where not doing shop saftey very well.























oh and your welds look like a flock of seagulls flew over and shit im your bumper
























did you make it to get me some welding rod and grinder wheels yet?

[CaseyP]

Originally Posted by crawlinxj

yea ok you still where not doing shop saftey very well.























oh and your welds look like a flock of seagulls flew over and shit im your bumper
























did you make it to get me some welding rod and grinder wheels yet?

chit chat fawker ...and no...didnt get to go yet

[MAD MAC]

I would buy the bigest ac/dc machine you can afford if you want you can run it dc reverse and tig with it on steel only. you will have to scratch start it, but dc current welds much better and much smoother. power on a ac/dc machine will be much less when you are useing the dc side

[HalfFastFord]

Check out the new portable stick/Mig unit from Miller. Runs on 110 and has plenty of power. Have burned through 3/8 pipe because we thought it would be lower powered than it is. It's a little pricy, but at only 17 pounds, and a carry case to boot, it's not a bad investment.

[haystax]

If you don't want to do much sheet metal work then just get a good stick welder. Any Miller welder is a great investment and will last forever. MIG's are handy, but you need to know what you are doing to get a good strong weld with one. They can lay down a nice looking bead that may not have enough penetration to hold your stuff together. I have seen a lot of birdshit stick welds hold stuff together. If you are only fabbing cages or bumpers or light stuff then try to find a good Miller MIG used, we have a 200 and I can weld 3/8 all day long, at 60% duty that is. The 200 heats up with a lot of steady use, our old pre-Bobcat 250 w/ the Onan engine kicks the shit out of the MIG on most heavy stuff. I wish I cold step up to the 300 so i could run an air arc without worrying about my welder melting down, so i guess i am saying you can never have too big of a welder. Buy used, buy Miller, and buy big.

[Supergper]

Originally Posted by MAD MAC

I would buy the bigest ac/dc machine you can afford if you want you can run it dc reverse and tig with it on steel only. you will have to scratch start it, but dc current welds much better and much smoother. power on a ac/dc machine will be much less when you are useing the dc side

I agree with this 100%...even though it costs a little more be sure to get DC too...you will thank us later

[Booger Weldz]

id rather stick weld with batteries or an alternator then an ac machine. but that lincoln 225 built me an exo cage and a 4link awhile back

[jasonmt]

Miller Maxstar 150S/STL. The S will run about $550 and the STL will run about $725. I wouldn't waste my money on a transformer based SMAW/GTAW machine with a inverter available at this price point. The cheap Lincoln and Miller (225AC/125DC) machines have a limited DC output. AC only SMAW machines are acceptable as gifts but you should never actually pay money for one.

[1972CJ5+1]

hook up a couple sets of jumper cables to 2 fresh batteries and lay down some beads with a 6010/11 1/8''. reverse the ground and electrodes + and - connections. one weld will be a barely penetrated silver bird turd and the other will be a deep penetrating smooth(pretty) weld. ac welding will give something between the two, more like the bird turd then the dc-electrode, especially verticle or overhead...