welder question

[sawmillman]

I'm looking to buy a welder for around the house I'm looking at the lincoln ac225 ac welder.My father has a miller thunder bolt ac dc and a lincoln wire welder(has never been pluged in yet).I just need somthing to do trailer repairs and maybe motor mounts.Will the lincoln do it?

 

[back2class]

A 220 arc will do just about anything but sheet metal and if you are good you can even do thing metal like exhaust. DC would be better than AC for most uses but AC is ok too.

 

[shovel]

I have an old Lincoln 225 AC welder (about 1965 vintage) I don't do a lot of stick welding anymore, so its all I need. I am always on the lookout for an AC/DC machine. I have had DC engine driven welders before and I really miss the stable arc of a DC machine. Saying that though the AC machine will prolly do anything you need to if it is heavy steel. Spring for the AC/DC machine if you can afford it. Use the mig for sheet metal. Add a gas bottle and get away from the flux-cored wire. You wont regret that either. Or better yet, go ahead and learn the hard way like I did! Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[trythis]

Look at the types of rods available that are designed for AC current. If they will do what you think you will need, then you can save some cash on an AC only welder. By what they will do, I mean what welding position you can use the rods in. AC is not usually selected for out of position welding. "In position" is flat. Vertical up, Vertical down and over head are usually one of the DC polarities.

 

[1stwarrior95]

Mig .

 

[Jared]

The 225ac will work fine for what you want, The think I dont like about that welder is the amps are tapped where the older machines aree variable.

 

[tcianci]

I have also heard good things about the Eastwood stitch welder attachment for a regular AC buzz box. It allows you to use really small rods and weld some pretty light gauge steel. I have an old C'man AC arc welder , maybe 40 odd years old, infinately variable but I try do do most of my stuff with my MIG these days. I got a Century MIG from Northern Tool a few years ago. They were advertising Refurb units so I ordered one. Then they told me that they were no longer available and sent me a new one (with the price to go along with it) I bought the gas regulator and bottle, it's much better than the fux core wire.