Another welder

[OnlyStihl]

I don't know about other Europeans, but this is always a weird sight to me.
I guess it is a 110/120Volt area thing?!

We plug any 220Volt single phase appliance into any 220Volt outlet and it has to run/support it.
Of course, there are exceptions where electrical installations apparently weren't up to code and chittt happened - but that is another story.

Welding is different. If it were a range/stove absolutely. With welding all things come into consideration. In my situation coming out of the breaker box is 6AWG, the weakest link. But it's only 3 feet in length, and a 50% duty cycle should allow a temporary/small overload. At least that's how I understand it all. May only be academic, as I burned 1/8 rod at 70amps the other day. This machine feels like it will run a 1/4 rod, were I to weld a steel bridge. Not likely.

For my own reference (off back of MY machine) :

Input @Breaker (plate on the back)	Output @Electrode Dial Setting	%Duty Cycle
38Amps	140Amps (1)	100%
55Amps (2)	200Amps	50%
68Amps (3)	250Amps	30%

(1) Max so far 70Amps, 1/8" rod, 6011
(2) Swap garage breaker with 60Amp
(3) Probably just leave it all alone. (i.e. Don't Use!!!)

If things are linear or close enough, then at the dial 70Amps, I am only taxing my electrical set up at maybe at 1/3 capacity.

On MY machine ->

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Welding is different. If it were a range/stove absolutely. With welding all things come into consideration. In my situation coming out of the breaker box is 6AWG, the weakest link. But it's only 2 feet in length, and a 30% duty cycle should allow a small overload. At least that's how I understand it all. May only be academic, as I burned 1/8 rod at 70amps the other day. This machine feels like it will run a 1/4 rod, were I to weld a bridge. Not likely. That 60amp breaker is going to get returned. Not needed!

You can weld any thickness metal with 1/8-5/32” rod just takes longer. Big rod doesn’t increase welding capacity In fact most tests and job procedures will specify no larger than 5/32” rod on even big welds. Did a 24” deep beam with 2” thick flanges and a 1” web, the procedure was preheat to 300 and weld with 1/8” or 5/32” 7018 max. Small rods allow for better control

 

[OnlyStihl]

You can weld any thickness metal with 1/8-5/32” rod just takes longer. Big rod doesn’t increase welding capacity In fact most tests and job procedures will specify no larger than 5/32” rod on even big welds. Did a 24” deep beam with 2” thick flanges and a 1” web, the procedure was preheat to 300 and weld with 1/8” or 5/32” 7018 max. Small rods allow for better control

Good to know. I was watching NBSWelding on YT burn a 1/4 rod with an ArcCaptain 205MP. Looked like he was using a blow torch. I have never seen a 1/4 or knew of such a thing til viewing his vid. And yeah, I'm thinking my 50Amp electrical setup is more than enough to run my IdealArc on just about anything I might weld.

NBSWelding burning a 1/4 rod ->

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Good to know. I was watching NBSWelding on YT burn a 1/4 rod with an ArcCaptain 205MP. Looked like he was using a blow torch. I have never seen a 1/4 or knew of such a thing til viewing his vid. And yeah, I'm thinking my 50Amp electrical setup is more than enough to run my IdealArc on just about anything I might weld.

NBSWelding burning a 1/4 rod ->

I’ve ran lots of 1/4” 7024 “jet rod” on thick stack caps at the mine but the reason was to save time on our job because of the amount of flat welding that needed to be done and it didn’t matter if it was a perfect x-ray quality weld.

 

[Da dog man]

 

[Da dog man]

 

[lehman live edge slab]

View attachment 458073

Very nice welds

 

[Da dog man]

Thank you sir. Ive had a couple decades to practice Will trade welds for port work lol and no I don't have access to a ac Tig machine so I can't repair cases

 

[OnlyStihl]

The

Thank you sir. Ive had a couple decades to practice Will trade welds for port work lol and no I don't have access to a ac Tig machine so I can't repair cases

Nice. Looks like the factory machine welds on my expensive Gary Fisher Mountain Bike. Hand welds that look that good are of another world.

 

[Da dog man]

Those are roll outs so they are a Lil easier to keep consistently pretty lol roll out means a positioner spins it as you weld so u stay at the top the whole time used for shop fab mainly or tanks

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Those are roll outs so they are a Lil easier to keep consistently pretty lol roll out means a positioner spins it as you weld so u stay at the top the whole time used for shop fab mainly or tanks

Thought it may have been positioner welding, still very nice. I’m going to play with some case welding this summer. I have a thermal arc gtsw 300 inverter with high frequency ac to weld aluminum and magnesium. I’ve tigged aluminum a few times but need practice still. Was all stick and wire at work and now I’m on a sub arc doing repair and build up. Honestly if you have an aluminum trailer or something in need of repair the Hobart 4043 aluminum stick works well on that stuff actually. Preheat anything thicker than a 1/4” and I’ve welded
1/8” aluminum fenders uphill with it just takes a bit of practice.

 

[Bill G]

You can weld any thickness metal with 1/8-5/32” rod just takes longer. Big rod doesn’t increase welding capacity In fact most tests and job procedures will specify no larger than 5/32” rod on even big welds. Did a 24” deep beam with 2” thick flanges and a 1” web, the procedure was preheat to 300 and weld with 1/8” or 5/32” 7018 max. Small rods allow for better control

I fully agree. The 1/8/-5/32 will do whatever needs done

 

[Da dog man]

Bill an Lehman are correct multipass welding will do anything u want if you got the time u can weld infinite thickness material 300 amp inverter is perfect for aluminum. They key to learning aluminum Tig is clean it 7 times lol doesn't matter how many amps u hit it with you won't get the results your looking for any help I can be w a welding question I'd be happy to help anyone any process or material

 

[OnlyStihl]

I finally got around to testing the new welder with 7018. This Rod is supposed to work with AC and DC+, but for the life of me I could not get it to burn more than 1/2 inch, and damn near a throwaway after that, even with the Century AC230 set to max. Today, 1/8-inch rod, IdealArc on 70 Amps, the rod burned beautifully. At least compared to the Century welder. Compared to 1/8-inch 6011 and 6013, on AC, same IdealArc setting, it seemed equivalent, no real difference seen with my eye between all three.

 

[OnlyStihl]

Yesterday, I went and visited a CL Seller who was selling 100 feet of welding leads. Two 50' pieces, with terminal ends. Guy has had these leads for 30 years and never used them. At a $ a foot I had to go see them. Unfortunately, they were 2/0 cables, whereas mine are 4/0. 2/0 probably would have been fine but the connects were of smaller size and would not work with the terminals on my 4/0 cable. I decided, a good deal, but having to buy new terminals was a deal breaker. Bummer!

So close... Oh, so close....

 

[Bill G]

Here are some pics for anyone who thinks you cannot weld aluminum with SMAW. This was done 40 years ago. It is the end cap off a Farmhand corn sheller which takes major abuse thus the reason it broke in the first place.

 

[Bill G]

The ole Lincoln mailboxes were a helluva machine.

 

[Da dog man]

Today's technology cannot compete w the old copper wound machines plain an simple

 

[Bill G]

Many people confuse the cheap farm store tombstones with the quality mailboxes. The ole tombstones were decent budget machines but had low duty duty cycles and would burn up. The heavy mailboxes had a long duty cycle and were built for heavy welding. The crane hook on the top of them is a good indication of how much they weighed.

In the winter of 1978-79 we got hit with two huge snowstorms in a row. Dad was using the dozer to clear paths. He forgot where he had put his new jon boat that he bought in the Fall of 1978. He hit it with the dozer and ripped the rear corner off. The neighbor had a Airco high frequency/heliarc adapter on the same Lincoln welder. He welded the boat backed together and it never leaked a drop.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

The ole Lincoln mailboxes were a helluva machine.


View attachment 459179

We called those tombstones and the others just buzz box machines. I have one of the buzz boxes but copper wound and actually welds decent and will definitely hold up to more than duty cycle of 20%. I know not close to a mailbox but been good for home use till I got my ac/dc thermal arc with built in high frequency