cormel

I saw this welder on ebay, pretty cheap $140 shipped. Do you think this would be ok for occasional use? I am fairly new to welding. What is the difference between welding in DC and AC? Any good deals out there?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_2544wt_907

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Wast of money IMO. Stick with a name brand like Miller, Hobart, Lincoln, ESAB, etc.

You can do a and learn all about welding online.

fastkevman

X2....you'd be surprised how good equipment makes it so much easier to learn and do, and how bad cheap equipment can frustrate and discourage.

tc

x3 - some guys in our club split the cost of a Harbor Freight cheapie ... after the first time attempting to use it, one of them got a Lincoln instead and have never looked back.

92yotaman

don't order that stuff its junk. Also don't buy off ebay unless you know what your looking at, also the difference between AC and DC isn't an easy answer. AC= alternating current, DC= direct current, but I could type 10 pages on what each can or can't do.
And like wabbit said stick to miller, lincoln, hobart, or esab

kenbo53

AC output is used for welding on something that has a magnetic or static charge which u probly won't encounter very often and is much harder then DC welding which is used for everything else. AC and DC electordes are not interchangable and i agree with everyone else on the first half of ur question there are most likely lots of reason that things only a 140 bucks

7m4x4dude

i'll like to add a bit..

thats a stick welder, good for welding trailor frames, truck frames ect..., 1/4 inch-1inch thick(when using the correct techniques, ie sevral overlapping passes for thick stuff.)


A mig welder is what most hobbiest will end up using, please do stick to the name's they have said already. i have aquired a craftsmen 110v mig welder w/ argon bottle and pos never would weld a bead longer then an inch.
picked up a lincoln 3500hd pack from a pawn shop, used about 1-2 years old and got it under 200, walked out the door with a good auto tinting mask too!

if you have the choice, dont get a modle you can not put a bottle on, having gas creats nicer welds in the end. less/none slag & splatter.

220v mig's are better but again are more then what most people need to complet projects.

also a basic modle with no gas, and just flux core would get alot of people by, i've used similar to weld exhaust, trailors, brackets,

saitotiktmdog

I think I am the odd one out but I much prefer using a stick welder for overall welding. I have a lincoln 220 stick welder and it is by far the best purchase I have ever made. I also have a century 110 mig with gas. It works well on smaller stuff (as long as the metal is good and clean). I use it for delicate stuff though I can use the stick as well. I would also stick with brands like hobart etc. If you have a farm supply place similar to a Tractor Supply Company or a Farm and Fleet check there for a good welder for a decent price. I did by my plasma cutter of of ebay, It is a chinese brand I am sure. Volt plasma cutter. But the thing works great. It will cut up to a half inch plate steel. I used it to cut the top of my welding table which is 3x6 of 1/4 inch steel and it worked amazing. So yes you can luck out with ebay stuff like that. Check the feedback the seller has and see what it looks like. The guy I got mine from had great feedback. I got my plasma cutter for 400 bucks. Second best tool I have.

cormel

Thanks for all the help on this. I decided I better go with a brand name so I bit the bullet and bought this Lincoln -

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER<>folder_id=1408474396672 983&bmUID=1234455810553&PRODUCT<>prd_id=8455244432 99188&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true

I live in Canada so this is a great price I think from what I have seen on the internet. Comes with some accessories I was going to have to buy anyhow and since I bought it locally it has 3 years of warranty. I am sure I will be pleased with it.

Thanks again!

tc

Linky no worky - which model Lincoln? Stick or MIG?

Plumbrbob

I use a lincoln mig 110v with flux core and it works awesome! Some times when I really get into it 5+ minutes or so of straight welding with it cranked on all the way up the welder shuts down on me .... gas would be nice but I just spend a little more time grinding and cleaning I am just a hobbiest

cormel

Try this link it might work better - http://tinyurl.com/cccksw

It is an arc welder - only handles AC but will be fine for me....last day of sale is today.

7m4x4dude

both links posted in this thread tack me to a canadian tire company,

Toysrme

oookay
The original postedwelder is a knock-off chinese welder. Work yes. More than three times? Probably not. It also is not going to have any type of arc help for you. Are chinese welders bad? On the whole, yes. If you buy the actual top-rate non-knockoff welders. No, not for what they do and the price.
If you want a chinese welder you want to stick with long-time sellers and the real brand name. Rhiland, I recommend Storts for the seller.


The welder you psot from canadian tire does not work, even when given a canadian zip-code.



AFA you buying an arc welder. There is a large change that you are not going to be happy with a low end stick welder of any kind. Plan on going through a few dozen pieces of scrap running basic joints. (3/16"x4"x8" is fine)





If you have not bought yet, you will be much better served by buying a mig welder.

cormel

This is the welder I bought at canadiantire, $299 Canadian funds. - http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Cat...t.aspx?p=22423

I have not tried it yet but I am sure it will be 100 times better than the first one I posted. I have to hook up the 240V in my garage tomorrow and then I will try it out.