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Welding Machine

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golddie

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
515
I would like to buy a Welding Machine.
I dont need such a heavy duty thing

I found a used one and I am not sure if I should buy it or not because I dont know much about these machines.

This is in French but you can get a good idea of what it is
Description générale
-SOUDEUSE DE MARQUE AIRCO. -INSDUTRIEL HEVY DUTY. -300 AMP AC/DC MSM BUMBLEBEE. -VOLT: 230/460/575. -AMPS:100/50/40. -DUTY CYCLE 125%. -VENDU AVEC ROD BRAKER 100 AMPS -LE FILS DU WORK NON INCLU. -PARFAITE ÉTAT DE MARCHE TRES BONNE MACHINE MONTÉ SUR ROULETTES.

He says the price is negotiable and the wires are not included and it is in good condition

Hw wants 300 dollars candian and it negotiable

I would like to use it for things like making a furnace and also welding some steel bars
Thanks
 
What are you wanting to weld?

A 300A machine will weld some heavy material. The thing you mentioned about not including the leads is kind of a bummer. I spent over 600.00 US for my leads, quick couples and a 6 foot whip on the stinger. That is getting your machine up into the 1000.00 range already, without even buying any electrodes, welding mask, etc.. to get you actually welding something.

Do you have a 220/230 volt 100 amp outlet in your house/garage? There will be your next expense if you don't.

If the machine is operational it is not a bad price, but just know you will be spending another 1000 or more to get working with it.
 
HI AKDan
Thanks for your help
I would like to make furnace like this one
http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=3991

I didnt know that it would need an special outlet.
Thanks very much
 
Just buy this kit and save all the welder money.

http://backyardmetalcasting.com/hmkit.html

I have one of these kits from Lionel, but still haven't got around
to finishing it yet.

Jim
 
I have a Snapon FM140A Mig Welder that I have been thinking of listing on Craigslist, since I haven't used it since I got it used.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=12630&group_ID=3298&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I think I would rather have an oxy/acet torch setup at this time,(or hydrogen). I would like to keep the mig welder also, but times are tough right now.
Jim
 
Way more welder than you need for putting together that furnace. As suggested, one of the kits that are around on the internet will be the cheapest solution, but you will not have a tool that you can use for another project down the road.

A good Miller/Hobart wire feed welder can be had for around 1000.00 that will be good for many around the house projects, and are respectable tools. Gotta have support equipment to go along with any welder though such as cutting torches or plasma, grinders, etc... Welding is not a cheap entry level sport.

If you are just wanting a furnace, I would look at the kits before I made a decision.
 
Check harbor freight, they have lots of small welders for around 200.00
I have a small mig/flux 120v welder and it works wonders for me.

Jim
 
Hi Folks
Thanks for your help.
I think I will need a welding machine for other things so its better if I buy one.
Hi james122964
I think your ideas is something I can relate to.
Would I be able to plug in this machine to a regular electrical outlet in my house and also would I be able to make a furnace like the one I posted before

Hi jimdoc
I have already cut a propane tank in half so I would prefer to make something myself.
 
Golddie:

With the voltage you specified, that machine could need 3 phase power. That is what an industry would have available to use but it is not usually available at a residence.

dickb
 
Overkill.
Around here you can go to your local pawn shop and pick up a decent welder (stick welder)for about $150.00(with leads).
But, as AK Dan pointed out, you will still need a face sheild, some gloves, some protective clothing, some rods or spools of wire, a chipping hammer, and the most important of all tools, ... the knowledge to use them effectively.
Make some practice runs with it, to get the hang of it, before you start your project.

I love welders and torches. :lol:
Nothing like a water cooled, gas/electric setup!
It just all depends on what you need to do with it.

Mark
 
What would be the difference between tig and mig and arc

harborfreight.com

240 Volt Inverter Arc/TIG Welder
Chicago Electric Welding Systems
66787-0VGA
$249.99
--------------------
110 Amp, 220 Volt Flux and MIG Welder
Chicago Electric Welding Systems
94164-0VGA
$249.99
--------------------
135 AC/105 DC Amp Power Arc Welder
Chicago Electric Welding Systems
97719-0VGA
$189.99
 
I got a farmhand 115 from tractor supply it came with everything except the argon bottle, which I baught for only 70.00 and pay 15.00 for refill.
It can do flux core, and gas shield welding, has 4 heat settings, and 10 feed settings.

I have welded stuff as thing as 24 gauge stainless (the reason I baught it) up to 1/4 mild steel. I think I could do thicker with proper prep and multiple passes but never had the need for greater than 1/4.

Jim
 
If you're putting together an exotic chrome molly frame for your Indian or Harley get a good tig welder with a high frequency start and a foot pedal.

Making a bunch of cattle guards and water troughs get a Mig, flux core works good in the field while gas shielded wire is only good inside the shop. I know someone is going to contradict that statement, but then again that person has never had his welds x-rayed for porosity.

Mig Gas shielded wire burns clean, less smoke and requires very little if any clean up on the finished welds, poor performance outdoors.
Mig flux core good outdoors, very smoky and requires a lot of clean up on finished welds.

With an arc welder, you should get an AC/DC welder, this broadens the machines uses. On my Canox 250 amp CCCV AC/DC I can burn any rod made for arc welding, in particular low hydrogen 7018, I can also use an air arc or carbon arc or plug in my Century Tig Inverter with HF start to the same welder, because the machine has AC it can be used to weld aluminum.

I also have the Air Liquid 300 Amp CCCV Mig with the 1 lb spool gun for aluminum. This is the welder I use most, with gas shielded wire. I hate flux core.

The only offshore piece of welding equipment I have is a 70 amp plasma, had I not been retired it would have been a North American manufactured machine. The plasma is said to do an 1 1/4" severance cut, will actually cut 3/4 ; very nicely. Any how as the story goes I usually work with lighter material, so I made the decision to get a heavy duty plasma cutter to up my stupid cycle.

A stupid cycle is when a machine is rated at 60% duty cycle at full amperage and the operator has no regard for how many minutes of continuous use per hour and says , aw heck. I only have a couple more pieces to cut so go for it, then when the machine quits he wonders why. Thats stupid cycle.

Get a machine of larger capacity than you would normally use.
 
my two penny's
an acyetelene torch is very handy and if I was starting out that would be first on my list. you can weld cut heat melt. these also can be found used.
then an arc welder, next on the list, old cracker boxes I call them, can be picked up for about 50 to 100 dollars these are good for welding only.
then the wire feed these are easy to operate.

tig you will not need unless you do some specialty welding.

in my younger years besides the welders at work if I needed repairs or things welded I had some primitive tools, including my black smithing tools, two automotive battery's in series using fence wire for a resistor, jumper cables for leads, and arc welding rods will work, a piece of welding glass taped to a board and stick.

I had some gas torches that used pellets to produce oxygen and carbide powder to produce acytelene gas, there were others also.

a furnace can be built with most any welder or even with a blacksmith fire, some steam boilers were built without welding, using rivets, now these rivets were not the modern type you see normally nowadays, but were made from rod, one end a head was formed (like a nail), and rod cut to size. the two plates were joined with these rivets, holes in plate were drilled or punched in both plates a hot rivet installed and rivet hammered so both ends were rounded pulling two plates tightly together.

you can also gather your materials for your furnace cuting everything getting it all ready to weld, grab a few beers for a buddie who has a welder, tell him you are thinking about getting one and need this project wellded he can introduce you to what you need and show you how to weld.
or take them and pay a welder to stick the metal together for you if you have everything ready it would not take much time to weld,
 
Hi james122964
I was wondering about the machine you described you said you used argon gas.
Would that be TIG MIG or ARC
 
MIG although now adays I think they call it gas shielded something or other.

I used pure argon at first but it cost more and does not work as good to me as 75 argon 25 co2, If I could get triple mix in my little 27cu bottle that would be good, but they do not sell that in small bottles here.

I love my little unit the bottle fits in the back and I can carry the entire thing anywhere, I carried it up on the roof for RTU repairs, welded up a blower support just the other day.

Jim
 
Hi Folks
Thanks for all your posts on this subject
It is time for me to buy this thing.
I was hopeing too find something locally for about 100 dollars and there arent any .
A lot in the USA but I cant go there just for a welding machine


This comes with a helmet , a few gringing discs, and a few wires
http://montreal.en.craigslist.ca/tls/1532967294.html
Also
I found one in a pawn shop for 380 dollars and it is something like this.

That first machine for 300 dollars was a better deal but now its sold and also the porblem of not being able to plug it in a oultlet was something I didnt like

I see a lot on ebay and there is also harbor frieght.
or should I buy something from Texas and what happens if it is doesnt work.
or should I wait some more.

I have a Snapon FM140A Mig Welder that I have been thinking of listing on Craigslist, since I haven't used it since I got it used.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp ... ir=catalog

Hi Jim
How much do you want for that machine
 
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200355916_200355916

arc welding machines are lower in price
Should I get this machine
80 dollars + 40 dollars shipping= 120 dollars
what you folks say
 
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