Welders? Any welders on this site?

Yah that's why I'm slowing my roll a bit here too. I've got lots to learn just to utilize the tooling I've already got. No rush or immediate need to spend.

Tomorrow if I don't get called in to work I'm going to try to make it to the machine shop for some metal. I need to make a decent cart for my torches and I want to build a decent welding table for working on. I've got a bunch of material for a table in the form of heavy duty industrial pallet racking that I picked up ages ago. I've looked though and I can pick up a handcart locally for $50 which I think is going to be cheaper than acquiring the wheels and the metal to build one separately. Thinking I might buy that one and modify it for the torches? When I've bought steel in the past it's seemed pricey.
 
I'm pretty well invested in Milwaukee M18, so don't really need much power at the mill. Drills, grinder, bandsaw, etc. I also have 15, and 45kw pto, and 30kw propane power, if needed.
 
If you can fit your bottles on a hand cart, just add a rachet strap and call it a day. At most mount a small tray or toolbox so you can store tips and stuff. I had one set up for that, i found that 100 feet of hose was more handy than a cart for my shop (small 2 stall garage, so working in driveway). If you have the full size bottles, then a cart is handy because each bottle is over 200 pounds. You can probably pick up an industrial set at a farm or equipment auction, they pretty much go for scrap price usually. Also call around and see if any junkyards will sell you scrap by the pound. Much cheaper to go that route! If you got buddies that work construction, a case of beer here and there can land you all sorts of scrap. We used to have guys that would come by after work to get scrap, so we would leave them a pile every day. It wasn't worth the labor cost to consolidate it for scrap.

Edit: then Dave, you need an old sa! Go pre 72 to ensure 100 percent copper windings, which doesn't matter really for occasional use, just worth more in the long run. If you get one i can help you get it dialled in, and walk you through how to make a remote, etc. With dc only it will burn up anything that isn't acdc, but it sounds like that's not a problem at all. If you've never welded with one you will be astonished at the difference.
 
Some great thoughts there. I'm going to bug around at work. The millwrights. Maybe they can hook me up.
 
Yup. Just make sure it's all in the up and up obviously. What is nothing in real life makes some bosses lose their shit, and is not worth losing a job over. But if normal people are there it can be a great way to get protect material.
 
For sure. I'd clear it with a supervisor. I do know a local autowrecker quite well so I'll probably talk to him too. Cherry wreckers! Cherryville auto recyclers. I've known the owner my whole life. Maybe I'll head that direction tomorrow which is into the country instead of the city. Pretty snowed in probably but I need a couple odds and sods for the pick up too.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #133
squisher said:
You mean a 100 amp breaker for it in the panel? I've got the service for it in my shop. 200amp separate from my house.

I don't know much about electricity.....and the little I do know I don't know well.
Click to expand...

Yep 100 amp breaker.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #134
Squish, I have to agree with Kyle a long hose and a tool box on the cart is a must. I run a 50'er on my torch set long enough to keep the tanks parked in the garage and cut outside. The cart I have had a tray but every time I hit a bump or crack stuff would bounce out so a small tool box was added. It's actually an old 115pc drill index case, big enough to hold everything but compact.
 
The thunderbolts I'm seeing are rated for 47.5 amps 230 volt. So a 50amp breaker should suffice no? I don't even know what the breaker in my shop is rated at I just know it's labelled 'welder' and is a 230v plug. That's what I run my mig on.

I've been using my torches with I'm going to say 15-20ish of hose for a lot of years now with no cart. I have the smaller bottles that I own so I just carry them around. Seems with a cart it would be even easier. I don't feel like I'd want to deal with all that extra hose length? So for now I'll just get a cart. My torches have been mainly used for wrenching and with the length of hose I have now I find it convenient in the bay. My shop is setup so I'll easily be able to wheel the cart around with those small bottles I think vs having super long hoses. I'll definetly mod up the cheap cart I'm going to pick up with a tray or two, chains for the bottles. And one tip I read that seemed like a good idea was having the hose exit the cart low for better stability against tipping by being accidentally pulled over.
 
This ain't the US brother. We don't just have ammo cans lying around everywhere. :P

Actually we have a army surplus in town I'll check it out!:thumbup:
 
Dave Shepard said:
I'd like to have an SA-200 at the sawmill for power and repairs.
Click to expand...

In all my junk I have an SA 200 .old as the hills crank start engine . I think it's a flat head Continental gas circa 1950's .If memory serves the generator output is 120 volt Dc which will run any motor with brushes like grinder ,drill motors etc .They were good old machines . I've also got a Hobart main line special with a Jeep engine 250 amp .
 
Besides the engine driven machines I've got a P and H 400 amp motor generator, 400 amp Westinghouse DC rectifier rewired for single phase,A Lincoln variable core 250 amp buzz box,circa 1940 at my shop .At the house a 200 Marquette buzz box that's as old as myself at least .That one I got when my dad passed .Plus 4 sets of torches between two locations .No wire or heli arc .
 
If you ever wanna get rid of that shorthood Al, let me know! If it only has 4 heat ranges it's a shorthood, which are awesome for downhill pipe. If it has 5 heat ranges it's a redface, just like mine. The shorthoods turn slower too (1400 rpm) so they have heavier windings, all of which leads to a very nice dry puddle.

Justin 50 amp should be fine, if you look at the actual breaker it will have the amperage on the lever part. If you get a big or better welder, you might want 100 amp. Since you have that much power to your garage, keep your eye open for a three phase industrial machine. It will likely be much heavier to move, but can usually be picked up for a song because no one has 3 phase. But you can run a rotary phase converter and run them just fine.

Since you just have the little bottles, a small hand cart will be perfect. The bigger bottles are a pain to roll around on anything that's not concrete, so longer hoses (ideally with the quick fittings) is key. If you go looking for ammo cans, theres a can for mortar rounds (70mm i think) that will hold rods perfectly, i have two for my welding rig and i need one more. You can fit 2 50 pound cans of rods in them, and it seals watertight so they don't change humidity level (6010s and 11s actually need a certain amount of moisture to work).
 
Ok now I had to google that up. Wtf, shouldn't this already be on a torch, how is it not standard equipment? Do I need one? What type torch end, regulator end? Both? Sh-t is getting more complicated daily. Lol.

I've been researching some on the safety aspect of things to hopefully avoid maiming or killing myself. So any and all advice in that department is welcome!
 
Regulator end at most, and most regulators here come with them installed already. I have victor journeyman ones. You don't want them on the torch, its heavy enough, and i like to swap out torches depending on what I'm doing.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #147
squisher said:
The thunderbolts I'm seeing are rated for 47.5 amps 230 volt. So a 50amp breaker should suffice no? I don't even know what the breaker in my shop is rated at I just know it's labelled 'welder' and is a 230v plug. That's what I run my mig on.

I've been using my torches with I'm going to say 15-20ish of hose for a lot of years now with no cart. I have the smaller bottles that I own so I just carry them around. Seems with a cart it would be even easier. I don't feel like I'd want to deal with all that extra hose length? So for now I'll just get a cart. My torches have been mainly used for wrenching and with the length of hose I have now I find it convenient in the bay. My shop is setup so I'll easily be able to wheel the cart around with those small bottles I think vs having super long hoses. I'll definetly mod up the cheap cart I'm going to pick up with a tray or two, chains for the bottles. And one tip I read that seemed like a good idea was having the hose exit the cart low for better stability against tipping by being accidentally pulled over.
Click to expand...

Right on. I just remember having mine plugged into 100 amp.
 
S'all good man. Just wanting to confirm if I was going to need a different breaker. Keep forgetting to look each time I'm in the shop today but I'm pretty certain it isn't a 100amp breaker on my welder circuit.

I'll have to check out my torches now too and see if there's anything on them. If not I think I'll get a set for the regulator side to play it safe.




I have a question. I see new stick/tig welders around for quite cheap. Are the new ones any good. The Lincoln ac225 looks just like all the old ones and sells new locally for $375. Also a few other flavours around new for quite cheap. But are the new ones the same or as good? Or are they just new cheap shit?
 
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Flashbacks at the regulator and torch both for me, some MSHA bullchit. At home just on the regulator but it doesn’t mix the gas in the torch body, it mixes at the tip. I’ve yet to see a (for lack of a better word) body mixer burn right after a flashback even rebuilt. Victor is a good gas axe for the money but it’s not my go to slicer.
 
New buzzbox style stick welders aren't very high price, and the design hasn't changed since the 40s lol. If one was so inclined he probably could build one himself! Now having said that, i would stick to a Hobart, Lincoln, or Miller. The other brands may be fine, but I'm in the camp where i would rather buy a stihl farmboss than a harbor freight chainsaw if you catch my drift. A welder like this will last damn near forever, so your kids will have it when you are gone. But for that much money, you might as well get a used industrial machine. It will take some hunting, but you will find one.

Bob, what brand do you use then, Smith?
 
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