In Reply to: For you welders out there... posted by Jason (OR) on December 07, 2013 at 09:45:03:
My welding experience started with a torch set. This was before wire feed was available outside of production applications. I found that it worked OK for fairly light material, but was slow and expensive for anything thicker than 1/4".
My next step up was an AC stick welder ("buzz box") that worked OK with 6011 rod and the special 7018AC rod that is available if you know what to ask for. When this machine failed I replaced it with a Miller AC/DC Thunderbolt that worked well for farm repairs. I added a well-used Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DC a few years later that has a very stable arc and is still my go-to machine for heavy material. Stick welding is pretty basic as to technique, but choosing the right rod (both type and size) and setting the machine introduce many variables. I keep a "cheat sheet" of settings for various rod types and sizes, and keep a rod catalog to help decide what rod to use for the specific job. 6011 and 7018 are the basic rods used in repair work, but other rod types are better for specific conditions. 6011 is recommended if you can't get the joint very clean before you weld. 7018 is a high strength rod that requires the parts to be clean before you weld. There are many other rods that perform well in different situations/materials.
I had used an industrial wire feed a little in a job I had just out of school. Forty years later I bought a Lincoln 175HD wire feed and use it with 75/25% gas and solid wire. I weld up to 1/4" thick material with it using multiple passes for the thicker material. It is a good machine, but lacks the infinite voltage adjustment of the higher-priced model. You end up adapting your technique to the output of the machine, rather than adjusting the machine to the desired result.
I am not a professional welder. I repair my own stuff, and can usually make a decent weld, even if it isn't pretty. The choice of welding wire/gas or stick (rod) has a lot to do with the result, as does the adjustment of the machine. Finally, your hand-eye coordination and vision (ability to see what your are doing) control the result to a large extent.
A good quality helmet/eye protection is a must. Don't go cheap on eye protection. A good auto-darkening helmet will make your learning curve much faster, because it will allow you to see what you are doing both before and after the arc strikes without the distraction of flipping down the hood/lens.
A community college course will be a great investment. Augment it with research online. Welding Web is a good site. Find a supply of scrap steel and practice a lot. Experiment with grinding to clean metal preparing the weld and compare the results to welding pieces of rusty scrap together and you will be amazed at the difference. Start out laying beads down on flat surfaces and progress to angles and then vertical welds. Overhead welds are the most difficult, so save that for last. Your college course will cover that.
When welding sometimes you can't see what is happening and have to guess based on what you can see around the edges or just experience. Pay attention to what is happening when you can see it well, and remember the technique and speed you are using. At some point while repairing equipment, you will not be able to get a good look at what you are doing and will have to rely on previous experience. When you get a good weld in these conditions, it is very satisfying!
Based on my experience, I would recommend a 240V welder at a minimum. If you have a dryer outlet available, it will have enough power for a smaller welder. Hobart, Lincoln, and Miller make good small wire feed welders. Get one that can use gas, even if you start with flux core wire. I like the solid wire/gas because it doesn't leave slag.
Around a farm, you will encounter material thicker than the wire feed is practical to handle. Look for a Lincoln "tombstone", Miller Thunderbolt or similar welder, but hold out for an AC/DC version. It will allow you to use all types of rods which will be handier than you might expect. The stick machine works well outdoors, but be careful using one in the rain!
I have a heavy-duty extension cord that fits the wire feed and the Miller Thunderbolt. It allows me to move the welder closer to the work, which is sometimes necessary. I have very long leads that came with the Idealarc, which is good because it draws so much more current that it needs to stay at the wall outlet.
Welding is like carpentry, metalwork, or mechanical repair. It is a skill built on practice and experience, augmented with education. It is very satisfying to do a good job and look at the result!
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