Arc Stick Welder

[crypt0]

I want to learn how to weld.

I have a couple very small projects in mind to get a feel for things before I try anything too crazy, but eventually my goal is to build a good Brutus stand.

There's a good sale on at canadian tire and I'm looking at buying this Arc Welder:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/WeldingSoldering/Welders/PRD~0588107P/Mastercraft%252BArc%252BStick%252BWelder.jsp?locale=en

Question is, is it heavy duty enough to (one day) put together that stand?

Here's a c/p of the features in case the link doesn't work:

•Includes 15A plug

•Metal thickness: 18-gauge to 1/8" (1.2 to 3 mm)

•Duty cycle: 20% at 50 A; 10% at 70A

•Electrodes used: 1/16" (1.6 mm) to 5/64" (2 mm)

The main draw to this welder is I can probably get away with a 120v dedicated circuit but not much more then that.

Again, I'm a newbie so any input here would be awesome

 

[chady74]

ok im a welder by trade so here it is if you want to learn to weld and build brewery progects you would be better off with a 110v mig welder stick or arc as it is also called is not as simple as it looks to make look good and be a stong weld if i wer you i and wanded to realt weld up brew progects i would save up and buy a tig welder with a tig welder you can weld almost anything you want to

 

[bblack7489]

So I'm not a welder by trade, but I've done a fair amount of it with all of the generic setups. When it comes to ease-of-use, it's really hard to beat a wire-fed arc welder. It's like the hot glue gun of the welding world. They may not make the best welds, they may not have as much power as a stick welder, and they may not be able to weld as many different metal types as a tig welder...but they're really easy to learn on.

If your end goal is to make cool stuff out of steel tubing, and you don't want a huge learning curve...go with a wire fed welder. If you want to eventually tackle welding aluminum and stainless, you might want to think about a tig welder.

 

[Merg]

I've gotta edit this:

OK, I'm a welder by trade, so here it is: if you want to learn to weld and build brewery projects, you would be better off with a 110v MIG welder. Stick - or arc as it is also called - is not as simple as it looks to make good looking and strong welds. If i were you and I wanted to weld up brew projects, I would save up and buy a TIG welder. With a TIG welder you can weld almost anything you want.

Pretty much spot on advice once you wade through it.
The short answer is: no.
The longer answer is: Don't bother, it's not going to do what you want. Arc is great for melting metal together (as long as you don't care what the welds look like), but that little guy is going to struggle to do anything more than sheet metal. Watch Craigslist and local classifieds for a Miller, Hobart, or Lincoln MIG machine around the 150amp range.

Better yet, follow this plan:
1. befriend somebody who already owns a decent welder
2. trade him homebrew for lessons and disposables (rods, wire, tips, etc.)
3. practice, practice, practice.
4. do more research and, with your newfound expertise, pick a welder that's best for what you'll use it for (or just use your buddy's for as long as he'll let you - it's cheaper that way)

 

[chady74]

i like the thout of finding a friend with the equip and having him help you learn thats good idea merg is right practice makes perfect good luck if i can help let me know

 

[jet35a]

it's really hard to beat a wire-fed arc welder. It's like the hot glue gun of the welding world

I picked up a Hobart 140 on Craig's List. Doesn't take long to get the hang of it and produce respectable looking welds.

 

[Homercidal]

Buy a welder if you plan on making more than 1 or 2 projects. Get a wire-fed MIG welder for household use. TIG is great for Stainless, but the cost for household use is quite high.

Get a good name 110V 100-150 AMP. You can do structural steel up to 1/8" thick (or more if you do it right) AND sheet metal.

Welding is fun and once you get a welder you will find all kinds of things to build with it. Don't forget the grinder and cut-off wheel to go with it!

 

[crypt0]

Ok.. Thanks for all the replies.. I'll look into a MIG welder then as oppsed this ARC welder.

There is one of these on special at canadian tire as well for 1/2 price... I'm wondering if anyone can comment on it.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/WeldingSoldering/Welders/PRDOVR~0588109P/Mastercraft%252BMIG%252Band%252BFlux%252BWelder.jsp?locale=en

Includes 15A plug
Metal thickness: 20-gauge to 5/32" (1mm to 4 mm)
Duty cycle: 20% at 88A
Wire used: MIG 0.024-0.030" or flux-core 0.030-0.035"

 

[motobrewer]

honestly, you get what you pay for in welders. 5/32" isn't very thick. especially for a brewstand.

if you're thinking of getting into welding, i'd watch CL for a miller/hobart/lincoln 200A

 

[ScubaSteve]

O/A gas is also a good option...I got a set for pretty cheap. There's a guy on youtube called Freddytk421 that does some great welding on arc/mig/gas setups and shows you how well the cheap harbor freight stuff actually works......

O/A can be used in a whole bunch of other applications, including cutting, brazing, and soldering. It's also portable.

Just another option, IMO....I went this route because I really wanted to learn the fundamentals first. I can also pick up CO2 when I get a fresh acetylene tank.

 

[dutch101st]

Harbor Freight has a good low end wire fed 90 amp welder for $109. I built my brew stand with that and it is pretty solid. You will have to get a welding helmet to go with it as what comes with it sucks pretty bad. It comes with wire, brush, slag hammer, and the face meask (throw it away, it sucks)

 

[ScubaSteve]

Don't forget good gloves....harbor freight is also a great place for clamps, which are mandatory IMHO.

 

[lustrum]

MIG is the way to go for a general purpose welder. The 110v models are much better these days than they used to be and you can do quite a bit with one, as long as it is 140+ amps. The Hobart Handler 140 is a great entry level machine.

The welder isn't the only thing to consider though, like others have mentioned. You'll need grinders, some way of cutting tubing for the stand (and other projects)--I prefer a horizontal bandsaw for this, because it's very accurate, but a chop saw works well, too--90 degree magnets, clamps, wire, gloves, I would recommend an auto-darkening helmet, and an angle grinder. If you want to eliminate a lot of cleanup, you'll eventually want to use solid core wire with a shielding gas, such as argon/co2.

I know this seems like an exhaustive list, but I'm only trying to illustrate what you would eventually find out when you started a project.

One last thing: Make sure you're helmet is down before you strike an arc! (The auto-darks make it necessary to mentally check because you get used to them going from light to dark, and you become trained to expect automatic protection.) Getting flashed puts you out of commission for awhile! I know this from experience!

ScubaSteve mentioned O/A, and this is a great option, especially if you are looking for maximum flexibility. But the learning curve is much greater than with MIG. It has a lot of virtues, though. You can cut, weld, braze and heat with O/A. Not to mention you can weld any material: aluminum, SS, mild steel, etc. A DHC 2000 torch with an oldschool O/A setup is VERY hard to beat. If you get good at O/A welding, then this setup is superior to any other arc welder because it is so versatile.

Borrowing a buddy's welding setup is definitely the most affordable way to go, in the end. IMHO

 

[Blane]

Don't forget good gloves....harbor freight is also a great place for clamps, which are mandatory IMHO.

And a jacket. It doesn't have to be leather but at lease flame resistant. I welded for a long time in a long sleeve denim shirt but the occasional spark would find a way to burn through. Ouch. Also there is no such thing as "too many clamps".

 

[ScubaSteve]

Man, I wish I had a DHC 2000, (Henrob or "Cobra") those things look sweet. From what I can tell, you should be able to do everything with a standard torch that you can with a Henrob, but the orientation of the nozzles is really appealing....so is the lower gas consumption.

If you DO go with O/A, get the Victor "style" generic kit. It's way cheaper than the real thing, plus it can use all victor parts. I went with Harris, and while it works fine, the tips are really hard to find.