[PIC] What can I do with this welder?

[TIMSPEED]

Well, my dad left me this welder..but he never told me how to use it! What can I do with this exactly? If I can remember, my dad welder my first go-kart with this thing...

[Mike76251]

The 225 is a real good home shop welder.
With all the rods out there you can do about anything with it.

The main thing it takes is practice.
Get yourself some scrap steel and some 6010 or 7018 rods and have at it. Get those rods at a welding supply shop (Not Lowes of Home Depot).
You will have a answer to your question real quick.

[LOHRTBT]

Weld
lmao!!!

[TIMSPEED]

No, I mean, can I weld my frame to install airbags, with that welder?

[Mike76251]

Originally posted by TIMSPEED
No, I mean, can I weld my frame to install airbags, with that welder?

Lot of ifs' here but............
Yes, you can do frame work with that machine if;
You have it wired in good (ie: enough current going to it)
A good ground on it. (so you don't get dead)
Fresh rods (not from Lowes)
Practice (more practice)

Have you ever welded before???
With all the dust on the current switch I assumed not.
Arc welding is not hard but you can't get it out of a book.

Get some metal close to the thickness of you frame and try the heat settings with your 7018s. I would hate to see you blow a big hole in a truck frame.
Good Luck and write back with any questions you might have,
Mike

[Prerunner1982]

if you crank it up all the way it makes a good torch/cutter. probably not real good on it. but it does work on a pinch.

[78chevstepside]

That is a ac (alternating current) buzz box. Used for stick welding. Problem with that welder is that its ac only. You can run 6011 or 6013 welding rod. You can weld most anything with it with the proper rod. jay

[Randy70C-10]

Those are great for any frame/suspension work, you just can't weld sheetmetal with them.

[TIMSPEED]

Cool, thanks for the answers guys. Yeah, it's a 220AC welder. I remember watching my dad weld stuff with it, so...but yeah. This week, I'm gonna pull it out and go get some rods and try welding up just different pieces of metal.
Yeah, that's the only part that sucks, is it DOESN'T do sheetmetal (cuz I'd like to do work on the body of my truck, lord knows it needs it) But frame work, works

[Bill W]

I just got a miller welder and have been doing some research on welding. There are rods that are appropriate for sheet metal. You need to do the research. Just don't expect it to weld sheetmetal as good as a Wirefeed mig welder. Probably the best case is tacking pieces together.

Bill

[ironwood]

Welding is tough to explain over these message boards. You will just have to practice but remember for every thousandth of material you weld it should equal one amp. The numbers on your welder are the amps(current) if you are welding 10ga. metal it equals .125" or there abouts so you should set your welder to 125amps but above .125" you should take 25% of the extra material in amps.. So .25" would equal 156amps this should be what you will be welding so that should help you out, just to get set up. Try to weld 90 degrees to the work also, you will find out what works for you.
Dave

[Grim Reaper]

Good machine for general work. I have run a bunch of weld with one. That's an older one and it's better then the current one you can buy. Better cable, better stinger, better ground clamp.

The trick with that welder is the do a Z patern as you weld. Watch the puddle that you make.. Most people make the mistake of to much heat (amperage) and then to much speed.

Some other tricks to get good penetration is if your butting two thick peices you want to grind the edges to make a valley. Then as you weld you fill that valley with rod and the molten steel. The end result will be less of a ridge where you layed down the bead. Better penetration as well.

Get some scrap. Lots of steel places have "Drop". It's ends and peiced tleft over from when they were filling orders. some places will let you have that. Just explain that your learning to weld. The smart places will see a future customer and let you have some.
Once you have welded something try to beat it appart. If it's welded correctly the metal next to the weld will fail before the weld.

Like was metioned 6011 and 6013 are good inexpensive rods to learn with. I store my rods in a Amo can. I throw every discate(sp) packets I can find in there to keep it dry. The air tight box will make the rods last longer. If the Sheild (the coating on the rod) is exposed to a lot of humidity they will not work as well.
I personnaly like 7014's. Seem to spatter less for me.

You can weld sheet with this but it takes a LOT of practice. I wouldn't try. Stick with 1/8 or thicker and it does quite well.

You need to get a welding helmet with a #10 lens, Slag hammer and a wire brush. I'd also invest in real welding gloves. Places like Harbor freight and Northern tool have a starter kit that comes with helmet and gloves for a pretty good price. They are thicker and better protection for your hands. Heavy denim shirt is not a bad idea as well but be carefull as a "booger" will burn through it if it gets caught in a fold.

hehehe It was real hot one summer and I was doing some tacking of a project one time. No shirt. I sun burnt my belly so bad after about an hour of work LOL.
Fair warning...It's addictive!!!!!!!
The machine I was using was on loan Good bud let it sit at my place for 2.5 years (he didn't have the righ connections in his shop but that's a hell of a bud to let me use it that long). When he needed something done he just brought it over my place LOL. I finnaly had to give it back. I Had some restoration work planned so I went and spent the coin for a Hobart Handler 175 mig to replace it. I don't like 110v migs for heavier welding because they ahve a poor duty cycle but since you have that machine you could go that route.
Once you learn stick welding Mig is cake and picking up Tig is not to difficult.

[Mike76251]

Mr. Reaper,
That was a very good post!
It sure beat mine!!

[bill_ont_canada]

I believe 6010 rod is for DC Reverse only and yours is an AC machine.
As suggested above 6011 & 6013 are good all position rods. and ...7014 makes a nice finnish pass but can't remember if it's any good for vertical up welds.

And Grim Reaper if you like 7014... try some 7024 easiest rod you will ever use for FLAT welds only just crank up the heat stuff it in and drag it slowly, it lays a beautifull bead and the slag curls up behind you if you get the heat just right . BUT... that is for heavier steel like 3/8" to 1/2" getting off topic here Sorry bout that.

[Izzy]

Originally posted by 78chevstepside
That is a ac (alternating current) buzz box. Used for stick welding. Problem with that welder is that its ac only. You can run 6011 or 6013 welding rod. You can weld most anything with it with the proper rod. jay

Yep. I had a little practice on a Miller that was similiar to that and it's not something you can do right off the bat like a MIG.