# Welder for farm and shop use



## eglaude (Oct 8, 2012)

Howdy all, I was looking for some advice on a good all around welder for tractor implement repairs and tinkering around in general. It would be primarily used on heavier metal thickness like on trailers and other equipment. I could get an old Lincoln 225 AC stick, cheap, but I am by no professional by any stretch. 
I thought that perhaps a DC type with 200 amps or so would work, knowing that AC for my skill level might be too hard to work with for just the occasional work.
Thanks for your advice.


----------



## nhtech (Mar 25, 2012)

Well you already know not to get a mig welder. I would also get a dc arc welder. Just make sure the duty cycle is high enough for high amperage. Personally I use a miller welder/generator with a Koehler gasoline engine and I love it. If you do all your welding at the shop you can go with a plug in model. I am not a professional welder either. I prefer to weld with arctech 223 rods. They work realy well in all positions.


----------



## Mickey (Aug 14, 2010)

Like you I'm no pro. Gave up my stick welder yrs ago and went with a MIG welder. Lot more spendy than a buzz box but I like the results better.


----------



## nhtech (Mar 25, 2012)

Mig is fine for welding new steel with no paint or rust on it. If you are outside and there is any kind of wind a mig is useless. You need a pretty big mig to get the same penetration as an arc welder. A mig is faster and easier to use.


----------



## Thomas (Nov 1, 2006)

Iam old stick AC/DC stick 6011 7012 rod..kinda tells you what type metal deal with.
Not saying mig or tig not good but there good feeling having a rod hot glue in depth.

Thickness mostlt your planing work with?


----------



## herdsman (Jun 7, 2012)

I second consideration of the MIG welder. While it's true that you can weld heavier material with a stick welder I haven't had to pick up a stick since I got the MIG and I weld/maintain some fairly heavy equipment. Takes a little more prep work sometimes, but I've never regretted getting the MIG.


----------



## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

I have a mig ,but I use flux-core wire,due to the cost of the gas. 220v/150 amp,and it handles most jobs.
For the thicker stuff, I use a Miller AC stick unit (225 amp,dual polarity).


----------



## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I bought me a welder, and I don't know anything about it. It's still in the box, as the shop is not set up yet.
It's a mig wire feed, by Lincoln. Question..... If I use flux core wire, inside the shop, I don't need the gas? If that's the case, I just may open the box up this weekend!


----------



## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

All the gas does is stabilize the arc ,so you don't have as much 'crusting"on the weld. However,flux-core wire costs more.
With solid wire,you WILL need the gas.
Solid-core wire is running about $9-$16,for 2lb spool,and I get a 2lb spool of flux-core for $18-$20. 
Your owner's manual can show you how to set it up for flux-core/solid,etc. Some as like mine,have to have the cable at the machine put on a certain lead post. Others have shunt plates/switches.
I am sure,however,that the Lincoln will have details on it.


----------



## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks jhngardner367, I'll dig the book out and have a read before I do anything.


----------



## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

You can get the feel of it easier,if you get one of the auto-darkening helmets,also. with a stick,or wire,it makes it easier to strike the arc .


----------



## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

I'll second the motion of an auto darkening helmet. It improved my poor welding skills considerably. It's the little things, like being able to see where you're about to strike the arc right up to the millisecond you do, and from the millisecond after. I always seem to be able to move the rod/wire in the process of pulling down the helmet or closing the lens door.

While I have limited experience with MIG, I've heard and can confirm, flux core welding results in a lot of splatter. YUP! But, you can do it outside under windy conditions.

I have an old Miller ac stick welder for the big stuff, and a small wire feed flux core el-cheapo for the thin stuff. The majority of my welding is outside. 

If I was worth a darn with the acetylene torch, I could use that to weld the thin stuff with too.


----------

