Welding Tips and Tricks

I would like to say, I really enjoy reading this forum. Good tips and information and not so much insults.

I have a small 90 amp inverter welder and I am pleased with it, on small things . I am wanting a larger welder , say 200-235
amp. I would like an ac/dc but I could live with dc only. I have been looking at the stickmate (Hobart) and Everlast dc inverters. I would like something in the range of 250- 550 dollars. I want something that will hold up over the years and I have not heard if the inverters are good on the long haul. I will value all the input I can get.

Thanks
Tommy

Everlast provides very good bang for the buck. You can pretty much buy the exact machine that will do just about everything you want it to at a price point that is the best around. It may not have all the bells and whistles, but you may not WANT all the bells and whistles.

As for how long they will hold up...I'm not quite sure anyone knows at this point, simply because it's newer technology. The transformers have been around for 50 years or so(maybe longer), and the machines from the 1970's still run like they were brand new today, as long as they get the TLC along the line. Kinda like the old muscle cars.

I can't speak for hobart, but I will say I did price them out for a long time before finally going with Everlast, because they were a bit cheaper than Lincoln/Miller. But seeing as how I bought a machine just for practicing and repair work, not for fabrication, I felt Everlast was the way to go.

I also felt the Everlast machine I bought (PowerArc200) was cheap enough at 350 dollars that if it took a dump or got broke I wouldn't be out a crap ton of money.

Thanks a lot, I was looking at the Everlast 200, Have you used any 6010 on the special connector ?

Thanks
Tommy

Ive got an EVERLAST 200 . Its a good girl but the leads are a little light. Im thinking about getting a beefier set, and the ground clamp gets hot as hell.

Mick

weldin mike 27 wrote:Ive got an EVERLAST 200 . Its a good girl but the leads are a little light. Im thinking about getting a beefier set, and the ground clamp gets hot as hell.

Mick

Mick,

What amperage is it getting hot ? Are the leads too small or maybe a bad place in the leads.

Tom

Definately would look into getting a "real" ground clamp. I used Jody's mig-ground trick(taking an old piece of stranded copper and wrapping it around your table and clamping to that) and that REALLY helped alot. Before I did that I was getting alot of arc blow, the arc would just wander all around like it didn't know where to go lol. After I did that it's very focused and now I seldom get any arc blow.

The leads are a little light but they are only 6 footers-You can get away with the thinner leads if their very short. Upgrading to a real set of leads would help alot and I was wondering how that would affect the machine since theres no voltage control on it.

I hav'nt burned any 6010 on it but I've burned alot of 6011, and I really like the 6010 port. It's like having a preset "dig" function(albeit non-adjustable) cranked up, so you ran run a real tight arc, you can shove the rod in all day and it wont stick. I use it even with 7018 because it lets you hold a tighter arc and you don't have to worry about your rod sticking, so you can run a little lower amperage than you normally would. Sometimes you dont want that real forceful arc though so you can just put the ground clamp back on the negative port and be good to go with a softer arc.

Havnt noticed the lead or the clamp getting hot but I havn't ran it over 110 amps.

My main knock on the machine is the damn amperage control knob is WAY to fucking sensitive. With a pair of gloves on its pretty difficult to adjust your amperage within 5 amps, so you end up taking your gloves off and trying to fine-tune the knob down where you want it to go. God forbid you bump it or your hand slips. Not a major problem, just a little frustrating from a productivity stand point. Would be real nice to have a few presets on there but you get what you pay for. Than again it may just be me used to old style transformer machines where you have the exact opposite problem.

I was also mildly impressed with the stinger, even though the little plastic guard on mine keeps coming loose. I thought it looked cheap when I first got it and had planned on replaceing it with a tweco, but I think I'm gonna leave it on there now, it feels pretty heavy duty and has a good tight clamping force on it. If anything, its a little overkill for the machine, and you might like a smaller tweco stinger, especially if your running on 110voltage.

Check out the tweco (thermal arc) fabricator 211i i have the 181i and love the little machine!

Buy a Lincoln 180 dual.

I should correct my self at this point, The leads themselves didnt get hot, the ground /earth clamp got hot as hell, after a bit of tigging at around 110 amps. I reckon an investment in some better leads and hardware would be well worth it. The quality of the elecrode holder and earth are the only sore point i have with the machine. I replaced the stinger, but will re do the whole shebang one day.

Mick

Hobart Stickman AC/DC or pretty Blue Miller Thunderbolt XL. The transformer based, continuous amperage welder will last you a lifetime. Can't say that about an inverter machine. Eventually a CPU fails.

Thanks TS,

I was beginning to wonder if anyone was going to make a comment on the stickmate.
Thanks to all for their suggestions, I have looked all of them up online and as always, not getting in a hurry to run out and buy. I do want something that will be around for a while, so reliability and longevity(not the brand) are key components in my decision.
Did anyone notice I did not spell recommendation correctly? I love spell check.

Tom

I have been looking at the powerarc 300, i like the fact that you can adjust the arc force and hot start.
Does anyone have one of these machines or have a coment?


Tom