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Portable welder suggestions

Started by Sedgehammer, October 20, 2020, 08:17:33 AM

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Sedgehammer

found a engineer that is changing our building into a weld up for $2,500. I have several welders and one stick welder, but it's not set up for outside and can't use the migs for welding outside anyways. 

Reading welding boards and it's clearly a chevy vs ford mentality. I don't care which brand, Lincoln, Miller, Hobart all work. I have 2 miller migs, lincoln stick and a hobart tig/mig. 

Diesel is best, but I'm not doing it for a living, so it's a waste. I'll most likely sell it once the building is up though anyways.

Any suggestions from the 'forestry' forum.....  ;D
Necessity is the engine of drive

gspren

If you aren't keeping it long term then I'd look for a used one if possible. I have a Thermal Arc brand I think Predator model for at least 15 years and I go months at a time without welding but it can power the house during power outages. 20 HP Honda powered. If you can find any known brand used you will likely recoup most of your money.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

Don P

Sounds like a good plan.
Consider it spent when you're done and let me know when to pick it up  :D

Sedgehammer

@gspren I forgot about those. The predator pro can also run 3 phase equipment on the generator side. My Hobart mig/tig is 3 phase. Don't have that here. 

@Don P  :o :o
Necessity is the engine of drive

Don P

 :D
I'm no welder but what about one of your existing MIGS with gas and flux core?

Sedgehammer

Well I dunno @Don P , you done did go to metal gluin school, me never dided..... What's 'flux core'..... :o

Me don't use it. Just shielding gas. It can weld rustier metal and in windier locals, true, but weld can be a bit more porous and takes more clean up. I'm lazy. Don't like cleaning up.  ;D
Necessity is the engine of drive

btulloh

Seems like a stick job for sure.  Outdoors, long reach, etc.  Already some good suggestions above on temp ownership of gen or self-contained unit.  
HM126

Southside

What was the alternative to weld up? Typical bolted joints? 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Sedgehammer

@Southside Bolted, yup. bolted has to to be 'made' at the factory. Goes together easier, quicker, but when all done about 20% more expensive if doing yourself, plus bolt ups are generally more of a basic building or they really get pricy. 
Necessity is the engine of drive

Nebraska

My solution to the portable welder thing has been strapping which ever welder gets the job done and a generator in the loader bucket of my tractor. That being said  I'm kind of looking for a just right little  trailer to mount them on. I don't really need an all in one unit very often and that's just how I get around it for stuff I can't get to the welder in the shop.

Sedgehammer

Thought of that, but then that means a new generator, so......
Necessity is the engine of drive

btulloh

Needing the generator, crane, good welds and all, you might be ahead of the game to hire a contractor to handle your erection. Or is that just off the table?
HM126

Sedgehammer

Quote from: btulloh on October 20, 2020, 03:13:15 PM
Needing the generator, crane, good welds and all, you might be ahead of the game to hire a contractor to handle your erection. Or is that just off the table?
Oh I could, but it's a complicated build, as I'm finishing it in wood. Open soffits, 2' overhangs. 
I'll just hire some welders @ $15 to $20 instead of a contractor where his help is $40+ and I hire the crane anyways.
Necessity is the engine of drive

btulloh

I was thinking just for the steel.  

You've got a lot of moving parts in that project. 

Maybe rent the combo gen/welder. 

If you're hiring a welder, they usually have their own equipment.

HM126

Walnut Beast

Fronius Trans Pocket 180 stick welder.  
less than 20 pounds. Plenty of videos on it Fronius is top of the line

Walnut Beast

Quote from: Walnut Beast on October 20, 2020, 04:22:22 PM
Fronius Trans Pocket 180 stick welder.  
less than 20 pounds. Plenty of videos on it Fronius is top of the line
Hot start and soft start. Can run a 330 ft extension cord with no voltage drop

Raider Bill

Quote from: btulloh on October 20, 2020, 03:13:15 PM
Needing the generator, crane, good welds and all, you might be ahead of the game to hire a contractor to handle your erection. Or is that just off the table?
There's got to be a little blue pill joke in this somewhere :D :D :D :D 
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

mike_belben

Weld your bents on the ground with your mig then have crane stand em?  Redundant welder savings pays for the crane guy to stand em up and purlins to get glued on? 
Praise The Lord

Al_Smith

When I built my shop I ran 200 feet of number 6 aluminum tri plex cable on the ground hooked up to an  aux panel and used a movable  core Lincoln buzz box circa 1940 .That thing which is 250 amps has so much copper in it it doesn't have a cooling fan .They don't make them like that any more .I had like 40 bucks in the welder that came with about 200 feet of welding cable .It's been a good one .
So that's an option if you are close enough to get the power to  it .Plus you can do a lot more work cheaper than dumping gasoline in a potable welder .It's not noisy and it always starts . 

Sedgehammer

Quote from: btulloh on October 20, 2020, 03:39:46 PM
I was thinking just for the steel.  

You've got a lot of moving parts in that project.

Maybe rent the combo gen/welder.

If you're hiring a welder, they usually have their own equipment.
Yeah, but. This has many curveballs in it. I don't need welders once we're hanging the siding, but there's a lot of things need done for the rafter tails, on edge purlins and bilge board etc. 
What rent will be will be more than the difference in what I buy and sell. I might even be able to sell for what I paid. Hopefully 
Yes if I'm hiring a contractor welder. I'll hire a guy that's off from work without equipment 
Necessity is the engine of drive

Sedgehammer

Quote from: Al_Smith on October 20, 2020, 05:59:16 PM
When I built my shop I ran 200 feet of number 6 aluminum tri plex cable on the ground hooked up to an  aux panel and used a movable  core Lincoln buzz box circa 1940 .That thing which is 250 amps has so much copper in it it doesn't have a cooling fan .They don't make them like that any more .I had like 40 bucks in the welder that came with about 200 feet of welding cable .It's been a good one .
So that's an option if you are close enough to get the power to  it .Plus you can do a lot more work cheaper than dumping gasoline in a potable welder .It's not noisy and it always starts .
yes we are thinking that as well. I may need a separate service. I already have the power company coming out. 
Necessity is the engine of drive

thecfarm

I use flux core wire. All my welding is done outside. Don't need no gas with flux core. Gas use to be a bother to get around here, 30 miles away. Now the parts store in town carries it. But it does not leave a nice weld either. It sticks, just not all that clean. But that might be the rusted metal I use too. I read the manual and use what ever size corded wire to use and the maximum length too. I have that wrapped in the back of a two wheeler, I unwrap what I need to get to the job. Only guessing, I have 50 feet of corded wire. Can't remember the footage now, 20 years later. Can't remember the price either, but was a lot way back than.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Haleiwa

Can't go wrong with a Miller Bobcat or a Lincoln Ranger.  I've had both, and thought the Bobcat was a little more steady, but either one will do what you want it to.  A Trailblazer will probably run one of your migs if you want to use it on site.  Any of those makes a really good standby generator.  I'm predicting that if you get one you will not sell it when your building is done; they are handy to have around.
Socialism is people pretending to work while the government pretends to pay them.  Mike Huckabee

Al_Smith

I've got two gasoline  welders I've never needed to use .A Lincoln SA 200 and a Hobart main line special 250 amp .They were part of a package deal and cheap .
As far as a buzz box it only takes about 40 amps of power to run one from a power source . Number 6 aluminum tri plex, all three conductors insulated is around 70 cents a foot .I didn't look up the voltage drop with a couple -300 feet but it wouldn't be very much .I know with a tad over 200 feet I didn't notice any .
For that matter you can rent a gasoline welder .Another option .
BTW I did look up the voltage  drop on 300 feet and it was about 11 volts on 240 volts,35 amps  

Sedgehammer

Quote from: Walnut Beast on October 20, 2020, 04:43:19 PM
Quote from: Walnut Beast on October 20, 2020, 04:22:22 PM
Fronius Trans Pocket 180 stick welder.  
less than 20 pounds. Plenty of videos on it Fronius is top of the line
Hot start and soft start. Can run a 330 ft extension cord with no voltage drop
I'm lookin at it. How thick can it weld? I'm lookin, haven't seen yet
Necessity is the engine of drive

Sedgehammer

@Haleiwa my guy that does my mobile welding currently has a ranger 8. Works well. He says the Lincoln is a little steadier, he's used both. Might be what a guy is welding perhaps, but for this either is fine. 

@Al_Smith We originally planned on burying a line to a temp box that wood be where the panel wood eventually go. Trouble is when the power company upgraded us last year, they only went to 380. With our 6 bedroom house to be, 5 hp pond pump, smaller shop and this bigger shop, it's gonna be tight. 
Necessity is the engine of drive

Al_Smith

If you are going to use more power eventually you can always bury a larger line .In my case because all that aluminum was just salvaged from temporary  jobs and spliced together I didn't have a dime in it  .It's all rolled up in my shop now any way in case I need it at some other time .BTW I'm a retired journeyman electrician .Something like 50 years in the trade if you count my navy time .

Gearbox

I have a old Hobart with a twin Wisconsin . I have seen them for sale for 500 bucks . If you do find a older welder like that they are a low voltage 25 volts . they weld real good with a low voltage rod like 7018lv .
A bunch of chainsaws a BT6870 processer , TC 5 International track skidder and not near enough time

Sedgehammer

Quote from: Al_Smith on October 20, 2020, 09:27:23 PM
If you are going to use more power eventually you can always bury a larger line .In my case because all that aluminum was just salvaged from temporary  jobs and spliced together I didn't have a dime in it  .It's all rolled up in my shop now any way in case I need it at some other time .BTW I'm a retired journeyman electrician .Something like 50 years in the trade if you count my navy time .
Absolutely it counts! Thanks for your service!

Line size isn't an issue. I'll just do it once though.

This shop panel is a total of 323.44', add down/up from the main box, sub-panel and shop panel. I'll check what size line we ran to the sub-panel, as we already ran to it. It's 215' from main panel to it.

Just checked, the wire to the sub-panel is 4/0 alum. so there's roughly 225' of that, then will go to the new shop, which is about another 117' or so.
Necessity is the engine of drive

Don P

This is a voltage drop calc i put together when running a long drop cord to the barn;
https://forestryforum.com/members/donp/linedrop.htm

I got a deal on a spool of 4/0 later which fixed that but ran on that for longer than I care to admit.

My welding instructor had the Bobcat and liked it. I've seen them fairly reasonable used.

Sedgehammer

Quote from: Walnut Beast on October 20, 2020, 04:22:22 PM
Fronius Trans Pocket 180 stick welder.  
less than 20 pounds. Plenty of videos on it Fronius is top of the line
It can weld between 3/8 and 5/16. Barely, barely. I really like the soft and hot start though.
Necessity is the engine of drive

Southside

I picked up my Bobcat probably 10 - 12 years ago and have been very happy with it.  Have welded everything from dog kennel fence pipe to aluminum square tubing to 1/2 frame material on the skidder.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Sedgehammer

I just found out my Hobart Arc Master 500 will do SMAW (stick), GTAW, GMAW and GMAW-P. Currently set up for MIG. It's a 3 phase of course, so that would mean a 3 phase capable generator..... :o :o


Necessity is the engine of drive

Walnut Beast

Quote from: Sedgehammer on October 20, 2020, 10:48:57 PM
Quote from: Walnut Beast on October 20, 2020, 04:22:22 PM
Fronius Trans Pocket 180 stick welder.  
less than 20 pounds. Plenty of videos on it Fronius is top of the line
It can weld between 3/8 and 5/16. Barely, barely. I really like the soft and hot start though.
I doubt your going to weld anything over 1/2 inch. 

Al_Smith

As far as rod you can buy a 7018 that will run on a buzz box .For decades it was strictly DC reverse polarity then some how they came out with this stuff .It does just fine .Add to that 6011-6012-6013 general purpose fast freeze .7014-7024  iron powder if you wanted to lay down a lot at one pass but all flat .You have a lot of options .A DC machine is nice,I have  one but a buzz box can do just about anything a DC machine can do .
I've got an old Westinghouse 3 phase open delta DC machine I rewired for single phase with a double pi filter to get rid of the ripple .It's smooth as silk but it's at my shop which is 22 miles from my house .Not real handy .
So at the house I have an old multi tap transformer 200 amp Marquette that I think came over on the Mayflower .Another 40 dollar special .My dad had that one and dad was a brilliant machinist /mechanic  but he was not an electrician .It's a wonder he didn't electrocute himself .I had to do a little work on it . :D

Sedgehammer

Quote from: Walnut Beast on October 21, 2020, 12:49:04 AM
Quote from: Sedgehammer on October 20, 2020, 10:48:57 PM
Quote from: Walnut Beast on October 20, 2020, 04:22:22 PM
Fronius Trans Pocket 180 stick welder.  
less than 20 pounds. Plenty of videos on it Fronius is top of the line
It can weld between 3/8 and 5/16. Barely, barely. I really like the soft and hot start though.
I doubt your going to weld anything over 1/2 inch.
The weld plates will be 3/4" and some of the posts probably will be 1/4". Plus there's some welding I do that i can't get it into the shop. One was the gate entrance. Have one more to build. Building a zip line above the pond and while the sq tubing is 1/4, there's 8" c-channel. It's just barely, barely.
Necessity is the engine of drive

Sedgehammer

@Al_Smith My lincoln stick is a 'cracker' (that's what i was told) box 225 amp. Bought it at an auction 7 years ago for $125 I think. My 10kw peak 8kw constant generator won't run it. 
Necessity is the engine of drive

Al_Smith

It most likely is what they used to call a "tombstone "Lincoln sold a zillion of them .The real old ones were wound with copper and weighed a ton .Lincoln  like many others started using aluminum .In my opinion  they were not as good as the older models .That said they work also .
A lot of those older copper wound machines no matter who made them did not have a cooling fan .They did not need a fan because of the mass of the windings .
You don't need to have a machine that can burn a 1/4" rod at over 300 amps .A little 200 amp will do just as well it just won't lay down a huge deposit rate .I mean it's not like you are welding plate steel on the side of a battle ship or the hull of an Abrams main battle tank .--which BTW is made in Lima Ohio .

Al_Smith

On that generator deal most likely if you turn the welder down and use 3/32" rods it most likely will run it .
Long long time ago when I was poorer than a wharf rat  I used to hook up two 12 volt batteries in series and weld with them .I used 3/32" fast freeze rods and the jumper cables as a ground and stinger .--a country boy can survive  8) 

Southside

Well it's no wonder we don't have any more battleships in the Navy.  How the heck did they think they would get them out of Lima, OH?  :D
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Sedgehammer

@Al_Smith It's a 'tombstone'. Copper, as very heavy. Tried running it with smaller rod and power turned down. Kicks breaker. 225 amp is prolly as small as I dare go and with nearly everything I do, it's overbuilt, so it'll be 'over' welded. I hate pooh breaking and fixing it again. 

So, if I run power from the current carport (to be remodeled into a cabana pond side and dirty shop road side smaller monitor barn) sub-panel, I could run it to the south side of the new build instead of the north side. Thingy is I'd need to run more internal wire. Other issue there is I'll be maxed out to 200 amps for the shop in total. While i won't be running a welder and various other things constantly, it'll be A/C'd and is 3,555 sq ft. 
Necessity is the engine of drive

Al_Smith

My shop is 60 by 70 4200 sq feet .The electrical service is 200 amp which I can't remember if I used 4/0 or 250 MCM copper .Like I said before it was all salvage stuff including the 2.5"  conduit .I did have to buy the weather head . However even with all the stuff I have it's unlikely if I ever exceed 60 amps .I mean how in the world could I run two metal lathes, a milling machine ,two giant drill presses ,a 5 HP air compressor and weld all at the same time ? I'm pretty fair at that stuff just not that good . ;D
If I  find the time I'll look  on my giant aux hard drive to see if I have a pic or two of the shop that has a 30 by 60 shed roof on the back that is 100 percent welded .I can almost bet there are very few in the country built like it if any .I'll make a new thread other than hog in on this one .

Al_Smith

Quote from: Southside on October 21, 2020, 09:11:15 AM
Well it's no wonder we don't have any more battleships in the Navy.  How the heck did they think they would get them out of Lima, OH?  :D
That's a classic  :D BTW speaking of battle ships I was a  part of a flotilla escorting the USS New Jersey ,BB 62  as it left port in Norfolk out bound for Viet Nam .Of course nobody saw us not being on the surface .If you ever saw a big war horse battle wagon impressive would be an under statement .They have all gone the way of the passenger pigeon .The end of an era rusting away at various locations eventually to be cut up for scrap or towed to sea and sank while they could still float .

Sedgehammer

Quote from: Al_Smith on October 21, 2020, 10:32:20 AM
My shop is 60 by 70 4200 sq feet .The electrical service is 200 amp which I can't remember if I used 4/0 or 250 MCM copper .Like I said before it was all salvage stuff including the 2.5"  conduit .I did have to buy the weather head . However even with all the stuff I have it's unlikely if I ever exceed 60 amps .I mean how in the world could I run two metal lathes, a milling machine ,two giant drill presses ,a 5 HP air compressor and weld all at the same time ? I'm pretty fair at that stuff just not that good . ;D
If I  find the time I'll look  on my giant aux hard drive to see if I have a pic or two of the shop that has a 30 by 60 shed roof on the back that is 100 percent welded .I can almost bet there are very few in the country built like it if any .I'll make a new thread other than hog in on this one .
Basically same thing my sparky told me. I'll prolly be more than fine.

Shop is about the same size as yours if I added the RV lean to. Since it's just storing the RV, it's not usable space for me to be using current. Well, that is unless I'm plugging in the RV.... ;D

Anyways, I think I'll get the welder @Walnut Beast mentioned. Can use that for the lighter welds and there's aplenty of them. That can be run off of my current generator if need be, but can run both from a temp panel. Then I'll use the 'tombstone' for the heavier stuffs, but if needed I can have my welder friend weld with his ranger 8. He's pretty cheap @ $35 mobile.

With that all said, there a chance I'll buy a unit on a truck with a welding bed and torch all set up. If i can buy that for what I think I can, I'm pretty sure I can use it, clean it up and sell it for more than paid, but not ready to pull that chain yet. I'll still buy the fronius though.
Necessity is the engine of drive

mike_belben

The miller bobcat is a mechanic, service truck type welder, it is a high performance generator married to a utility grade welder.


The SA-200 pipeliner that @Al_Smith mentioned is a cult classic boss hog oilfield welder because of its generator construction.  Back then they ran a AC excitor into a DC welding generator to generate true DC where the arc never extinguishes.  Its not a lumpy DC procured from a rectified AC.  The pipeliner AC plug was added in the early 60s i think and itll run a grinder but isnt an impressive genny.  However among the best ever made stick welders in history, they just push rod right into the puddle like no other from what i gather.  Where an aluminum wound head will heat soak and need adjustments up or down with temp change, that heavy copperwound pipeliner is the same performance the first minute as it is in the 9th inning.


I ended up with a ford powered hobart 250 in a trade after giving up waiting for an SA200. There is a huge restoration cult around them.  $$.
Praise The Lord

Walnut Beast

All the suggestions on the generator units are fine. But I think you would be well served with the Fronius Trans Pocket 180 power packed punch at 20 pounds.  Sedgehammer watch the Fabricator Series on Utube where he uses 300 ft of 12 gauge extension cord from Home Depot. Full review. The unit is fully weather proof to. If you need to weld a little thicker it can be done fairly easy with proper prep

Al_Smith

On those old Lincoln 200's you can get parts enough to totally rebuild one .It's about like parts for a modal A Ford .
Back in the day on those old crankers they had a way to motorize the generators .Get one started and spin the others .A cranker is not fun to start at about zero degrees .
Mine has a Continental  engine but they also used 4 cylinder IXKA 3 Hercules flat heads .I have one of those for parts that is electric start .
The 250 Hobart is a flat head Jeep engine . 

Al_Smith

I once looked at a Lincoln 400 amp machine that looked like a small locomotive .Six cylinder flat head engine and must have weighed a ton .Cheap enough just not for me too large .
I used the 600 amp motor generator units set at over 300 amps burning big rods .It was not pleasant .I've still got chicken tracks all over my body from 50 year old weld burns .On that I had two 300 amp stingers I alternated between .They would get so hot you could not hold on to them .Those had 4/0 leads, heavy as lead .

mike_belben

Yeah you can bump start one welder off another.  Its just a big electric motor, after all

My hobart is a 400amp model GF-250, got a 200cu-inch ford 6cyl gas.  
Praise The Lord

Al_Smith

They used 200 Fords for a number of things including a self contained air compressor .Ran on 4  compressed on two .On a welder it was a quiet  running engine .None of those 4 bangers were .I think a Wisconsin was the most noisy .
The 200's had 7 main bearings making them very vibration free .I think the only way to kill them is running out of oil . 

Don P

Quote from: Southside on October 21, 2020, 09:11:15 AM
Well it's no wonder we don't have any more battleships in the Navy.  How the heck did they think they would get them out of Lima, OH?  :D
Which made me think of a tidbit of history, Charlotte was an important naval yard at one time. 

Al_Smith

If you get into the nitty gritty of designs on DC welders you can come up with some interesting examples .The little pancake engine machines used an 18HP air cooled  engine and most of them were a 3 phase alternator rectified to DC .The ripple was not bad but the little engine screamed away at 3600 rpm .On generator usage at maybe 5 KW it ran at 1800 .Many were sold under  Miller, Airco ,Lincoln names and others but they were all just about the same .
Rectified transformer units it depended on the rectification on how smooth they are .With just diodes on single phase they were rough and the fix to that is a PI filter .I went one step farther and used a double PI on the one I rewired from 3 to single phase .I wouldn't say it's as smooth as the famous SA 200 Lincoln but it's pretty close. Besides that it was a freebie .It's not portable but it's a good shop machine .

Don P

Really you can make acceptable welds with a wide variety of machines. Depending on joint design, which is a conversation with the engineer, critical welds could be fabricated in the shop and field welds or bolting can be designed around that. There's really many ways to skin the cat as long as everyone is on board with the conditions.

mike_belben

I built a self propelled weldernator and air compressor from a 10hp snowblower a few years ago, using a york 210 A/C compressor and an alternator from a nissan frontier sitting out back. I needed a big tank and half inch unchecked hose to power my 1" impact for busting mean lugs at the back of the JY. 


  I cut out the voltage regulator but kept the diode bridge and use a 3 way center off switch in the field wire to choose between rheostat control or ford external voltage regulator control of the field current so as to have a charge or weld mode.  

With a new battery it works great but quickly runs battery down then you have to switch and charge up again..  The truth is you need to have 2 alternators on these things for welding any length of time.  A battery to crank it and excite the charging alt's field and then that alternators output fed into the welding alternators field.  Use a rheostat between battery and alt 1s field input to control welding output.  Homemade weldernators are good on trucks because of this 2 alt setup but not so good on standalone gas engines that run on stored field current from a battery.  



I havent got my shop setup or lathe/mills brought down yet, but the first project i have set aside for when i do is building a new welder genny unit.  Ive got a delco 37mt bigrig starter that fell off a truck and  was on the side of the road.. Huge windings, huge brushes, massive iron core.  Im gonna machine high speed bearing endcaps and turn and key the armature shafts for a pulley on front and a lovejoy out the back to mount the excitor alternator piggy backed inline with the delco just like an SA200.  So itll be a 3 phase unegulated AC excitor capable of 150VAC give or take, fed into a stout copper wound direct dc welder head.  its gonna burn some rod.  Something ive been eager to build for a year now.
Praise The Lord

Sedgehammer

Necessity is the engine of drive

Al_Smith

That was another neat design on those pancake engine air cooled .They picked off part of a winding from the alternator for a battery charger circuit which worked weather it was at 3600 or 1800 RPMs running either AC or DC or charging as a generator .I thought it was pretty slick . They also used a double ignition coil that fired both spark plugs like a Harley .Kept the plugs from fouling .

mike_belben

I actually had one and have some pics of it somewhere.. It was a pull start 10hp with just a big alternator but there was definitely some specialized circuitry in it.. Some filtering and large diode bridge for sure.  I gave it to a guy who was more electrical than me at the time and wish now i hadnt.  The armature bearing were shot and at the time it was over my head. 
Praise The Lord

Al_Smith

I've really not done too much on an engine driven machine .Changed a few brushes ,one reostat and one   idle up on an SA 200 but that was over  50 years ago. That one had a starter ,later model .That was in New London Conn. I worked part time at a welding shop when I was in port from going to sea .

Walnut Beast

Anybody got a Miller 350p or Lincoln 360 pulse welder and if so how do they like it

farmfromkansas

About the year 2000, or 1999, I bought a Lincoln engine drive welder generator, powered by a briggs and stratton engine, that I use with a stick to weld away from the power line.  Handy to have one when you don't have enough cords.  Welds well.  My problem right now, is I can't pull hard enough to start it.  Doc says I have to be careful for most of a year.  Secret to getting it started is, always run it out of gas when you are finished with it.
Most everything I enjoy doing turns out to be work

Al_Smith

That's the problem with just about anything engine driven They need some exercise and if they sit too long they get cantankerous ..My old Jeep CJ 5 doesn't want to start for some reason leaving me stuck with a Ferguson TO 20 tractor with a rear blade  to plow snow .That's about one level up from a snow shovel .Works but takes forever plus you get chilled to the bone out in the open .Brrr

wildtmpckjzg

My son just finished welding school and has learned four processes of welding, best tig welder for the money MIG, tig, stick, and pipe. I would like to get a big welder for at-home use so he could also teach my husband and another son how to do welds. Any recommendations on which Miller welder would be good for this application?

snowstorm

The biggest you can afford. I have a 180 miller mig I bought new. A little to small. Also have a 250 esab mig I like that and a miller bobcat nice machine

Al_Smith

From a buyers perspective on a used welder this season right here is almost the best for bargains .Dead of winter ,heating costs, lack of seasonal work ,income tax time . They'll be ready to deal .Craigslist ,local trader publications etc .Cash in hand usually however some like a little boot tossed in like a rusty old shotgun or a half blind coon hound .Maybe even an old pick up truck with a blown engine .The worst they can say is no .
  

wildtmpckjzg

Quote from: gspren on October 20, 2020, 08:28:42 AM
If you aren't keeping it long term then I'd look for a used one if possible. I have a Thermal Arc brand I think Predator model for at least 15 years and I go months at a time without welding but it can power the house during power outages welding atlanta. 20 HP Honda powered. If you can find any known brand used you will likely recoup most of your money.
Does anyone carry a portable welder on their boat? My generate is rated at 6KW so recon I could carry a small unit. I've never done any welding before so happy to take advice. Ideally would like to be able to do both stainless and aluminum?

TroyC

How big of a boat? If you have never welded before, learn to stick weld, then go to MIG. You will discover quickly it is a lot more difficult and costly to weld stainless and aluminum.

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