Stick welder for farm use? (pics)

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I'm in my final year of school for an ag degree from the U of MN, Crookston. After which I'll be farming 270 acres (small farm by today's standards) on my own with older equipment (more frequent repairs). In one of my courses we just finished a 3-week section on stick, mig, and oxy-acet welding. I had never welded before this class. We probably put in no more than 30 min practicing oxy-acet, 5 min on mig, and maybe a couple hrs of stick with 6011, 6013, and 7018 (see pictures). I will have an entire separate class on welding next semester. So, I'm by no means experienced, but should be able to handle the basics after this final year of school. I think a basic stick AC/DC welder would be a good fit for my first welder, and for a farm setting. What should I be looking for on Craigslist? I was thinking of something around $300 but would be open to spending more, maybe up to $500? The only thing I've thought of so far is a Lincoln AC/DC 225. I played with the idea of a generator/welder for portability but they're just too expensive for me at this point. I do have a 50 ft 220 extension cord. I want something that can handle most minor to moderate farm repair situations, but it doesn't have to be the be-all end-all. I can upgrade in the future but it'd be great if I didn't have to for a good while. On the weekends I'm either in Crookston (for school), St. Paul/Minneapolis (for girlfriend), near Alexandria (for farm), or Detroit Lakes/Fargo-Moorhead (for parents). So basically any of those places or any place between them is a Craigslist possibility. Any help is very much appreciated. 60136011 vertical up weld7018
Reply:Miller thunderbolt or Hobart stickmate.Can be found in the $300-$400 range most days.Lincolns are a little low on DC, at 125amps. and tapped settings.Miller and Hobart are 150amps DC, with infinite amperage adjustment.Good luck and best regards,~John
Reply:Might want to check out the Esab miniarc 161 LTS. 410$ from bakers gas , 160 amps and 115 or 230 voltage. About 100 amp output on 115 volt.
Reply:Get yourself a basic inverter stick machine, i have a unimig 170 amp inverter caddy at home, for farm use you wont need anythong fancy, as  long as it runs a 7018/7016 rod.Sent from my LG-P716 using Tapatalk
Reply:Thanks for the replies. Found a couple Thunderbolts. Any comments on the differences between the two?https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/c...693736044.htmlhttp://stcloud.craigslist.org/for/4671411042.html
Reply:YesBuy the second newer one with the 200 amp DC output.  That machine will last you virtually forever, but field repairs will be tough.  You'll need a 10,000 watt generator.  The ESAB recommended above will run off a 5000 watt Genny for field repairs.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:First CL ad............"not the one in the picture"   Gotta wonder what the actual one for sale looks likeThe second one is a STEAL.  BUY ITFar as field repairs go.......You really won't find that many instances where you'll actually need a portable machine.  Somewhere down the road you probably ought to pick up an engine drive, but it can wait.  My engine drive sits most of the time.  It's a standby generator, fence machine, and power source for my Arc Air, and LN-25."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:220 mig, I have farmed over 20 years and have worked on every type of farm equipment in the north east. I did my neighbors welding repairs, they had a stick welder of there own. Between the two neighbors they farm about 5000 acres. I have a miller thunderbolt also but the mig is more versatile.
Reply:Your welding is looking excellent for only a few hours btw I'm a fan of the miller Dialarcs since they can be had cheap and have a lot of power - mine was $225.But nothing wrong with Thunderbolts either - the DC is pretty low on the base model but they work really well.That 300/200 in St. Cloud is a bargain.On the flip side, inverters work good too.  My miller was about $200 used.Plus they work on smaller generators so you don't have to buy an engine drive.The miller 150 amp inverter runs on a 5000/6250 generator very well.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Like Farmersamm said on the second one . Newer current model, cheap price in my area for sure. Take CASH, try it , and  buy it for $300.00Do you have ample power to run it ? A  220 volt line on a 50 amp breaker would be required.
Reply:Originally Posted by Ksnyder220 mig, I have farmed over 20 years and have worked on every type of farm equipment in the north east. I did my neighbors welding repairs, they had a stick welder of there own. Between the two neighbors they farm about 5000 acres. I have a miller thunderbolt also but the mig is more versatile.
Reply:I'd agree that 2nd Tbolt is a great deal. Just check 1st and make sure it is for 220/240 power not 460 or something odd like that. I've seen a few of the odd power Tbolts out there on occasion. Not frequent, but a few guys learned the hard way that they weren't the "deal" they thought they were getting. He is showing it with an old style 220v plug in one picture, but it's not connected. Just check the label on the machine.Old Dialarcs and Idealarcs are also great machines if you can locate them inexpensively. They often go for less than the more typical AC/DC 225 Lincolns or Miller Tbolts, even though the Dialarcs and Idealarcs are better industrial machines..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Thanks for all the info and advise. Also thanks for the compliment Dave  I've been waiting all day for a response to the email I sent inquiring about the 300/200 Tbolt. Unfortunately I just checked the ad and it's been removed  Sucks. I had my heart set on picking up an awesome first welder this weekend. Back to the craigslist search grind.
Reply:Originally Posted by abarsn180Thanks for all the info and advise. Also thanks for the compliment Dave  I've been waiting all day for a response to the email I sent inquiring about the 300/200 Tbolt. Unfortunately I just checked the ad and it's been removed  Sucks. I had my heart set on picking up an awesome first welder this weekend. Back to the craigslist search grind.
Reply:Originally Posted by abarsn180Thanks for all the info and advise. Also thanks for the compliment Dave  I've been waiting all day for a response to the email I sent inquiring about the 300/200 Tbolt. Unfortunately I just checked the ad and it's been removed  Sucks. I had my heart set on picking up an awesome first welder this weekend. Back to the craigslist search grind.
Reply:The holy grail and mother of all farm shop welders.
Reply:Wait till Spring, go to the local Gas & Steam Engine Show grounds for the Spring Swap Meet. You'll find a T-Bolt for $135 or so. As the guys hauling the stuff out of there sheds are looking to unload. I saw one last Spring at Baraboo, at Jefferson Car Swap Meet there were 3 Lincolns and 2 Millers all were less than $150. Craigslist is fine but disappointing at times as pricing is based on replacement cost plus depreciation.
Reply:Drujinin, your prices are about the upper end of what I expect to see for Ac only stick units around me. The AC/DC ones are usually a bit more, starting around $250 or so.As Pipeliner mentioned that AC/DC Idealarc he posted pictures of is one of the nicest stick machines out there, and they show up fairly regularly. Lots more power and a nicer arc than the box store Lincolns, and even beat to death ones just keep going and going.It wouldn't hurt to take a minute and add your location to your profile so we know where you are at. You never know when someone here is close to you. I've passed on deals to members I know have been looking for something in the past. Some one else posts it up off of CL and I notice that the location is close by to someone like you who was looking for a machine, and pass it on. Also helps when asking questions about where to hunt for something or where the best place local is to buy materials etc..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I bought 200 feet of 1/0 leads for $350.  The fellow was thoughtful enough to attach them to an Idealarc so I'd have a place to hang them.  And a cart to roll them around."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:Originally Posted by PipelinerThe holy grail and mother of all farm shop welders.
Reply:A welding school teaches you to weld.It don't make you a weldor.Experience and luck makes you a weldor....IMHO,~John
Reply:I like the engine drive machines for farm work. You often see the Lincoln WeldAndPower 225 ac/DC and the miller Bluestar 2E/AEAD machines for the $500 range. These machines are superb stick welders and also make good mobile generator power.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Whatever you do don't go with a mig. Try welding up a plow when the winds blowing and and there just not practical for ranch use, get your basic stick machine like that idle arc or even a buzz box. There cheap reliable and there fast. No maintenance or consumable parts and you can use your 6011 farm all rods or whatever you prefer! Flip the switch and get it done, everytime!Last edited by texasbest2006; 10-11-2014 at 12:17 AM.
Reply:Idealarc the best, you can tig ,gouge. And with a LN -25 mig too.
Reply:Originally Posted by AKweldshopMiller thunderbolt or Hobart stickmate.Can be found in the $300-$400 range most days.Lincolns are a little low on DC, at 125amps. and tapped settings.Miller and Hobart are 150amps DC, with infinite amperage adjustment.Good luck and best regards,~JohnOriginally Posted by SuperArcThe new Millers and Hobarts put out 160 DC amps now, but their model numbers don't indicate that. Look at the respective "spec" sheets for each machine and you'll see.I'm sure for "small farm" work, even a Lincoln AC/DC-225/125 buzz box would work just fine.
Reply:Originally Posted by copeHow many generations of farmers have gotten by just fine on AC buzz boxes?
Reply:This is what I have on the nursery. I need to weld some 8in channel to the bottom so it doesn't get tipsy when I move it with the forklift. I have 30ft of ground lead and 90ft of Stinger. Then the o/a on the back. With the 60 degree weather we've had in the swamp lately ill drag it outside the shop and work as nice as its been Attached Images
Reply:I've been farming for over 30 years and that DC machine is still on my wish list. If you can find one of those "holy grail" AC/DC machines for under $400 I'd say go for it. Around here they still go for over $400 - $500 at any of the farm auctions I've attended. That being said I've done most of my welding with the old Forney AC machine, easily obtained for less than $100 these days (I only picked up the Sears as a spare because it was so cheap...$40). With new AC/DC Lincolns selling for $700 I don't see the point in paying over $400 for something that could have problems. My MIG and OA are relatively new additions, nice to have but if you're starting out and pushed for cash, just get a decent buzz box to get you in gear. I have a generator so I can make repairs in the field with it, but as previously mentioned I've only had to do that a couple times. Dry straw and sparks don't get along very well.Last edited by whtbaron; 10-12-2014 at 12:04 PM.250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes