Another Noob with an old buzz box . . . Linde 230 :)

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Greetings,I'm new to welding.  I'm taking a class at a local community college and have acquired a very old Linde 230 Welder  - AC stick welder.  I'm learning to weld in order to be able to not have to run to the "welder guy" I know when working on my motorcycles. My questions/problems are the following. 1. I can't seem to find ANY info on this box.  That's not that big of a deal, I guess - I know the "high" port is generally for cutting only (from another post on this fine board - been using the search!) and there really is only one setting on this box.  That said, I'd love it if someone had a manual or any more info.  I've called ESAB and looked in their archives.  Nothing.  Anyone even know what year this thing is?2. I don't have leads - so I am making some - I've got the correct cable, a stinger, work clamp - but I can't find any plug ends to plug into the welder.  Any ideas or suggestions?Many thanks in advance for any advice.  Trying to post a picture with this message.Rick Attached Images
Reply:I see nobody else has answered you, so let me say Welcome Aboard.Not being familier with that area of the country that is neither Maryland or Virginia, I can throw out a couple of SWAG's.   Your instructor might point you to a LWS (local welding supplier) who can fix you up with plugs, or maybe somebody local will give you some useful information.Once you strike an arc, and burn a few rods in class, you might stumble on to what works best.Best of luck and enjoy your Linde in good health.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:Hi Linde230,   That welder is made by Century, there should be a model # somewhere on the front of the unit something like 110-xxx which will help identify it.   There is not much to the operation of the welder, the 3-cornered knob loosens and tightens the movable shunt, which is adjusted by the big lever  with the round handle. If the shunt does not move freely when the knob is loose, you should open the case and grease all the moving parts inside.The "high" setting is not for cutting, it is for welding with E6013 electrodes. The "low" setting is for welding with any other AC-compatible electrode (6011, 7018AC, etc.).The connector you need for the cables is Lenco part # UP-10. You can find them on-line if your LWS doesn't have them.HTH,JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Some one with much more knowledge answered your question while I was typing   glad you got a good answer anyway I am curious what you found that said the high was for cutting?From what I can see and having used a few old welders Think of the  3 lugs this way one is the ground should be marked - then think of the high and Low as a selector switch on a more modern welder, your other control looks like it is a slide.So you plug into the low tap and adjust your amperage up  form say the beginning of the slide maybe 25 amps to the other end of the slide say 140 amps. If you want more than 140 amps then you would plug into the High plug and the low side of your slide might be 85amps and the other end of the slide would be your max amps of 230.I am just guessing on the Amp #s but that should be how it works, hope I didn't confuse you Last edited by JPS; 04-20-2013 at 10:30 PM.
Reply:Hello and welcome. I know Tweco has the plug connectors for that machine. I'm pretty sure it uses the same ones some of the older Montgomery Wards and Craftsmans do. I believe the fitting you are looking for is a Tweco 1-M-T Cable Connector, Machine Plug (4-2-1) That would be for 4ga, 2 ga or 1 ga cable. The Tweco 2-M-T Cable Connector, Machine Plug (1/0, 2/0, 3/0) is for the larger cable. I don't have the hard copy of the Tweco catalog in front of me. I'm going off a quick search at Victors Tweeco site and what I could pull up on Google images for the catalog, so I could be wrong. The catalog does give dimensions, so that can get you close. If that isn't the right one, I 'm pretty sure the part number has been posted up here before, it's just going to take a ton of digging to locate it. I'd just try to get my hands on a hard copy of the catalog and thumb thru the pages until I spotted what I think is the end, and then start looking at the specs.http://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/vi...53243-_54.htmlStick wouldn't be my 1st choice for bike work except maybe brackets and so on. That said stick is very useful for any number of projects and many places teach it as the stepping stone for other processes like mig and tig..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:take it to a welding store or a tsc or somwhere and see if you can find them local or order online for the jacks. Good luck and welcome. there is lots to learn from the guys here. When I joined I went back thru the posts about 6 years, I learned a lot too. like I said good luck.Miller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:Thanks everyone!  Great info.   Appreciate the help.UP-10 plugs on order.Serial number W114989.Rick Attached Images
Reply:This welder must wander around a bit.  The exact same photo is on the Hobart site from 2005. http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtal...3&d=1132805258Dave J.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:Yeah - I used someone else's photo.    but it's the exact same model!The serial number is from my own unit tho.Cheers and thanks,Rick Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveThis welder must wander around a bit.  The exact same photo is on the Hobart site from 2005. http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtal...3&d=1132805258Dave J.
Reply:Originally Posted by JPSSome one with much more knowledge answered your question while I was typing   glad you got a good answer anyway I am curious what you found that said the high was for cutting?From what I can see and having used a few old welders Think of the  3 lugs this way one is the ground should be marked - then think of the high and Low as a selector switch on a more modern welder, your other control looks like it is a slide.So you plug into the low tap and adjust your amperage up  form say the beginning of the slide maybe 25 amps to the other end of the slide say 140 amps. If you want more than 140 amps then you would plug into the High plug and the low side of your slide might be 85amps and the other end of the slide would be your max amps of 230.I am just guessing on the Amp #s but that should be how it works, hope I didn't confuse you
Reply:I had that welder many years ago and I ran the snot out of it before it finally died. It's made by Century and sold under many names like craftsman, monky wards, Linde, and many other names. It's a good tough welder that should last many years. One thing about those welders,  if you take the cover off and look at the windings you will see what looks like copper wire. It's not solid copper it's copper coated aluminum wire. Century used this kind of wire in all most all their welders. I know as I striped out the wire in the welder I had to sell as scrap. When I got to the recycle place they laughed at me and cut the end off and showed me it was copper coated aluminum wire. The recycle place told me to throw it in the trash.