How Crappy will my welder weld?

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Ive go a lincoln AC 225. Its probibly 10 years old with a new paint job and wheel package. I havent gotten an extention cord yet and have still not welded with it. I have been welding with some pretty good machines at school. My best friends dad told me it usually comes out alot worse then any other dc machine. Will it be worth it for me to keep this thing to learn on...and never sell it...Or sell it and buy something better? For now Im going to keep it and see how it welds...
Reply:Those are great little machines. Use AC compatable rods and it'll do a tone of work for ya.
Reply:Nothing wrong w/ the old red "tombstone".No, it doesn't compare to a good DC machine. It's a good one to learn on,just stay w/6010,6011 &6013 AC rods. It will make you appreciate the new one down the road even more. I think a buzzbox is good to learn on as it makes you pay closer attention to technique.               JMHO,                        MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:arent 6011s an ac dc rod... Ive talked to alot of people and there like, "use ac specific" 6011 Should be it!?!? how much do you think its worth? I just found out I need to round out the top prong, it got flattened.... I dont know how much money I should put into it.
Reply:The 6011's are AC/DC, and work great for general pupose. 6013's are AC/DC too and are great if you are working new iron and like a little more of a production look. Other attributes involved but that's the quick rundown.how much do you think its worth? I just found out I need to round out the top prong, it got flattened.... I dont know how much money I should put into it.
Reply:Originally Posted by evolixsurfIve go a lincoln AC 225. Its probibly 10 years old with a new paint job and wheel package. I havent gotten an extention cord yet and have still not welded with it. I have been welding with some pretty good machines at school. My best friends dad told me it usually comes out alot worse then any other dc machine. Will it be worth it for me to keep this thing to learn on...and never sell it...Or sell it and buy something better? For now Im going to keep it and see how it welds...
Reply:My first welder was a Lincoln 180 that I had for over twenty years.  I bought it for 140 and sold it for 100.  I have regretted it ever since.  It never missed a beat and sat quietly in the corner until I needed it again.  These Lincoln stick machines are perfect for the home user .... unless you are doing bodywork.
Reply:I got one right out of high school...I was never dissatisfied with it's performace.  When I got the money, I moved up, but only because I wanted to do more, not because the lincoln was a bad welder.  For the price new they are pretty hard to beat.  I sold mine for $100 15 years after paying $179, and it still worked like new.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:I have some 7018 AC rod that runs beautifully. Nothing wrong with your old welder. It's just not as versatile regarding choice of rod. All you need is AC-compatible rod and you're good to go.
Reply:i used one in High School back in 1968, bought a new one last year. figured i would hand it down to my son, after they pry my cold dead fingers from it, in the future, whenever that is.... it welds great with all AC rods, might be a handful when you decided to use a 6010 which is a DC only rod. but 6011 is good just got to grind off a lot of splatter... 7018AC is awesome rod.MikeHH210Hobart Champ 10KLincoln Buzz BoxCampbell Hausfeld 115Victor JourneymanMilwaukee 14" Chop Saw7" Chop Saw4/12" horz band sawmetal benderother toys forthcoming.
Reply:Last winter, I was given an old 225AC for free.   It was made in '78 and had been idle in in a storage unit since '83.      After replacing the cables and clamps, it welds just fine.There are no small projects
Reply:I would fix the plug and keep it.  A new plug doesn't cost much, and the tombstones are nearly indestructible.  I have a 180AC that I bought in late  '68 or early '69, it's never missed a beat.  Paid $80 or $88 for it new at Tractor Supply Co., can't remember anymore.  Wish I had a $ for every rod that ol' welder has burned, would also love to have wages for all the hours spent putting roll cages in with it!!When the  drops the  stops!Check out my website at:  Tombstone 180 ACHandler 120Millermatic 210Powermax 380Harris & Victor torchesSawzallChop Saw
Reply:Where did you get the cable? I need an extension cable, and the regular cable (its damaged). I wish I had a big outlet in my garage I looked in home depot, they couldnt make me the correct extension. I need one from my washer to my welder outside. about 25' min. If anyone knows where to get one for cheap or how to make it(i know 10g wire) It would be greatly appreciated.EDIT wheeres the lincold used or new parts online stores?????
Reply:My welder was old when I got it for $40. Attached Images
Reply:The 225 was my first welder.  I would suggest it to anyone who wants to arc weld at a very low cost.Ironheart...Beat it to fit, paint it to match
Reply:Originally Posted by evolixsurfWhere did you get the cable? I need an extension cable, and the regular cable (its damaged). I wish I had a big outlet in my garage I looked in home depot, they couldnt make me the correct extension. I need one from my washer to my welder outside. about 25' min. If anyone knows where to get one for cheap or how to make it(i know 10g wire) It would be greatly appreciated.EDIT wheeres the lincold used or new parts online stores?????
Reply:I've got a $10 lincoln buzz box that needs to be cleaned up and updated.  I've heard that you can change the box from one with leads to one with plugs on the front like some of the other welders have.  does anyone know it that's possible?
Reply:The A/C buzzbox will do most anything that needs doing but, if you want D/C, you can convert your tombstone by building yourself a double wave rectifier.  All you need is four heavy duty diodes and a D/C capacitor.  I ran a rig like that for years
Reply:oh man they used them to weld up the piramids awsome plant but  the only electrode i could ever use with ac is a oerlikon supertrode although i dont think your supposed to or if you can find some wack it up and use an old shield arc
Reply:Originally Posted by WillieBThe A/C buzzbox will do most anything that needs doing but, if you want D/C, you can convert your tombstone by building yourself a double wave rectifier.  All you need is four heavy duty diodes and a D/C capacitor.  I ran a rig like that for years
Reply:Ironheart, check it out at http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_3/chpt_3/4.html  I went to night school so I don't understand half of what I know about electricity. As I recall, the instructions I had when I built the contraption said that a capacitor wired between the positive and negative D/C leads acts as a sort of baffle and flattens out the peaks in the current.  A friend who worked for the local power company said i needed a D/C capicitor and he happened to have one on hand.  As far as what makes it different from an A/C capicitor, you got me.
Reply:Originally Posted by WillieBIronheart, check it out at http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_3/chpt_3/4.html  I went to night school so I don't understand half of what I know about electricity. As I recall, the instructions I had when I built the contraption said that a capacitor wired between the positive and negative D/C leads acts as a sort of baffle and flattens out the peaks in the current.  A friend who worked for the local power company said i needed a D/C capicitor and he happened to have one on hand.  As far as what makes it different from an A/C capicitor, you got me.
Reply:Originally Posted by IronheartI guess my point was converting an AC welder to DC is not as simple as it was being made out to be.  Diodes that can handle 225 amps are very large and costly.
Reply:I didn't want to hijack your thread, but I've been pondering such a conversion myself.  If you're interested, check it out- there might be some good feedback!Hobart Stickmate LX AC/DC, Millermatic 252 & 30A spoolgun, Thermal Arc 185 TIG, Miller BWESmith Oxy-AcBridgeport 2J , South Bend 42" 9AHusky 7.5 HP 22.3 CFM 80 gal compressor
Reply:I bought my buzz box in 1961 and used it until last year when I got at TA 185 tig that has stick capability also. I sold it to a friend for $100 which is probably about what I paid for it. I'm not convinced that the new machine does any better job on AC and it seems to be harder to strike a new rod than the old machine. I can't tell you how many projects have been built over the years with that machine and it still works as good as the day I bought it. You can make spectacular looking welds using 7014 rod as long as you have a smooth and consistent technique. I wish my tig welds looked as good.JimCut an MGB and widened 11" C4 Corvette suspension and LT1 Chevrolet power & 6 spd. Pictures here:Part 1http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,7581Part 2http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,22422OK...  You guys sucked me in. Here is a link to a supply of diodes:  http://www.4starelectronics.com/part...chResults.aspx If the link should fail the name of the place is 4-Star ElectronicsThis site may be of some intrest.  It describes how to build a MIG welder:http://home8.inet.tele.dk/jan_p/welder/mig1.htmHave fun...Ironheart...Beat it to fit, paint it to match
Reply:Here is one more site that might be use...http://www.dawntreader.net/hvgroup/welder.htmlIronheart...Beat it to fit, paint it to match