ac versus dc welding

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can someone give me some advice on purchasing a dc welder. I have 2 Lincoln ac welders but i have heard so much about how much better the dc welding is i am thinking of purchasing another Lincoln ac-dc welder.  I only weld mild steel so would i accomplish a lot by purchasing the ac-dc welder.  thanks for your help.   McCoy w
Reply:DC is so much nicer to weld with. Have you ever thought about getting a tig machine? They will usually do DC arc welding and tig opens up soooo much more!!City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Get the DC. It's a whole new world.
Reply:You probably would not use AC if you had an AC/DC machine, unless you tig Aluminum.
Reply:I agree... DC is pretty much all I ever use, runs alot smoother. If I had to choose between a AC or DC welder it would be DC hands down no question. But there are times AC comes in handy for welding steel, so its always nice to have the option of both. BTW- Tanglediver, wheres the dime? you cant size reference with a penny!Last edited by CaptainWilly; 02-25-2008 at 10:20 AM.I like to party!
Reply:one penny X10= a dime
Reply:I have a Maxstar 200 STR, and ESAB 203 Mig, and an old Airco 180 AC Buzz Box.  I  I sometimes use the old Airco 180 AC Buzz Box out of habit.   I know that DC is nicer.  Should I throw away my old buzz box and just use the Maxstar?Jim
Reply:OK, I'll stick my neck out and be the black sheep.  I own both a 230V single phase and engine driven AC\DC welders.  Buy a DC welder if you feel the need for running the high strength, low-hydrogen rods like 7018 and stronger.  If you now only use 6011, 6012, 6013 and 7014 mild steel rods, it might not be worth the added expense.  Many times there's not that big a difference.  Sometimes none at all.  Certainly, DC only rods aren't cheaper than AC\DC rods.  And you're not going to get deeper penetration by simply switching the knob from AC to DC.Having direct current isn't the magic wand some folks make it out to be.  Don't get caught up in the hype or peni$ envy of having DC capability.  Some folks don't need it.  You might be one of them.Let the flames begin.
Reply:OK, This not a flame, just pointing out some advantages of DC over AC. From Lincoln's website: K1170-AC225 (tomestone) welder-$404: K1297-AC/DC225/125 (tomestone) welder-$621. Not a big difference. The DC gives you the option to weld with any rod you want. Any AC rod will run on DC and do it smoother than on AC. 6010 rods (DC reverse only) will give you deeper penetration than 6011 and they are easier to run stringers with. You can also run stainless and aluminum with a DC machine if the need arises. I started out with an AC machine and still have it but a big DC converter resides on top it because DC is so much more versatile. I've run Lincoln SA 200's for a lot of years but my current portable is a Ranger 250 which set on pipe mode welds just like an SA 200. The only time I would have liked to have AC capability was when repairing a cattle guard made from magnitized drill pipe but they are doable with DC.
Reply:There is a real world price differential for those 2 tombstones of $187.  If, like my Weldanpower, there were only a 15 amp loss of max current (225AC versus 210DC) I could see buying the AC\DC machine IF it was really needed.  But losing 100 amps somewhere inside the machine is unacceptable in my book.  So if your job requires a rod larger than 1/8th inch, you're screwed and MUST use AC anyway because only having 125 amps DC is a very limiting factor.I dearly love the Lincoln Electric products I own.  But I wouldn't waste my hard earned $$$ on that AC\DC tombstone.  125 max DC amps is not worth $187 extra to me.  There's countless thousands of the old reliable AC tombstones around because they have power out the wazoo.  Just how many would have been sold over the decades if their max power was only 125 amps AC?  Not too many, I'd venture.  But hey, what do I know?  I'm not a pipe welder.  My bread & butter is out of position, rusty farm equipment.
Reply:I was AC only for years, it weds just fine but DC is a lot nicer to use!Me!
Reply:after reading all the reveiws i still have one more question. i only use 6011,6013,7014 rods now for the final question would i still benfit to get the dc welder.   thanks for your help
Reply:Originally Posted by prop-doctorone penny X10= a dime
Reply:It's true that the Lincoln AC/DC 225/125 has less current on DC. That has to do with the loss through the large bridge rectifier that produces the DC. OTOH, Lincoln says that the 125 DC is sufficient for 1/8" rod. I'm sure you could do some very nice welding with 125 amps on 1/8" 7018 for example if you didn't try to do material that's too large. You can also make more than one pass. I had an AC 225 Lincoln for a long time and I never did large thicknesses with it. I never turned it up all the way in any case on AC. I sure wished for the DC at times, though, due to the broad spectrum of rod that it opens up to the user. DC is very smooth and well worth having for the difference in cost.The equivalent Miler AC/DC stick welder has a bit more power than the Lincoln on DC and it's pretty competitive on price. The nice thing about the Lincoln Miller and other "Buzz Boxes" is that they have proven themselves to be absolutely reliable over long periods of time. Ask any farmer! LOL  http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Cat...et.aspx?p=2494http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...bolt_xl_ac_dc/
Reply:I wouldn't go ac/dc, just to try it.  I went to a portable dc welder and dc inverter also for portable use.  I still used a $25 ac machine at my shop.  It set in a corner with 100' cables, very convient and did what I needed.  I have since sold the ac machine and use a small dc inverter.    I would agree with 69 chevy, while you would notice a difference, it is not magic.  I use the same rod, mostly 6013 though.Look around find a good deal and go for it.
Reply:In my opinion, if you really want dc and you have a few more square feet of space, a better buy is to grab a used miller dialarc (standard) or the equivilant quality lincoln.  You probably will not pay much (if any) more for one of those and you will end up with a much better machine.  It will not be portable and will take up about twice the space, but a lincoln tombstone ac/dc really isn't too portable either.  With these machines, you don't lose as much amperage in dc, and you get much better adjustability of amperage and a higher duty cycle.  I just sold my almost 20 year-old dialarc still welding like it was new,  and my dad still has the 40+ year-old dialarc I bought to keep at his place that probably welds better.  The lincolns are no less durable or reliable...just with a little difference in features.  There is simply very little to go wrong on big old standard ac/dc welders...for that matter, you could try to find a used ac/dc tombstone...I see them regularly enough on craigslist.AC has its uses, but I prefer dc in many situations.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:What about spatter on AC?DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RWhat about spatter on AC?David