I've been reading a lot and I'm ready to buy, well almost

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I've been reading a lot of good info on here and all across the internet about learning to weld.  I'm ready to get to the hands on portion.  I want to go in the arc/stick direction with my first welder.  Now, the choice that I am stuck on right now is whether or not I need to get an AC/DC stick welder or if an AC will work just fine as a first.  I've read the differences about splatter, sticking, and how good the weld looks between the two (most sources were consistent).  I also read that DC is easier to use than AC.  What I am trying to figure out is how much of a difference is there between using AC vs. DC with stick welding because I need to know if I need to spend a little extra to get the DC option.I'm going to be learning on a broken bbq smoker, then building my own then possibly mounting one on a trailer.  Do I really need to spend the extra money to have the option of using the DC or will AC work just fine?  None of the materials are too thick so I figured I could get away with some 3/32 6011.  How much of a machine do I need?There is a guy with an older Lincoln 225 that wants 100 bucks for it locally.  Would this be a good first welder to get my feet wet?  I will of course dry them before I start.Thanks in advance.
Reply:You cannot go wrong with the Lincoln. Most folks call it the Tombstone because of its looks and weight. But Lincoln has been around the start of welding. The Tombstones are very easy to learn on. Parts and Service are available most anywhere. You can go to Lincoln's site and download the manual and even learn how to arc weld.Most farms and welding welds have one.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:My first "real" arc-welder was just that (a Lincoln AC225) and I still have it- I love it and won't ever part with it.  In my opinion, it's an excellent welder to start with- they're good, dependable, have plenty of power and will probably be handed down to your grandkids one day.    You know the advantages of DC over AC and to answer your question, yes of course, you're going to have to pay more for that extra little lever.  For the Lincoln AC225, I believe when I priced mine, the difference was almost 200 dollars more for the AC/DC225.  You didn't mention the thickness on your smoker but you can turn the output down to 40 Amps on the AC225, which unless your smoker is really light sheet metal, will be fine.  If your metal is on the lighter end, consider some 5/64" or even 1/16" rods. In my opinion, DC is nice but save the money because after finishing your smoker, you'll be hooked and will already be looking at a MIG or TIG.  Lincoln AC225 & MigPak 140, Lincoln Magnum SpoolGun, Miller Spectrum 375-X Plasma, Syncrowave 200 TIG, Millermatic 252 MIG, Miller Digital Elite, General 7x12" horiz/vert bandsaw, 3' box/pan brake, 20 ton press, milling machine, 12x28 lathe, etc.
Reply:i also started with the 0l cracker box (lincoln 225accan't go wrong with onebut if you  opt to go AC/DC you have a larger selection of rods (dc)and you can add on a scratch start (air cooled) TIG on the DC side  the 100 bux is a good start [you can allways sell and up gradeidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tigidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tig #2 used for sticklincoln sp100hh125dual arbor grinder polisher30 yrs of hand tools52 pitch blocks 6p-26prake gauge -pitch gaugeG&D prop repair 918-207-6938Hulbert,okla 74441
Reply:Most of the stick welding you do is DC, but you can't go wrong with a AC/DC rectifier welder. Do yourself a favor and get one that does both AC/DC ... If you ever want to expand your welding ideas you'll have more options. Heck an old Tristar buzz box is AC/DC and you can grab them for about 150.00 if you really want something dirt cheap.. You need AC for aluminum, but as said most Stick welding is DC unless of course you're using rods designed for both AC/DC ..
Reply:I also started out with an AC only machine. Several years later I found a steal on an AC/DC machine I could not pass up. Is there a difference? Some, but not much. Still, I almost always run DC with mine and only use AC to show guys who are learning and have an AC machine of their own. If you can find a good deal on an AC/DC get it. If you don't, don't worry, the AC machine will do almost every thing you want now, and if you keep it nice, you can sell it for the $100 you paid for it or close to it..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:ac id nice for lighter gauge material such as your smoker, ac welding has equal penetration and deposition of filler depending on rod, where dc usually has more pen than ac
Reply:For getting your feet wet, the tombstone is great. Once you're ready to dive in sell the tombstone for what you paid for it (maybe a fresh coat of paint and sell it for more) then get yourself a nicer unit with the bells and whistles you want.
Reply:Thanks for all the input.  Seems like Lincoln makes a quality product from what I'm hearing.  I'll have to give it a try and see if I can manage to put down some kind of bead.  I do know how to operate the angle grinder so I'm not too worried.  Thanks again.
Reply:Originally Posted by cpbrock3I've been reading a lot of good info on here and all across the internet about learning to weld.  I'm ready to get to the hands on portion.  I want to go in the arc/stick direction with my first welder.  Now, the choice that I am stuck on right now is whether or not I need to get an AC/DC stick welder or if an AC will work just fine as a first.  I've read the differences about splatter, sticking, and how good the weld looks between the two (most sources were consistent).  I also read that DC is easier to use than AC.  What I am trying to figure out is how much of a difference is there between using AC vs. DC with stick welding because I need to know if I need to spend a little extra to get the DC option.I'm going to be learning on a broken bbq smoker, then building my own then possibly mounting one on a trailer.  Do I really need to spend the extra money to have the option of using the DC or will AC work just fine?  None of the materials are too thick so I figured I could get away with some 3/32 6011.  How much of a machine do I need?There is a guy with an older Lincoln 225 that wants 100 bucks for it locally.  Would this be a good first welder to get my feet wet?  I will of course dry them before I start.Thanks in advance.
Reply:In case any newbies might be thinking it was serious advice, the previous post about the Invertec/Dynasty was a joke.      You could buy yourself a pretty decent car for the money those machines would cost.Lincoln AC225 & MigPak 140, Lincoln Magnum SpoolGun, Miller Spectrum 375-X Plasma, Syncrowave 200 TIG, Millermatic 252 MIG, Miller Digital Elite, General 7x12" horiz/vert bandsaw, 3' box/pan brake, 20 ton press, milling machine, 12x28 lathe, etc.
Reply:I just bought a stick welder, and am new to welding also.  I'm at the point when it's time to weld, but I can't keep an arc on the tank, like I can with other steel; using 6013.  So if you'd let me know how yours turns out, and how you did it, I'd appreciate it.
Reply:buy the lincoln you won't be sorry. They are practically bullet proof, run forever and need nothing. I personally like AC over DC, but that is just me and I am sure I will get flammed for it,,,,,,, I have a tendancy to pick up used pipe and alot of it is magnatized or has some other allergy,,,lol. I get tired of dc arc blow and Ac works better for me for the kind of welding I usually do with stick. For $100 you can't loose.
Reply:J Diener- try some 6011 rods and see what they do for you. They will penetrate through rust,paint etc. Not saying for sure that is your prob, but give it a try.