Air arc question.

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We have a 185 miller portable welder at work and I would like to get an air arc ( gouger) for the shop truck. My question is this welder big enough to run one till we get a bigger welder on there?. We build 48 row corn planters and might have to fix something fairly big in the field some day soon. Maybe have to use 3/16 carbon? Thanks Harold
Reply:You might get it to run 1/8 or possibly 5/32 carbons. All in all I'd say your machine is too light to handle air arc. It takes just about everything a Bobcat 250 has to run 3/16 carbons.Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:You didn't say what kind of 185 Miller portable welder you have.   If it's a 185 stick/tig machine, it should work for carbons.   If it's a 185 mig, I don't know if that would work or not.  Air arc is usually done with a constant current stick welder with high duty cycle.  Migs are constant voltage and usually not very high on duty cycle.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by DesertRider33You didn't say what kind of 185 Miller portable welder you have.   If it's a 185 stick/tig machine, it should work for carbons.   If it's a 185 mig, I don't know if that would work or not.  Air arc is usually done with a constant current stick welder with high duty cycle.  Migs are constant voltage and usually not very high on duty cycle.
Reply:i found a way to use a cv power source to air arc. what i would do was turn off the gas, turn my wfs down all the way. voltage was what i adjusted to use the air arc. and it worked very very well. i dont know if its bad for the machine. but i did this for years with a cv 400 lincoln power source and never had a problem with the machine. i also of course had to keep the trigger held down to get power to the carbon electrode. i would just lay it down on the trigger. might be some other way to do it that you wouldnt have to hold the trigger down. not sure how though. guess it would depend on machine options.only thing worse than an ugly woman is an ugly weld
Reply:That's an ingenious way of solving the problem.  I bet that 400 cv Lincoln had a very hefty duty cycle.  The old Miller CP250's we used at work were 100% duty at 250 amps.   There was practically nothing that could kill them.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by El_Lloydeoi found a way to use a cv power source to air arc. what i would do was turn off the gas, turn my wfs down all the way. voltage was what i adjusted to use the air arc. and it worked very very well. i dont know if its bad for the machine. but i did this for years with a cv 400 lincoln power source and never had a problem with the machine. i also of course had to keep the trigger held down to get power to the carbon electrode. i would just lay it down on the trigger. might be some other way to do it that you wouldnt have to hold the trigger down. not sure how though. guess it would depend on machine options.
Reply:you also hav to have an air compressor big enough to handle the job too ive done it a coupla times in school seemed like a big mess to me i would put a scarfing tip on a torch or plasma cut it
Reply:yeah that cv 400 was a hell of a machine. ole betty, i never told her goodbye......only thing worse than an ugly woman is an ugly weld
Reply:Originally Posted by mn welderyou also hav to have an air compressor big enough to handle the job too ive done it a coupla times in school seemed like a big mess to me i would put a scarfing tip on a torch or plasma cut it
Reply:Its a gas driven machine. Its going to be on our service truck. After welding with stick almost all my life I would rather eat worms than have to muster up the patience to weld with a mig welder. When I start the welder and hook up the leads I expect the thing to weld. Not bubble and volcano like they do. No pun intended to you mig welders but I prefer stick to mig anyday. I have done lots of repair welding with almost any kinds of equipment but I thought it might be good to take out a stress crack to weld it back better. Thanks for the input. I may go ahead and get one as I believe we are going to get a bigger welder later. Thanks Harold
Reply:Originally Posted by WelderskelterIts a gas driven machine. Its going to be on our service truck. After welding with stick almost all my life I would rather eat worms than have to muster up the patience to weld with a mig welder. When I start the welder and hook up the leads I expect the thing to weld. Not bubble and volcano like they do. No pun intended to you mig welders but I prefer stick to mig anyday. I have done lots of repair welding with almost any kinds of equipment but I thought it might be good to take out a stress crack to weld it back better. Thanks for the input. I may go ahead and get one as I believe we are going to get a bigger welder later. Thanks Harold