Cleaned up and Painted my Ideal Arc 250

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I picked it up a couple of weeks ago on Craigslist for $200 I was so impressed on how nice it welds I felt it warranted a good cleaning and a nice slick of paint. The color is left over from my old 66 elcamino pretty close to what was on there but with a little metallic. I got to tell you if you have the itch to own an arc welder this is the one to own,very smooth arc,its definitely a keeper!   here is a link to some photos of the resto     https://picasaweb.google.com/jimcaf12/OLDLINCOLN250 Attached ImagesLast edited by jim cafarelli; 07-16-2011 at 11:54 AM.Esab Multimaster 260Esab Caddy160IEsab 161 STLESAB powercut 650Esab 220i tigLincoln Precision Tig 225Lincoln IdealArc 250INE SKYLINE 1500Klutch 140iMEASURE TWICE IS FOR MORONS
Reply:Great job! Thanks for the pics. Beautiful restore.Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.                                         -Cree Indian ProverbSA 200 LincolnVictor Torches
Reply:Well done, Jim! I love mine.PapaLincoln Idealarc 250 (circa 1962)Lincoln Weldpak 155 w/Mig KitLincoln Squarewave TIG 175
Reply:Great job Jim!!!!!  Where did you get the emblems?
Reply:Thanks for the compliments you guys!! Morgaj the flying eye is just a magnetic off ebay, the metal tags that came on the machine were splashed with stucco or concrete, I let them soak in a strong batch of dish soap and water for almost a week and picked at them with a wood paint mixing stick a couple of times a day. I was lucky they came up pretty clean.Esab Multimaster 260Esab Caddy160IEsab 161 STLESAB powercut 650Esab 220i tigLincoln Precision Tig 225Lincoln IdealArc 250INE SKYLINE 1500Klutch 140iMEASURE TWICE IS FOR MORONS
Reply:Finish on that turned out very nice. A lot better than my rattle can efforts would have. .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:the flying eyeball hummmmmmm  old school... von dutchidealarc 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:NICE WORK.Sure wish I knew how to paint!Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Nice paint job  ! Looks like you took your time preping it , smooth glossy finish !  Looks like you have had some practice !
Reply:Thanks again for the compliments you guys, DWS if you do OK with a rattle can you can do 10 times better with a spray gun,painting and welding is very much alike you have to watch it going on and when its going down nice you just roll with it if not stop and re-adjust. As Farmer noticed alot is in the prep,the paint is just a reflection of what your painting over.Iv had lots of practice I been doing paint and body since1975.But still learning...Esab Multimaster 260Esab Caddy160IEsab 161 STLESAB powercut 650Esab 220i tigLincoln Precision Tig 225Lincoln IdealArc 250INE SKYLINE 1500Klutch 140iMEASURE TWICE IS FOR MORONS
Reply:Jim, really nice work.  Removing the ding on the top front just made it top notch!  Got to be just about the best finished restoration of that model I have seen!  Best  Bob
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWFinish on that turned out very nice. A lot better than my rattle can efforts would have.
Reply:Again Thanks for the compliments,There is probably only a handful of us out here that are crazy enough to spend 20 or better hours repainting an old welder.This model does have exceptional shape and character,resembles an old gas pump or something along those lines. Papa you can get a gravity feed HVLP from harbor frieght  for like $15 bucks on sale,,and it dosnt work too bad.I have one I keep around just for spraying out rustoleum does a heck of a job 10 times more control then cans.Esab Multimaster 260Esab Caddy160IEsab 161 STLESAB powercut 650Esab 220i tigLincoln Precision Tig 225Lincoln IdealArc 250INE SKYLINE 1500Klutch 140iMEASURE TWICE IS FOR MORONS
Reply:Yeah Jim, I've heard that the HF gun does okay. I'll snag one with a 20% off coupon.If I may suggest one final touch, it would be stainless domed head Phillips screws. They look really nice on my machine. PapaLincoln Idealarc 250 (circa 1962)Lincoln Weldpak 155 w/Mig KitLincoln Squarewave TIG 175
Reply:Papa,,thats a good Idea,,I didnt see anything I like at my local hardware store,Im going to check Fastenal next time im down there way,Id also like to find it with some sort of a teflon or plastic flat washer so I dont gouge the paint if I  would need to take the cover on and off for any repairs. jimEsab Multimaster 260Esab Caddy160IEsab 161 STLESAB powercut 650Esab 220i tigLincoln Precision Tig 225Lincoln IdealArc 250INE SKYLINE 1500Klutch 140iMEASURE TWICE IS FOR MORONS
Reply:Jim,I picked mine up at the local Auto Zone. Only needed 2 packages to git er done. I like your idea of putting nylon washers under the heads. Small diameter o-rings will also work.PapaLincoln Idealarc 250 (circa 1962)Lincoln Weldpak 155 w/Mig KitLincoln Squarewave TIG 175
Reply:Jim , I have sprayed many a gallon of paint in my life as well  . Painted my 1st car in 76  or 77 . Painted for International truck for many years as well .        What type of material did you lay down ?  What gun are you using ??  Have used the HF models for workhorse paint jobs keep my real guns for pretty stuff .
Reply:Papa ,, Im going to go to autozone over the weekend to look for those,il post what I find for washers the o rings are good idea .Farmer,, I used some Glassomax base coat I had around from the mid 90s(Im impressed it is still good) and toped it with a generic brand of clear I POL,I got it on Ebay a few months ago for $50 a gallon with the hardener.Funny it came with Xtra slow hardener, I dont normally like super slow hardeners and reducers but in this case it goes on really shiny and didnt die back at all(very manageable. I used an older Sharp HVLP sharpe on the welder.For most the auto stuff I do I used the Devillbiss Melliniuems .I have a color and a clear gun.but I have found I can adjust the Harbor Freight to spray pretty close to the same.They have us spraying water base coat out here now and you need to flush the color gun out with water so I need to use a higher end gun knowing its all stainless and aluminum.Esab Multimaster 260Esab Caddy160IEsab 161 STLESAB powercut 650Esab 220i tigLincoln Precision Tig 225Lincoln IdealArc 250INE SKYLINE 1500Klutch 140iMEASURE TWICE IS FOR MORONS
Reply:Here's what's left of the ones I got. 12 to a pack. Attached ImagesLincoln Idealarc 250 (circa 1962)Lincoln Weldpak 155 w/Mig KitLincoln Squarewave TIG 175
Reply:Thanks Papa,,Im going to pick those up this weekendEsab Multimaster 260Esab Caddy160IEsab 161 STLESAB powercut 650Esab 220i tigLincoln Precision Tig 225Lincoln IdealArc 250INE SKYLINE 1500Klutch 140iMEASURE TWICE IS FOR MORONS