What is the limit with 150 amps stick?

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I broke an ear off excavator bucket (used to pick up buckets, not load bearing during digging) and decided to use this as an opportunity to get into welding rather than having somebody else fix it for me. I am looking at buying Miller Maxstar 150 to stick weld it. Two questions:- what is the limit of 150 amp stick welder? Will I be able to repair buckets or do I need much more current for that?- there is a more expensive version of the same machine that does TIG as well. I understand the TIG concept, just not sure what the benefit would be if I do not care about welding thin metal sheets or making welds prettier than they need to be to hold things together well. Is there any benefit for me to spend the extra money to get a version that can do both stick and TIG?Thank you!
Reply:150 amps DC will run 1/8" 7018 for repairs. I've used a 150 amp DC machine with 1/8" to do repairs on small excavator buckets. On bigger buckets I'd probably want to run bigger rods however like 5/16" or larger  and 150 amps is on the low end for 5/16". Also if you want to hardface, 150 amps won't run  full range on some 1/8" rods, and almost no larger hardface rods. Also that machine is not good for air arc for cutting off shanks and so on.Most excavation contractors I know use 250 amp + DC stick machines, some as high as 400 amps for serious repairs on large buckets and heavy equipment. Often these are older transformer units on 3 phase for shop use, or engine driven machines for shop/field use.I don't see much call for tig usually, but I do know some shops that have that as an option. You will need to run that Maxstar 150 on 220v power for most things you'll probably plan to do. On 110v power you won't get enought amps.Personally I'd look for a 200 amp minimum machine to do medium sized equipment repairs, 300 amp for large heavy equipment..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:While I agree mostly with DSW, 150 amp and a 1/8 7018 you can weld at thick as you have time to burn rods.  I welded my last 1 inch test plates with 1/8 7018.  Now that said,  I don't know if the Maxstar is the best for your application.  I am with DSW, I would be more comfortable with an engine drive like a Miller Bobcat or better a Miller Trailblazer.  You have the power to Airarc and generator to grind.
Reply:Thanks guys, appreciate your input!I only have single phase available and I don't want to buy anything big/heavy. Based on your feedback is sounds like the CST 280 would be the right size for me? The spec says 200 amps at 50%. I also wanted an option to be able to run it from a 22.9 amp continuous output generator for smaller jobs in the field. One thing I don't like about this model is that at 150 amps it would draw 32 amps which means I can't run it off that generator. The Maxstar 150 on the other hand draws only 21.6 amps at 150 and I am guess would run fine with this generator.Is there a reason why the CST 280 draws 10 amps more with the same output? Is it normal for bigger machines to draw more when they are not used to full capacity than smaller machines that are used at their limit?
Reply:I think I found the model that should work- Maxstar 200 STR. It will do 200 amp from my primary power and will still do 150 amp from the generator.Thanks again for your feedback guys!P.S. my buckets are not largeLast edited by DEM; 03-03-2010 at 02:09 AM.
Reply:I like my maxstar 150s.  Some of the best money I've spent yet.  I use it for all types of repairs.  Welded a 4" diameter axle stub on a grain wagon last fall and it's still holding.  I also ran a vert up test plate on 110v with 1/8" 7018 just to see if it would pass or not.  Haven't got around to prepping and bending it yet though, but it did look good going together.My name's not Jim....
Reply:I think you should sell your gen and combine it with the money your going to spend on a welder and look for a good used welder/generator.  Hopefully you can find something that would let you run 1/4" gouging rods and your neighbors would put up with the machine running as you gouge.  I definitely would not put my trust on a generator that would be pushed to its limits everytime you use the welder because it will cause alot of wear on the generator and lack of clean power will damage the welder.  Of the two units you mention I would get the cst280 for the shop versus the other one.
Reply:Ok, you have convinced me to seriously consider a big engine unit with a trailer. That's like 10x the price of what I was considering initially
Reply:Bottom line is....If you are going to be in a shop or within reach of power most of the time, look at welders like the ones you mentioned.  If you are going to be out in the middle of a field most of the time, look at engine driven welders.  Or, if ya got deep pockets get both.  I have 200ft of cord I can string out to run my maxstar off of if need be.  There has been several times that I have used 100'-150'  and once that I had to run it off a genny.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Don't have a lot of money which is why I want to avoid buying something that won't work for me
Reply:dem look at craiglist.  I like Search Tempest as a search engine for Craigslist.  You can find a good deal on used engine drive welders there.
Reply:Originally Posted by DEMOk, you have convinced me to seriously consider a big engine unit with a trailer. That's like 10x the price of what I was considering initially
Reply:If you've got the room in the shop, and the power to run it, there are a lot of good deals available on CL. The little tombstones will still limit you to about 150 amp DC, but there are deals out there on bigger machines. Older Dialarcs, 330 A/BP's and other older transformer machines. They are big, heavy and want lots of juice, often over 100 amps @ 230v, but output is often up to 300 amps or more. I've seen these offered for $600 or less often because most guys don't need the high output, or have the input to run them.In engine drives, I've seen lots of used Bobcats, Trailblazers, and Rangers on CL this winter, and even some bigger machines like SA200's  and Miller big 40's, some times at bargain prices if you catch them at the right time.We made do with an old Craftsman AC machine for a while, then for years with an old AC/DC Thunderbolt I've got, doing general equipment repairs. It is nice now to be able to run bigger rods with my 200 amp machine now, but we did a lot of light to medium repairs with 1/8" 7018 on that Thunderbolt.The CST 280's a nice machine. I looked at a used one this winter on CL. I just don't need stick enough to warrant the expense right now for a bigger machine. The Maxstars are nice machines too. I believe the newest version of the Maxstar 200 is 110v/220v which is a nice option in a pinch.You might take a minute and go up top and add your location to your user CP so we all know where you are from. Lots of us keep an eye open on CL regularly and someone near you just might spot a deact deal and pass it on. You might also postup what sort of equipment you work on so we can get an idea how big a machine you might really nead. A small guy fixing his backhoe can get away with a smaller machine than someone who's fixing 963 trackloaders. D8's and big excavators..Last edited by DSW; 03-03-2010 at 05:18 PM..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:Originally Posted by Scott Youngdem look at craiglist.  I like Search Tempest as a search engine for Craigslist.  You can find a good deal on used engine drive welders there.