Getting two welders

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Well, went to my uncle's tonight and got good news from him. He is going to give me my grandfather's old welder. I believe (I'll know tomorrow) it's an old Miller. This thing is probably as old as I am (I will have dated myself when pictures go up), but maybe not.Also talked to a friend earlier today that is getting me an old Airco welder. Went over today and looked at it. 225AC, but this thing is a fire hazard in current condition. It's been in the back room of a small engine repair shop and is covered with dust, grease, solvents, oil, etc. I'll get pics of it up early next week once I have it in my possession.Two welders in one week. And not paying a dime for either. I think I had a good day.
Reply:This is my grandfather's welder. Miller Thunderbolt 225 AC. Just ran a couple of beads with it. It needs to be cleaned out, for sure. Sounds like crap. Slight chance the cooling fan is to blame, though. I will get better pics as soon as the sun comes out around here. Oh, and as soon as I can find my camera. Had to take these with my phone. Attached Images
Reply:congrats on price reduced welders i have a 225 t bolt myself but mine must be newer to dial up amps in front runs some sweet beadsmiller maxstar 150   hobart handler 210 w mig conversion hobart 250 arc force plasma cutter    boston ind cutting torch miller performance auto darkening helmet milwalkee 14in chop saw 10,000 watt generator huge drill press and industrial band saw
Reply:Those old transformer machines are tanks. They are almost imposible to kill as long as you make sure the cables are well plugged in.Have fun..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:I used to have one of those. Nice little machine.
Reply:Oh, I definitly love this machine. But you have to figure this in on the situation. This is the machine I struck my first arc with. I used to run a 50lb box of rods through this machine every summer, just laying down beads.I'm gonna crack the case this weekend and find the source of the noise. I really think it is the fan motor.I am also considering refurbing the case. Just to stop the rust from ruining it.I will certainly enjoy this machine.On a side note, my uncle also offered me an '88 Ford F250 today. Free. Needs minor work. Needs a fuel pump on the back tank and a solenoid. Something is messed up in the column that keeps it from starting. He's getting that fixed. All it needs to drive is a battery. So, yeah. Seems I am being taken care of very well.
Reply:Hey, Rivershark.I bought 2 welders exactly like yours. They are good reliable welders and very simple machines. I would pop the wrapper/cover off and just start cleaning it up. Probably a lot of dust, cobwebs, etc. You can print an Owner's Manual off the Miller website. Go to http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o316g_mil.pdf, should have what you need. The older one had copper coils and the other had aluminum coils. No difference that I could tell in welding.Once you clean the inside, and lube and adjust the Shunt Block (Section 4-2), you may need to adjust or replace the fan. Parts are still available for about everything except the coil. Then clean the face and wrapper with a mild detergent. I used Rustoleum Industrial Blue spray paint and it matched pretty close. Close enough for a 20+ year old welder. I also ordered some vintage Miller decals on eBay to pretty it up. Decals were the most expensive thing I bought. It is easy to add a 1/2" rod for an axle with 6" lawnmower wheels and make a handle with some 1" angle iron. Makes it a lot easier to move around.I ended up selling both of them when I found a newer AC/DC Thunderbolt.I thought they were fun to fix up and welded better than my ability to weld. You have a great welder to learn with.   Attached ImagesBurt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com
Reply:wb4rt, nice looking machine..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:Sweet deals! 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:Rivershark2005, Good deal on those welders, as mentioned before, you can't kill those old Thunderbolts, and the Airco is a nice find as well. Great score on the truck too. Sounds like the Freebie Gods have blessed you well.wb4rt, Do you actually use those welders? They are in way too good of condition to be used on a daily basis. It's nice to see someone take care of their equipment.Last edited by dabar39; 12-30-2009 at 09:16 PM.Reason: spellingI am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:Awesome machine wb4rt. Hope I can get mine looking that good. LOL
Reply:Thanks DSW and DABAR. No they were not used on a daily basis when I had them.RiverShark, both of these looked just like yours when I bought them. It only took a couple of nights cleanning and then a little paint. I'm sure you can have it looking good real soon. Post a picture for us.Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com
Reply:I'm working on it. Just don't have enough light right now. I'm taking my time right now because my 10/3 won't be in until later next week. I am going to give it just a 10 foot power cord rather than rewiring it AND making an extension cord. I only need six feet to get outside the garage so ten will suffice for anything I need.I'll keep y'all updated for sure!
Reply:just a question, whats the crank on the top for?Realgear 140 MIGMore DeWalt tools that I prolly needDIY 160 amp 40 OCV MOT Stick Welder
Reply:The crank adjusts the amps. There is an indicator on the front and it is raised or lowered to dial in the amps.BTW I found another Thunderbolt 225V AC only machine just about like this one on Craigslist. I am thinking I will buy it and fix it up. I'll post before and after pictures if I get it.Last edited by wb4rt; 01-06-2010 at 07:34 AM.Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com