Inherited a bunch of welding/metal stuff- Is it all trash? Worth saving?

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I've recently inherited some welding stuff from my Grandpa who passed away and have added it to my random collection of welding stuff which I know NOTHING about.  In his prime he was an amazing welder for the military and Rohr and was actually flown to Washington DC to work on some prototype hovercrafts in the 40s or 50s.  In his later years he started buying less expensive stuff and would frequent harbor freight (IE: I don't know if this stuff is decent or garbage he bought at a bargain).  Unfortunately, I never asked him to teach me to weld when he was still healthy.  He recently passed away and we cleaned his workshop out and I grabbed anything welding related.  Can you tell me what to keep and what to throw away?  What's worth keeping?  What is this stuff good for?  Looking for a little education as I know ALMOST NOTHING about welding.  First of all, I have this new miller which I purchased a while ago.  Still learning to use it.  Not sure if me having this already will have any influence on what to keep or throw away below.Lincoln 225 amp Welder- Ward Power Craft-  so many settings, numbers, and places to stick stuff... wtf does this do?   don't even know how to test itCentury 100 amp- small, lightweight, works on normal wall outletRandom bottles- two large ones on left (oxygen and acetylene?) with long hoses and gauges that seem to be in decent shape.  Small blue bottle on right- what's this for?   Am I going to blow myself up if one of these hoses has a hole or defect in it?a roughly 50lb box full of these was found.  The box also had a ton of desicants in it, if that matters.  Do these go bad?  They are probably 20 years old.  Another tank, this one is grey, whats this for?  Is it trash if its 30 years old?  There's also four of those yellow cardboard tubes full of long (3 feet long or so) metal sticks of some sort.  Some are grey and rough others are brass looking and smooth.  some sort of torch tips?Last edited by onlyincali; 12-17-2015 at 04:13 PM.
Reply:Sorry to hear about your Grandpa,  looks like he enjoyed some varied welding!!   Keep the stuff, its all handy to have and will help you weld in different waysThe lincoln is called 'the tombstone'  its a good old fashioned AC welder, solid and reliable,  Ward power craft, plug it in and turn it on, if it humms, its likely good!  Also a welder but adds DC welding on the lower half and AC on the top half, slide the controls to the amperage you want,  Welding leads will have big brass pins that push into the sockets.  The century is another straight AC welder, kinda small but nice, not a lot of usefulness if you already have a 211. Hoses are probably fine if they've been indoors, you can close the torch valves, open and shut the tank valves and see if the regulator shows a loss of pressure quickly. Blue bottle? hmm, what's the sticker say, might be argon or another small oxygen bottleThe gray bottle in with the hoses looks like a good old 'B' tank, small acetylene tank. Rods, 3/32 something, you'll have to read the numbers off the sides, likely 7014 or 7018, probably good enough to have fun withThe yellow tubes are gas welding and brazing rods, likely still good for fixing things.  you have a nice rack of gas welding tips for the big torch. Likely there are other tools hidden in that mix as well, for clamping and working metal.  The welders have a little value but possibly better to have fun with.
Reply:Lincoln is probably a stick welder, a "tombstone".  So is the ward machine.Who knows what that blue bottle is.  Color is not a guaranteed indicator of the bottle contents.  The size and type of threads on the valve will give you a clue as to the contents.  Flammable gases all have left handed threads.  You should be able to find a chart online for CGA gas fittings on compressed gas cylinders.  If you have a friendly contact at your local welding supplier, strap all the cylinders in teh back of a pickup truck and haul them to the store.  They should be able to help you figure out what's in the tanks and if they're safe for use/refilling.  They or your local fire department should be able to help you dispose of them safely if you choose to do so.The gas regulator looks like an acetylene fuel gas regulator.The box containing rods are welding electrodes.  The short, rough ones are various types for use with the stick welding machines.  The long shiny ones are filler metal for TIG welding.  The stick welding electrodes are probably OK if they stayed clean and dry.  The TIG rods are solid metal and are OK for use so long as they're not rusty.Again, can't tell what the tank is from color.  by size it might be a small acetylene tank.  If so, stand it up and chain it/strap it to something secure.  Don't leave those gas bottles loose; where an accident might knock one over.  In summary, it's likely all useable and worth keeping.  The gas bottles might need to be tested, prior to refilling.  Check with your local welding distributor to see if they can do this for you.  You might need to find a local shop; not a major chain like Airgas.  Inventory all the welding rod; look for labels that say E6010 or E7018.  Same for the TIG rod.  Those might have labelling on the tube, something stamped into each metal rod, or paper flag labels on the rod.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:Our condolences on the passing of your grandfather. Sounds like he would have loved to teach you or least show you how to weld. I have some gear that belonged to my Dad (a welder) that I kept for sentimental reasons, and I use it now and again.I can't see your pictures just now, but if the fuel bottle contain acetylene or propane, you'll know by the smell if there's a leak. Just as natural gas has an additive to give it a unique smell, so does acetylene: smells kinda like garlic. If there's a leak you'll know by the smell.
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_do  The long shiny ones are filler metal for TIG welding.
Reply:Definitely Treasure not trash. Only thing is see I would part ways with is the 100 amp Century. All of the bottles can be recertified if out of test date and then refilled. Some gas suppliers might even swap them out at no charge. The Lincoln stick welder, even though it's AC only, is bulletproof and if cared for minimally will likely be passed down to your grandkids. The Monkeywards AC/DC welder is a nice machine too. You wouldn't get enough $$$ out of it if you sold it to justify loosing DC weld ability. The torchset is a really nice size. I've had similar instances occur related to inheriting deceased relatives stuff. If you don't have a place to store it, it can be a difficult situation. If you absolutely can't keep it, ask folks here to help price it so you aren't just giving it away.
Reply:I second this... personally, the only thing I'd part with is the small, 100A Century.  I wish I had more of my grandpa's tools -- he was a farmer, had a very nice shop.  He also was the reason for my initial interest in welding.   Originally Posted by PipelinerDefinitely Treasure not trash. Only thing is see I would part ways with is the 100 amp Century. All of the bottles can be recertified if out of test date and then refilled. Some gas suppliers might even swap them out at no charge. The Lincoln stick welder, even though it's AC only, is bulletproof and if cared for minimally will likely be passed down to your grandkids. The Monkeywards AC/DC welder is a nice machine too. You wouldn't get enough $$$ out of it if you sold it to justify loosing DC weld ability. The torchset is a really nice size. I've had similar instances occur related to inheriting deceased relatives stuff. If you don't have a place to store it, it can be a difficult situation. If you absolutely can't keep it, ask folks here to help price it so you aren't just giving it away.
Reply:The yellow AC/DC welder is made by Century, just has the Ward's brand name on it. They made them for many companies."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:I like the Ward's welder.  140 Amps on DC, ain't too shabby for the garage/home welder. "Hey I didn't come to look and learn, I came to turn and burn.... If I can't light up, I'm gonna light out!"-JodyIdealarc 250 "Fatman"MM 252MM 211 "Little boy" Victor Torches
Reply:Obviously the best part of that collection was the owner.The small 100 amp welder has a purpose = it can be used to stick weld at locations that do not have access to 220 volt.They all have a purpose with some overlapping usefulness.  At least to your Grandpa.   You'll have to decide if you will ever need or want them and if you have the space to store them until you do.  Might also want to think about if younger family members will have interest sometime in the future.Century buzzbox that I learned on 40+ years ago (was Dad's)Crappy Century 110volt mig 70 amp pigeon pooper.Lincoln Idealarc TIG-300
Reply:WOW.  You guys are AMAZING!   Thank you so much for so many detailed replies, I'm truly impressed with this forum.   I expected one sarcastic reply but got a dozen useful ones, thank you!  Still going through stuff so I'm sure I'll have a few more questions in the next week or two.   Thanks again!
Reply:Originally Posted by onlyincaliWOW.  ... I expected one sarcastic reply ...
Reply:If you're not that into welding or metalworking in general, I would say sell the stick welders. Especially since you have that Miller 211. If you want to get into welding, and metalworking, keep the torch set and AC/DC stick welder, sell the rest. Those Lincoln tombstone welders (AC only) regularly sell for $60-$100 around me. Sometimes even with a helmet and rods to go with it, just to give you an idea. The 100 amp small welder might actually sell for more, just because someone can buy it and weld in their garage without running a 220V outlet. The AC/DC might be worth $150-$200 depending on your location, and if it has the leads with it.I'm a pack rat when it comes to welding supplies. But I'm not old enough to have any interest in stick welders. They have their place, but I haven't used one in years. The torch set is the most versatile tool there! Heating for bending, preheating, cutting, and welding all in one! If you want to sell the welders, do a quick search on Craigslist for similar items, then post them on here for what you think is a fair price, and include your location!John 3:16(2) Miller Pheonix 456(2) Millermertic 252Dynasty 210DXHobart 210MVPDoringer D350 SA Cold SawScotchman 350LT Cold SawWebb 10x50 MillWebb 15x40 LatheGeka Bendicrop Ironworker
Reply:Nice collection.....Technically the Lincoln is a "Buzz Box", not a "Tombstone". Rock solid machine, and definitely a keeper. (I own both....)For the purists:Hobbyist - At what point is a "hobby" out-of-control?
Reply:Unfortunately, I don't own a buzz box.  Just a couple with the crank handles.We do like blue, too.Last edited by Oldendum; 12-19-2015 at 04:46 PM."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder