got a free welder

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had a guy give me a big older Hobart welder today. looks like a t-300 but not quite. it is a 480v with a wire feeder sitting on top. has a pos and neg leads on front pos goes to wire feeder. it is sitting outside the guys shop it has a couple 110 outlets on the front of it that the mig control box is plugged into. didn't check it out too much  but it comes with a tank and cart. I am going to try to get it picked up next week as I hope the snow melts just wondering if anyone has seen a set up like the one described.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:Sounds like a power source with a wire feeder. If so it will be a heavy duty one. Congratulations and have fun.
Reply:Originally Posted by fdude64had a guy give me a big older Hobart welder today. looks like a t-300 but not quite. it is a 480v with a wire feeder sitting on top. has a pos and neg leads on front pos goes to wire feeder. it is sitting outside the guys shop it has a couple 110 outlets on the front of it that the mig control box is plugged into. didn't check it out too much  but it comes with a tank and cart. I am going to try to get it picked up next week as I hope the snow melts just wondering if anyone has seen a set up like the one described.
Reply:I will try to go and get some pics this weekend. I just hope sitting outside hasn't hurt it.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:Do you have the power to run the machine?Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:^^^What he said, I don't know many guys with 3 phase in their home shops. Might wanna look into a phase converter.
Reply:Sounds like the one i use at work - need picThe main thing is not to panic or get excited Bobcat 250, X-Treme 12VS,  MM211Meltabo, Milwaukee,Porter Cable,Dewalt,MakitaVictor O/A, Ingersoll-RandEvolution Rage2, 40 amp PlasmaLincoln 225 AC/DC
Reply:I am thinking I might be able to use the wire feeder. and might scrap the other part. wont know till I get it home and get more info about it. the guy Im getting it from got it in a package trade and has never hooked it up.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:ok update on my free welder. it is a Hobart rc-300 with a chemetron wc-50s I brought the wire feeder home today and will get some pics in a bit. it has set outside for about 8 months. I hope it hasn't hurt it.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:ok here are the pics of the wire feederLincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:here are a couple moreLincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:Don't run that wire through your gun!! Its garbage throw it away!Nothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.
Reply:Originally Posted by Doug247Don't run that wire through your gun!! Its garbage throw it away!
Reply:If it were me id clip the wire at the gun, take the contact tip off and  wind it back onto the spool. What ever it takes to not drag that rusty part of the wire through your liner.Nothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.
Reply:ok I cut the wire where it comes out of the gun it was nice and shiny in the gun and rolled it back on the spool. plugged it in and hit the trigger and the feed rolls run anyway. but only run in the solid wire setting. the relays click and the feed rolls jump a little in the flux core position. haven't found out the year of it yet but I am sure noah probably used it to repair the equipment that hauled moses his first load of gravel.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:Feeder looks great lets hope you have a single phase power source or next project is a phase converter.
Reply:If that is an RC 300 and you don't have 3 phase I think you can convert it. Google Haas-Kamp conversion. I have done one and it works.Hobart Beta-Mig 250T-D Cutmaster 81Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller T-Bolt 225 ACChicago Electric Mig 151Hobart RC-256 Haas-Kamp Conversion(sold)
Reply:the plate on the rc 300 lists voltage as 240/480 so I am hoping I can make it work with my 50 amp breaker of my Lincoln buzz box or run it off my aead 200.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:wait I was talking about running the wire feeder off the aead.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:There's a guy in Huntington WV who got the same power source with a different wire feeder last year.  Hes working through the single phase conversion.http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb...06/index3.html
Reply:I took the wire from my farmhand joke mig welder and put in the chemetron wire feeder and it fed through fine. I am seriously thinking of firing up the aead and see if it will work with it.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:What are you waiting for?
Reply:well I went out and hooked it up to my aead dcen as I have fluxcore wire and it works. ran a couple globs on my welding table. but it does weld. yee effin haaaaLincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:Originally Posted by fdude64well I went out and hooked it up to my aead dcen as I have fluxcore wire and it works. ran a couple globs on my welding table. but it does weld. yee effin haaaa
Reply:Originally Posted by farmer2doesn't "free" feel good!Good score.Arcon Workhorse 300MSPowcon 400SMTPowcon SM400 x 2Powcon SM3001968 SA200 Redface1978 SA250 DieselMiller Super 32P FeederPre 1927 American 14" High Duty LatheK&T Milwaukee 2H Horizontal MillBryan
Reply:I told the gf last week I was gonna get a nice mig this spring or summer. guess it goes to prove the good lord does look out for us when we need it.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:here are a couple more pics of the wire feederLincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:Originally Posted by fdude64guess it goes to prove the good lord does look out for us when we need it.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWI'd be really careful about that with the girl friend. If God provides you with a new one, you might just get a tired, old, cranky one that's seen better days, is out dated, ugly, noisy and very expensive to maintain...  Welders at least are easier to ignore.
Reply:No usually the same thing works. If you throw enough money at the problem you can usually get that taken care of, even if it means buying a new one or renting until the issue gets taken care of..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:Kind of like RED-D -ARC meets the Bunny Ranch.Miller xmt304,  Miller S22 p12, Miier Maxstar SD, Miller 252 w 30A, Miller super32p12, Lincoln Ranger 9, Thermal Arc 181I with spoolgun, Hypertherm 10000 ,Smith torches. Esab 161lts miniarc.
Reply:you guys are too funny. as far as the gf if this one leaves rentals is all I will use from now onLincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:Originally Posted by M J DKind of like RED-D -ARC meets the Bunny Ranch.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWThe way the plumber on my current job leaves every hour or so to go get supplies, you'd think the supply house is a strip joint/ bar. That would however probably bring in plenty of guys to shop there however.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWThe way the plumber on my current job leaves every hour or so to go get supplies, you'd think the supply house is a strip joint/ bar.
Reply:ok well I got the power supply home today. went to the local welding supply house to get tips fo the wire feeder and asked about the rc-300. the guy told me it was nothing more than a big boat anchor. cant get pats and there is no conversion that he knows of for making it a 220 machine. so I decided to scrap it. her are some of the pics of the dismantling.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:some moreLincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:we are getting all the copper out of it even the transformers.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:Just a thing to keep in mind for the future. Most welding supply guys don't have a clue today. The vast majority are just there to push for new machines. If it's old and has a problem, their answer is to replace it. repair places are better. But again keep in mind many times they are used to dealing with companies, not individuals. Many times for a company there are tax incentives to buying new and taking a depreciation over time on their taxes vs repairing an older unit. I've also seen shops that just don't want to be bothered with older "obsolete" units. From their stand point it's just not cost effective to work on them. The hassles and time involved takes them away from easier projects where they can make more money. They may choose the "easy" answer of just suggesting that you replace it. Don't expect either to tell you how to convert a 3 phase unit to single phase however. That's more of an electronics project than a welder repair. These were never made to be single phase and you have to be willing to take the time and figure it out yourself if you can't get 3 phase power..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:well I don't have 3 phase and I am not all that electrically savvy so converting probably wasn't going to happen anyway. maybe I can get enough from it to make a good nest egg for a 220 ac/dc machine. the feeder is not a vs machine and there are very few parts still available for it too so it will be something to play with and see what happens.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:Noooooooo! Sad way for a poor old welder to go!Might have been able to get more out of it on craigslist than scrap. Mind you I'm a bit biased for the old Hobart machines, and am blessed with a shop with 3ph/480 so that also skews my views. I will second what DSW said about counter guys - they are there to sell and that's about it.1980 Lincoln SA-250.1521976 Lincoln R3S-6001978 Hobart G-213Hobart Titan 8TA Hefty 2Thermal Arc 211iCutmaster 42
Reply:I hooked up the gas cylinder to the wire feeder. I think the cylinder is full can anyone tell by the gauges? it is 98% argon 2% oxygenLincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  LWS guys are idiots!! Not to be trusted or sought out for opinion on anything other than how to stink up a bathroom !!!! Sad way for that beautiful gold blue machine to go.  You sure there was no voltage change over?  Some simple wirin' and you could have been in business.I am partial to Hobart's though. Went through their charger school about 20 years ago and was a distributor for a long time.Last edited by kald; 02-20-2014 at 11:46 AM.Idealarc 250AC 225SVictor OA-older made in USA stuff.And a crap ton of other stuff.
Reply:I knew after you stated that you were beginning the scrapping out  process that a few guys were going to jump in crying, don't blame them i felt the same way when I read it. Your tank does appear about full. Good luck.
Reply:Yep, 2200 psi, pretty normal for many tanks.You took two welding classes and they didn't even show you what a gauge looks like?  Geez.... Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:never showed us how to cut with a torch, do horizontal the only vertical I was shown was 3g test practice. not a good pair of classes in my book.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:You threw out a good welder. AH people will tell you it is broke when its not. Make phase converter for free with junk.
Reply:I dont doubt your decision.  If you can't use it, you can't use it. Might as well get a few bucks for it.  Im facing a similiar decision with a 48 short hood.  I probably should scrap it, but I'm not as smart as you.Farmer2Hobart Champion EliteMiller S-32p 12Lincoln sp175tLincoln 225 ac tombstoneHarris oxy/aceteleneMakita grinders/chopsawHypertherm Powermax 45
Reply:Originally Posted by fdude64I hooked up the gas cylinder to the wire feeder. I think the cylinder is full can anyone tell by the gauges? it is 98% argon 2% oxygen