Anyone know this Marquette?

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I apologize deeply if this is a repost, I swear I posted a couple days ago but for some reason I can not locate my post, I have tried the search, advance search, and manaully searching the various sections.  So if it is a repost I apologize.Anyways, I was given this old Marquette welder as a gift from my old High School autoshop teacher (5 or so years ago).  I finally got around to hooking it up (5 years later...Im a procrasitnator and had no need before).  Well I can't get it to weld, it trys but its almost like theres just not enough power.  I called a buddy who actaully knows how to weld to come take a look, and he had the same problems (Im a rookie so its good to know it wasn't just me).  We tried every combination we could think of with the settings and still no luck.  I think this thing is just on its way out the door, its OLD.  I am hoping someone will recognize it and be able to tell me the proper hook ups to weld standard mild steel.  Below is a picture of the old girl, I am at a loss and can't think of what to try next other then sucking it up and buy a new or newer used welder.  I don't do a ton of welding just stuff to support my 4x4 hobby.  I am a rookie like i said, so please any suggestions would be appercaited.Thank you all.
Reply:Good lord, that thing looks like it's from the 40's or 50's!  Might be worth something to an old timer welder...a collector. Do a search for those welders, might find something on Google or Ask.com.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:First, Post a better picture of the front of the machine, and a good picture of the nameplate specs. My first thought is that it has multiple input voltages, and MAYBE you are not hooked up right. What voltage do you have in the shop to power it? How do the cables look as they connect to the respective ends? It it useless on both AC and DC welding? Those old machines were pretty bullet proof. It's most likely something small that was overlooked.Just my  opinion, not from a book, just from the road.Howes Welding Inc.www.howesweldinginc.com
Reply:I will post a better picture tonight when I get off work.  The name plate on the side of the welder says it is a 220v single phase, 60 amp input.  My circuit is a 220V single phase 70 amp circuit, so I think that part is all good.  I tried every combination of hook-ups i could think with the leads (not shown in picture) and 2 connected plugs (shown in picture); so I THINK I attempt both AC and DC welding and it was useless on both.  One thing I am wondering, is how would you normally hook up your leads?  Am I correct in how I have the attached leads hooked up (one going to the Low-Med-Hi selector) and the other going to the amperage selector?  Then the stinger and ground leads would go into the top inputs (shown empty)?  Excuse my ignorance here BUT I want to make sure I know, is AC or DC weldign used for 'normal' steel welding?
Reply:As I see it, the "box" on top is a DC converter/adapter.As the name TWIN implies. I think if you opened it up you would not see any wires going between the two boxes. For welding DC, it looks like you have it connected right. Perhaps the DC system has failed (perhaps a fried diode) To weld with AC insert the ground lead into the medium tap and the electrode lead into any of the lower taps, or the same spot the long cable from the top box is in. This should give you 160 amps if I read it right.  If the AC works fine, perhaps someone out here could walk you through diagnosing the DC side. Both AC nad DC are for normal welding. DC gives you more options and better welds, BUT a lot of stuff can be made or repaired with an AC machine, just buy the right rod and practice, practice, etc....Last edited by tessdad; 11-15-2006 at 07:51 PM.Just my  opinion, not from a book, just from the road.Howes Welding Inc.www.howesweldinginc.com
Reply:It looks like Lincoln ended up purchasing Marquette Welding from Clore Automotive in November 2003.  If that is the case then Lincoln may be a source of information about the older Marquette welders.http://www.asedeals.com/ArcWldrs.htmlhttp://www.asedeals.com/welders2.htmlThese are some links to a site that sells them and has a brief paragraph about the sale to Lincoln.Hope that gets you pointed in a direction for some documentation.
Reply:Tessdad and 383 thanks for the tips, I am in somewhat of a bind right now and with the thanksgiving day holiday my time to get my truck back together is getting shorter, so for the time being I scored a craftsman 230 amp AC "infinite adjustment" arc welder for a $100 of craigslist tonight. I hooked it up and it works great so I know its not the power from the wall that is the issue.  Once my big 4x4 trip is over and probably after all the holiday rushing has ended (january) I will be able to spend more time on figuring out what happened to this old Marquette, but for the time being Im going to call it case closed and stick with the Craftsman for now.  But I will still be looking back often for more tips on this old beast.Thanks again.