GrandLordKhorne

^ It all depends on what your welding. A lot of the thin sheet I do runs a high % of weld time to cool time which brings it close to Duty Cycle on smaller welders or at high amps for special materials. But even on my 250DX, when I weld copper for instance, when you get up into the upper reaches of the machine it can be pretty easy to push duty cycle. The rule I always recommend if you are not sure, test your self. Get a stop watch and see what % of the time you’re welding and if you are pushing it, than puts a little to compensate. A big part of it is how well organized your welding project is as well.

Duty cycle is why I tell most people who ask me what sort of welder to buy that they should figure out what they need and go at least one or two models better. Having said that Jose hit the nail pretty much on the head. The only thing I would add, is if you have a cheap machine without a auto-overheat-stop in it, it may catch on fire, I have personal experience with this. I will say, there is always a way to redesign or rework your project so that it can be welded in shorter sets and if you can not fined a good way to do it, rent, beg or barrow a better machine that suits the need. Even if the welder is a cheap one and you don’t care if it dose not outlast the next year, money is money and you can sell it used towards your next one if it is in good shape.

I don’t know the differences. But a word to the wise, watch your back with PP, they like to be random and not nice. I personally don’t use them any more, I got banned for what they said was buying porn with my pay pal account and when I called and asked who I bought porn from they gave me the name of my welding supplier than said all decisions where final… Needless to say, there are other alternatives and a web site called paypalsucks.com

Just my 2psi. sorry I have nothing more helpful to add.

The ham is grate here, but it’s not just the ham, she is trying to make me fat with the breads and the turkey and the pie too…




The most evil thing she makes… You can see it a little, but she pulls the skin up and stuffs between the skin and the meat with bacon! She also puts Kielbasa in the stuffing.


Blueberry with just a touch of lemon… She makes grate apple too…


Having said that, who ells is local and wants to get together for dinner some time… I really would like to meet some more smiths and see what knowledge I can gain.

And the first knife I made

A friend of mine (Black Ink) showed me this forum, I have been perusing it for a couple days now and have finally decided to register. Anyone who knows Warhammer (games workshop) drop me a line and I have a funny story about my user name.

First of all; Yes, I’m well aware my spelling sucks, I’m actually dyslexic. I do my best to make my posts as readable as possible but they will never be perfect and my wife is not always on hand to proof read, so it is often left to spell check on word… So sorry in advance…

I’m pretty much new to forge work in general, Black Ink has been teaching me bit by bit when we have spare time (we happen to work together anyways). Having said that, I have been welding for eons and am pretty good general metal worker or fabrication aside. I’m also relatively handy with wood and can hold my own with fiberglass. I’m really starting to enjoy working at Black Ink’s forge thow.

My primary hobbies are Cars (I used to do American muscle back in the day but I have been on an iron block I6 kick for years now and am currently running Supras, which I started before F&F, though I want to replace my European 6 some day) and knitting, but I’m trying to get into some hobby farming. I also enjoy photography and making videos.

And just a couple of pics for the sake of pics…


This is my 92’ Supra and her 1J motor, she is gray now and much more powerful.


This is my wife and a hat I knitted for her.


My welders. I am the master of TIG on thin Al, but average to above average with most other things.


A ham my wife made, she is a chef and I’m notorious for posting pics of food at random.