That's right, Glenn, but every certified welder I've talked with says I'd be smarter to buy the AC/DC model.

Of course they do Chris, don't YOU want a great anvil? Everybody wants as much bang for the buck as they can get and DC has it's place but isn't as common in the old tombstones and equivalents.

I have DC available on my welder generator and have only used it a couple times in the more than 25 years I've owned it. Do you plan on doing much overhead welding? It comes in handy then. 

Frosty The Lucky.

No, Frosty, I don't.  I also know absolutely nothing about stick welding, so that's why I asked "certified" welders. 

I had a tombstone A/C only for many years, about 15 years back got a deal on a new A/C-D/C tombstone, one that was acquired from a Lincoln Dealer and not a box store. I like the D/C  current  as with the Bobcat generator/welder. The thing is,, both currents will weld. Material prep can  make a big difference .

Well, Reeltree, I'd sure like to make a deal like Das found.  Lucky Dog! 

Chris

An AC only welder will do the job just fine with appropriate rod; those machines are nearly bulletproof. Nice score.

I havent stick welded in years. Always enjoyed it though. Get into kind of a zen mode. I do have to ask though, isnt stick welding what we used to call arc welding? And does that date me for remembering it as such? 

 

Yes, but then they invented MIG/GMAW etc and had to invent a term for regular stick. Kind of like all guitars were “acoustic” until they invented the electric guitar.

There was a AC welder in the box stores for $300 a year or so back. Warranty, electric leads, rod, etc.  Helmet was extra. The price was posted simply for reference. Shortly after I saw a well used one, (read beat up) with short cracked leads, no extras for $150. 

Das, you did well with the purchase. Clean it out and learn to weld with stick. It will become another tool for the tool box.

AC and DC each have their own advantages/disadvantages.  One particular advantage of AC not mentioned so far is the ability to weld on steel that may be magnetized such as oilfield tubing and sucker rod (for fences and structural posts/headers, etc.) and other sources.  The magnetized steel is notorious for arc blow that plays havoc when welding it with DC.  The magnetism doesn't affect welding with AC.  There are ways to minimize arc blow under DC, but it's still there.

2 hours ago, Chris The Curious said:

deal like Das

Believe me I miss out on more than I get. Have missed out on many an anvil at an actual decent price, and many times to resellers. When I am hunting for deals I look at estate auctions as well. Tho those can be really hit or miss. Having more expenses lately I haven't even been looking at auctions so I wouldnt be tempted. That and I'm slammed with work as is right now in my little free time. This and a plasma cutter have been two good deals I found on facebook through acquaintances that I didn't even know had these things. They posted them and I jumped on them. 

 

If you know someone better with tech, I believe you can get a phone notification as soon as something with the search word pops up on craigslist. If you have a "smart" phone. 

 

I'm Tech "illiterate", Das, but thanks for the tip.  I'll check into it.

Chris

hmm...ive always only ever used AC on my TIG for aluminum , i had no idea that you could use it for stick. does it penetrate better? negative ground still?  thats interesting.

With stick welding I find it's all in the rods, I am not a professional Welder but have done plenty over the years and have used lots of different brand rods. I always revert back to Orlicon Super core rods. I don't know if they are available in the USA. 

Also keep your rods dry, the flux coating is a bugger for getting damp. 

"Arc" refers back to carbon arc welding,  I used a big old carbon arc welder wayyyyyyyyyy back when.

Even waaaaaaaayyyyyyer back, Noah’s shipyard used ark welding. 

There are some tech terms that are also known by nicknames, such as SMAW shielded metal arc welding (stick), GMAW gas metal arc welding (MIG), GTAW gas tungsten arc welding (TIG), FCAW flux core arc welding (MIG minus gas, wire feed) could be some more as well......

Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG)

Metal Inert Gas (MIG)

Any solid fuel guys around the pleasant grove UT area. This is free in the local ad place. 

11 hours ago, Reeltree said:

I used a big old carbon arc welder wayyyyyyyyyy back when.

I still have one, DC current and it still works although I haven't used it in ages.

For rods like 7018 I always used DC reverse polarity, and it runs sweet.  Matter of fact , most of my welding is done with DC reverse. The AC buzz boxes did good with rods like 6011, which we called farmer rod because it would burn through paint, rust, mud, grease, etc..

Saw a Lincoln tombstone recently locally for $80. The big difference in the new and old ones is the old ones had copper windings, and the new ones are aluminum.

 

gwynlaredogranger  what blew my mind with a TIG was when this old boy I knew told me about using the foot control with a stick electrode.  Works great. When you get to an edge you just start backing off the pedal, and you get a nice edge that is not blown over.  It was one of those , why didn't I think of that moments.

12 minutes ago, BIGGUNDOCTOR said:

old ones had copper windings, and the new ones are aluminum

Why would they go from copper to aluminum?????  Wouldn't the copper be better?

Chris

Aluminum is cheaper (thank you, Charles Martin Hall) , which means greater profitability for the manufacturer. 

I always figured they switched to aluminum to cut the cost and increase profits.