I have an AC buzzbox stick welder. It isn't the easiest thing to use, starts are hard and it sticks a lot. I have heard that DC stick is easier, but how much easier?
For not much money I can get a rectifier to convert it to DC, would that be worth doing?
Would I need a capacitor in the output?
Thanks,
-- Peter Fairbrother
A cap might help , but what is really needed to stabilize DC output is a large choke coil . I also have a buzzbox (225A Lincoln) that I built a massive full wave rectifier bridge for , but never used it because I had no coil to stabilize the current . Not doing a lot of stick , I'm not really good at it , but I don't have the problems you describe . I'm using all 1/8" electrodes , 6011 , 6013 , and some 7018 AC that came with the box
6013 works good with AC buzzboxes for me. For the output, you would need an inductor, not a capacitor.
I sold a lot of welding rectifiers to people like you, taken from scrapped old welders.
i
Greetings Peter, You could try some E7014 rod. It runs very well on AC. The welds look great too. Like E7018. Eric
If you can find it on your side of the pond, try some of the 7018-AC or AC7
018, it runs a lot more like 7014. It's a type of 7018 made just for AC we lders and doesn't stick as badly and is easier to keep the arc going. I've found a quick light tap of the rod end on the pavement before restriking w ill usually knock the button of slag off the end.With my tombstone, about the smallest I go is 1/16" (1.5mm) in 7014 or 6013 , which it actually does fairly well. I think I'd be hard pressed to go sm aller than that, though. Most of what I run is 3/32" and 1/8" (2.5 and 3mm ) for typical box and angle stuff, Don't do much work with sheet, but if I did I'd be tempted to go more with button (plug) welds rather than a conti nuous bead.
Hope that helps, --Glenn Lyford
Bob
After much practice my 7018 test coupon welds survived being bent 180 degrees on a 50 ton press. I think testing yours to destruction should tell you enough about their adequacy.
I keep 7018 in the gasketed rod 'keepers' like this:
-jsw
If you can be sure to keep the moisture out when storing then you can buy enough to have around. It is stronger than 6013. The welds look great and the slag is easy to remove. There is less spatter. It requires clean metal to weld on, it won't burn through crap like 6013 will. Eric
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