Finally bought a welder!

I know I paid way too much for it, but I know the guys at the store, I can afford it, and I always try to support local business. Don't ask what I paid- it's embarrassing....

I've always heard good things about the Lincoln Tombstones, so I saved up and bought the AC/DC 225/125. I had to make a pigtail adaptor to go from its three-prong plug to the four-prong outlet, but everything works beautifully.

I can say that the shipyard has spoiled me rotten- This is the first time I've ever run 7014. I think I'll save up some more and get a supply of 7018 for DCEP, since that's what I'm used to.

I'll need to find, make or buy some rod cans (prolly aluminum) so I have something to dump my rod into straight from the oven. I've not told my better half yet that low-hydrogen rod gets baked before use (unless it's fresh from a sealed can).

Anyone got some 1/8" and 3/32" 7018 low-hydrogen rod at a good price? Is there such a beast as an aluminum rod for stick welding? How about some stainless stick rod? I would love some of that!

Lowe's, Home Despot, and Sears only carry 7014, 6011, 6013.

Reply to
TinLizziedl
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"TinLizziedl" wrote: (clip) I'll need to find, make or buy some rod cans (prolly aluminum) so I have

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ PVC pipe with a cemented cap on one end, and a threaded cap on the other.

Reply to
Leo Lichtman

Where do you live?

Gunner

"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer." -- Benjamin Franklin, /The Encouragement of Idleness/, 1766

Reply to
Gunner Asch

Indeed. I use it for everything from TIG media to rods.

Hint...spray paint a different color on each tube....color code the contents so its easier to find the media you want.

Green = Silicone Bronze, Red = 304 etc etc etc

Oh..a further note..go to plumbing wholesale shops for the caps and threaded ends..most of them are actually cheaper than Home Depot etc etc for this sort of thing.

1 1/4" -2" PVC works great for Tig media. 4" works best for rod.

Gunner

"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer." -- Benjamin Franklin, /The Encouragement of Idleness/, 1766

Reply to
Gunner Asch

What's that Lassie? You say that Leo Lichtman fell down the old sci.engr.joining.welding mine and will die if we don't mount a rescue by Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:40:43 -0800:

you can use a regular cap, just don't glue it.

Reply to
dan

But threaded is so much nicer (my grandfather's bamboo fly rod is in a case built exactly like this).

Reply to
Joe Pfeiffer

Awesome. Now you can weld whatever you want right at home.

For hobby use, welding rod prices are not material -- a can of 7018 can last many years. So I would buy some decent 7018 welding rod, like Lincoln Excalibur.

There are aluminum stick rods, but my results were very not great at all. Maybe it was just me.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus5493

Oh, and for cans, Harbor Freight welding rod cans are great.

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For 7018, look for a 10 lb welding rod oven. I keep mine under my desk and use it as a foot warmer in winter. In summer, it lives in the garage.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus5493

I find that unless you really clean the pipe, it tends to stick on there, even without glue, sometimes becoming very hard to get off.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

Lizzie, it seems odd to me that you weld for a living, use all manner of welding machines, and are just buying a home machine. The Tombstone is a great machine, and you understand the basics well enough to use it to its full parameters. But it's like a guy who races motorcycles for a living buying a Vespa for home use.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

What's that Lassie? You say that Steve B fell down the old sci.engr.joining.welding mine and will die if we don't mount a rescue by Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:27:23 -0800:

Sandpaper the end of the tube to reduce the interference to suit.

Reply to
dan

What's that Lassie? You say that Joe Pfeiffer fell down the old sci.engr.joining.welding mine and will die if we don't mount a rescue by Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:50:20 -0700:

And you can put the threaded part about 1/3 from the end so that you can reach a partly used rod. I did my tig rod holders that way, but used couplers glued one end only.

Reply to
dan

For 250 - 300 degree rod? What temp does PVC melt at?

Reply to
TinLizziedl

Near Bremerton, WA

Reply to
TinLizziedl

Ah, good point. Googling a little, it looks like it can vary anywhere from 100C to 260C. I didn't find anything saying what standard schedule

40 melts at...
Reply to
Joe Pfeiffer

At work I'm welding on U.S. Naval vessels, on OS,HS,HY-80,HY-100, NiCu, CuNi, Cres, and Monel, in thicknesses ranging from 1/4" to 4+".

I don't have a submarine or aircraft carrier in my back yard, so I didn't feel I needed the same welding equipment. The Tombstone is just so I have some little capacity here at home for small home projects.

After 5 years of being a tank rat, cladding everything in sight, and welding in all the attachments for ladders, penetrations, and such, I can stickweld like there's no tomorrow. I'm not sure I care to weld that much at home. Why pay thousands for a great machine, when I'll never use it to it's full potential?

I might, just concievably, purchase a (small) tig machine, for little, lightweight repairs where I don't want to throw sparks around.

Reply to
TinLizziedl

A used Syncrowave would cover both TIG and stick beautifully in one machine, I certainly love my 250.

Reply to
Pete C.

Lizzy, now is a great time to buy a decent welder for not too much money. Example, I once bought two Syncrowave 250s for $300 for both. If you look, you will find a great stick/tig welder. That said, those buzzboxes are also very decent machines. I ran an AC buzzbox once and was very surprised.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus8727

I love my 250 also.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus8727

I'm leaning towards the Lincoln Square Wave 185. Unlessen I think I may want water cooled, but it freezes too much here, so may not go that route, and I don't tig anything that heavy anyway. But it sure is fun on the small stuff, and gets lots of oohs and ahs from folks.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

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