Opinions please - stick welder

[MMW]

With any transformer unit they are power hungry. Make sure you have the input power to run whatever you buy. For instance a Lincoln tombstone or a Miller/Hobart buzz box needs 50 amps of 230v to run properly. Any larger machines require more input power. These buzz boxes will usually give you outputs of 225 amps ac & 125 amps dc.

I thought you wanted a mig?

[MMW]

Just looked at this machine listed. From the picture it looks like an ac only unit. See the selector switch has two positions. I beleive the ac/dc unit has four positions. You can look at Tractor Supplys web site as they sell these & have good pics of them. I may be wrong but you need to clarify this. TSC has it for $500 ac/dc & $319 for ac only.

[MMW]

Just looked again at the pics comparing them to the ones at Tractor Supply & it definatly looks like an ac only machine.

[jfk92]

I thought you wanted a mig?

Great info Mic. This is what I was unable to glean from the sale pages of the unit. And of course - I want one of everything....just like cars, motorcycles, tools...you name it! But seriously - I do still want/am getting a MIG unit. An it's gonna be the MM211...eventually. I would like a small stick to continue practicing with too - using a stick in my hobby class now on instructor's encouragement to move to that and actually really dig it. Seems harder to me to control but getting better and hope that practice on that will reap benefits on MIG control. So with the end goal going to be a MIG unit - if I can slide in a cheap, dependable stick box too.....I just put another horse in my stable! lol (I got issues.)


And thanks to everyone else's input. I think you all are right - I'm going to hold onto my cash letting the guy know that if/when he comes down to say, $275 or so to call me.......

[MMW]

Do not buy an ac only machine. You will regret it. Get an ac/dc unit only.

[jfk92]

Just looked again at the pics comparing them to the ones at Tractor Supply & it definatly looks like an ac only machine.

GREAT. That means a bunch too...the add says ac/dc and I asked him about it on the phone and he said only 'ac' ...which was odd to me. I was going to confirm that again and then again IF I had made the 1 hr drive to get it...thanks for that help! saves me a bunch of time/gas. I guess I want to get something so I can make an excuse to come over and pick up some of your scrap to practice on!

[Helios]

It's a good little unit. I bought one new about 5 yrs ago and learned to weld with it. I'd still have it if I hadn't moved up to a Syncrowave 250.

I think I paid ~$420 for mine when it was new, and I sold it 2 yrs later for $350. (And that was maybe 2 yrs ago now.)

$400 sounds like a decent price, especially with all the accessories he's throwing in. Don't worry about how many hours are on it. If they're not abused, these machines last forever and don't "wear out" in your lifetime or mine.

[USMCPOP]

Looks like an AC only unit. Not worth all that much.

[Helios]

I thought the OP said it was AC/DC. If it's only AC, I'd hold off for an AC/DC machine, and I definitely wouldn't pay $400 for an AC-only box. $125 is more like it.