Montgomery Ward welder questions

Pops1532 · Jun 6, 2018

I recently acquired a bunch of tools from an estate. Among them was a Montgomery Ward AC/DC 230/140 (high/low ranges) welder. Duty rating varies from 20-100%. There weren't any leads with it but I was able to borrow some. I just tried it out. AC seems to work fine. The only DC rod that I had was some 7018 that's been stored in a plastic tube in the house, but it's probably 5 years old so I suspect it has moisture in the flux. On DC I could strike an arc but it would fizzle out. I'm thinking bad rod. I suspect with some fresh rod it would perform ok on DC as well.
Is anyone familiar with MW welders?
Does anyone know who made welders for MW? It reminds me of a Century welder with the vertically sliding lever to adjust the amperage.
Now that I know it works I'm trying to decide if it's worth buying leads, and repairing some obvious things and maybe some I don't know about.

DWF · Jun 6, 2018

Years ago, like 40 or 50 years, Lincoln made welders for MW.
DWF

el6147 · Jun 6, 2018

It is a Century, awesome welders.

Find your self a 225 Lincoln with good leads at auction or such and remove them, a used 225
will be cheaper then cables , stinger and ground clamp then just buy your quick connects

wrenchere85 · Jun 6, 2018

I have had a MW welder like that for 40 or 45 years, works great. I also beleave its a Century. Maybe you could make leads
from a long, quality set of jumper cables.

Dusty MI · Jun 6, 2018

(quoted from post at 12:14:34 06/06/18) It is a Century, awesome welders.

Find your self a 225 Lincoln with good leads at auction or such and remove them, a used 225
will be cheaper then cables , stinger and ground clamp then just buy your quick connects

Pops1532 · Jun 6, 2018

Good info. Thanks everyone!

Paul Janke · Jun 6, 2018

What rod did you use to test the AC? What would that rod do on DC? That might rule out whether or not the rod was the problem.

Goose · Jun 6, 2018

I have a Wards 230 amp arc welder I bought new in 1968 for $108. It has a horizontal slide to adjust the amps.

Over the years, I've built a half dozen stock cars with it, several trailers, all manner of repair welding on farm equipment and other projects, etc.. Suffice to say I've gotten my $108 worth out of it.

Stan in Oly, WA · Jun 6, 2018

Pops1532; I had one of those for a while ten or twelve years ago. It was made by Century. It was a capable welder, but I thought Lincoln AC/DC buzz boxes were better---easier starting, smoother arc, etc. My MW welder had that vertical slide to adjust amps---a handle sticking through a slot in the center of the face of the welder. The lock on it wouldn't hold it in place, so it would move down while I was welding. I had to run a bar clamp from the top to the bottom of the welder, right beside the amperage adjustment handle. When I would get it set to what I wanted, I would use a pinch clamp to clamp the handle to the bar clamp so it couldn't move. I didn't mind that too much, and I would have kept it if I'd liked the way it welded better. All things considered, I think it's a decent welder. If I didn't have any other welder and I got one of those for free I could certainly make do with it.

Stan

PJH · Jun 7, 2018

Yes, my brother has one that he bought new around 1960. It looks exactly like a Lincoln, but is badged Montgomery-Ward.

Pops1532 · Jun 12, 2018

I used 6011 on AC. 6011 isn't nearly as finicky about moisture as 7018.

fixerupper · Jun 14, 2018

Try the 6011 on DC. All I use is DC when I stick weld no matter what rod I use.

Montgomery Ward welder questions

Pops1532

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DWF

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el6147

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wrenchere85

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Dusty MI

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Pops1532

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Paul Janke

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Goose

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Stan in Oly, WA

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PJH

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Pops1532

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fixerupper

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