Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo Auction Link (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Discussion Forum

Air Arc

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Dave F

01-09-2003 09:16:45




Report to Moderator

Could some one tell me, How big of an welder I would need for one of these, & heat ranges using 1/4-3/8 carbons & a little basic instructions on use of one, & a good place to buy carbons, Thanks Dave F.




[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
op

01-12-2003 18:47:45




Report to Moderator
 Re: Air Arc in reply to Dave F, 01-09-2003 09:16:45  
Depending on what rod you are using, at least a 250 Amp welder and a compressor capable of at leat 18cfm is needed.
5/16" carbon arc rod will run around 200-225 amps
3/8" carbon arc rod requires at least 225 Amps and works best at 250 amps.
Air arc uses alot of amperage and alot of air.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
JohnF in MD

01-09-2003 20:48:14




Report to Moderator
 Re: Air Arc in reply to Dave F, 01-09-2003 09:16:45  
I don't have a carbon arc torch. Can a single carbon rod be used in the stinger for just heating something up such as rusted nuts and bolts?, or to aid in bending stock?



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bud in NC

01-09-2003 18:40:41




Report to Moderator
 Re: Air Arc in reply to Dave F, 01-09-2003 09:16:45  
What we did in coal fired power plants was set the heat as high as you can get it with about 90 psi of air feeding the torch. Don't get too attached to the welder you air-arc with - the only machines I've ever seen that could stand it for long were the old generator welders - Lincoln made some that looked kinda like torpedos. We used a bunch of different machines in power plant outages and if you do much air arcing you can count on either burning the machine out or frying the controls so that all it's good for is air arcing - can't cut it back down. The only way to make any headway is to strike an arc and let it blow - nothing fancy here - make sure you have a fire watch - you'll need it! Also, you can't air arc slag or rust - gotta chip it out of the way so you can reach metal to get started. Wearing a good set of leather skins, welders cap and a bandanna around your neck ain't a bad idea, either. You've got to have safety glasses and need ear protection too - if you ever went to the old Godzilla movies as a kid you're fixing to find out where they got his voice from - Good luck.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Dave F.

01-09-2003 21:31:19




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Air Arc in reply to Bud in NC, 01-09-2003 18:40:41  
Bud, T-Bone, So you guys think the air arc are pretty hard on an welder, I was considering buying it to cut welds out in general stuff that I build around here on the farm, I have an Lincoln ac/dc 225amp buzz box, & an lincoln Ranger 8 225 amp ac/dc 100% duty cycle, I don't want to mess up my welders, so should I abandon the Ideal of air arc. Thanks Dave F



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
BFO

01-10-2003 05:10:20




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Air Arc in reply to Dave F., 01-09-2003 21:31:19  
If this is something that you do a lot of, get yourself a used plasma cutter and get some gouging tips. It'll be cheaper in the long run....as opposed to replacing a welding machine repeatedly. We had air arc torches when I worked in the crane plant, but I would never have one in my shop, for exactly the same reasons Fred and Bud mentioned.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bud in NC

01-10-2003 04:52:16




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Air Arc in reply to Dave F., 01-09-2003 21:31:19  
I wouldn't use my home welders for it. I worked in the turbine "head shed" for 12 years since I was a welder but I remember having to set the machines for 300 to 600 amps - all it'd do - to be able to air-arc and we used "station air" to supply the torch. That ranged from 90 psi to about 135 psi depending on the plant and how many leaks they had in the system. If we had to air arc a bunch we'd pick out the machine that we wanted to replace anyway because it would be scrap after the job - if it made it through the job. Most of our plants kept an old generator welder just for air arcing but even those machines suffered from it - that's ALL you could do with them. I've seen the welding cables jump 6" when the cutter struck an arc! I've tried to weld with some of the machines later - with it set for the "normal" welding range they usually blow a 1/4" deep hole in the base metal with a 3/32" 7018 - controls are fried and you can't turn them down. There's a special torch to use, too - it's made by "ArcAire", I think but you've gotta to have one (or the equivelant) to air arc. If you're just using it for a farm shop I'd pick up some "gouge" tips for a cutting torch. They're a standard item at the welders supply places. That's what I use in my farm shop. If you ever run across an old "generator welder" grab it and go for it, but the normal welding machine isn't going to stand it for long. The generator welders have an electric (or gas or diesel) motor which turns the rotor to produce the current for welding - they're designed for heavy work. The welders you and I have use a transformer/coil to increase the current. The more current, the more heat and before long the insulating paint on the winding breaks down and everything inside the machine tries to either weld itself together or blow itself apart. It usually does some of both. Hate to throw a blanket on the party, but I'd hate to see you kill a good home welding machine. Good luck!

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Dave F.

01-10-2003 22:58:29




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Air Arc in reply to Bud in NC, 01-10-2003 04:52:16  
Bud in NC, & others Thanks for all of the posts, I'll abandon the ideal of an air arc. (Bud it was an ArcAire.) So the money I saved by not buying the air arc.I'll spend on the gouge tips, What size would you recomened, I have an Victor cutting torch the medium sized one (super range) if memory serves me right Ive had it for years, Thanks again Dave F.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bud in NC

01-14-2003 18:08:03




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Air Arc in reply to Dave F., 01-10-2003 22:58:29  
Sorry about the delay in answering - been trying to get rid of some coyotes - we've lost 6 calves in the last couple of weeks. We found where a guy in the neighborhood's been taking what he wanted of a deer and leaving the rest - nothing like inviting the coyotes. Hunting season ended so now we gotta get rid of the critters that got accustom to an easy meal. Anyway, for gouge tips I'd pick up a #0 and a #1 to start with. You can decide if you need more fire or less after you see how those sizes work for you. They make down to a #000 and up as high as a #6 that I've used - they probably make them larger than that but I haven't used one of them. Good luck!

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Fred OH

01-09-2003 13:03:58




Report to Moderator
 Re: Air Arc in reply to Dave F, 01-09-2003 09:16:45  
Find you a Century welding dealer... they used to sell the carbon rod....also a company in Cleveland by the name of National Electric. Put in a carbon and try it....it takes a lot of amperage....use around 100# air pressure if I remember right....haven't used one for years. It is a constant use thing and you can overtax your welders duty cycle pretty quick....and smoke the welder or sling solder out of a generator welder. You can use it with a medium duty welder....just give the machine time to cool off every little bit. In other words....keep within the welders rating. Probably 2 minutes out of 10 at high amperage. Uses a good bit of air too. L8R....Fred OH

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
BFO

01-09-2003 15:41:19




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Air Arc in reply to Fred OH, 01-09-2003 13:03:58  
Up here, Praxair carries all that stuff.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
T_Bone

01-09-2003 17:01:08




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Air Arc in reply to BFO, 01-09-2003 15:41:19  
Hi Dave,

Another tool that requires ear muffs and ear plugs if you have alot to gouge, also called a poor mans plasma arc. I'm with Fred been to long ago but 100psi sounds right. I would stick with the 1/4 carbon rods and DCEN. Sharpen the carbon about 3/4" to a point. Stick the carbon on the metal and let it get cherry red then pull back at the same time hitting the air button and let the sparks fly.

Any welding supply should be able to order carbon rods, I think in a package of ten.

T_Bone

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy