TRACTOR PARTS Allis Chalmers Case & David Brown Farmall & International Ferguson Ford & New Holland John Deere Massey Ferguson Massey Harris Minneapolis Moline Oliver & Cockshutt Kubota / Yanmar

TRACTOR MANUALS

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

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Discussion Forum

Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register

Author

Bandit

02-28-2003 12:00:33

Report to Moderator

What would some of you experienced folk reccomend. It would be for a farm shop I know most have electric welders, but I'm thinking of the portability of a gas welder. Some field repairs might need done wich rules out the electric. But would have to buy gas where as electric only rods would be needed. Anyway, what do some of you think?

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

JohnnyB

03-01-2003 16:35:35

Report to Moderator

Re: Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders in reply to Bandit, 02-28-2003 12:00:33

You can buy a decent used cracker box welder for under $100. I'd be lost without mine. I'd also be lost without my torch, don't do much welding with it, lots of cutting. You really need both for a basic shop.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Central Minnesota

03-01-2003 08:42:54

Report to Moderator

Re: Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders in reply to Bandit, 02-28-2003 12:00:33

For a single versatile welder I think the Oxy/Acet is probably the best way to start. It's low budget. You can weld, braze, solder, silver solder, body lead etc. With practice you can do aluminum (using the correct rod) It's not good on light sheet metal since the general flame is too wide so that it tends to buckle the large flat areas. You can use it to cut steel and cast. You can heat with it if you want to do some small blacksmith work.

OK, you posted this on antique tractors. Does that mean you're a collector. If you are, I have an elderly (1950's) General Electric 200 amp DC welder on a trailer. It's powered by a 4 cyl watercooled Hercules engine. Runs alright but doesn't look real pretty. I've used it on boilers, structural steel, and heavy castings, as well as light stainless with a Tig torch. I'd sell it for $495.00. If you're interested you can email me. Central Minnesota

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Wayne

02-28-2003 21:17:09

Report to Moderator

Re: Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders in reply to Bandit, 02-28-2003 12:00:33

Personally I'd keep an eye on E-bay, etc and find something like a gasoline driven Miller or Lincoln welder. My choice is the Miller, but both manufacture good machines. Depending on the model you chose they can be used for just about any type of welding. Hook up the cables and your ready to stick...AC/DC, straight or reverse... Set the controls, hook up a feeder, and your ready to MIG...and the same goes for TIG, set the controls, hook up the torch, etc and it's ready to go. The nice thing is if you put it on a trailer, or have a way to put it in the bak of a truck, it's totally portable. Price wise you can get a used engine drive for less than $2000 if you take some time to look. If you buy a straight Stick, MIG, or TIG power supply/welder, your limited as to it's uses, but if you buy a multiprocess power supply/welder, be it engine drive or electric, you can always add on as your needs, skills, etc progress. Another plus is that most also include a generator of at least 4000 watts, and the newer ones go as high as 10,000-12,000 watts...always a plus when the power goes down.
Just my .02.....Wayne

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

T_Bone

02-28-2003 19:24:52

Report to Moderator

Re: Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders in reply to Bandit, 02-28-2003 12:00:33

Hi Bandit,

A oxy/acet torch is a must have as it can be used in so many different applications from cutting to welding.

For another $410 you can get a AC/DC Miller Thunderbolt, 150A/DC, 225A/AC. I really think that most field break downs can be "limped" back to the shop for a weld repair, if not rent a 5kw generator for those rare occasions a field weld needs to be done.

Both can be had for about $1000 including gas cylinders and assc. That will do 99.9% of the home/farm/lite commerical jobs that need done. Only if you were in the business would it pay for more expensive equipment. It's like me messing around growing crops on my 3 acres comparred to the guy that farms 1000acres. I can get by with a small 20hp tractor where a 1000a needs some serious HP.

Do a search on this forum as there's alot of great info posted here.

T_Bone

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Ray,IN

02-28-2003 19:13:59

Report to Moderator

Re: Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders in reply to Bandit, 02-28-2003 12:00:33

I've got both, an oxy/acet outfit, and a Lincwelder 225 DC gas powered welder with 120VAC output also; I use this almost exclusively. I load it into the truck or a trailer behind a tractor to take it to the work when necessary, and I've got 120VAC for lighting, power tools, spray guns etc. whenever needed. I probably use the gas outfit only 4-6 times yearly but will not dispose of it because when I need it nothing else will do.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Joe

02-28-2003 16:03:41

Report to Moderator

Re: Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders in reply to Bandit, 02-28-2003 12:00:33

well this is one of the hardest questions I have thought about in a long time because over the years I have purchased a oxy/act torch that I use almost every day a 110 mig, a 220 mig, a ac/dc stick and a plasma cutter and for the life of me I can't say that i could give up any of them it all depends what you are going to do with them if you need portability I would tell you to start off with gas and than set up a battery stick welder with two deep cycle marine battery's and a set of 25 to 50 foot welding cables so you could cut and weld

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Richard Fazio

03-01-2003 06:20:59

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders in reply to Joe, 02-28-2003 16:03:41

Joe, are you using batteries to weld? Are you using a ready welder or just cables to a set of batteries? I'd like to do the same. I already have the batteries setup. I'm just a little leary on how to do it properly.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

02-28-2003 14:23:11

Report to Moderator

Re: Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders in reply to Bandit, 02-28-2003 12:00:33

I used to use my torch for most any work thinner than about 3/32 and stick for anything thicker. An exception of course was seam work on sheet metal such as wagon boxes where 1/16 rod and DC reverse polarity (electrode +) is the ticket. 8 or 9 years ago I decided to get another MIG and decided that I didn't really need one with more capacity than 1/8 to 1/8" material so I bought a Lincoln 110v machine. With the gas shielding it's great for touchy stuff like moly steel motorcyle frames, etc. With flux-core wire it will join heavier materials than with the gas (due to the cooling effect of the gas flow) and makes a good unit for light portable use when coupled with my 5K generator. The MIG now does 90% of the jobs that the oxy-acetylene used to do. BUT I still use the torch for cutting, heating, brazing and some cast iron work. If I was 'starting new' and doing mostly general shop work (no structures) I'd get a 220v input MIG and a torch. The bigger MIG would pretty much take care of the jobs my stick does now. That's my set-up and I'm stickin' to it..... .unless I hit the lotto!

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

F14

02-28-2003 12:57:36

Report to Moderator

Re: Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders in reply to Bandit, 02-28-2003 12:00:33

I don't see how anybody that does much welding/metalwork/fabrication can get along without one of each.

I've got a MIG welder instead of a stick, but one day I'm gonna find the right deal and have a stick welder too. Big trick is to sneak it into the shop without the wife seeing it...

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Chester

02-28-2003 12:13:24

Report to Moderator

Re: Oxy/acetylene vs. electric welders in reply to Bandit, 02-28-2003 12:00:33

Have had both for many years, and use gas for thinner work, mufflers and bodywork etc. Use electric for welding heavier things like angles, flats, pipes etc. Only work in my garage shop so mobility is not an issue here.

Chester

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

[Options] [Printer Friendly] [Posting Help] [Return to Forum] [Log in to Reply]

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