Welder for practicing pipe welding

Date 10-09-2009 23:28

where I use to work they had something like this for when they traveled and it was about 100 amps maybe less. It was the size of a kids lunch box and I think pretty expensive to. I tried it out but didn't see it being worth it I think it was lift arc no high frequency to get the arc going. If i were you I'd save up for something else like a Dynasty 200 although I understand those things are like almost 3gran. I just didn't find this little lunch box welder all that great, not enough amps. There is another welder that Miller makes called an Econo tig welder it is a tig and stick welder in one I think it goes up to 150 amp but still by the time you use that thing for a year you may want a 200 amp dynasty or something.

I know it sucks man to get anything really good you gotta spend some money. I was in you're shoes when I started out but everything I kept looking at that was cheap people werel ike you're gonna grow outta it and it's true.

try going to a trade school and taking some classes in welding, when you start buying this stuff you will see a trade school is so much cheaper.

By sled_king (*)

Date 10-09-2009 23:48

The TA 95 is a very good light duty tig/stick welder for a 120v machine.
It is limited in power, like was stated already. Price is very reasonable.
If all you have at home is a 120v power and you really want to get started, yes you will enjoy this machine.
Myself, I'd much prefer the TA 185 which is a 230v machine with high frequency. It will cost a lot more than the 120v TA 95.

By chris2698 (****)

Date 10-10-2009 00:07

sled king, I had to look the TA 185 up on ebay but yes i have welded with this machine it deffinatly had a different arc as to a miller 200 amp dynasty but not a bad little machine. The one i welded with had really been abused but i'm sure a newer one would have even welded better, deffinitly seemed like a pretty good machine

By Superflux (****)

Date 10-10-2009 00:21 Edited 10-10-2009 00:25

rocko,
First off, I'm not sure what "boces" is??? Don't know why you would need your Argon though...You say you want to learn pipeline so, 1/8" Exx10 rods run (downhill!) HOT is what you need to practice.
That company you provided the link to makes some great plug in the wall units. Unfortunately, that model shown is not one of them. The 110 volt/95 amp model is very limited. Finding a 110 household circuit to handle it will be a challenge, and 95 amps just isn't enough juice to do much with.I have used one of their top-of the-line units (220 volt) with Hi-frequency and it is a brilliant piece of engineering (wish I had one!). Last I checked, you would be looking at around $3,000 by the time it was set up.
If you are set on getting one of these type machines, get a Miller Maxstar 150 and runs on 220 volts for about a grand.
BTW, the Lift Arc with thumb wheel amp control is just fine for carbon steel, stainless steel, copper....most everything except Aluminum and Titanium.

By rocko Date 10-10-2009 13:10

Boces is a vocational school, I spend half my day in normal school and then go to boces for the remaining 3 hours and weld. So they don't ever tig weld pipe on the pipeline? Maybe I should just go with a ac/dc stick welder for now?

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 10-11-2009 04:02

If I were You I would look for a used light industrial AC/DC stick welder, a Lincoln Idealarc 250, Miller Dialarc 250 or Airco Bumblebee [same as the Miller] on eBay or Craigs List. These often sell for under $300 and sometimes less than $100. They were used in school shops for years and are still used in some industries, particularly those without 3 phase power. You can scratch start TIG with these, that is how a lot of field TIG is done anyway, pipe included.

These machines require 230 volt single phase, 30 amp minimum, preferably 50 amp service. If Your house has an electric stove or cloths dryer You could run one of these machines from the stove or dryer service [as long as You arn't trying to run the other apliance while welding].

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 10-10-2009 19:16 Edited 10-10-2009 19:22

BOCES = Board of Occupational Cooperative Education School, Service, or System if I remember correctly and i don't so, that's why I included all of the possibilities just in case... It's an acronym that is used within the State of New York which very similar to a Career Technical high school in other states or as in PA, an AVTS, otherwise known as an Area Vocational Technical School which is usually at the High school level school which covers an area that consists of a few different high school districts where these students originate from.

Now that I've had some more time to think and remember, it's definitely stands for Board of Occupational Cooperative Education School. ;)

Respectfully,
Henry

By Iron Head 49 (***)

Date 10-11-2009 10:49

These Lincoln IdealArc are a fantastic little machine! I’ve picked them up for a little as $50.00 at auctions.

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 10-11-2009 11:38

Rocko, check on Craigslist, you can find the lincoln tombstone welders for $75-100. First, I'm no big experienced pipeliner or pipewelder but here are my thoughts. The "pipeline" is pretty much stick if your talking oil/gas. They use some other types of welding, clamp on mig and other sorts of things and most likely things I don't even have a clue about. Your gonna find your tig pipe welding in the steam, nuke, process piping, down in the shipyards. Some may be tig root and run out the rest with a 7018 or it may just be tig all the way out. Other places still run 6010 root with a 7018 hot/fill and cap, kinda like the job I'm doing now. I've seen some places doing pipe with mig, not automated but actually welder dude welding the pipe.

In my experience so far, learn to pipe weld with the stick, downhill, uphill then transition over to the tig. For me it was a lot easier to start doing the tig cause I had my body movements on how to get around the pipe already built in from the stick welding, just putting your offhand to work now and trying not to contaminate the tungsten. Plus you'll have an idea on what needs to be done, you'll have to figure out how to do it with the tig obviously. My cap and fill passes came easily with the tig, my root pass......well, still working on it having a time with that still, as I said, not big experienced just what I have found in my own situation.

On the welder side of it, with the Lincoln tombstone welder you can set yourself up a dry rig and then you'll have tig, not fancy but workable. Welder friend has one set up on his tombstone, got one for my miller in the shop. Around $200 maybe? Airgas has some good prices on torches and all the stuff you'll need to put one together. I have a cousin and his son is going through Boces right now for welding up in between Rochester and Buffalo. Seems like a pretty good program.

Good luck and keep on practicing, that's what it takes!

Shawn

By sled_king (*)

Date 10-12-2009 03:07 Edited 10-12-2009 03:23

The tombstone welders are a bit light for scratch start tig-ing with 125 dc amps max.
You be very happy with a Lincoln Idealarc 250, Miller Dialarc 250 type of transformer machine like was already stated. They are very reasonably priced, will weld with 6010/7018 stick very nice all day long and scratch start dc tig very nice as well (nice for stainless pipe).
The Idealarc and Dial arc can also be fitted with an axillary high frequency box to add total aluminum/magnesium tig weld ability.
I have a Lincoln Idealarc 250 (1992 flat top version) set up for both stick and scratch start tig. It's a great pipe welder.

By rocko Date 10-12-2009 21:23

So what size pipe should I start with? I have some right now that is around 6 inches and is 1/4 thick. Should I be practicing on a thicker wall material? Like 1/2 inch?

By 52lincoln (***)

Date 10-12-2009 22:03

i would say practice on it all.thats what you will come across as your career takes shape.practice,practice,practice,and then win u get fed up with it practice some more.just my thoughts though

By sled_king (*)

Date 10-13-2009 02:03 Edited 10-13-2009 02:13

If your a newbie to pipe welding, a heavier walled pipe should be used initially for stick welding. It has a bit more meat for a heat sink. Learn to run/whip in your root pass with 6010. Then learn to fill and cap with 7018.
Tig is nicer for thinner walled pipe. And on occasion, can be used for running root beads on pipe to be filled/caped with stick.

By rocko Date 10-13-2009 22:49

Is this a good deal? http://buffalo.craigslist.org/mat/1417181007.html

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 10-13-2009 23:49

If it runs it's a steal !

Bet it's already gone.

SA 200 is what has been putting pipe together across the fruited plain for decates... it's a big unit.. engine drive and usually on a trailer or mounted in the back of a truck...

Just use the search function here in the forum and type in SA 200 and you will have days of good reading.

By rocko Date 10-14-2009 23:58

Tomorrow I am going to practice some 6010 roots in the vertical position on plate just to give me a feel for it.

By sled_king (*)

Date 10-17-2009 21:01

That's a good way to learn how to run 6010.
Use beveled edges with a land the same thickness as your electrode and concentrate on achieving full penetration of the joint.
Don't get frustrated with 6010 right off the bat. It's not a drag rod but when you learn to use it, it's easy to work with.