Hi. You are the first to tell me anything about using a CAC torch for brazing. It's meant for cutting & at much higher amperages than the Lincoln 225 you have does. Usually a minimum of around 300-400 amp range. The Lincoln you have will not weld in DC current, being it is an AC current machine. But, the Maxstar you bought will & do a very good job with SMAW 1/8" & under electrodes. Elaborating on the uses the Maxstar has, you can use it for any DC TIG application, less aluminum & magnesium. You can weld aluminum with DC current, but I don't have any hands on experience to pass on. Not to mention the Snap Start HF starter will not run in continuous HF mode.
That said, you can stick weld just about any metal on the planet, and you get TIG too. This machine will not "braze weld" as an oxy fuel torch will, but brass, copper, titanium, stainless, monel, tool steel, etc. can all be welded with the DC TIG process using the correct filler metals & shielding gas procedures. If you don't want it, I'll gladly give you what you paid for it. :-) Handy machine. Don't give it away. You got a, well let's say REAL good buy on it.
As for stick welding aluminum, I'm sure there are experts at it right here on this site. However, my experience with it is that it is very tricky & requires a high level of skill to do it to any real success. Let's say this, I've heard some people talk about it, but every weldor I have ever talked to about it says it sucks & is harder than it worth messing around with it. I would love to see some pics or experiences if anyone out there reads this! I know it can be done well, would like to see it.
Good luck with your machine. S.W.
"Why did you kill those kids, Dan?" (Tim McClellan to Dan Wilkes, True Identies, Not Far From Nowhere, Book One.)
Hello Steve, the carbon arc torch that he is referring to was in use many years ago for performing soldering and brazing. They aren't generally used much any more. They are essentially a spring loaded set of tongs, one jaw being the + and the other being the -, that allows you to clamp a carbon rod to each tong(they are insulated from one another) and then when the two are brought together by squeezing them they create an arc that generates sufficient heat to use similarly to a torch for brazing and or soldering. I have never done it myself or actually seen it done by anyone else, yet you will see it detailed in many welding books and you will also see the hardware included with a fair number of older welding machines.
As to the DC welding of aluminum, this can be accomplished without continious HF, it requires the use of DC straight polarity and the aluminum has to be VERY clean while the welding is being done. The finished beads won't exhibit the same characteristics of those done with AC, but in some cases this welding procedure is preferred over the AC version, particularly on thicker sections of aluminum. A bit more information to consider. Best regards, Allan
ALLEN!! I knew if ANYONE would know anything about that, it would be you. :-) I know exactly what you're talking about now. I have seen them for sale on ebay & didn't have a clue what they were used for. They look almost like a little rug beater. All I could picture was a regular CAC torch & thought "How'd he pull that off?" :-) Allen, I always appreciate your insight & knowledge. Thanks! Steve.
"Put them in the Iron Maiden.....Excellent!!" (Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure)
Seagull: There is a tig brazing process, I havn't tried it, but I know of someone who does use it. You will have much more controll than when You use that carbon torch. For those that havn't used one of these, there is a blob of plasma, a little blob of pure hell between & out in front of the carbons. These work better for heating, as there is no focus to the plasma blob. That said, I brazed with one most of My teen years before I got an Oxy Acetylene rig as a graduation present. The arc torch is good for heating stuck nuts to loosen, keep the carbons in contact, no arc. The nut will get red hot fast.
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