So I would like to be able to do some light welding around the home and yard, enough to at least stick two bits of mild steel together. Can anyone suggest a good mini 10 amp welder that can be used safely on a standard household 240 volt supply? I realize the weld will be limited to about 100 Amps output realistically, up to possibly 140 amps. Anything more and the circuit breaker is likely to trip. However I have seen people using large welders with high amperage through a regular mains power supply. In fact we did this quite often back in the old days. Not sure why we never blew fuses or ruined circuitry in the house, but anyway we did it probably because we had a welder and no other option. I recall hearing reports of lights and TV flickering from the house, but those were the good old days when people were poor and just did what needed to be done.
Hi VM, there seems to be a million tricky little welders in the market these days so it is hard to pick one. So many you see just laying down a weld that looks perfect. Personally most of the time I use my old arc welder I bought back in 64 and it has been in constant use ever since. I have a mig but I find that they are problematic with the wire feed so I don't bother with it unless I have to weld very thin metal. Then w\hat welder to get depends a lot on your experience. Arc is the cheapest to buy and then it depends on the quality of the rods you but. I buy the cheap Chinese rods but they are problematic starting an arc, but once started they weld fine. In summing it up I would get a small cheap arc welder, probably second hand Ozito or similar for $50 and practice practice then practice again. Big problem is you usually want to repair something that has broken and the reason it has broken is because it suffers vibration or strain and repairing this is never easy when you are learning to weld. As for the rods use either 2mm or 2.5mm don't try the 3.2's the welder won't handle them properly
Ozito it's ok if you rarely use the Ozito tool but use it flat out for a few hours and it dies.
I can see why people may like Ozito because it's cheaper and probably ok if you never put any stress on the product.
Everything I try that is Ozito I can easily kill it quickly unlike other brands that I use the same way.
I have a sliding compound miter saw that is Ozito and I haven't burnt the motor out yet but haven't used it constantly.
Ozito tools are so cheap a lot of people here that buy them for a job throw them out after, and a lot burn out the first day of use.
I've found the 3.2 ok to weld with but not 4 mm but Norm is right about 2.5 is easier ,depends on what amps you are running.
Yes Arc welders are cheap ,I'd go with a cheap or free second hand CIG welder but some really old welders work fine.
I've seen lots of Arc welders thrown away that still work fine ,the newer welders can be inverter welders and the older are usually transformer welders..
I started with a Arc welder that had a switch with two amp settings ,one position for 2.5 rod and the other position for 3.2 rod.
The arc welders that have a variable adjustment from low to high amps are better.
I've found the transformer welders are easier to learn on as they seem slower to weld and give more time to move the welding rod around but the inverter welders are much faster and took me a lot longer to get used to moving the rod much quicker to get a decent weld.
Welding Process: Transformer welders (often referred to as AC stick welders or arc welders) usually provide a more stable arc at lower amperages, which can make it easier for beginners to control their movements. The slower welding speed allows more time to adjust the electrode angle and travel speed, which can lead to better bead formation for those still learning.
Inverter Welders: Inverter welders are generally more advanced and can provide more features, such as better arc stability, a more efficient power conversion, and the ability to weld at higher speeds. However, this can also mean that they require faster and more precise movements, which can be challenging for beginners. The arc can be more sensitive, and slight adjustments can lead to different results, making it trickier to master.
Learning Curve: Many beginners find that the slower and steadier operation of transformer welders helps them build foundational skills more effectively. Once they feel confident in their technique, transitioning to inverter welders can be easier as they adapt to the faster welding speeds and different characteristics of the equipment.
Personal Preference: Ultimately, personal preference plays a significant role in which welder feels easier to use. Each welder may have its own unique feel, and practice is key to becoming proficient with any equipment.
I've pickup up a few free arc welder to try and one was a big CIG transformer welder ,just seemed like it wouldn't get enough amps to weld properly ,was about to throw it out and I read on the back only use welder with 15 amp plug and I was using 10 amps so that is something to check for when getting a cheap welder as you most likely only have 10 amp power points.
For learning to weld it's easier with better quality rods but costs more like CIG rods ,I think I got Bossweld Electrodes from Sydney tools last time and they were good and fairly cheap from memory.
I'd go for a welder with 120 amps minimum but 140 amp is better.
With the home 10 amp plug you will only use 100 amps so the welder that tops out at 120amps is fine if set at 100 amps.
I just prefer not to run a welder on full amps for any sustained length of time also they have a duty cycle so the higher the amps are set the more rest the welder needs.
Hi Max, I have an Ozito welder here that my son bought a few years ago. I find it fine to use for the small bits and I can carry it around ok. Only had it drop out on overload a couple of times when I was welding up some cast iron frames but it was fine once it cooled down. The welder I bought in 64 I can no longer pick it up and carry it around like I once could
It seems Ozito isn't too bad for home use but I know a few people that have burnt out new power tools on day one and taken them back for a refund and the sales people just say you are better off with a better brand.
I've burnt out / overheated some Ozito tools but I then have a good excuse to throw them out ,as I end up with a lot of power tools.
Your Ozito welder is only used as a back up welder but if you used it all day long I would suspect it wouldn't last long.
It's amazing how long the old transformer welders last like your one from 1964 and it would be easier to learn on
The thing is, to most these days a $100. Ozito welder is nothing so if they get a little use out of it ,it's payed for itself especially if you compare what a welder would charge you for a 15 minute welding job these days.
My Inverter Welder is over 20 years now so I'd say a new Inverter Welder would work a lot better due to advancements in technology making them a substantial upgrade in welding performance but I do like the reliability of the old Transformer welders.
Hi Max, My welder is a Monarc made in Albury. I was a bit amused with it when I pulled the cover off to replace the power lead and I found the copper coils were wound around pieces of wood. You wouldn't see anything made like that these days It is very smooth to weld with
I don't think I've ever seen wood used around copper coils but have see some materials that look like wood.
Composite Materials: Some older electrical equipment might use composite materials designed to mimic wood while providing better durability, heat resistance, or electrical insulation properties. These materials can include fiberglass or resin-based composites.
Phenolic Resin: This is a type of plastic that can be cast into shapes resembling wood. It is often used in electrical applications due to its good insulating properties and resistance to heat.
Thermoplastic Insulations: Some welders and electrical devices use thermoplastics or thermosetting plastics that can resemble wood in appearance and provide good electrical insulating properties.
Wood-Like Synthetic Insulations: There are insulative materials that can be designed to mimic the texture and appearance of wood while being made from synthetic compounds.
The Monarc welder sounds good considering how long it's lasted.
My oldest arc welder is a Samson ,I think it looks from about the sixties ,I see a pic online of a similar one below.
The old welders are very heavy ,probably worth more is scrap than what you can sell them for working..
This one is wood inside you would get splinters off it if you weren't careful. I have only ever seen another on and it was on Gumtree a couple of years ago and the bloke wanted $50 for it. I told him it was worth much more in scrap and I think that is what he did.
I would say the older welding machines were built to withstand more rugged conditions and had components that could handle higher temperatures compared to more delicate, modern electronics Norm, I guess the thick heavy windings can absorb and dissipate heat effectively during use and is why the wood doesn't burn.
The old arc welder I have has been used all day many times in the hot sun and still works well without over heating.
Thanks for the great advice. Sadly I sold my father's old 1960s "big box on wheels" type of welder around 15 years ago, thinking I would never need a welder again. Famous last words. A few years later I regretted selling it. I will try some of the little 100 amp welders on the market and see if I can find a winner. I am sure a brand name one might be more reliable than the huge number of no brand Chinese ones? Then again they probably all come from the same factories.
Talking about Ozito, I have had a little Ozito hedge trimmer for donkey's years and have really put it through some long and tough treatment. It still keeps going. I expect one day it will fly to bits on me, but I don't really care if it does. I can only say that little machine has paid for itself many times over.
Norm, The crazy thing these days is that the welding rods often cost more than the welder. There are some good deals though if you shop around. Like I see you can buy a box of Cigweld general purpose mild steel rods that work out to around $1 a rod, which isn't bad.
Hi vm, yes rods can be expensive, I buy $10 packets of Chinese rods they weld well buy drive me crazy trying to get the arc started, particularly when I am tacking small bits together but I just live with it. Probably not the best rods to start practicing with.
Interesting Norm that on a Chinese ebay site selling cheap welding rods they advise that you put their rods in the oven and bake them on 90-110 degrees C for 30 minutes or so before welding with them. Might be worth a try as there might be something about how or where they are made or stored that causes them to absorb moisture. Danny, good to hear. Some of those Ozito products are okay.
Hi vm, Not worth wasting the power in the oven to warm them up, these days I usually only use one rod to do most of the repairs I do. These rods weld fine, it is the flux on the outside of the rod that gives me trouble getting the arc to start A new rod starts instantly because the end of the electrode is exposed but once you have struck an arc the electrode is back inside the flux and this causes the hard starting
When containers are punctured or opened, low hydrogen electrodes may pick up moisture. Depending upon the amount of moisture, it will damage weld quality in the following ways:
1. A greater amount of moisture in low hydrogen electrodes may cause porosity. Detection of this condition requires x-ray inspection or destructive testing. If the base metal or weld metal exceeds 80,000 psi (550 MPa) yield strength, this moisture may contribute to under-bead or weld cracking.
2. A relatively high amount of moisture in low hydrogen electrodes causes visible external porosity in addition to internal porosity. It also may cause excessive slag fluidity, a rough weld surface, difficult slag removal, and cracking.
3. Severe moisture pickup can cause weld cracks in addition to under-bead cracking, severe porosity, poor appearance and slag problems.
Drying low hydrogen electrodes in an oven before use serves several important purposes that help mitigate the problems associated with moisture contamination:
Damp or wet low hydrogen welding rods can make it significantly harder to start the arc during the welding process.
I keep welding rods inside in a dry cupboard ,if I do get some that were stored in a shed I would put them in the oven because they get hard to start if they have moisture in them.
Ozito is known for producing budget-friendly tools and equipment, including welders, which can make them appealing for DIY enthusiasts and occasional users.
I burnt out 3 new Ozito corded Chainsaws and seen a corded drill and a corded circular saw burn out the first day they were used.
I see Ozito thrown out a lot and one look at them and you can smell the burnt electrics in them.
Having said that some people can overheat any power tool as I've also seen overheated Bosch ,Skil ,Black and Decker etc.
Some drills don't last long drilling red gum posts .
Hi Max, For the amount of welding vm is going to do, he would probably only use a packet of rods in his lifetime so a little ozito should do him fine. Of course people can bugger any equipment in particular cheap Chinese stuff by working the tools as if they are a commercial machine but used in a light manner as they are designed for they are fine
