Should I "STICK" w/ my TIG RIG or not? (pun)

mark turik · Wed Feb 25, 2015 3:09 pm

QUESTION ?!? i use a millermatic 252 for my mig and i thermal arc 225 for tig. the thermal arc also does stick. i dont want to "use up" my tig machine doing sick so if i plan to pick up more on the stick welding, do you think i would be well advised to buy a lincoln tombstone/buz box, for stick and use the thermal arc for just tig? i dont know how much wear and tear stick really does to my tig/stick machine. stick seems so aggressive that it make me wonder. thank you for any advise you can give me. mark turik

Wes917 · Wed Feb 25, 2015 6:31 pm

I'm a proponent of having a dedicated machine for each process, some will disagree just my preference. If your going to do serious stick work I would get a different machine unless you can find an ac/dc

rake · Wed Feb 25, 2015 7:21 pm

Use up your tig machine? Is it a delicate flower or something? I have an Everlast Powertig 200DX and the stick function
works really well. Much nicer than both the Hobart ac/dc Stickmate and the Miller Thunderbolt that I had. (btw. I did a lot of scratch start tig with those machines too)

If your tig machine is not robust enough to handle stick welding then get rid of it and buy a better unit.

The idea that you need separate machines for each and every process is total BS. Technology has taken us out of the
dark ages. These new inverters are very versatile so don't be afraid to use them.

AKweldshop · Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:18 pm

Thermal arc welders are some of the nicest **STICK WELDING MACHINES** available.

Use it for stick as well as tig....

Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

MinnesotaDave · Thu Feb 26, 2015 4:26 pm

rake wrote:Use up your tig machine? Is it a delicate flower or something? I have an Everlast Powertig 200DX and the stick function
works really well. Much nicer than both the Hobart ac/dc Stickmate and the Miller Thunderbolt that I had. (btw. I did a lot of scratch start tig with those machines too)

If your tig machine is not robust enough to handle stick welding then get rid of it and buy a better unit.

The idea that you need separate machines for each and every process is total BS. Technology has taken us out of the
dark ages. These new inverters are very versatile so don't be afraid to use them.

I prefer more than one machine too.

I'm not going to stop working just because something breaks - I'm going to turn on another one.

Even good machines, from good companies, break on occasion.

I also keep spares of tig torches, (needed them bunch o times), tig cables, and extra tungsten, cups, torch parts, mig tips, mig nozzles, replacement cylinders, etc, etc.

For the OP, I doubt you'll be impressed with the stick arc from a little buzz box when compared to your nice machine

dirtmidget33 · Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:41 pm

AKweldshop wrote:Thermal arc welders are some of the nicest **STICK WELDING MACHINES** available.

Use it for stick as well as tig....

Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

I was wondering which ones have you done stick with? I have yet to try stick on my TA yet.

Been so long since I did stick I wouldn't be able to tell a bad machine from a good machine. stick is not one of my strong points anyway.

AKweldshop · Wed Mar 04, 2015 2:00 pm

dirtmidget33 wrote:
AKweldshop wrote:Thermal arc welders are some of the nicest **STICK WELDING MACHINES** available.

Use it for stick as well as tig....

Just my opinion, for what it's worth.
I was wondering which ones have you done stick with? I have yet to try stick on my TA yet.

Been so long since I did stick I wouldn't be able to tell a bad machine from a good machine. stick is not one of my strong points anyway.

I've used Atleast 50 different welders for stick welding.

I don't think my memory is deep enough to recite all of them though.

But I've used a lot.

Any questions, just ask.

motox · Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:35 am

ak
i haven't done any stick in many many years.
i have a htp invertig 221 syncrowave 250
that are both capable. have you stick
welded with either? if so what do you
think?
craig

AKweldshop · Thu Mar 05, 2015 3:16 pm

motox wrote:AK,
I haven't done any stick in many many years.
I have a htp invertig 221 syncrowave 250.
That are both capable. Have you stick welded with either? If so what do you think?
Craig

I had a sw250 about 3 months ago, and for a transformer, it ran 7018 pretty nice.

I have no experience with the HTP.

motox · Thu Mar 05, 2015 4:46 pm

ak
thanks for the quick reply.
craig

Louie1961 · Fri Mar 06, 2015 12:45 am

I have a older mid 90's syncrowave 250 and it stick welds very, very well. Much better by a damn far sight than the AHP alphatig I had, and quite a lot better than the Hobart Stickmate LX I had. The arc control/dig function makes a HUGE difference. I set it to about 50 for excalibur 7018's and it runs them like BUTTER! almost impossible to stick the rod. I crank it up to 70 for 6011, and runs that stuff really nicely as well. I really, really enjoy stick welding on this thing, maybe even more than TIG'ing.

motox · Fri Mar 06, 2015 6:49 am

louie
thanks ill make note of your settings.
is there any other settings you use?
craig

Louie1961 · Fri Mar 06, 2015 1:13 pm

There's no other settings on a syncrowave that pertain to stick. Set your polity, switch on for arc force, set you arc force where you want it. HF to "off", contactor to panel, amps to panel, crater to "off". Pre flow, post flow, balance, spot and crater don't really don't apply to stick.

Fri Mar 06, 2015 4:37 pm

The contactor is the guy.. .that's what makes the stinger hot all the time.

motox · Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:20 am

thanks for the info
i haven't stick welded since the early
seventies.
i need to give it a try again soon
craig

Louie1961 · Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:55 am

I hope you find the syncrowave as nice for stick welding as I do. Be sure to get some good rods (e.g., excalibur 7018 being one example). I really like how the sync runs stick.

motox · Sat Mar 07, 2015 10:11 am

DCEP for excalibur 7018, right?
craig

MinnesotaDave · Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:38 pm

motox wrote:DCEP for excalibur 7018, right?
craig

Yes - basically you can run all DC rods on DCEP, and the AC rods too.

motox · Sat Mar 07, 2015 3:03 pm

dave
thanks good to know.
craig

motox · Sat Mar 07, 2015 3:29 pm

guys
one more question
looking at my 250 the lug to connect
the torch doesn't look like it has enough
thread to leave the tig torch hooked up
and put the connector for the stick torch.
is there something someone makes to
be able to do this or do i need to figure
out something?
craig

Louie1961 · Sat Mar 07, 2015 5:07 pm

I don't have a good answer for you other than just switching them back and forth. On mine I have a water cooled torch, so my set up is different. I made a short tag lead with a DINSE connector on one end and a ring terminal on the the other. When I want to stick weld I unplug the torch from the DINSE and plug in the stinger.

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Louie1961 · Sat Mar 07, 2015 5:08 pm

BTW, I did something similar on the ground lead as well, so I can plug in extension leads and weld up to 50 feet away from the unit as needed.

motox · Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:15 pm

my torch is water cooled but I'm going to steal
your idea and add a tag lead.
craig

motox · Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:17 pm

louie
my knees are shot so if i do a stick
hookup its going to be permanent
craig

Louie1961 · Sat Mar 07, 2015 10:08 pm

put up some pics once you get it all set up. Also would like to see how your stick beads turn out.