DC Inverter stick welder… wow, absolutely craps on my old cheapo AC transformer POS

[Lazmo]

I know the pros will laugh, but the other day I picked up at Aldis a DC Inverter stick welder for $120… I couldn’t resist… I know it’s the going rate for the cheapies… but at least if it fails, I’ll have half a chance of replacing it, unlike the HK sellers on EBay.

Anyway, plug it in… and holy crap… a one armed baby with no fingers could strike an arc with it. I was laying welds like I’ve never done with my Einhell AC transformer POS. I had all these old rods, and no matter what I picked, it would strike and weld real nice, with quite low amps in the rods recommended range. I broke out my old welder and compared them… same rods, same amps... absolutely no comparison. The difference was unbelievable… my old welder had convinced me I was possibly the worst welder in the world… bullshit, my old welder is rubbish and it was the cause of all my grief… phew... the new one is so smooth.

At least I know that if this one fails, I’ll be definitely be looking at getting another DC Inverter.

 

[Jpez]

In another lifetime I used to do wrought iron work like fancy balustrades and gates. When doing site jobs we would occasionally have to rope our old heavy as shit 'portable' AC solid copper coil up a couple of stories by rope onto a balcony as the stair hadn't been built yet or something like that. dangerous at the best of times.

Then the boss was told about this fresh into the country new DC welder that hung from a shoulder strap! lies! had to be. Sure enough Monday produced a company rep with this amazing little invention. light as a feather and the welds were so smooth it became addictive.That smooooth sound! the slag just peeling off! of course this can be achieved with AC but requires a lot more skill and concentration and a better choice of rod. $1400 later as thats what they cost when they first came out we owned one. Truly an amazing piece of kit for sure.

 

[S_M_I_D_D_Y]

Ive got one at home, has been sitting under the bench for months. Cheers for the reminder i will knock off some rods and scrap steel n give her a test drive sarvo

 

[Knuckles]

Thank you muchly. Was hesitant, despite having Aldi bench grinders, sanders, torque wrenches, steaks, bike stands, bike kit, car fridges, hedge trimmers, high lift jacks, swags, sleeping bags, pizza ovens, and every other piece of crap they sell in the middle cages. Will now bite the bullet, with less fear of giving myself a permanent close crop afro....

#knuckleswasadrunkenchunt

 

[silentbutdeadly]

I was gifted a multi process welder earlier in the year. Stick, mig and tig. And yep compared to the converted microwave oven transformer that is my AC stick welder...it's the shizzle when it comes to stick welding.

But when it goes MIG...it's even better.

 

[link1896]

Thank you muchly. Was hesitant, despite having Aldi bench grinders, sanders, torque wrenches, steaks, bike stands, bike kit, car fridges, hedge trimmers, high lift jacks, swags, sleeping bags, pizza ovens, and every other piece of crap they sell in the middle cages. Will now bite the bullet, with less fear of giving myself a permanent close crop afro....

#knuckleswasadrunkenchunt

Aldi sunglasses will do as a welding mask just nicely to round out your collection.

 

[born-again-biker]

Thank you muchly. Was hesitant, despite having Aldi bench grinders, sanders, torque wrenches, steaks, bike stands, bike kit, car fridges, hedge trimmers, high lift jacks, swags, sleeping bags, pizza ovens, and every other piece of crap they sell in the middle cages. Will now bite the bullet, with less fear of giving myself a permanent close crop afro....

#knuckleswasadrunkenchunt

Don't forget shorts, socks, undies, t-shirts, pressure washer, tube-bender, pipe-cutter, tv wall mount, ratchet spanners, fake heineken, cycling apparel and food dehydrator.

Oh, and yeah re the OP - We have a small "caddie" DC welder at work. It does everything easily (including my "foreign orders"). The old AC banger has about an inch of dust on it.

 

[Lazmo]

Oh, and yeah re the OP - We have a small "caddie" DC welder at work. It does everything easily (including my "foreign orders"). The old AC banger has about an inch of dust on it.

Yep, I need to find someone I don't like and give them my old AC banger.

 

[discofrank]

nice!

I just got a nice new gas/gassless inverter mig and damn it was easy!

I was going to get one of the multi process ones for another $3-400 but with the price of straight inverter sticks i can can still save money and have another machine
will look into the aldi stuff, but a good name brand stick welder can be had for under $300

 

[swaz]

I know the pros will laugh, but the other day I picked up at Aldis a DC Inverter stick welder for $120… I couldn’t resist… I know it’s the going rate for the cheapies… but at least if it fails, I’ll have half a chance of replacing it, unlike the HK sellers on EBay.

Anyway, plug it in… and holy crap… a one armed baby with no fingers could strike an arc with it. I was laying welds like I’ve never done with my Einhell AC transformer POS. I had all these old rods, and no matter what I picked, it would strike and weld real nice, with quite low amps in the rods recommended range. I broke out my old welder and compared them… same rods, same amps... absolutely no comparison. The difference was unbelievable… my old welder had convinced me I was possibly the worst welder in the world… bullshit, my old welder is rubbish and it was the cause of all my grief… phew... the new one is so smooth.

At least I know that if this one fails, I’ll be definitely be looking at getting another DC Inverter.

Was this an advertised item or you just happen to come across it in the local Aldi?

 

[Lazmo]

Was this an advertised item or you just happen to come across it in the local Aldi?

Just happened across it... there was only about half a dozen of them, reduced from $149 to $129 bucks. It was at Ferntree Gully in Vic.

 

[Daniel Hale]

they were advertised something like 6 wks ago

 

[Hools]

Hey, can anyone tell me what kind of welder I might need to weld up some steel section? I'm looking at learning to weld and was going to start with some basic steel frames from galvanized steel square tube. There's no Aldi here, but Supercheap seem to stock a wide range. Don't really know where to start so any advice appreciated.

 

[swaz]

Hey, can anyone tell me what kind of welder I might need to weld up some steel section? I'm looking at learning to weld and was going to start with some basic steel frames from galvanized steel square tube. There's no Aldi here, but Supercheap seem to stock a wide range. Don't really know where to start so any advice appreciated.

DC inverter type seems to be all the hype these days

 

[Flow-Rider]

I know the pros will laugh, but the other day I picked up at Aldis a DC Inverter stick welder for $120… I couldn’t resist… I know it’s the going rate for the cheapies… but at least if it fails, I’ll have half a chance of replacing it, unlike the HK sellers on EBay.

Anyway, plug it in… and holy crap… a one armed baby with no fingers could strike an arc with it. I was laying welds like I’ve never done with my Einhell AC transformer POS. I had all these old rods, and no matter what I picked, it would strike and weld real nice, with quite low amps in the rods recommended range. I broke out my old welder and compared them… same rods, same amps... absolutely no comparison. The difference was unbelievable… my old welder had convinced me I was possibly the worst welder in the world… bullshit, my old welder is rubbish and it was the cause of all my grief… phew... the new one is so smooth.

At least I know that if this one fails, I’ll be definitely be looking at getting another DC Inverter.

Most of the cheap welders start easier because they don't have a VRD (voltage reduction device) but that doesn't mean that they aren't any good. Why buy a $2000 Caddy if you're not going to use it everyday.

 

[Fruitbat]

Its been a while since I have done any welding... is the VRD the safety device that reduces the initial voltage before striking the arc, then jacks it up to the set voltage once it 'sees' an arc rather than a person being electrocuted and completing the circuit?
From memory the VRD can make it harder to get started on rusty, gal or painted steel?

 

[Flow-Rider]

Its been a while since I have done any welding... is the VRD the safety device that reduces the initial voltage before striking the arc, then jacks it up to the set voltage once it 'sees' an arc rather than a person being electrocuted and completing the circuit?
From memory the VRD can make it harder to get started on rusty, gal or painted steel?

Yep, It's suppose to limit from accidental shock of higher voltage.

 

[Lazmo]

It was raining tonight, so I hung in the workshop and broke out a bunch of old rods and went at it. Far out, just how good is DC inverter welding? The real McCoy actual proper DC inverters must be amazing, because this little toy completely and totally blows away my old AC welder. Rather than just trying to keep the thing lit, I was able to really look at what I was doing… and lead the molten pool to wherever I wanted it to go. The slag just peels off.

Years ago, I did a term of night school welding and it covered lots of stuff including vertical ups and some overhead. I would never have had a go at vertical stuff with my POS AC welder, but this thing strikes so easy, and is really controllable and welds so nicely at low amps… I reckon I could pull off vertical ups again with a bit of practice.

Anyway… a lot of fun.

 

[S_M_I_D_D_Y]

Most of the cheap welders start easier because they don't have a VRD (voltage reduction device) but that doesn't mean that they aren't any good. Why buy a $2000 Caddy if you're not going to use it on a mine site who demand VRDs.

Fixed it for you

 

[dunndog]

Now go get yourself some low hydrogen rods, and relive the stoke all over again.