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

born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
Years ago one of my knuckle headed mates bought a welder...but he didn't know much about it. So he invited another mate over & they started muckin' around in the shed with it. They didn't have any scrap to practise on so they started looking around his yard for shit to weld together. Anyway, wife came home from work & found some of her pots & pans half welded to the old Hills Hoist.
I still laugh....
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Years ago one of my knuckle headed mates bought a welder...but he didn't know much about it. So he invited another mate over & they started muckin' around in the shed with it. They didn't have any scrap to practise on so they started looking around his yard for shit to weld together. Anyway, wife came home from work & found some of her pots & pans half welded to the old Hills Hoist.
I still laugh....
If those guys managed to weld aluminium to gal steel with a stick welder they are worth more money.
 

born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
If those guys managed to weld aluminium to gal steel with a stick welder they are worth more money.
Yeah I know...dunno what they were doing, but I saw his wife at a piss-up a couple weeks later & she was not amused (I was still pissing myself!)

Maybe if the gal was old enough to expose some steel (or it was a shitty low-buck hoist that was losing whatever coating it once had)....and the pots were cast iron or stainless...???
I'll never know....
 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
Well, the ironing board broke. Was gonna toss it, then remembered my cheapo Aldi DC Inverter welder, and thought nothing to lose. So thin walled pipe to weld to 6mm solid. My old POS AC job would not even have looked at it without blowing endless holes in it. Found some 2mm rods, set the rod negative and had the amps too high... instant hole. Wound it back to 45-ish... voomo... the welds aren’t pretty, but it is fixed for sure. DC Inverter Welders rock.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Well, the ironing board broke. Was gonna toss it, then remembered my cheapo Aldi DC Inverter welder, and thought nothing to lose. So thin walled pipe to weld to 6mm solid. My old POS AC job would not even have looked at it without blowing endless holes in it. Found some 2mm rods, set the rod negative and had the amps too high... instant hole. Wound it back to 45-ish... voomo... the welds aren’t pretty, but it is fixed for sure. DC Inverter Welders rock.
How many amps is your welder?
 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
I think it's 140 amps... will check tonight. It certainly works a treat. I wasn't expecting it to actually happen, so I didn't prep the ironing board at all, no grinding or wire brushing, just clamped the earth on and went for it.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
I think it's 140 amps... will check tonight. It certainly works a treat. I wasn't expecting it to actually happen, so I didn't prep the ironing board at all, no grinding or wire brushing, just clamped the earth on and went for it.
Cool. I'm keen to have a dabble at welding. This sounds like a cheap way to make a start.
 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
140 amps. Mine has an extra 3 amps on hand, just in case. It was a middle row special, so you may have to wait if you're after an Aldi one. I'm sure they are all stamped out of biscuit tin.
 

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Knuckles

Lives under a bridge
140 amps. Mine has an extra 3 amps on hand, just in case. It was a middle row special, so you may have to wait if you're after an Aldi one. I'm sure they are all stamped out of biscuit tin.
Best thing about it, you can sling it over your Shoulder or slip it into some tight places and weld in some awkward, out of position spots a lot easier than a big arse ac/DC jobbie for quick touch up repair. It's small and light AF.

If someone in Melbourne is interested in one in as new condition, and can't be fuct waiting for them to come around again, PM me. Work bought me a mig/tig/stick multi as part of my bonus, so I might offload the Aldi one.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Best thing about it, you can sling it over your Shoulder or slip it into some tight places and weld in some awkward, out of position spots a lot easier than a big arse ac/DC jobbie for quick touch up repair. It's small and light AF.

If someone in Melbourne is interested in one in as new condition, and can't be fuct waiting for them to come around again, PM me. Work bought me a mig/tig/stick multi as part of my bonus, so I might offload the Aldi one.
How much do you want for it?
 
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