Thread: welding very thick heavy duty steel??

Something like a 300amp stick welder is what the guys used to fix my machinery with years ago.

Stick welders are always a good, versatile and economical option for heavy welding.

I also live on a farm and found a stick welder most usefull.

No gas to run out.
Only one one machine to drag around.
Very simple to operate(less chance of breakdown and having to wait forever for parts).
Large range of rods available to use.

Yep, you should be able to get a big three phase stick for cheap. It's great welding.

Stick welders also have 'hard facing' rods fairly readily available, and these are what the so-called 'pro's' use to fix up the teeth on their gear - at least looking at the cr@p welds wandering all over the place. The only other hard facing gear I have read of is a specialised spray gun for Oxy that sprays powdered metal into the oxy flame and melts the powder on. Nothing like that for Mig, and I haven't heard of it for Tig either but my info is a few years out of date.

You could always go for an inverter Tig/stick welder, and only use the stick function until you find a need for the Tig function, saving a few dollars on bottle rental & gas. There is a thread around in the last few weeks about inverter welders with a post that explains the technology involved - there are several threads about electron murdering welders, you'll just have to find the right one

Originally Posted by bsrlee

Stick welders also have 'hard facing' rods fairly readily available, and these are what the so-called 'pro's' use to fix up the teeth on their gear - at least looking at the cr@p welds wandering all over the place. The only other hard facing gear I have read of is a specialised spray gun for Oxy that sprays powdered metal into the oxy flame and melts the powder on. Nothing like that for Mig, and I haven't heard of it for Tig either but my info is a few years out of date.

I'm pretty sure you can buy hardfacing wire for MIGs. It's very expensive from memory.