Thread: I want to buy a Stick Welder

FWIW, I'm happy with my $100 Ozito.

Originally Posted by 8679

My searches suggest the BOC smootharc 130 comes up well at $357.50

Well, I can't match your price or the $100 Ozito but my baby inverter welder has been good for me. If interested, check my review as it might provide some details for comparison.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by 8679

Any and all comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Alf

At $100 all you will find is AC arc welders. I hear inverter (DC) arc welders are easier to use and more versatile wrt the types of things you can weld. I point that out just in case you didn't realise that within arc welders there are two types.

Originally Posted by derekh

FWIW, I'm happy with my $100 Ozito.

I'll second that, I love my $100 Ozito.

I bought a $100 GMC which was crap, when I returned it to bunnies the guy said he had built his trailer with the Ozito and it was great.

It is fan cooled and has a pretty decent duty cycle.
Although I have upgraded it to heavy duty cable with a decent torch and earth clamp (they were "free")

I use good WIA rods (not sure exactly which but I can check if you like).
I only weld mild steel, generally 20mm or 30mm RHS at about 80A and have no worries.

I am not the worlds best welder but do okay.

I think the best thing for my welding is to use an auto darkening helmet, it makes the process so much easier.

I recommend the Ozito $100 welder, using any money saved to buy an auto darkening helmet, and using quality rods.

+1 for the auto-darkening helmet. The Ozito one is not worth a pinch.

I used to say good things about the GMC,s but having seen a recent one it's now glaringly obvious that there can;t be anything that our far eastern friends can't make,nastier shoddier and cheaper.

Have the Ozitos got a fan?The duty cycle can be up to s**t with out a fan.

Grahame

Yes the Ozito has a fan.
The duty cycle isn't a problem for me. I had a GMC and it cut out all the time but my Ozito never has.

BTW, I was not endorsing the Ozito auto darkening helmet as I have never used one. I was saying to buy a good quality auto darkening helmet.
My helmet cost twice as much as my welder (incidentally the last pack of rods I bought cost half as much as my welder).

Originally Posted by Jack E

Yes the Ozito has a fan.
The duty cycle isn't a problem for me. I had a GMC and it cut out all the time but my Ozito never has.

From the website it states that duty cycle is 25% @ 80 Amps (even with fan!) and this is for a 140amp welder. That's weld for 2.5 minutes and site around for 7.5 minutes waiting for it to cool if you don't want to overstress it. Question is whether with such a poor duty cycle is the reason why it's not cutting out while the GMC did was because it has no protective circuitry while the GMC did?

Edit: Nevermind it states it has overload protection..Question is at what point does it trigger and how good it is. It has 3 year warranty so...

Originally Posted by Jack E

BTW, I was not endorsing the Ozito auto darkening helmet as I have never used one. I was saying to buy a good quality auto darkening helmet.

Don't think ozito make an auto darkening helmet anyway.. I think the previous poster was only mentioning the standard helmet that comes with the package is ####.

Originally Posted by montiee

From the website it states that duty cycle is 25% @ 80 Amps (even with fan!) and this is for a 140amp welder. That's weld for 2.5 minutes and site around for 7.5 minutes waiting for it to cool if you don't want to overstress it. Question is whether with such a poor duty cycle is the reason why it's not cutting out while the GMC did was because it has no protective circuitry while the GMC did? If so that's not a good.

Where did you get the specs from?
We may be talking different welders as I have had mine for about 3 years.

I don't know exactly what the duty cycle on mine is. I generally only make frames or stands out of 20mm or 30mm RHS and never have to wait for the welder. The welder itself doesn't get hot. I a sparky so know what I am looking out for.

It is pretty rare for me to weld for 2.5 minutes continuously.

Originally Posted by Jack E

Where did you get the specs from?

http://www.ozito.com.au/productinfo.aspx?prodid=AWG-964

I have to laugh at the mask that comes with the package. You'd think in this day and age they'd at least be able to chip in the ancient headstrap helmet (non auto) wihch go for a nearly nothing over that hand held abomination.

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

I used to say good things about the GMC,s but having seen a recent one it's now glaringly obvious that there can;t be anything that our far eastern friends can't make,nastier shoddier and cheaper.

I thought the gmc was an italian produced unit from what I've been reading.

I have a 5 year old Italian GMC.

I have replaced the cables with longer higher current rated cable, New pro-grade hand piece and clamp, all up cost me $100.
It can only weld 4 rods worth continuously before it trips.
Have added some big heat sinks I found at work to the transformer.
Now I can weld 4.5 sticks continuously before it trips.
I have been meaning to add a fan for ages.

In a days welding it trips about the right number of times for me to go get a drink and pit stop.

It doesn't owe me a thing. I think I will get something better next time

Originally Posted by montiee

http://www.ozito.com.au/productinfo.aspx?prodid=AWG-964

I have to laugh at the mask that comes with the package. You'd think in this day and age they'd at least be able to chip in the ancient headstrap helmet (non auto) wihch go for a nearly nothing over that hand held abomination.

That looks the same as mine.
Like I said the duty cycle has never been a problem for me with the light welding I do.
The mask and chipping hammer are a joke.
The torch and earth clamp weren't much better but I had access to good stuff so upgraded mine.

Originally Posted by BobL

I have a 5 year old Italian GMC.

I have replaced the cables with longer higher current rated cable, New pro-grade hand piece and clamp, all up cost me $100.
It can only weld 4 rods worth continuously before it trips.
Have added some big heat sinks I found at work to the transformer.
Now I can weld 4.5 sticks continuously before it trips.
I have been meaning to add a fan for ages.

The Italian GMC was the one I had, I did half a job and took it back because it was rubbish.
I was prepared to pay a few hundred at that point to get a better welder but the salesman recommended the $100 Ozito so I gave it a go. It has served my needs well without a hitch after some small modification.

Originally Posted by Jack E

The Italian GMC was the one I had, I did half a job and took it back because it was rubbish.
I was prepared to pay a few hundred at that point to get a better welder but the salesman recommended the $100 Ozito so I gave it a go. It has served my needs well without a hitch after some small modification.

I don't see all that much to crow about with the Ozito compared to the GMC. The reason I replaced the cables on the GMC was the originals were too short - the Ozito cables are just as short and just as thin. I replaced the hand piece because it basically burnt out from overuse - the Ozito hand piece looks identical to the original GMC ie way too flimsy. The original GMC clamp was just short of a clothes peg and didn't like being run over by my trailer - the Ozito one looks the same. The one supposed significant difference is the duty cycle but I generally take what's written in cheap tool manuals with a large dose of NaCl.

I compare this with the bog basic copper core CIG welder I borrowed from a BIL 25 years ago and kept it for 20 years and worked that sucker quite hard at times. It was a beaut little welder - pity he wanted it back!