Help a beginner - stick welding

**seanlark** · 29th June 2013, 05:51 AM

Thanks Grahame that is very helpful and actually confirms what a few of my farming mates who weld have been saying. I also have a new respect for them as they seem to largely do a very neat and strong job on things they have done for me. I suspect I will mainly work with 2.5mm material and not do anything too fancy. They have essentially recommended a good quality minimum 160A arc welder to start with.

I have found it incredibly helpful reading the comments of more experienced welders.

Sean

**Legion** · 1st July 2013, 05:51 PM

Sean, if you're welding 2.5mm material you won't need that big a machine. The little 130A machines will do way more than that, are lightweight and easy to use, (sometimes a lot) cheaper and run off a 10A plug. 160A+ machines will typically require a 15A plug and are overkill for home light fab work. My 130A machine will run up to 3.2mm rods no problem, probably 4.0mm rods (but I've never tried) and it'll do 2.5mm material all day long without a break with 2.0mm and 2.6mm rods, much more than the operator can handle.

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