Small Lincoln stick welder

[Bkpigs]

Guys,

Been looking at the Lincoln Electric 220-Volt AC-225 Stick Welder they have at Lowes. Is it any good? I am not going into a welding business, just mainly little fixit jobs and some small fabrication. Don't want to go with MIG due to $$$$$ and dealing with the gas bottles. I figure the little bit I would use it, a stick welder would fit the job.

Let me know what you think about it. Oh, and I went on Lincoln's site and they want almost $200 bucks more for the exact welder. What is with that?

 

[maplehillfrm]

(quoted from post at 16:03:06 05/09/10) Guys,

Been looking at the Lincoln Electric 220-Volt AC-225 Stick Welder they have at Lowes. Is it any good? I am not going into a welding business, just mainly little fixit jobs and some small fabrication. Don't want to go with MIG due to $$$$$ and dealing with the gas bottles. I figure the little bit I would use it, a stick welder would fit the job.

Let me know what you think about it. Oh, and I went on Lincoln's site and they want almost $200 bucks more for the exact welder. What is with that?

I dont know which one they have at lowes, but I have a lincold buzz box, its an ac/dc unit 220 volt, I have had it for close to 20 yrs now,and it works great, It welds everything I need, especially since I dont do it for a lioving, But I know there where plenty of people that used them all the time befor mig,tig and etc came out, I dont think y ou can gowrong with it, thats my 2 cents,, sometimes I get change from that though, good luck,pat

 

[old]

That welder pretty much is the same welder they have built now for 50 years or more. They are just a good old farm type welder and I have owned 2 or 3 of them over the years and still use one often

 

[36 Coupe]

I bought my Lincoln 225 in 1965 for 93 bucks.They are selling at Lowes and Home depot for 268 bucks best money you ever spent.Put in more money and buy the ac dc model.DO IT NOW.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Lincoln has a couple different AC 225 welders. The bigger and most common one is just an AC 225. It is also the better one. The other one is an AC 225 S. It is a lot smaller and I think has an even lower duty cycle. I"m not sure it even has a cooling fan. If you can swing it, you might want to consider an AC/DC or DC welder. A Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DC is an excellent welder and a Miller Dialarc 250 is good too. Red-D-Arc has the Lincoln made with just DC output and had used ones listed at $550 with a 30 day warranty. I've seen other similar welders in the same price range. Spending a little bit more for a machine with DC current is well worth the extra money. Lincoln makes an AC 225/DC 125 welder but you could probably find a used Idealarc 250 AC/DC for the same price. If money is real tight, the bigger Lincoln AC 225 will work OK with some practice. I don't think the Miller Thunderbolt is a very good welder and prefer the Lincoln. Dave

 

[lucas boy]

i have that same welder with the dc option,was a hundred more i think. the dc comes in handy for thin stuff.have owned it 22 years and no problems with it.i generally weld thinner stuff dc and thick stuff ac..but that basic ac welder is pretty damn good from what ive seen

 

[RoySC]

I bought a Lincoln 225 AC welder recently off of "Craigslist" for $70. Of course it's used, but works great....only had to change the rod holder for $10. I'm no expert, but I think Lincoln in well repected in the welding industry. You may want to give www.craigslist.com a try in your area. I see welders on there often in my local area...Lincoln 225 selling for about $100...they may be availble in yours. Check under the "tools" section if interested. As always, you do need to be aware of the crock trying to scam someone on the internet....Good Luck.

 

[504]

Go in most high school welding shops and you will find a 225 Lincoln. Price one at a local welding store before you buy at a box store, most of the time there are extra accessories that the box stores don t give you that a local store will, and besides the local guys spend their money locally and do not send it out of state.

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

Hi bkpigs,

"Oh, and I went on Lincoln's site and they want almost $200 bucks more for the exact welder. What is with that?"

You can't buy a welder from that site. Prices given there are what Lincoln calls the "industrial price", which is what is more commonly called the "manufacturer's suggested retail price" or MSRP. The MSRP is an imaginary price which retailers can use to make people who were born yesterday think they are getting a bargain.

Craigslist usually has plenty of Lincoln AC 225 welders listed. Here in the Pacific Northwest they usually sell for about $100 to $150. Might be a little different in your part of the country, but not too much. Lincoln AC/DC 225/125 welders don't come available as frequently, and usually sell for about $250-300. These welders are often bought by people who would like to learn to weld but don't, or by people with one project to weld who never need the welder again. For that reason many of these welders are virtually unused. (This might be more true of welders sold in cities than in rural areas or farm country where there is more use for them.) But even a Lincoln buzz box that has had a lot of use is likely to be in good shape. They're sort of like ten pound steel balls---it takes a determined person to hurt one.

Since they don't cost very much in any case, you might choose to buy a new one just to keep things simple. If you decide to try the craigslist route, here are a few things to watch out for:

1. Be suspicious of someone who can't let you try the welder because they say they don't have 220V power, or the right outlet, or some inexpensive but necessary part is missing, like the electrode holder, the ground clamp, or the plug.

2. Be wary of a welder that has been repainted. It means the welder didn't look too good, and it doesn't make them work any better.

3. Test a welder by taking along some easy to use rod like 6013, and at least strike an arc (and maybe run a 1" long bead of it) on every single setting. If it works, it works. There isn't much that can go wrong.

If you decide to look for a used welder, Dave's suggestion of a Lincoln Idealarc is a good one. They are very heavy, though, if you foresee moving it around very much.

Don't overlook the possibility of an old Forney. They were just about as bulletproof as Lincoln buzz boxes, and the ones with plug-ins instead dials don't even have moving parts to go bad.

All the best, Stan

 

[RodinNS]

Are you ~sure~ you're looking at the same welders with the same options?
What I was told by my dealer a few months ago is that yes.... they do sell welders in the box stores but the model usually has some differnet letter designation to signify that it was sold at a box store. The quality is probably not as great and the features may be a bit differnet.
Might be worth talking to a dealer and see what they can do on actual pricing for you. Might surprise you...
I'd also suggest going with an AC/DC machine if you can swing it.
I've done quite a bit of welding with the old Linc 225. I now use a Miller DC Thunderbolt. Both are good welders.

Rod

 

[Anonymous-0]

If a high school welding shop only has AC 225 Lincolns, it won't be much of a welding class. Idealarc 250's are common though in schools. Dave

 

[Anonymous-0]

The smaller Lincoln 225 is called an AC 225 GLM and not the AC 225 S. The straight AC 225 is the better one in either case. Dave

 

[36 Coupe]

The story about box stores selling different models has been around for a long time.Doesnt make sense that Lincoln would cut corners.The new 225s are pretty close to the one I bought in 1965.The selector knob is nylon now instead of steel.The paint job is bright red instead of red primer.The welding leads are one size smaller.The electrode holder is smaller.The input cord is the new style range cord that a lot lighter than the old crow foot style that my welder came with.A used welder depends on the owners treatment.Did they run it without regard to the duty cycle.Is the welder dented or covered with oil, grease or paint?Has it been left outdoors?Lowes and HD are selling the 225 for 268 bucks here.Lowes was sending out 10% discount coupons last spring.

 

[RodinNS]

I don't know why you would think that Lincoln would not cut corners....
Every other manufacturer has been doing that for years with consumer grade equipment. Wether or not they do on that particular welder or not, I don't know. When I was told that we were talking more about Mig's than stick welders....

The point still remains that a person should look closely at what they're buying and compare prices based on what they're getting instead of simply buying the cheapest one.

Rod

 

[dhermesc]

Considering most schools don't bother with industrial arts the fact they have a welder at all is promising.

 

[bc]

The manufacturers do play the different model number game. For all the high volume sellers like the big box stores, sears, walmart, sams, and so on. They get their own exclusive model number whether we are talking appliances, electronics, computers, and tools.

The stores, among other things, can then do promotions like we will match the price of any ad for the model. Like with appliances, they can specify what they want in it for various models. But they are still made at the same factory. More often than not, they just change labels, shipping boxes, and so on as they make a factory run for a particular store.

A welder can't have too many options from the factory, such as a choice of wire windings, and I would think that Lowest and Home cheapo isn't going to drop down to a walmart grade welder. I think they try to sell good quality stuff.

 

[Bkpigs]

Thanks guys. There is a Lincoln dealer in my area and I was going to check with him before I bought anything. Or atleast price him.

If he is within $20-$30 I figure the little higher cost will be worth it if I need help or parts.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Lincoln cutting corners? The short hood and red face SA200's are the most sought after portable welders, especially for pipeline welding. The newer classics are based on the old red face machines but not as good as the originals. All the SA200's from about 73 to 93 weren't as good. They were still decent welders but the BIG difference was that Lincoln made some of the windings out of aluminum. If you look at a brand new 200D pipeliner, it still has the battery cover with a hole for a crank to start it. Lincoln cuts corners where ever they can and I'm sure every other manufacturer of welding machines does too. Dave

 

[36 Coupe]

He said stick welder...

 

[36 Coupe]

My 77 chevy is a much better work truck than my 96 Ford.

 

[Anonymous-0]

True enough. I went to a trade school that had a variety of good equipment and also had a well equipped machine shop. Apparently they said that new students aren't interested in trades anymore and the school was converted back to a regular high school. In a couple of the welding booths, they even had SAE 300 motor generators upstairs with the control box in the welding booth. It's a real shame they got rid of all the equipment and the trade school is no longer.

 

[36 Coupe]

The Ideal Arc draws too much primary current for most of us .My barn line is # 8 too small to run an Ideal Arc.In any case my 225 has welded every thing I need for over 40 years.

 

[36 Coupe]

Ill bet most welding is being done in China now.

 

[MSJ from MN]

I bought that same welder a few years ago at Mills Fleet Farm. Works great and havent had any problems with it.

 

[36 Coupe]

We are talking about the 225s, lets keep the Ideal arc and gas powered welders out of it.We have a question about the 225s on the floor.

 

[Dave F.]

One more piece of advice, If you get the welder, Don't leave it pluged in all the time, Even if you turn the circuit breaker off. I had lighting/power surge come in on mine, Took out a diode, (ac/dc welder) Dave F.

 

[36 Coupe]

You just posted about the SA200s where they junk or not?

 

[Brad Buchanan]

Been runnin' a Lincoln 225 AC 'buzz box' for about 20 years. Never missed a beat and could be mistaken for a new unit if you didn't look too close.