Arc welders rarely wear out, but they can become out of date. Here’s a look at modern welding options for farm shops:
Arc welders are the traditional welding workhorse. Modern arc welders use built-in software to provide easier arc initiation and maintain a more consistent arc.
“New arc welders may have settings for specific rods, like 7018 or 6011, to optimize arc-start and arc characteristics,” says Miller Electric’s Brian Bellile. “You get better welds because the machine optimizes that rod’s performance. Newer arc welders also offer better performance at both ends of their power ranges. Their software allows them to weld thinner metals than the old buzz boxes and penetrate better in thicker metals than older welders.”
A modern arc-only welder will cost about $200 to $500.
Multiprocess welders that offer arc, MIG and TIG functions in one unit are often considered the Cadillacs of farm shop welders. Because arc welding and TIG welding use the same basic DC power transformer technology inside the welder, the TIG function doesn’t significantly raise the cost of a multiprocess machine.
The use of an inert gas to form a shield around their arc limits the quality of MIG and TIG functions outdoors.
“The American Welding Society recommends there be less than a five mile-an-hour wind when welding with a MIG,” says Lincoln Electric’s Kurt Glotz. “Even the air movement from a fan used to cool a shop on a hot day could influence the quality of a MIG weld.”
A multiprocess arc/MIG/TIG welder sells for between $700 and $3,000.
Flux-core wire is a wind-resistant option for wire welders used outdoors. A core of flux in the welding wire melts and shields the arc from atmospheric contamination in the same way that the flux on the outside of a welding rod provides protection when arc welding.
Inverter welders are a lightweight, mobile option for arc welding. Their use of computer technology results in welders weighing less than 15 lb. that produce 150 or more welding amps.
“Inverter welders store power in a series of capacitors, and their software controls the release of that power,” Glotz says. “They’re very portable and can run off either 120 or 240 volts.”
Depending on amp-capacity, a 10 lb. to 15 lb. inverter arc welder capable of 150 or more amps costs between $300 to $500.
