Welder for 1/4" metal ?

[mouthpiece]

What welder will weld 1/4" steel?
I need to give cowcatcher a rest.
I have a small welder/generator but it is sticky quite often and is frustrating to use(maybe i am using wrong weld rod?)
plus I want to weld some thick wall (.220)drill stem(magnetic) and smaller 3-16" metal and angle iron.

 

[CanadianRiverRat]

Try some 1/8" E7014 rod....super easy to hold an arc even out in wind. It's what I used back when I taught my dad to weld.

 

[Aku]

Mig or Tig. I've welded angle and smaller stuff with my Miller GMAW for years. The Mig works great with square tubing making bars for windows. I tried to learn GTAW, but it was not meant to be. Harbor Freight has cheap machines. If you want a good machine, might consider, Lincoln, Miller, Hobart, may still be the best around.

 

[mouthpiece]

I want stick for some reason.
Should I be looking at options for a wirefeed type welder.
I honestly don't have a clue about welders

 

[Aku]

I want stick for some reason.
Should I be looking at options for a wirefeed type welder.
I honestly don't have a clue about welders

When my Dad was alive, we went through a lot of rod, with his big Lincoln. There's a lot of factors, but my personal choice is Mig with flux core wire, so I don't have to use gas. Mig seems easier to me. My little Miller 140 automatic has does everything I've needed. If you want to use rod, then try what @CanadianRiverRat suggested. It's been awhile since I've used rod, there are charts on the internet regarding electrodes and settings you might check out.

 

[Ryan500L]

Just buy a used Lincoln A/C or AC/DC 225 cracker box at a pawn shop or swap meet and get some 6011 and 7018 rod and practice a lot. They will do for what most people want to weld

 

[Perplexed]

When my Dad was alive, we went through a lot of rod, with his big Lincoln. There's a lot of factors, but my personal choice is Mig with flux core wire, so I don't have to use gas. Mig seems easier to me. My little Miller 140 automatic has does everything I've needed. If you want to use rod, then try what @CanadianRiverRat suggested. It's been awhile since I've used rod, there are charts on the internet regarding electrodes and settings you might check out.

This is my choice too, though I didn’t do a lot of stick welding before switching to MIG. Much more convenient not having to deal with a bottle.

 

[2busy]

Just buy a used Lincoln A/C or AC/DC 225 cracker box at a pawn shop or swap meet and get some 6011 and 7018 rod and practice a lot. They will do for what most people want to weld

That's what most everyone has around here and what we had in highschool except it was only ac polarity. It'll get it done.

 

[Mr.Glock]

I have really enjoyed this Hobart. I also have a AC/DC Stick, but rarely use it.

 

[kwaynem]

I want stick for some reason.
Should I be looking at options for a wirefeed type welder.
I honestly don't have a clue about welders

Stick will serve you better Tim better penetration than mig for welding on what you are talking about if it’s magnetic you might have to wrap your ground was around the drill stem several times from the far end to where your welding to get it to weld you can always make more than one pass to build it up