[Notapro]

I think I tried welding around 8 or 9 years old, my father had a welder and welded since he was younger. A salesman stopped one day I think in the late 50's and sold the family an old forney that you switch your lead to the amps you want to weld with. I started on that machine, when I was about 13 he traded it for a century ac/dc buzz box. Photo is a reference of unit we had.

[Jim FLinchbaugh]

My first was the Snap-on FM140A MIG machine
Bought used as a demo from the dealer.
!00% duty cycle, new liner every once in a while.
Solid, dependable machine. Still have it

[ex framie]

My first welder was a CIG trans arc 140 stick welder, I had that for over 20 years.
Used it for hobby work, building work benches and shelves, general repairs and even welded up a few cracks in an ex's motorcycle frame.
Sold it to a mate when I bought an AC/DC tig that also did stick.

[Bill Beauregard]

First electric welder I used was not one I owned. It was a Westinghouse 320 Amp engine driven one. In 1972 Arc was steady, with coaching I welded well. I fell in love with it tried numerous times to buy it. 20 years later its owner was dying and gave it to me. It had sat unused outdoors all those years. I overhauled the engine, but never did weld with it again.
My first owned welder was sold by a hot shot salesman, who did an evening show at the local farm store. A 20th Century 295 amp AC unit with 100% duty cycle. I still have it, I bet it still works. I built a lot of stuff with it, and thawed a lot of frozen water lines.

Bill

[Granddaddy]

Lincoln 225 AC, because it was what I knew. I had an uncle who I watched build a 50 foot steel hull trawler in his back yard as a young kid, 1st or second grade, that's when I knew I wanted to weld. in high school farm mechanics that's what we used, plus it was cheap. I still have one and still use it, I am no fan of 6013's so I burn 7018 ac, 7014 and 7024 but in the early days I made a lot of smoke with the 6013's, a lot it was white smoke because I had no clue the fumes from zinc was bad for you. maybe that's why I have CRS so bad now.