[cornmuse]

First was a Miller (AC only) Thunderbolt. Got it used in the early '70's, still have it. Still have a sealed 50lb can of rod that came with it. Copper wound, weighs a ton! Not used for 10+- years.

-c-

[xwrench]

Lincoln buzz box. In the late '70s
I wonder what ever happened to it.


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[noddybrian]

SIP 140amp buzzbox bought just after 13th birthday with money earned working on friends farm - used for general repairs & welding up go kart / bike frames !- it ended up at school when I got a better one ( Oxford 180 amp oil cooled AC ) and got left there - a few years back I was given it as they did'nt know what to do with it ! since then it's run through a big ballast resistor to drop the volts a bit & is used to passivate stainless with a home made paddle covered in fiber glass exhaust wrap dipped in dilute phosphoric acid - did run a couple of rods with it just for kicks & it still welds as badly as it did new ! not bad - got a Condor Mig bought around age 18 still in use which shows how well the old stuff lasts with little or no widgets inside as I'm mid 50's now.

[AndersK]

I bought an Esab Miggy 125 in the 80's.
Mainly for autobody work. Still got it but needs some work to fix a probable gas leak inside.

[electrode]

Miller Swinger 180 AC.

[Poland308]

Lincoln 225 ac tombstone

[LtBadd]

Miller Swinger 180 AC.

[exnailpounder]

Miller Swinger 180 AC.

Anything you want to talk about?

[electrode]

Miller Swinger 180 AC.

Miller Swinger 180 AC.

Anything you want to talk about?

Whaaaaaat!? It was a real welder and it was AC only. It welded a lot of stuff and the only reason I sold it was because once I got my new SW250DX I was afraid to scratch it and kept using the Swinger 180. Here is a pic I found on the new of my trusty old welder.

swinger.jpg (25.99 KiB) Viewed 1098 times

SCHWING !!!

schwing.jpg (13.98 KiB) Viewed 1098 times

[WVJay]

That's really awesome people! Kind of neat thinking back to the good old days for some of us older folk, and lets the younger ones think of what it was like before electronic controls. I myself still don't own a welder yet but I am thinking since my friends already have MIG welders I may invest in a TIG for working on race car chassis repairs. I just hope the learning curve for mild steel tube isn't too difficult. Thanks people for the trip down memory lane and the wishes of all the new guys keeping dreams alive!

Jay

[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.