Welding Tips and Tricks

Not sure if this goes here but i was wondering if anyone has any experiance with some 120 dc stick welders. I would get something with more power but i'm in a rural apartment so i can weld but don't have access to anything more than a 120 outlet. I'm trying to keep in practice for stick welding weld tests because all i weld now is aluminum via mig or tig and went to stay sharp with my stick skills. Any recommendations would be appreciated i'm currently look at the ESAB Miniarc 161 LTS Stick Package and the ESAB ES 95i DC Stick Package. Size is also a concern it has to be small thanks.

I've TIGged with the 95i, and it performed great, but I've never burned a stick rod with it.

Sorry. More opinions will likely come.

Steve S

I used to use the thermal arc version of the Esau 95. I stick and tig welded off of it. It worked good enough. I ran 3/32 6010's and 3/32 7018's. You need at least a 20 amp breaker.

DON'T buy a 120 volt only machine! Get dual voltage. The little bit extra you spend now will be well worth it when you move to a place that has 220 service. Esab 161 can be had for less than $500, AHP 160 for half that. Both are dual voltage machines. The Esab will burn 6010 very well, the AHP, not so well

I owned an ESAB 161 for a few years - welded 6010 very well.
3/32" 7018 was fine on 120v

I have 2 of them at the school I teach at - students really like them.
At school they burn 6010,6011,6013,7018 and tig.

Okay that helps, if it were up to me and i had the money for one i want to get the Miller Dynasty 210 DX TIG Welder. But for now i'll have to settle for a cheaper machine. When the time comes to get the miller is that one worth the money or is there another machine out there that would be better for tig. I plan on using it for personal projects and eventually my own side jobs.
Oh and minnesotadave are you really in bemidji cause i only live an hour from there.

Yep, just to the NW about 15 minutes.

My current small machine is the Thermal Arc 161 - also a very nice little guy to use

Dave, I just now noticed the last sentence in your signature line...

When I worked in industrial construction (power plants, ethanol, etc.) My wife once asked me why I enjoyed that kind of work so much. I told her, "Normal people bore me."

Steve S

I've owned a Miller MaxStar 140 for a long time. Welds rather welll on 120v for 3/32 7018, and DC TIG. It doesn't have a production level duty cycle, but for practice and the odd job, it's a great little box. I believe the thing is over 15 years old by now.

Otto Nobedder wrote:Dave, I just now noticed the last sentence in your signature line...

When I worked in industrial construction (power plants, ethanol, etc.) My wife once asked me why I enjoyed that kind of work so much. I told her, "Normal people bore me."

Steve S

Man I hear you
The level of boredom when working with "normal" people is very high.
Can't even get a decent conversation out of them some days.

Now when I worked in county jail, interesting conversations were a given - lol.