[coalmineweldor]

Only stick?Well its my opinion that an AC/DC transformer type welder is a much more durable machine....Sure the newer inverter types have features like hot start,.....and you can tig with them....but they cannot handle dust and moisture.If you work outside of a garage and have to drag them around,they do not last.Especially the Thermal Arc brand.I have a whole pile of them at the shop in pieces.We see alot of inverter welders there....Now granted they are subjected to a hellish enviroment,Underground mining ,But the same mining companys that send us these inverter welders to repair,and I mean Miller,Lincoln,Thermal Arc,Workhorse,&Powcon.........They still fall back on their less portable Miller thunderbolts and Lincoln "tombstone" Transformer welders that that bought 15-20 years ago when they have too. I have only seen one transformer welder come in for repair......And it was because while they were welding,they had a buddy turn up the amperage in the middle of a bead and it welded the selector switches contacts together.....

[Double-D]

Miller's DialArc 250 AC/DC or Lincoln's Idealarc 250 AC/DC for general shop use. For outside, consider an engine drive like Miller's Trailblazer 302 or Lincoln's Ranger 305 (DC only). Naturally the diesel's like Lincolns Pipeliner, Classic or Vantage, or Miller's Pro 300 and Big 40's are great for pipe, plate and gouging. It really depends on your needs/use.

Most of the bigger transformer welders operate on 3-phase input and are considered "industrial use."

Hope this helps.

[erector1]

I personaly like lincoln. I use a lincoln 305g everyday mainley for fcaw nr 233, and sometimes 7018 smaw. i can weld while my helpers are using the machine as a generator for grinding and other things. there great

[OldSneelock]

What are you going to weld?

If your just learning, or a hobby welder buy a welder you can grow with. I like to use a fairly large welder, 250 amps or so.
You certainly can weld with a little Harbor Freight buzz box but you soon outgrow the machine.

I've used transformer and generator types and if money was no object, a engine powered AC/DC generator welder 400 amps or better with long cables would be my choice.

I don't weld for a living anymore but I still like to build the occasional project. What I have now is a 50 year old, Miller 200 amp transformer type that I bought for $10.00 at an auction because everyone thought it was burned up. Stripped down and cleaned up it has worked well for me the last 10 years. Got to love those old copper wound coils.

The brand of welder won't make you a better welder but it sure can make it easier. Get the best you can afford and practice, practice, practice.

[MobileWelding]

I was glad to see someone ask "What are you going to be welding?". Also, another question would be how much, or how long. If you are going to get a welder that, say, has a max of 100 amps, and you are constantly going to be welding at that output, you would be better to get a welder with a much higher rating. That way, you will be using it at a reduced setting, which would give you a longer duty cycle. This is why you see people with a 250 amp machine, but consistently use it at 70-120 amps, for the longer duty cycle.

Also another thing to consider would be what thickness material are you going to most often be working with? This would determine the size of stick you will use (1/16, 3/32, 1/8) An 80 amp inverter box will certainly be able to handle 1/16, and maybe 3/32 depending on what type stick. But it will have a hard time with 1/8 rod, even though the box says 1/8 needs 70-125, this would be at the lower margin of the sticks requirement for a good burn.

Also... What is your power source? 110v or 220v? Are you going to work in a shop, or on-site? If you are in a shop 99% of the time, run some 220v line, get the highest rated machine you can get. A Lincoln tombstone is nearly bullet proof, and will last for ever, as well as a Miller Thunderbolt. Try to get a machine that can also do DC. If you want to work on-site repairing farm equipment for example, you'd be better off with an engine driven machine rather than trying to power a buzz box off of a generator. Not that it won't work, that's how I got started, but you don't need a $10,000 machine either. I do very well with my Lincoln Power Arc 4000 Welder/Generator, because of the type of work I do. Lincoln, Miller, and Hobart have really nice Welder/Generators that can get you going for under $1500 - $1800. Or even look for a used machine. You can pick up a really nice used Trailblazer for under $1000.

But, there are many more questions that need to be considered other than just "What is the best stick welder". Be truthful with you answers and think about future growth. Don't settle for a machine that when first using it you are already at it's limits. Think about WHERE, and WHAT you will be welding. Would you want AC or DC or both?

Good luck. It's not an easy process to choose a machine, but asking questions, joining forums, and going to manufacturers websites are great starts. Many manufactures like Lincoln and Miller and others have selectors on their website to help you decide.