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Flat Thunder Channel

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Apr 24, 2020
Messages
378
Location
Ohio
It's been awhile....

Someone at the shop was selling an older welder generator. It just so happens I need to perform some remote welding so I took a chance on this unit. It needs some work, but I hope it will be a good unit / backup power source. It is a Lincoln Ranger 8.

PXL_20220707_213820166.jpg. PXL_20220707_213827025.jpg
 

Flat Thunder Channel

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
378
Location
Ohio
If it runs and works that's not a bad price.

When I checked my research showed several of them with prices all over the board. Some sold for $300 with others yielding over $2000 at online auctions. I took a shot in the dark and offered what I had available. The best part is it was only 5 minutes from the shop and didn't require a bunch of driving / messing around.

The idle speed adjustment does not work reliably. I hope that is just a corroded contact. It runs medium to high rpm all the time. The other concerning discovery is it welded fine on AC when I demoed it. I burnt 2-3 old rods thru it without any issue. Ever since I got it home I cannot weld on AC. It just sticks the rods, but it welds fine in DC positive? Hopefully it's all related to dirty contacts and not being used. It has less than 500 hours on the meter.... Not that those are ever accurate
 

Welder Dave

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Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,257
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Canada
Not very often you'd want AC but it could be tied to the idler issue or maybe a bad ground. Sometimes it can be the rods too. I have an old SA200 and it welds beautifully but on the weekend I had a 3 or 4 instances where after burning 7018, the rods would just stick when trying to strike an arc a 2nd time after moving to a different position. Sometimes it was because the flux chipped off and it was a bare wire and the other times I think was just the way the flux burned and left the rod end bare. It's always a little frustrating when you can't strike and maintain an arc. It happens to everyone though.
 

John C.

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In my experience, the rods sticking when you try to strike and arc was due to low open circuit voltage. I have no idea why or how that comes up but I used to just turn up the amps and run hot. I know it throws lots of sparks but I never liked running AC at all anyway. It happened a lot on DC machines as well. Someone will correct me but most of the machines that ran well on constant current started out around 32 volts open circuit and dropped when the arc was struck. I've also seen engine speed drop suddenly when an arc was struck and then the rod sticks.
 

Welder Dave

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Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,257
Location
Canada
Open circuit volts should be around 70 or higher but AC buzz boxes are worse for trying to strike an arc. Some inverters only have around 60 OCV but have no problem at all striking an arc. In my case I think it was just the way the last weld with the rod left the flux on the end. I was burning 7018 where you often have to tap it on the work to not the slag off that forms on the end. Sometimes a bunch of flux comes off too and leaves you with a bare rod that is hard to establish an arc.
 

John C.

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I've never run 7018 on AC. As I recall the "8" in the designation means DC reverse polarity.
 

Flat Thunder Channel

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
378
Location
Ohio
All interesting feedback! I am far from a welder and haven't arc welded since my high school days. I was super impressed I was able to lay a bead when I first looked at the unit. I think the bouncing from transport may have knocked something loose or further restricted an existing corroded connection.

I never had an opportunity to use DC in the past, but I hear it's superior to AC welding. I think I'll try a test, by attempting a weld with my old tombstone AC unit powered by the generator and compare the same test with the Ranger.
 

John C.

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The welder is a nice score. Welding with DC is a lot easier and looks a whole lot better. The generator part will run most of your house depending on the heat source and hot water heater.
 

Welder Dave

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Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,257
Location
Canada
7018 is designed for DC+ or AC but most rod manufactures offer a special AC 7018 that is easier to use on the low end buzz boxes. Higher end AC/DC machines will run standard 7018 just fine on AC. If you were burning 3/16" or 1/4" around weird corners or something and arc blow was a problem, running on AC is a good remedy.
 

chidog

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Jun 21, 2021
Messages
770
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kent, wa
Have never tried 7018 with AC, good tip thanks. And some low end places "box stores" only have that AC 7018, is it any good or do they use similar flux as something like 7014 or 6013 (the go to AC buzz box rods)?
 

Old Doug

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Oct 16, 2013
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4,484
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Mo
Have never tried 7018 with AC, good tip thanks. And some low end places "box stores" only have that AC 7018, is it any good or do they use similar flux as something like 7014 or 6013 (the go to AC buzz box rods)?
I burned alot of ac7018 but now you can buy a good AC / DC welder for less than it will scrap out for. Its hard to believe how times have changed . I never dreamed i would have the tools i now have and be able to get them for scrap iron prices.
 

1693TA

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Feb 27, 2010
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Farmington IL
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FAA Radar Engineer, (Retired)
I've ran a lot of 7018 in years past too. Still do. A commutator based DC machine does exceptional with it. I still use my portable machine often as everything is kept together and really easier to deploy for a quick job than the remote feeder setup of the later machine.

Know what Doug is saying in regards to industrial machines available for small shops.
 

colson04

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Joined
Apr 11, 2016
Messages
2,057
Location
Delton, Michigan
One of my favorite go to tools I carry daily.

Dewalt 20v die grinder with Chinese import carbide burr set.
20220808_101140.jpg
It rides in my truck daily and gets pulled out for odd jobs weekly like this one. My bobcat forks came with a hole in one fork that was flame cut kind of egg shape.
20220808_101252.jpg
Supposed to be a ¾ hole, but a ¾ pin just won't fit.
20220808_101246.jpg

About 15 seconds with the die grinder on the narrow spot and now the pin fits like a glove.
20220808_101405.jpg

Took longer to get the die grinder out and set it up than it did to fix the fork. I've used this die grinder for a lot of different uses over the last 3 years I've had it. My dad doubted it being handy when I got it, now he wonders how we got along without it before.
 

Flat Thunder Channel

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
378
Location
Ohio
One of my favorite go to tools I carry daily.

Dewalt 20v die grinder with Chinese import carbide burr set.
View attachment 265542
It rides in my truck daily and gets pulled out for odd jobs weekly like this one. My bobcat forks came with a hole in one fork that was flame cut kind of egg shape.
View attachment 265544
Supposed to be a ¾ hole, but a ¾ pin just won't fit.
View attachment 265543

About 15 seconds with the die grinder on the narrow spot and now the pin fits like a glove.
View attachment 265545

Took longer to get the die grinder out and set it up than it did to fix the fork. I've used this die grinder for a lot of different uses over the last 3 years I've had it. My dad doubted it being handy when I got it, now he wonders how we got along without it before.

It's all about having the right tool! I wish the forks for my skid loader were fabricated. They are would be handy.
 
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