Thread: Vintage Arc Welders

Originally Posted by 101 Ron

I have a 415 volt stick welder in my workshop that runs about 250 amps flat out.
It is great for heavy work.
I figure it is about WW2 vintage.
Amperage is changed by throwing old fashion open knife switches with changes resistances coils inside the frame of the unit.
It is air cooled.
I purchased the thing from my old boss many years ago.
When working for him, he used to get me doing any welding work just before morning tea as he would do the toast on the cooling mesh opening on top of the welder.
Interestingly this welder has factory TIG A/C high frequency for welding alloy..........I have never seen a welder/TIG machine so old.
It has removeable points sets that are adjustable to allow the the TIG high frequency operation.
The old stick welders, especially the oil cooled ones are liked as they will run all day and the amps settings will not change when set.
Sitting in my yard at work is a old 500amp Lincon which was purchased for 150 dollars......belongs to a semi retired bloke.........what in the hell do up do with a 500 amp welder????.........burn 1/2 inch thick welding rods???
A very good unit all the same if you want to weld the old fashion way.

Those old knife switch machines were the ones I was thinking of in my earlier post where I mentioned fine adjustment. I think some of them had adjustments in the range of 2 or 2 1/2 amps. Central Technical College had a fleet of them in the 1950's & 1960's. I did a post-trade course in gas and electric welding there in 1963-64 and used them. The make? Well, Aston from Sydney sort of rings a bell. We students were issued coupons of 3/8" plate to play with. I suppose the thought was we wouldn't blow holes in that. Very, very good machines. If you come across one and the price is right, grab it. A mate has a 240 volt specimen powering his TIG.