After many years of using a Mig welder I needed more then the penetration of a Mig to weld some heavy (thick) metal
So I bought a Lincoln AC 225 buzz box

My question is about the rods if my faded memory is correct I use to use a 6011 rod on dirty metal and a 7024 rod for nice smooth welds

For muilt pass welds if I remember correctly I would use a 6011 for the first pass then finish the other passes with 7024

I will be doing some overhead welds with this AC welder too which rod would work best......I know a AC/DC welder would be better for overhead but I need to use this AC machine for it

One more question....my outlet is wired with 6 AWG wire to carry 50 amps....but I will need to use a extension cord for some welding (50 ft) I have a cord for my MIG welder its a rubber coated 8/3 wire will this carry the load to my buzz box since I will only be welding at 125-175 amps.....I haven't tried the extension cord yet but my guess would be if the rod sticks I'm not gettin enuff amps thru the cord ???

 

It must be pretty heavy metal or lite duty mig,if you can't mig it,6011 would be for you're root pass

 

yeah pappy 6-3 is just right. 8-3 is ok i just dont think 50 feet of it is. maybe try cutting it in 2 and putting more plugs on? better options anyway than coiling up that 50 footer ive always used 6010 and 7018 myself and found the 6010 much easier for over head. you can uphill 7018 but i dont think over head. evey thing else sounds right to me. spark away!

 

The reason I need a Buzz box is I'm welding on a old bulldozer and it has allot of rips in the blade....with a buzz box I can use a second or even a 3rd filler rod to gap the rip to fill in the hole which I have done allot of while I worked as a construction mechanic many years ago
This dozer has a rear ripper claw thats been torn off so its goin to take allot of welding to reattach it and a MIG wouldn't be as practical

It is a free Cat Dozer that my neighbor gave to me it runs and moves OK but its been worked to death and needs allot of welding repairs done to it

 

my experience with ac welding is about 0, and im sitting here saying, it would just be easier to just come there and do this for you. (do the same repairs all day every day at work)
Norm

 

Pappyman
As said above you will be fine on the 8/3. I have the same machine and that is what I run on the extension cord.
I prefer the 6011 for all around welding with the ac machine, and it will get you good penetration. You may want to look at 6013 for your caps. Try some on a test template to see if it suits your needs.

have fun
wayne

 

Originally posted by pappyman
"it has allot of rips in the blade...."

the original fabrication of a Cat (possibly Balderson) dozer is nothing special... mild steel, the exception would be if it was skinned over on the face with a AR type plate in the past

"This dozer has a rear ripper claw thats been torn off so its goin to take allot of welding to reattach it and a MIG wouldn't be as practical"

likewise for the tractor frame and ripper frame.... nothing special (ripper tooth is another matter if that is broken). if you can't air arc a vee to the bottom of the crack and weld it back with stringers it will likely brake again from beneath.

we use 7018 stick and Linclon outershield 71 elite (a Dual Shield 7100 ultra, equivalent)wire with C25 shield for the majority of our repairs. Aginst T1 or in a material the has no elasticty 8000-ni2.

MIG has great practicality when use after the proper preparation of the broken area...vee open the crack and so forth. I've filled back in cracked areas very deep and very long and i couldn't see doing it with stick for the time involved.

PS
perheat on the dozer and frame shouldn't be a big deal, just get the moisture to boil out around the area +212 deg. and go.