I vote for new rod. You already have the stick welder, take an hour or
two to learn how to use it and you will be in business. Not sure what
rod to suggest for AC, I use DC, but your local welding shop will sell
you a box fairly cheaply. For Less than $20 you will be ready for heavy
fabrication, and your Mig is good for light fabrication.

Note that 6011 is the AC rod for maximum penetration, while other rods
will make cleaner looking welds. I use 6010 (DC only) and 6013 for my
fabrication, whenever I can't use my TIG.

Richard



Ronnie wrote:

Gots a small shop making mostly garden stuff for a landscaper. Do 95%
of my work with a MillerMatic 135, however the other day he threw some
4 x 4 .188 wall stuff my way. It took all the 135 had to weld it and
I'm still not real warm and fuzzy about the penetration. Here's my
delima...

I've got the dough to buy a MM210 and solve my concerns about not
having enough machine for the rare (very rare) occasion I do bigger
stuff. But, sitting in the back of my shop right now, is an old Sears
Crapsman A/C (only) stick machine of the 25 to 250 amp persuaion, I got
it for free for the taking, with about 100 pounds of various rod that
are many years old and been stored in open paper sacks.

I tried a project with it when I first got it, it turned out looking
like **** with all the spatter and slag balls from hell all over
everything. Granted it's got a hot arc and it'll warp the **** out of
stuff, but having used a clean, tidy MIG welder, a job that has to be
chipped and flap wheeled afterward is just unacceptable if you know
what I mean.

Do I try some new, fresh rod and blame the mess on the old rod, or do I
throw the A/C machine away and spring for the big MIG? I would
eventually like to get into aluminum trailer frames, so the MIG would
be beneficial, but honestly the 135 is still gonna be my main workhorse
regardless of what I do, as I make nearly all my stuff out of thin wall
material.

The lines are open, you be the judge...

Ronnie Lyons
Boise, Idaho