Hobby farming is never boring . From examining unusual farm animal noise in the eye of the night to the never - ending fight against pests , there are seldom dull days in the macrocosm of agriculture , no matter how minor your operation might be . alas , that fervor is n’t always a positive thing . on occasion , it can stem from broken materials and equipment around the farm , squeeze you to get a little creative to avoid shelling out hundreds or thousands of dollar for repairs . participate one of the farmer ’s most utile repair trick of the trade : welding .
Fromquick locating for fences and gatesto intensive tractor and farm - machinery repair , experience a welder on - farm ( and the required knowledge to safely employ one ) could mean the conflict between purchasing a brand - new piece of machinery and quickly and efficiently restoring broken part to proper working order .
That said , choosing the correct welder for you and your farm is not necessarily a straightforward , simple process — there are a variety show of welders on the market , and not every welder is cut out for every stamping ground task . Here ’s a equipment failure of various welder specifications , from mental process and currents to duty bicycle and amperage outputs .
Welding 101
There are three major types ofweldingprocesses : stick welding , metallic element inert gas welding and tungsten sluggish accelerator pedal welding , each with private pro and cons . ( There are additional welding processes , including state of flux - cored arc welding and plasma arc cutting , but hobby farmers will most ordinarily come across these three major character . )
Stick Welding
Also know as electric discharge welding , stick welding is the most pop method for noncommercial uses , due chiefly to its affordability and the equipment ’s portability . These welder come upon an electric current , or arc , between the welding electrode , aka peg — you could see where the machinery and summons get their names — and the base metal , which in turn melts the electrode and creates the weld .
Because the electrode is constantly being melt , these welding machines expect frequent stick commute , which also makes them slightly difficult to utilize . Striking and uphold an arc require considerable skill : Pulling back too far on the welder after striking the electrode will break-dance the arc . A successful weld might also take multiple electrodes to revivify , and cleave welders tend to melt through groundwork metals sparse than 1/8 in .
However , the pros of stick welder will probably outweigh the bunko game in the long streamlet . They ’re far and off the most stinting welders on the market , and you could use them even in windy or rainy term , not to mention on dirty or rusty metals — huge boons for sodbuster and rancher .
MIG welding
Unlike stick welding , MIG welding is a semi - automatonlike unconscious process . An spark is created between a spool of electrically charged conducting wire and the base metal , which melt the telegram and creates the weld ; the wire is mechanically feed into the weld at a preselected speed , allowing for longer , clean welds . Because the arc does n’t need to be restruck , MIG welder , such as the Millermatic 211 from Miller Electric , are significantly well-fixed to apply than stick welders and can also be successfully used on thinner metals .
Regardless , MIG welder be considerably more upfront , and the machinery is more complex and less portable than stick welders , potentially restricting their on - farm usability . Additionally , they play best on clean base alloy , so all shite , rust and paint must be scraped off prior to use .
Tig Welding
This type of welding is standardized to MIG welding , with a few major difference . Instead of using a alloy electrode , TIG welders use a non - consumable tungsten electrode to strike and hold the discharge and bring forth a dyer’s rocket . Because the electrode is not waste , filler metallic element is require to form the weld , and a shielding gas is also needed to protect the weld from the surround as it is being created — pin electrode are coat in a metal that automatically create this shielding gas pedal as the electrode melts .
TIG welder are quite expensive and require the in high spirits skill level to operate , though they offer the most accurate and high - lineament welds available . They also create the most aesthetically pleasing dyer’s mignonette of the three major types , pull in them idealistic for metalworkers who make cosmetic or functional pieces for display .
Types Of Currents
All welders require a power reference to scat — either electricity or accelerator — and they can also differ in how they harness that world power source and metamorphose it into an galvanic stream . Because flow each have a negative pole and a positive perch , the flow of electrons between the poles creates three major current types , each with specific benefit and drawback . Welders are clearly labeled with their current case , sometimes even in the model name itself , and many on the food market can toggle between the currents with the flick of a switch .
Direct Current
This current flows in one steady counselling , which results in a constant electrical polarity . Direct current welding enables welders to start discharge more easy , as well as hold a legato arc during the weld . This current eccentric can be broken down further , depending on the charge of the electron menstruation .
Alternating Current
Like the name suggests , this current alternates counseling , menstruate one steering half the time and a different direction the other one-half . Because of this , it can be more or less less predictable than a DC welder , but its major reward is that it can successfully weld metal that has become magnetized through friction . Alternating current welders , such as the Lincoln Electric AC 225 Arc Welder above , are later on more versatile across the farm , as the frequent detrition of hay , feed or body of water can magnetize some metals , including sword .
Duty Cycle
obligation cycles/second is another important spec to take into account when looking for a welder . The term refers to the percentage of a 10 - minute cycles/second that a welder can work without overheating . A welder with a duty cycle of 50 percent can operate for five minutes before it needs to breathe and cool for five minutes . Duty - bicycle measurements are also straightaway colligate to a welder ’s amperage output : A welder might have a 20 - percent tariff Hz at high amperage , but a 100 - percentage duty cycle at lower amperage outputs . Most welders on the market set aside for adjustable adenosine monophosphate outputs , which vary based on the heaviness of the base metallic element you ’re lick with — the thinner the stuff , the lower the amp production should be .
As you peruse the marketplace offerings , keep in brain the welder is not your only leverage : You ’ll also need to buysafety equipment , let in a helmet , jacket and gloves , as well as shield gas and electrodes if necessary . If your budget and welding pauperization are limited , reckon lease a welder from your local equipment shop or welding manufacturer for on - farm repairs , giving you the convenience of welding for a fraction of the overall cost . Before operate any equipment , either purchased or rent , thoroughly show the manual of arms , as improper use can pass to optic injuries and high - level Nathan Birnbaum . to boot , practice your Weld on scrap metal before assay them on the root word alloy in question to familiarise yourself with the process and the welder ’s controls .
With a little research and recitation , you ’ll be fixing gates and doingmetalworkin no time at all , keeping your sprightliness exciting in all the best shipway .
This article originally ran in the November / December 2013 issuing ofHobby Farms .
