Miller Bobcat & Trailblazer series ... overkill?

[CodyRx7]

Cue raging housefire in

3......

2...

Well, I had the 252 delivered today only to find out the 220v outlet I have for the dryer is this:

The cord on the welder is this:

Is this something I can run to Home Depot for and get an adaptor and about 25' extension cord, or will this cause instant global destruction?

 

[Pin_Head]

You can either change the outlet or make up an adaptor cord.

 

[kulangot]

That's a great machine. Let us know how the pulser and other gizmo's work on there. I am a little skeptical of the "new fangled digital read out thing" on there, but I am sure it's solid.

Get a hobart plug like this one labed "pin" here:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/wcssto...ontAssetStore/images/products/600/3522556.jpg

then go to Homo Depot and get a pigtail that matches your dryer and you have an adapter cord.

I think this plug from Hobart is safer than using a metal box and plug designed for use in a wall. I've seen those home made send sparks a flying.

-Stumbaugh

 

[CodyRx7]

I stopped at my local welding shop about the plug issue.

The outlet and welder are both setup for 30amp, so I'm good to go there, just needed the female end of the extension cord to match the welder, and the male end to match the dryer receptical.

They had the extension cord with both sides matching the welder type plugs, and they also have a cord end that matches the dryer receptical, I just needed to buy both and put it together.

I didn't feel like wiring it up myself and having the welds start in the wall of the house...so I asked if they could splice it and connect it for me.

Apparently they have some electrician guy who they're gonna have swing by and fix up the cord for me as a freebie since I bought a bunch of stuff from them in the past few days.

 

[CodyRx7]

Got the plug with the right outlet male end and welder female end...

No housefire yet...but I was surprised how easy this thing is to use.

It has a built in chart that tells me if I'm using .035 solid wire, and CO2/Argon mix gas on 1/4" steel that I should turn the first knob to 21.0 and the second knob to 375.

For a second I felt like I was about to start baking a cake...

Anyways...I was surprised how much easier it is to use this welder compared to a flux cored wire tiny Lincoln machine like I used to have before.

Obviously I'm just welding on scrap steel to play with the machine, and I'm sure practice will help, but I was surprised how easy it was to make a pretty bead for just flipping a switch and turning a few knobs...

Either that or its completely terrible and I'm doing it all wrong...but its fun either way.

 

[yotawheeler]

so did you end up getting the trailblazer machine as well? the 252 is a pretty wicked machine, i just found a used 251 and its a really nice machine. looks like you might wanna turn your voltage up just a little though....(top knob IIRC). congrats on the welder!

 

[CodyRx7]

The Trailblazer I'm going to hold off on until I'm in the new house since I'm pretty much out of room to put it and it would be too loud to use in this close-homes community while I'm still in this house.

I ran about 20 more beads on that piece of metal trying thicker, slower, faster welds and different techniques to see the difference.

I'll post up some more pics later...