Antique Hobart

We used these old dinosaurs ever since my company was started during WWII, for 40 years...had 'em on 480v and ste for heliarc, with a foot pedal and all. one by one they went bad....windings it was. Cost more to re-do the windings than the machine was worth. However, for those 40 years they ran 2, sometimes 3 shifts and were a solid machine! I can remember pluggin' 'em in on a misty morning, in the shipyard, and having 'em blow up because of the moisture that had settled in overnight.....but as soon as it warmed up, they would run perfect! Now that's a good machine!

[Ed Heimbach]

I hope you have 3 phase available , these machines run on industrial/ commercial power. No way to economically run three phase machines on single phase house current.
OTOH, you will find no smoother arc than one of these motor/generator type welders.

[Royal Fe]

Originally posted by Bob


From the ebay link it looks like you went for it anyway.
Bob

Couldnt resist, only have an AC machine and wanted to try the DC. going to pick it up at the end of the week!

USN used motor generator DC welders seems like forever. They always worked with nice arc. The welder was really part of damage control equipment so welding leads had to reach throughout the ship from one or more welders. They have high idle current draw which is ok off ships generator. Weldors from tender/repair ship when they came aboard to weld brought inverters. That way they had their own welder with short output cables. Just plug inverter into 440V outlet that is always nearby for submersable electric pumps another damage control item. Shipyards generally used engine driven DC welder Hobart or Lincoln.

That was 20 years ago.

[Bob]

Originally posted by Royal Fe
Thanks ROCK I'm not really interested in the purchase, just like lookin' at old stuff and listening to the stories! You have peaked my interest in the old girl.

From the ebay link it looks like you went for it anyway.
Bob

[frank]

I used some of these old moter/generators about 30 years ago working in some of the shipyards. they had Hobart and Lincoln. The machines had the most stable arc I had ever seen. You will be spoiled if you starte to use it.

[Royal Fe]

Thanks ROCK I'm not really interested in the purchase, just like lookin' at old stuff and listening to the stories! You have peaked my interest in the old girl.

ROYAL FE.......YES IT IS OLD, THEY QUIT USEING STEEL WHEELS ON THOSE MOBILE GENERATORS IN THE 50'S...... DON'T LAUGH NOW BUT MY BROTHERS AND I HAVE 3 OF THOSE OLD STICK MACHINES...........3 PHASE, 230,460,575......... VERY VERY SMOOTH DC WELDING ARC.......... YOU WILL LIKE IT.........DEPENDING ON THE PRICE OF COPPER COULD HAVE FROM 300.00 TO 500.00 DOLLARS USA FUNDS WORTH OF COPPER WINDINGS IN THE MACHINE................ALSO IF YOU BUY IT IT DOES MATTER WHICH WAY THE ARMATURE ROTATES. IF YOU PHASE IT WRONG IT WILL TURN BACKWARDS.........AND YOU WILL SWEAR THE GUY RIPPED YOU OFF......... THIS IS THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE SPEAKING HERE .......... OF COURSE I WILL DENIE THIS TO MY BROTHER'S THAT I EVER HOOKED ONE UP WRONG ..............................GRIN................ ...ROCK[email protected]

[Royal Fe]

Found this antique welder on ebay. Looks like a workhorse!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1779316069