need some pricing advice
#1
A friend of mine and her siblings are cleaning out their parents house & his shop.  He was a pipe fitter by trade so there is this big honking AIRCO 250 amp AC/DC welder in the shop.  It probably hasn't been used for at least 15 and maybe 20 years.  It is a 230/460 single phase machine that draws 90 amps @ 230V.

I found a similar machine online (its a Bumble Bee) with an asking price of $400.  So my question is what do others think the value of this machine should be?  It also has a bunch of welding lead that appears to be in very good condition.

Thanks in advance.
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#2
Maybe the question you should be asking is how much is it worth to them for you to get rid of it?

A quick web search turned up a lot of different models of old Airco welders from around 100 - 1000 dollars depending on the exact model and how it was equipped. A number of them were set up for TIG as well. (Heliarc)

I ended up giving away an old Lincoln Dialarc welder (A/C) because it was so heavy and huge to have to move around. It welded like a dream but I just wanted it gone to have the space back. And that was after I had already put new leads on it. $$$

Welding machines are smaller, lighter, and can do much more on much less current these days. Putting several hundred dollars into an old welder with no idea of it's condition would give me pause to think about if it might be better spent on a more modern machine. Smiley-gen163
Willie
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#3
Well even if I hooked it up and it wouldn't work or blew up and caught fire I'd probably be able to recoup my money in scrap copper.
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#4
(11-19-2019, 01:44 PM)Dr Stan Wrote: Well even if I hooked it up and it wouldn't work or blew up and caught fire I'd probably be able to recoup my money in scrap copper.

You got that right! Not really a lot in there to go wrong, but parts availability is the big question.

I had an uncle that gave the old huge Lincoln Dialarc to my younger brother. It had been sitting unused for years and was in somewhat rough shape. I think my brother tried using it a couple of times and gave up on it, so it sat in his garage for a few more years. He then ended up giving it to me. It was filthy inside and out so I gave it a good cleaning and replaced the missing bolts and screws, straightened the bent linkages and lubed them and the cast iron wheels and axles. Cleaned up the contacts and the rusted up amperage control.  I tried doing some welding with it but even though it started out fine, it would quickly get to the point where it lost power and would not maintain an arc. I would crank up the amperage and it would be fine for awhile but it would go right back down again. The welding leads weren't very long and they were badly cracked / dry rotted. I went to the welding supply to buy a 25 ft. length of new lead for it.  Jawdrop

While I was there I asked if I could talk to one of the techs in the repair area. I asked if he might be able to give me a clue as to where I should start looking with regard to my losing power problem. He said "You need a piece of wood". "Shove it under the transformer, and wedge it in there."
After noticing my deer in the headlights expression he explained that the transformer was vibrating and causing the machine to lose amperage.
Ooooooo....Kayyyyyyy.... I sez.   17428

I went home and installed the new leads on the machine. I set up a piece of scrap steel off to my side, set the welder at 125 amps and blindly started to run a bead with a 7018 rod that I could drag across the steel without looking at it. I was looking at the front of the welder instead and sure enough - I watched the amperage pointer slowly drop on the scale while the welder buzzed along until it dropped to 60 amps. I never noticed that the hand crank on the front of the machine was turning by itself!

Sure enough, I hammered a wooden wedge under the transformer and the problem was solved. I used it for a few years and got tired of it being in my way all the time and having to shuffle it around because of my lack of space. I called my brother and asked him if he wanted it back, and he said he would get back to me. He didn't want it back but he said his boss would like to have it. So we gave it to him instead 1) to get it out of my way and 2) to get my brother some brownie points with the boss.   Rotfl

My Miller Syncrowave now sits in it's place, but it's half the size of the Lincoln and it's a lot easier to roll around so I live with it.
Willie
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#5
(11-19-2019, 03:23 PM)Highpower Wrote: You got that right! Not really a lot in there to go wrong, but parts availability is the big question.
 

I'm a machinist by training who served on ships where there was no industrial supply house or big box store.  Parts availability is never in question. Big Grin
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#6
I was thinking more in terms of electrical components like large diodes, wire wound resistors, capacitors, circuit board etc.
Willie
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#7
This is a pre computer welder. It's all electromechamical controls.
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#8
$250 or so for that here.

Usually the leads are removed and scrapped.
That's greedy and foolish.
They add much more value to the working machine than they do as scrap.
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#9
Well we fired it up and it purred like a kitten then ran a bead.  Looks like I'm getting a new to me Airco AC/DC Fwd/Rev 250 amp welder.  Just need to settle on price.  I've already looked at what it will take to run a 100 amp circuit about 60ft long.  2AWG wire plus an outlet and a plug will set me back at least $300.  Just dropped $1200+ on Michelin 10 ply rated tires for my Chevy 2500HD. Jawdrop 

Maybe I need to go to Indiana and play some craps at the casino.   Chin I did just win a couple of concert tickets from a local radio station. Big Grin
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