Okay I know a lot of guys on here love old tools too, and since I currently have no car, and no funds to buy one for a while due to a really nasty divorce decree, I tend to spend a lot of my time finding and restoring old shop tools to rebuild all that was lost in my divorce. Now knowing that there have to be others who restore old tools just for the fun of it I am asking for some help at the same time. I just picked up a Craftsman 115 V welder of indeterminate age. I am trying to find a manual for it to get a scan of, or if anyone knows where there is one posted somewhere I would greatly appreciate the link. Here is a link to the album with pics of the welder before and after disassembly. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=26235 Mechanically there isn't a thing wrong with it, but due to age I feel it best if I replace the cord for safety, and of course I needed to get all the cobwebs and such out before attempting to hook it to power. I will sandblast and repaint the lid and cabinet as well as the base legs purely because I have nothing better to do and I like making things new. I have a deep love of all things old and functional, I also just picked up a nice late 40's Atlas drill press and will have pics of its refurbishing up soon as well. So this is the thread for those who like to refurbish any old equipment, be it mills, lathes, welders, whatever. And if you have scans or info on this welder let me know please.
Have you tried Searspartsdirect? You can sometimes get a parts diagram from just entering a model number.
Yes, I have already downloaded the parts diagram, that was my first stop. However other than the diagram I have not been able to find any date of manufacture or any other info. I am still looking right now. The other project I have going currently is turning a nice late 40's cast aluminum hairdryer into a functional heat gun. I am just trying to find a modern heatgun with an element that will fit into the housing.
Very small rods are available for that machine and it's handy to tack sheetmetal together. I made do with one until i got a mig. I know of several shops that still use them occasionally.
That's actually why I bought it, I wanted to use it for very small repair work, I also figured it would be acceptable for doing sheet metal work without overheating the hell out of it like I would with normal sized arc welding rods. I am on the tiniest budget you could ever imagine, but I got the welder for 15 dollars. I figure by the time I repaint it and replace the cord I will still only have about 30 bucks total in the whole thing. I even got a hood and a set of gloves with it for free. It came with a bunch of rods but they are pretty old and i don't have a drying box, so they are just gonna get chucked.
Build a box to store rods. Even an old microwave works with a light socket and a small bulb. You aren't the only one who has it rough. makes a better man of you and separates you from the chaff. Good luck and keep scrounging.
I have always liked old tools better then new ones for a number of reasons. Many of the old power tools made from the 30's through the 60' were excellent tools but they no longer meet OSHA standards for things like guards shut off switches and other safety features found on newer tools. Many of the great old manufacturers of these tools simply went out of business because of the problems with the liability from not meeting current standards. I remember many of the old Bridgeports in machine shops that worked perfectly but did not have all the new safety features needed to make them legal. Those were the day's when you knocked on a locked door at the machine and if someone opened the door they asked you what you were doing there and who you were before they would let you come in. They were always afraid you were from either OSHA, the county building dept, a fire marshal, or from the zoning dept Jimbo
i love old tools heres a torch i restored a few months ago before right after i got it for 10bucks after after that picture i sand blasted the metal handle and painted that and the wooden handle part and redid all the seals in it it now works just like new on gasoline
Well for the most part I leave my tools alone when I refurbish them, one of the few modern upgrades I usually incorporate is power switches with lockout capabilities on them. Mostly just because I have a 4 year old and my 1 car garage is attached with a through door. Other than that I just tend to use common sense and proper protective clothing.
thanks that was the first time i did any thing with old tools as far restoring them now im hooked its like cars for me now im on www.garagejournal.com also love that site.
IMHO, arc welding rods can get so old that they can't be resurrected. I had some in one of those fancy blue cases with all the rubber seals for about 8 years. When I tried to use them, I thought my ole' buzz box was broken.. New rods made everything OK. I know you're broke, but new rods aren't that expensive. Take the plunge. I think it's false economy to buy a couple of years supply of rods, now that they're available just about everywhere.
I've got an old 220V Craftsman welder out in the shed that I bought at a swap meet years ago that has plugs like your welder. I paid 5.00 for it and brought it home and stashed it where it still sits. I also have a big old Forney 220 V welder that uses the plugs that can handle anything you would ever need to weld if you can get the power to it. A lot of us have been in that broke as hell and starting over situation and know right where you are coming from. Try to keep a bit of change in your pocket and don't pass up stopping at yard sales as quite often you can find decent tools at bargain prices at them.
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