pop quiz welder?

anyone seen or used one of these?
know how they worked? tehy where a type of welder correct??
thanks for any help.this was my great grandfathers.
eric

 

another

 

here is the maker smiths

 

one more.the trailor was made with a ford front axle. heres the bling bling.

 

erdy, i think they were used to make acetylene back in the day..

 

I kinda thought it looked like a steam jenny. Never seen anything like that used as a welder, but there'a always a first for everything. later plmczy

 

thanks for the replys.lionheart i belive your preety much right.the story goes....he used to pull this around to all the farmers and fix all there equiptment.i cant belive i never noticed it sitting next to my gradmother's shed before.we thought it was a acetylene torch/welder.is it possible that this used calcium carbide in the lower tank,and the upper was a water dripper.is that how it worked or am i way wrong?also any idea what the wheels are off of?thanks,
eric

 

Wheels?? Sure, 28-29 Model A.

 

It is an acyetelene generator. I have a little torch setup years ago that you put in pellets and something else and used a foot bellows for oxegen. It wasn't great but then I didn't know any better.

 

thank you soo much guys.yes it is a acyetelene generator.
after reading your post i looked into it more,and even found a couple on e-bay.according to the auction the top canister was the carbide dripper,and they had multiple uses.
this thing is massive.thanks for all your help again!
eric

 

very interesting.