air comp. with bobcat 250

[weldonwelding]

Got a brand new bobcat 250 that I'm picking up tomorrow and putting it on a new rig. I'm wondering if I should go with a electric air compressor over gas, so I guess the question is how will this bobcat weld/gouge while running an air comp? I haven't bought and electric comp yet but it will probably be an emglo

[cruizer]

Pretty limited gouging on a bobcat, actually I've never heard of anyone doing it on such a little machine...As for the air compresser, nope, you'll need a gas driven unit.

[weldonwelding]

Well the 250 is rated for 3/16 carbons. I do it everyday with my 200 amp aead. As long as you have a 100% duty cycle machine you can do it. You can gouge with 100 amps if you get the right size rod. I'm not cutting through 2" plate with a gouger... I'm just taking out broken welds and old dump truck floors etc...

[weldonwelding]

Standard size carbons are usually 3/16 or 1/4". this is right from arc air guide. 1/8" minimum amps 60 maximum 90, 5/32" min 90 max 150, 3/16" min 200 max 250, 1/4" min 300 max 400, you can burn 3/16 carbons all day long with a 225. I have never came across a job that I needed a gouging rod bigger than 1/4"... if so I will just burn it with a torch.

[gnforge]

air comp. with bobcat 250

I can't gauge with bobcat 225 & 3/16 rods just note enough amps. I run pretty close 300 amps on my in shop welder.
I can't comment on the 250 but there is not a lot of difference in the 225 & 250 and I know how many amps it takes to run them on my old 500 amp welder. I tend to agree with cruizer or as weldonwelding pointed out drop rod size. All though I don't really care for the smaller rods.

[weldonwelding]

I can't gauge with bobcat 225 & 3/16 rods just note enough amps. I run pretty close 300 amps on my in shop welder.
I can't comment on the 250 but there is not a lot of difference in the 225 & 250 and I know how many amps it takes to run them on my old 500 amp welder. I tend to agree with cruizer or as weldonwelding pointed out drop rod size. All though I don't really care for the smaller rods.

I burn 3/16 carbons all the time with my aead 200le. It burns em pretty nice... although if I don't have over 80 or 90psi out of air comp it doesn't burn that well. The miller book says the 250 is rated for 3/16 carbons but doesn't say anything about the 225, I would think it would do it though with 200amps 100% duty cycle. I was in a jam one time and burned a few 5/32 carbons with my Max star 150... it worked but didn't burn very fast

[Bistineau]

Like cruiser said, if your going to use it for this, get a gas powered compressor. That way your not reducing your available power output from the Bobcat. Otherwise the compressor is using some of your electrical power that you will be needing for the rods you are using.

[oldtimer]

Everyone of those little machines I have seen that was used to do a lot of gouging has blown up. They do not do a good job of removing material and always seem to leave a carbon deposit in the kerf and they don't have the balls to get under the deposit and remove it. Just my opinion.

[MMW]

If it was me I would get the gas compressor. That way they are independent of each other. If for some reason your welder quits & you need to borrow/rent one it may not run your compressor.

Does the Bobcat have seperate aux. power like the Trailblazers do? If not another reason to go gas comp.

[weldonwelding]

If it was me I would get the gas compressor. That way they are independent of each other. If for some reason your welder quits & you need to borrow/rent one it may not run your compressor.

Does the Bobcat have seperate aux. power like the Trailblazers do? If not another reason to go gas comp.

This will be just another addition to the other 2 rigs already set up with a gas compressor. Only reason I asked about this is because it just seems like a lot of generator power compared to my other welders

[weldonwelding]

Well here's mine... if I blow it up they will replace it. And if your leaving a carbon deposit you need more practice with a carbon.

[farmer welder]

Hi, Just interested, You certainly seem to know what you are doing with the air arc gouging' Could you post pictures or hints on how to accomplish the technique for doing it? How much air doe's it need? I have a 9 hp honda wheelbarrow type 18cfm compressor Would that be enough?
Thanks' Joe,

[cruizer]

A repair shop will determine if you get a replacement. And its not terribly difficult to find out what happened, so good luck with that idea...

[Portable Welder]

Weldonwelding, I run gas compressors on my 2 rigs.

I cannot comment on the Bobcat because I have never ran one but our Trail Blazer runs 3/16 carbons without a problem and I run 1/4" on my rig and I have a 2001 Pipe pro.

I run the 1/4" at about 350 amps ( Keep in mind I have 150' of lead on each side so its a 300' loop ) So its probably closer to 325 amps figuring a 25 amp loss.

I'll have to look at my book tomorrow to see if Miller has a size reccomendation for carbons.

If you have a extra large auxillary air tank I think you could get by with a electric compressor.

I can see Cruizers side of things, He always sees the machines when they have been driven past their duty cycle.

So my question to Cruizer is : If we truly follow the duty cycle rating would it be okay.

[cruizer]

Weldonwelding, I run gas compressors on my 2 rigs.

I cannot comment on the Bobcat because I have never ran one but our Trail Blazer runs 3/16 carbons without a problem and I run 1/4" on my rig and I have a 2001 Pipe pro.

I run the 1/4" at about 350 amps ( Keep in mind I have 150' of lead on each side so its a 300' loop ) So its probably closer to 325 amps figuring a 25 amp loss.

I'll have to look at my book tomorrow to see if Miller has a size reccomendation for carbons.

If you have a extra large auxillary air tank I think you could get by with a electric compressor.

I can see Cruizers side of things, He always sees the machines when they have been driven past their duty cycle.

So my question to Cruizer is : If we truly follow the duty cycle rating would it be okay.

You'll be in duty if you never turn the fine control past 3/4 turn