Welding and Metalworking - Help with old welder please

I was just given a old craftsman ac stick welder model #1131923 . with only one cable . so let me describe it , 230 and i have a 40 amp breaker for it . under the front door on top u have 2 what looks like wire clamps left one says work the other i can't read . then under that is 2 hole like for a plug one says a one says b then under that two rows of plug holes one row is all for A the other for B and each works up from 20 amp on up . the one cable i have looks like a ground clamp one one end and a plug that fits in only on the two rows of possible amp . so first of all what would this welder be good for i would like to use it for misc tractor repair or other farm work . then how would i set up and use or get the second cable for electrodes set up ???? i looked up the model # on craftsman web site but all they had was a very poor side view schematic . so any and all help or advice would be helpful. thank you

The one marked work will be the ground cable.
I am not familiar with that particular machine but if you can provide a link that shows the front or a picture we will be able to help.
Also, the voltage and amperage specs would help.

If you want to show a picture here you need to post it to a free host like Photo Bucket and provide a link.

Pictures by eeslick - Photobucket (http://s700.photobucket.com/albums/ww9/eeslick/)

Please use this link to see the photos. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Any questions about the photos, I will naswer ASAP. Thank you.

Ok,
You would plug the ground clamp into either top jack that is labelled "A" Heats or "B" Heats.
You then plug an electrode cable into any bottom row of jacks.

<img src="http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww9/eeslick/IMGP1706.jpg" width="450 height="330"/>

How this works is when you plug the ground into the "A" Heats jack, the row beneath it beginning with "A-200 - 170 and so on become the amperage settings you will get.
When you plug your ground into the "B" Heats jack, the bottom row of numbers become your amperage settings.

The clamp you have there looks like it could possible the electrode clamp...........If it has groves in the jaws for holding a round electrode it likely is.

It looks like there is a splice in the cable and it is possible the two short cables could have been spliced into one longer one.
If you do use this cable you would have to carefully inspect it and decide if it is worth patching because it is unsafe to have exposed conductors.

You will also have to figure out if this mahine is worth spending money on.
You will have to likely buy cables and connectors plus with welding there are many other accessories you will need.
If you do not know the history of this machine or it has been sitting idle for a long time you will need to test it.
You could either do it yourself or have someone who knows how to do a basic resistance check of the widings and the windings to ground.
The machine could be dangerous to use if there is a ground fault.

If you do get to the point of trying it you would do well by using something like a 6013 welding rod in no more than 3/32" diameter.
You should be able to use 1/8" rod on this machine but the low capacity of this unit makes welding with larger rod more tricky.

The picture of the label appears to show the duty cycle but I can't quite read it.
If you were to carefully wipe it with a damp cloth so as not to remove any paint and take a close up from directly in front we might be able to read it all.
The S/N seems to start with a 71....... could this be the year?

ok you are great help so far ! I will clean the placard and get numbers. but what are the small brackets up top that say work and somthing else ? they look like wire clamps and the spot in the wire that looks like a joint looked like it would go under that ?? I dont know but just a thought. i will go look and see what the other little bracket says ?? rt side says work thx let me know what u think .

They don't appear to be anything too exciting.
Perhaps they are to hold the cables.

Hi Guys,

I own one of these Craftsman AC Welder's same Model #113.1923

Old Tools pictures by jr182pilot - Photobucket (http://s171.photobucket.com/albums/u303/jr182pilot/Old%20Tools/)

I bought it from a friend a few years ago. His Dad was pro welder and my friend thinks his Dad bought it some where around 1941 to 1946 brand new. He can't remember, as he was a kid. Mine has all new leads and power cable. Duty cycle
is burn rod, and keep burning rod. ;) It's like that pink rabbit, just keeps going.

Now something to think about here is, if your box does not work or you do not want to put money in it....Open the box and look at the copper windings inside....That copper is worth $$$. They do not make anything like that today.

Here is a link to some old Sears catalogs, look down the page.
Rose Antique Tools old tools and history (http://rosetools.bizland.com/id116.html)

Now I could not find the Model # in the catalogs but did find some of the welders that look like ours.....

Hope this helps you out....Beer 4U2

*Go to Sears parts an put in the model #, yes you will get a parts sheet....


J R

South of Sea-Tac