As I have said in the past, you are one of my favorite KZfaqrs to watch and learn from but one thing puzzles me , how have you been able to do all these amazing projects in that little shop? I mean everyone else beggs for money and says all the projects are "ours" as long as we keep supporting them, and the next thing you know they live in a big house with a dream shop and most of the video is one big commercial and the content becomes crappy. But all the years I have watched your channel you manage to have excellent content and most of the projects are in the same garage you have always worked from. Thank you for being one of the best.

I buy the old school welders for next to no money and donate them to young guys starting up. We old guys need to help the young guys get into welding and mechanical stuff because les and less of the younger generation are able to afford stuff or get the chance to try to weld. Great video hope that machine gets someone going in life.

I had to laugh when you opened the case and showed the wiring. I picked up a Miller 225 Thundervolt from a tool repair guy years ago. He'd taken it in on trade, never plugged it in. Made him an offer, he accepted. When I plugged it in it didn't work well, did as you did, mine looked fine inside, checked plug, figure the same guy who wired yours wired my plug. Swapped the connections, runs perfectly. That's why the chuckle, figured that guy got around way too much.

Bought one of these back when I got out of high school (1965) for use around the farm... It was old and beat up then. I used it for about five years until I got out of college and moved out... In the meantime, Dad had learned to weld and kept using it around the farm. That old sucker was still going strong when the entire shop was sucked into that great void in the sky by a Category 5 tornado in 2015. Where ever it landed it is probably still being used today...

My step dad bought one of these when I was in high school. He is gone now and I'm 56 and it has been passed down to me to use for the rest of MY life. Awesome little welder.

I still have my late 70's unit and I bodged lawnmower wheels and some handles on it with genuine Yamaha dirt bike grips! She also got a Dryer cord just like yours in 81' and has given Me 45 years of reliability!

I've got an old Lincoln tombstone from the early 50's (I think) the thing weighs a TON. Pretty sure the old ones had copper transformers, it welds so smooth. Smoothest buzz box I've ever used. It also has a starter circuit that that assists starts then drops out. It has the crank on the front and the amperage indicator on the top that moves side to side to indicate output. I don't use it much but when I have to do heavy stuff, that old bugger really digs in and gets the job done. One suggestion for yours, put some grommets in the case for the welding leads. They can short out against the case over time..

Always feels good to breathe life back into something salvageable and usable. Nice work Moe.

I started welding with an old Lincoln 225 back around 1970. Fond memories. I now have a Dayton 250 version that my wife got me back in the mid 80s. Lots of hours on that thing and still going.

Great restoration work on the welder , Glad you didn’t get shocked from the previous crappy wiring job

Cool video. I found a NIB Lincoln AC/DC-225 model from a garage sale for $50. A widow said her husband bought it and died two days later unexpectedly. She had no idea of it’s worth and just wanted lots of stuff “gone” (including the welder), as she was downsizing for a move. SCORE!!!

These old Tombstone welders never die! For the better of 20 years I used this style for pretty much everything I stick welded. My first one was my Grandpa's, it's still in the family. I later bought one off of Craigslist for 50 bucks, it had a broken switch and I used it for many years after I fixed it. I've been a bit spoiled with some of the new technologies, but I still have soft spot for the old Tombstones! Great machines!

I still have my Lincon 225 amp welder just like this one I bought back in the early 70s and I still have it and it welds like the day I bought it. I since then have graduated to a Miller Mig 200 amp and a Miller 140 amp wire feed welders. I have all three and also a Large bottles and Victor Oxygen Acetylene torches and tips for gas welding and a smaller set of them for gas welding too. I wanted to become a welder after I got out of high school but life led me in a different direction and I got into the Plumbing and Septic business trade and made more money that way than I ever would as a welder. But I still make things and love to weld. I learned to weld back in high school around 1970.

People like to run down the Lincoln "Tombstone" welders like this one, but generations of beginning welders have learned to weld with them. I started out with a 225 AC model like the one in the video and used it to learn to arc weld. With the proper rods, you can do some amazing work. I later traded the AC model off and got a used AC-DC version just for fun. It's handy to have one around and, as mentioned in the video, they seem to last forever. Nice video. Thanks!

I bought one of these in 1967. And it was a hell of a good machine. At 14. I worked all summer to get the money to buy it.

I was given a tombstone welder about 10 years ago for scrap. The guy said it worked but he took the leads and power cord off of it for another machine. He left about 6 inches of lead hanging out so I just put ends on it and wound up with about 50ft of lead and used a power cord from an RV. The thing is still welding today and now have over 100ft of leads. I will say you have to run a higher AMP setting depending on how much lead I'm working with but I love it.

I found one of these on the side of the road next to a local Trailer Park. It had been discarded and left for a scrapper. It was in rough condition and the shell had rusted through at the bottom. (not to mention the leads had been cut off.🙁 However, the internals we still good. A little work made her functional again! Thanks for restoring yours. It looks brand new!

that welder built America back in the day old school. the best

Neighbor put one of these down the bottom of his driveway with a "FREE" sign. Turned out it needed a new switch. Works good. Cheers!

Bought my Lincoln buz box from 1978. Often use it for everything from farm tractor and vehicles repairs to tinkering. Nearly 44 years later its still kicking!

If you work on equipment, you need a welder. I have done small welding jobs on equipment I work on for customers 4 times in the last 6 weeks. It comes in handy, is enjoyable, and keeps you from running back and forth getting welding done by another shop.

I bought mine in the late 70s and it's still going. Ran it off a 30 amp dryer circuit for years. It worked but would pop the fuse at around 130 amps if I welded for too long. Mine never had a wheel kit but it's a great idea and those large wheels sure are nice. Great little machines! You did a nice job restoring it!

I own a Lincoln and a Miller welder. Both from the early 1970's. The last time I used both were in 2006. Thanks to your video I'm going to get them out of the storage locker (which is unfortunately located in another state 300 miles away) and start using them again.

It's funny, about 10 years ago my neighbor was moving out and he left one of these I grabbed it and it's been sitting in the corner of my garage ever since I've never plugged it in after seeing the inside of this, it's super simple I thought it was complicated now I want to pull mine out of the garage and do the same treatment to it

The household drier plug is 30 amp, whereas this requires a full 50 amps. You can definitely use it, but any longer welds or higher amp welds with 7018 will trip the breaker a lot.

i've got the exact same one, except mine is untouched and original, it was my grandfathers. nice that you saved this one!

Back in the day, this is the welder I cut my teeth on in welding class. They just plain work. In my opinion, everyone should learn to weld using an Arc welder.....They make all other welders super simple to navigate and use. Cheers Moe! Enjoyed this and you definitely dodged a bullet there my Friend! Zip!

Nice job! I'm glad I still have my Dad's old Lincoln welder. I remember, when I was a little kid, he would give me an old welding helmet and let watch him weld, and sometimes let me attempt to weld. Thanks for the video, brings back some good memories for me.

WOW!! Scarily, that's exactly what I figured was WRONG with IT😱 and no ring terminals for the icing on top😳 gives a whole new meaning to the name tombstone welder! Great machines that'll last a lifetime and SMAW is actually my preferred process for most welding over 14ga! Nice find and fix👍🏻 might've just saved someone's life!

The Lincoln welder at the farm where I grew up still works, the fan takes about 5 to 10 minutes to "warm up" and get to full speed, use the circuit breaker on the main panel to turn the welder on and off because the switch has long since went bad. I am 52 years old and remember this welder as a child, very likely WAY older than me!

Yes you can use 120 volts. It will cut in half the output. Adding a high frequency unit and hooking up a air cooled tig torch with with appropriate gas and you can weld light gauge aluminum . Please note this is for a AC unit only. This was unofficially told to us in an advanced welding class at Lincoln's school back in the 80's. Please don't think about using 440v, it will be dangerous for sure. I served a welding apprenticeship with GM in the mid 1970's and was fortunate to attend advanced welding classes at Lincoln and Hobart many times. At almost 76 years young I still weld and always find myself learning to this day.

I picked up one about 20 yrs ago and good thing I opened it up to find a mouse nest inside! I cleaned it up and put a new plug cord on it and it worked great! I just recently sold it after I picked up the AC/DC model and I love it!! Great video!

Love recycling older equipment however before I test anything out I take readings with my multimeter to check for any faults to the housing that could lead to serious injury. It’s well worth the time and then do a serious visual inspection of the equipment. Love the finished product! Only tombstone welders I saw in the day were some cheap buzz boxes that ran on 120 volts and they were at Lowes, must have been chineesium clones with the Lincoln badge on them.

Have one of these. $100 at a yard sale. From the looks of the electrode holder and ground, it had never been used. I use it all the time.

Great job, that came out beautifully. The best part of the whole video for me was watching someone who knows how to properly use an aerosol can to paint things. It drives me crazy watching people paint in 1 second bursts and shaking the can every three bursts of paint. Sometimes getting fancy and spraying while shaking. Then they wonder why it took 75 cans of Rustoleum or whatever brand was on sale at Home Depot to paint their Miata and have it still come out like crap. You did an excellent job on it. In my area the old Lincoln tombstones are going for around $3-600 used (depending on if ac only or ac/dc), which is up about 200% from a few years ago. I'm glad they're being saved for another hundred years instead of being scrapped for metal. Years ago I bought a 1940's Forney welder a lot like the Tombstone. It ran and welded like butter, and continues to till this day. I cleaned it up, did a little bit of body work (like you did) and sprayed it??? Rustoleum Red. I use it as often as I can, sometimes using it when I should be using a MIG, just because it's such a sweet machine to use. It's big and heavy and I keep trying to talk myself into selling it but I just can't. I don't use it enough to necessitate keeping it but what if I need to glue some thick stuff together solid? It'll weld just about anything I've ever thrown at it without a stutter. I paid $50 for it. Great video and thanks for reading my overly verbose comment if you made it all the way down here.

Yessir! I’ve had a Lincoln since about 1973! All I’ve used until recently getting a $79 flux core wire welder and just a few weeks ago finally an Eastwood multi function mig/tig/arc. But when I need to weld up something for strength from thick metal I always use my old standby! It welds deep and strong! Thanks for showing the old classic some love!!!

I am getting my dad’s tombstone Lincoln and his linde mig plus his victor torch. I want to get the Lincoln up and going and convert the mig to a spool gun since we cannot find the replacement feed parts. My son has taken a huge interest in welding and all I currently have is a clarke mig set up for flux core. He is learning a lot in his high school ag class too. Your welder looks great

I used this welder in a business making stock crates when I was a young apprentice. It got hammered every day, like day in and day out and never ever complained ....... it ran like a trooper.

Great job of refurbing that old box. It will never die if someone doesn't screw it up again. When I saw that wiring I let out a cry! But...I have been guilty of the same crime. I moved to Germany from the States in 1965. I moved into a house with a young family and they had a new washing machine. It had a cord, but no plug. "Oh, I'll connect it up for you." I never would have thought that red was ground...but it was. I nearly killed the young mother when she was standing with bare feet and touched the drum. Red had been ground in Germany since the early years and only in the 1970s did green/yellow become ground throughout Europe and later throughout the world. After that, whenever I wired up anything I looked at where the wires go inside the machine. You never know what you are going to find.

I own one from the early 60's and yes it still runs great. Good to hear it should out last me. I mounted mine on a small wooden skid with steel wheels makes it very easy to move around the shop. Seeing yours makes me want to paint mine up as well.

Great video, with some good points to check _before_ powering it up, lol. I bought one of the Lincoln AC-225's when I was in high school; 50 years later it still works just fine. Over the years I added some wheels, a handle with holders for a chipping hammer and wire brush, helmet hook, and a big binder clip for a pair of gloves. My grandchildren will probably still be using it. I had the good luck to pick up a pre-inverter Lincoln Century 140 (Lincoln Canada Ltd.) wire-feed welder - pretty basic, which means not much to go wrong. For $55 or $60 and working, I couldn't pass up. The only tweaking it needed was adjusting the wire feed. I use it nowadays for 95% of general repairs and fabrication. It did come with the factory plumbing for connecting a gas bottle - that's been useful on some jobs. However, for most "fix-it" work flux-core wire is just fine. This one has an AC terminal block in the housing that allows connecting either a 120 or 240 VAC cord. Although the top-end amperage is less, having a 120V plug is handy. The big plus apart from wire feed is the size and weight compared to a buzz box. Even pre-inverter it's still a one-hand carry, lighter and smaller that the "tombstone." Thanks for your great videos - they're always enjoyable and often educational.

Got one of these for Christmas when I was 16. I think. I have used it a amazing amount. Fantastic welder

I purchased a new one from Lowe's this year. I love the nostalgia of these old AC machines.

Ive got an old one that used to be my grandfathers, in rough shape. This video gives me some motivation to refurbish it and use it as intended. Thanks

I just wanted to let you know with a follow up comment when this video came out two months or so ago I left a comment on here saying I was going to look at my Lincoln tombstone welder that I acquired for free from a neighbor that moved out. Anyways long story short after cleaning some dirty connections replacing the AC plug, the electrode holder then oiling and manually working the fan until it wanted to freely spin again the welder now works like a champ I just wanted to thank you for giving me the inspiration to actually take on the task without watching your video I probably would have never messed with it and it would sat in the corner of the garage until I needed the space and then I probably would have tossed it into my scrap hauling utility trailer. So now I just got 10lbs of electrode sticks from Amazon (Christmas eve) and now I get to learn the finesse of arc welding, I have gotten pretty good at my 110V fluxcore wire feed (I still haven't bought the bottle for it to make it a MIG but that is another story) so I figure learning a stick welder can't be to hard.

Got mine in 1973. Still rolling strong ! Great video. Thank you !

Always liked it when a customer would bring something like this to my shop and would say I had my son in law look at it, he’s an electrical engineer,he worked on it said he didn’t know what’s wrong with it. Easy fix and an ignorance charge was in order.

I've had mine since the 80's. Still works like brand new. I actually used the wooden base that it was bolted to and just added casters to it. Great video.

Welding is something I have always wanted to try. Maybe someday I can get to that. Great buy and thank goodness you did not get shocked. That was sure lucky. Thanks for all the tips and videos.

Wow! That brought back memories from 1977 when i started my metal working career. Good job refurbishing the old stick welder.

Looks really nice! Haven't used one of these since high school. You got me checking Craigslist for one. That's the one thing I hate about Rustoleum. It takes FOREVER to dry.

Ginger is hilarious. By far, the best bonus footage to date!

I had one gave to me in the 80s. It's what I learned to weld with. Called them a buzz box. I still stick weld only. I have a welder in my truck for the last 20 years.

Very nice! I’ve never seen the inside of a Lincoln stick welder. I don’t use mine much any more but it will always be in the garage just in case!

I bought two of those welders for $50 each. One was pristine with 30 foot leads and the other literally fell off the back of a truck. I fixed up the ugly one and sold it. It paid for the nicer welder, 20 lbs. of rod and a DIY 240 volt extension cord. They are easy to fix, easy to shine and you can't kill them. You scored a find too.

I learned how to weld on my first real job. Worked at a shipyard for ocean going ships. Our welding machines were from WW11 looked just like yours but navy grey they were still in use in 2000

Very nicely organized garage. That's alot of work

Excellent repair/restoration! Glad you didn't get bit. Hindsight is always easier... But it would make sense to continuity test between the plug leads and the frame of any machine that there is any question of how it was wired, in the future. I currently use a multiprocess (TIG/Stick/Spool) and a dedicated MIG machine; but I originally learned on a Lincoln tombstone welder. They're still a tremendous amount that can be done and repaired with a machine like that.

Like just about everybody else, I've got one of these that I've had for at least 30 years. I traded out some carpentry work for it from a guy who didn't know how to weld. Stock condition, still runs like a champ. Mine still has the tiny little wheels and the virtually nonexistent handle on top to move it around. It's so heavy and awkward to move around that I bought an inexpensive hand truck at Harbor Freight and just zip-tied the welder to it as a permanent feature. Makes it a lot easier to move around and provides better cord storage too. It will definitely outlive me. Nice job.

I love these old death machines that people have done a hack job on the power cord. One of them I had was so bad sparks shot out of the kluged connection when I powered it up. I have owned 15 vintage welders and they all ran fine when the power cord issues and bad output grounds were fixed. Good video.

It looks and works Great! And a stick welder works in the wind. We were welding deck 3 stories up while it was blizzarding out, and in my best Bob Seger voice, started singing "Against the wind. We're just welding, we're welding against the wind."

Great recovery! So glad we actually got to see this video, as the alternative would have been devastating.

Make it into an AC/DC plus scratch Tig welder for us..that would be a great video tutorial..

Mine was from the 60's or earlier I believe and rounded on the sides. Not the tombstone type. I remember welding when I was 8 yrs old. I through that piece I was practicing on in the steel bin. My dad moved the business to the country. We moved all the equipment steel parts etc. There was the welded scrap piece under the bench in the new shop. I said why do you have this scrap under the bench. He says you don't recognize that. No I was 20yrs old now. He took it out of the scrap and saved it. All those yrs. Really doesn't he have better things to do 😆😆.

I picked up an old arc welder last year. I'm just getting into metal working, so the timeing is great, if I can get it to run.

Also slight differences between the older ones and newer models are the leads coming out the front.. over / under vs side by side configuration..most only need the contacts cleaned in the amperage adjustment mechanism and maybe the fan replaced if it doesn't run when the machine is plugged in..seen alot of people add a Chinesium bridge rectifier the brick style 1600a to get both AC/ DC and add a scratch start tig torch as well..probably the best DIY beginners welder ever made to date as they last generations..

My wife bought me one brand new 20 years ago, she wanted a BBQ pit! I owe her a BBQ pit. But the thing is still brand new I love it! Wow, just when I thought the video was over, full restoration of the box! Thank you

I have the same welder I bought from a guy several years ago. And even though I have a bigger shop welder I still use the little Lincoln for some projects.

Amazing. The day you posted this I was taking the panel off of a Marquette 240 spot welder. It plugs in, power passes all the way to the transformer and circuit board...but then something is a miss. I'm stuck. I don't want it to go to scrap..that would be a waste. Leads are in good condition..someone will need this thing.

My dad has a tombstone that hes had for probably closer to 40 years and its a beast. It has never not worked for him.

I taught myself to stick and MIG weld on a Forney 140 Easy Weld. I was so easy to learn, and the welder paid for itself with my first "job" repairing a liftgate for my boss at work.

I have one I bought in 1971 for $89.00 new ,still working never has let me down !!!!

I have one that my parents bought me for my 16th birthday. I'm 67 now and its still going strong after 51 years.

That original power wiring was shocking! I assume you put a strain relief and grommet on the new power wiring. Nice save!

I bought the same welder about 15-20 years ago an I still have it today. Great welder. I think I paid 75 bucks for it

Love those old dog house welders. This was my first welder and that was over 60 years ago. ☼ It never made the trip to Montana where I retired, but I had a neighbor give me a NOS still in the box from around 1970, he said. ☼ I'll add a 1/2 wave rectifier on the outputs for some really nice welding and a couple of posts for the AC and the DC sides.

Just picked up the same one today for $50, can’t wait to try it out!

I fix at least 1 tombstone welder a year. The fan motor is usually the culprit. The other problem that can happen is the plastic selector shaft breaks. If the owner switches amperage too fast and forcefully the slider can catch and the plastic shaft breaks. Parts are readily available.

My dad had one of those in his shop, it is capable of really good work. I am NOT a welder but I could make his Lincoln work (sort of, just glad no photos exist of any of MY welds). He had a guy that was a welding wizard. Ernie could build anything with a torch and a welder.

I bought one in 1976, paid 149.00 for it, same odd color as that one. I don't have it anymore, but I'd love to get a old stinger like that for my 1969 idealarc ac/dc Lincoln.

Great down to earth inspiration to finally refurbish my old, dusty tombstone. Thank you sir. Subscribed.

A Lincoln tombstone welder was my first welder and I plan to keep for as long as I am around. I have fancier welders, but if those go down for some reason I know I can count on my buzz box to keep working.

Nice find, and a great restoration. Another fine tool put back into service.

Great job! I've had one of these for many years and they're bomb proof. Great video.

The most sold welder in America. I’ve always had one around the garage. I like the one with ac/dc . I weld mostly on dc . Seems to run smoother

Glad to see you repair it

I loves me some barn finds! Years ago I picked up a Century transformer AC/DC machine for a song. Talk about a workhorse! Then, I stumbled on someone selling a dirty, dusty, crappy looking 300 amp Everlast SMAW (stick) inverter machine on the serious cheap. Apparently, the poor cosmetics kept everyone away. Once home, I opened up the machine to find all kinds of crud on the inside including a rather large wasp nest. I disassembled it completely, cleaned everything, and power washed the case inside and out. It now looks like a brand new machine! Oh, and the buttery smooth arc of modern electronics with dig and hot start! You know you've arrived as a serious fixer when the home shop sports a lathe, welder, and oxy-acetylene rig.

Dude just found you tonite on the duckbill tire dismount bar I think I'm a pretty good mechanic and feel that people good at stuff can easily recognize others good at stuff you are amazing mechanic with great ideas and know how to explain stuff and talk just the right way!!! I need a welder man dream of mine for Many years now I almost bought a tombstone 10 years ago but didn't have 220 to plug it into... When I get 220 I'm definently gettin a tombstone

Interesting video. That cord! Never underestimate the power of human stupidity! Never had a Lincoln. Learned 50+ years ago on Dad’s Forney C6 buzz box (unfortunately, the Forney was too far gone when he died in 2014). Always appreciated that the 180 amp Forney was designed with Rural Electrification Areas in mind, and needed only a 30 amp circuit. The 250 amp AC/DC machine I bought from Monkey Ward in 1980 calls for a 60 amp circuit, but works on a 50 with a range cord. I’ll keep my eyes open for a steal deal on a tombstone.👍

Nice to see it brought back. to life...thanks for reminding me I have to sort out some ventilation 😉

New life for an excellent machine. Thanks for showing us!

looks great i’ve been wanting another one for years wish i hadn’t traded mine i love my mig but need one of those too

Glad you did not scrap it. I have the same one from a machine shop that went out of business. It was given to me and I bet it still works. LOL!😃

Just bought the exact same thing and this video really helped, also im just starting out welding and bought to practice with

I really respect and look forward to seeing your content, thank you brother.

Oh jeez, good reminder to check the junk we find before plugging it in... I would not have thought it would be that bad in there

Wow! That is an incredible transformation! Great job! That welder would look amazing in anyone's shop!

You are doing what I wanted to do.... LOVE YOUR VIDEOS and REPAIRS ~~~~~

Grew up with one of those in our pole barn/shop and it's the only kind of welder I've ever used. It still works just fine, but we never used it heavily like a professional would. Not sure when my Pappy bought it but I'm sure it was before I was born in '68.

My dad had one of those back in the 70s... I later became a boilermaker, and did plenty of stick welding. The "electrode holder" is what we would call a "stinger". Hey, nice job, it looks great.