Oxford Bantam or RT

[mmaatt25]

Hello,

These old oil cooled welders keep popping up and i think it would be a useful addition to my workshop to replace my current arc welder with it's poor duty cycle.

Whats the difference between RT models and Bantams???

Thanks Matt

 

[brightspark]

if u can pick up an oxford or a pickhill bantam oil cooled there both made by pickhill well worth having and last donkeys years u can run them all day long and not overheat them i dont know what rt is ??

 

[mmaatt25]

On the amp control plate sometimes they're marked Bantam or have RT110, RT140 & RT180 etc visually they look the same.

 

[brightspark]

On the amp control plate sometimes they're marked Bantam or have RT110, RT140 & RT180 etc visually they look the same.

that will be the amperage mines a 180 amp

 

[gridley51]

What I would do if I bought one of these is to take the bolts out the top and lift the whole lot out,dump the oil and give the tank a clean out.Refill with new transformer oil.
Reason for that is,most of the ones I have seen burnt out were due to a lot of water in the oil,caused by condensation usually.Then they will last another hundred years.
All oil filled welders should have the oil checked occasionally.
Mark.

 

[Arcfire]

Be careful with the old oil as it may be a PCB based transformer oil which is mildly carcinogenic and I understand on the USA is classed as toxic waste, i'm not sure of it's UK classification.

The newer oils are OK.

I've worked up to my elbows in the stuff repairing machines, years ago, with no problems, but I would limit your exposure to a minimum and dispose of it at the dumpit site.

 

[brightspark]

What I would do if I bought one of these is to take the bolts out the top and lift the whole lot out,dump the oil and give the tank a clean out.Refill with new transformer oil.
Reason for that is,most of the ones I have seen burnt out were due to a lot of water in the oil,caused by condensation usually.Then they will last another hundred years.
All oil filled welders should have the oil checked occasionally.
Mark.

i might have a look in mine as its 35 years old and never been touched and used regular .il report back on the findings when i do .pcbs were banned 30 years ago

 

[Arcfire]

That's the "problem" :-) with this type of machine. If there looked after they just about last for ever.

 

[brightspark]

pickhill oilcooled

just out of curiosity after years of use ive took it to bits .i didnt want to ruin it by running it into the ground without checking . everything looks fine . no rust on the top of transformer all conections look good. clean oil . no dirt in bottom . and no water contamination .one of the best investments ive made its welded a 40foot metal garage frame up built 2 stockcars made 3 trailers umpteen other stuff all for a £100 .00

 

[decepticon]

off original topic but thanks for the 'open' pics of your welder, will open my philips oil cooled up as terminals need replacing. know what to do now
cheers

 

[mmaatt25]

What oil should you use in these, (I know it's transformer oil, but I bet shell dont just call it that) and anyone the oil capacity for a Oxford RT140?

Thanks

Matt

 

[brightspark]

shell do transformer mineral oil ithink it looks to hold 4 gallons so a 5 gallon drum would have to be bought

 

[gridley51]

If you want to change the oil,you can work out it`s capacity in cu ft.There are 6.25 galls to a cu ft.Sorry for the imperial measurements but I`m old.
Ovoline used to do transformer oil in 5ltr,25ltr and so on containers.They are now part of Fuchs.Most decent oil companies will produce it.Best bet is get pally with a fitter from the local electricity board.Or,do what the kids did here,they drained the oil out of the 11,000 volt transformer while it was online.Then they set fire to it.All the kids in a ten mile radius had pictures of it going up on their phones.Cost the board over £30k and a fence which should have been there in the first place.
Mark.

 

[mmaatt25]

I just picked up a Oxford RT140 for £50, burnt a 3.2 rod @ 115 amps before I parted with my money no problem. I feel like a dog with two tails (I think it's tails).

Matt

 

[brightspark]

I just picked up a Oxford RT140 for £50, burnt a 3.2 rod @ 115 amps before I parted with my money no problem. I feel like a dog with two tails (I think it's tails).

Matt

well worth 50 quid of anyones money . a gift

 

[agri-fabs]

oil filled welder

i have a pickhill bantam 180 that broke on me a few weeks ago, i had it checked out and the coil that has the tappins off it for the weldind side has run to earth,

i bought a cytringan 180 amp and it was running great, nicest weld i've seen since college!

today the cytringan broke, it was dimming the lights in the workshop and the oil sounded as though it was bubbling inside, with alot of white smoke,

i have just put it up on the bench and took it apart, this time its the transformer side that has blown, its burnt a hole in the side of it and you can see the copper melted,

two questions, will the transformer from the pickhill go into the cytringan as they both look almost identical,

i'm sure i found someone a few years ago reconditioning iol filled welders but i cant find them, does anyone know who they are?

kind regards

chris

 

[oilcooled :)]

i took mine appart last week cleaned the gunge from the tank and filled it with clean oil. put back together plugged it in, ran beautifully, looked underneat, such a leak, 3 pin holes in the floor, had to take it appart, cut off the castors weld a full floor into it with the other oilcooled, weld the castors back on and prime it and paint it, i was sickened lost a gallon of oil