I have a quick question about hooking up a welder. Lincoln 225/125 AC DC with a 3-prong plug. I am using 8-3wire, can I use the white wire as my ground in the panel and can I also use the bare wire connected to an anchor screw in the plug to the same ground connection in my panel?
Thanks,
Dale

First off you should be using #6. #8NM cable is only good for 40 amps.

You technically could use the white as a ground. It is not code legal but would not at all be unsafe. Question is WHY would you?? You already have a ground in NM cable.

If you insist on 3-wire just use the black, red, and ground in the cable as your two hots and ground that your 240v circuit require. Cap off the white.

You could also use 6/2 NM cable and use the black and white as your two hots.

So what your saying is that I can use 6-2 wire . Black and red as hot and the bare wire straight to ground . I read a few of the other posts , and what I got out of it is that you don't need a netural . So a 3 wire system and I'm good to go
Thanks for the help
Dale

Exactly, but 6/2 is black and white. Just tape the white wire black or red and you are fine.
This is a typical installation.