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Price range- $250 preferably but 475 absolute max
Have no problem buying used if I have too but must be in good shape
uses- Exhaust, brush guards, bracketry, light work
Must plug in household wall outlet
will probably use 1-3 times a month maximum
I would love something capable of light chassis and suspension work but know that my budget limits me a lot. I will never build a frame from scratch or cut up a frame so I don't need something that radical.
Any suggestions? Thanks
Put a couple of bucks extra and buy a Hobart 140: Good machine for the money. I just sold a 135 Hobart because we didn't use it anymore since getting the Miller 210, but the 135 built a lot of stuff in the 4 years we had it.
Hobart MIG Welder - Handler 140 (115 Volt)
pad
Mfg Industrial Price: $607.00
Cyberweld Price: $509.00
I've bought a few welders from these guys, they are top notch in all respects and tough to beat on price. Here is their website:
http://store.cyberweld.com/hobmigwel.html
Don
Ya , It will be hard to find anything good for 250, It will definitely be USED. IMO ,save a little more to buy something better. I think you can get a small welder for about 450 dollars that will weld up to 1/4 thick out of a 110 wall outlet (flux core wire), and will weld thin sheet metal up to 3/16" thick. I have a Lincoln that I bought new and used it to weld some floor pans in my truck but ended up buying a big Miller mig welder and never used the smaller one again. My point is buy the best one you can afford.
Bigtruckdriver makes a very good point. There is no other piece of equipment that you will outgrow as fast as a welder, so buy one that will last your needs for the forseeable future, even if you have to save up a little longer. Everybody says they are only going to use it occasionally and only weld thin stuff, but it never ends up that way. Once you start using one the handiness of them makes you want to do more and more stuff.
I realize we all have budgets and not all of us need industrial quality equipment, but for a hundred bucks or so above the figure you mentioned you will get so much more use out of it.
Don
I also was low on funds but I needed a welder bad. See if you can get a credit card at one of the hardware retailers.Thats what I did and bought a Lincoln weldpak 3200 HD.I have abused the snot out of it with no problem as a flux welder doing bodywork welding.Never used the CO2,,,maybe don't know what I'm missing,,,,,,,,.
Yup, re do your budget and work a bit of overtime and get a quality welder. Tools and equipment are an investment, not an expense!!!!! Once you have one you'll use it a lot more then you think, no reason to wish you would have spent a few bucks more and got a good one......
I have an old Linde stick welder that I've had for 30+ years. It was my first welder and I keep it around in case I need to do something really heavy duty...:rolleyes:
But the one that does 98% of the work in my garage is a Firepower FP130. It can be used as a regular MIG, or as a flux-core wire welder (which is how I use it). They may be a few bucks more now, but mine was $455 delivered to my door. It has a 35% duty cycle (which is very good for small welders) and plugs into an ordinary 110 volt wall outlet. It easily welds up to 1/4 inch plate steel. So far (4 1/2 years) it has been virtually maintenance free.:D :D A friend of mine borrowed it to use on a job once and liked it so well he bought one just like it. That was about a year and a half ago; he uses it as a regular MIG and loves it.:)
If you'll look in the newest Northern Tool Catalog they have new Northern "branded" machines that I am certain are Lincoln-125 Amp for $237.00, a 135 Amp for $313.00, and a 175 Amp for $436.00-all of these units have tapped voltage settings and include Gas Regulator, Hose and Tweco gun-
Biggest difference I could suggest would be to get a 220 volt rig---most 110 volt circuits are too low ampereage to weld with and you can fix up a 220 v one about as easy as you can run a higher amp 110---
Something everyone seems to be missing. Find the one you want then start haunting the local pawn shops. I bought a nearly new Lincoln 175 for 75$ complete with the mig conversion three years ago. :)
I have been welding for over 40 yrs. & prefer the 220 v MIG welders. When Mig welding it is sometimes difficult for a beginner to know how much penetration one is getting for anything thicker than sheet. You will be able to set the heat setting higher for better penetration w/a higher votage/amp machine. This is extremely important on thicker metals......like welding in a X-member.
On some areas like windshield post (when chopping a top) I prefer gas or TIG welding for penetration.
Good luck ! Don
I'm not sure about these ones but it's in the price range:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...2691_200332691
I also checked around on some of the welding sites like this:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...2691_200332691
They had a good link I'll try to find, cheapest prices around but they wouldn't ship to Canada so I deleted it from my list.
I also see these guys mentioned a lot, they have some cheaper reconditioned welders:
http://www.toolking.com/page/2/categ...g-welders.aspx
Sean.
Beware of the cheap units like Harbor Freight stiff. They are ok for thin sheet metal but for frame work you need 220v. If you use an extension cord with the 120v units it is a problem waiting to happen. If the welder does not go up in smoke sooner than later the welds will be the one to suffer.. My preference is Miller, Lincoln, Hobart & name brands. pick up the name brand in one hand and the economy model in the other. The name brand is usually heavier, this is due to copper windings versus aluminum. The copper windings will always win out in the end.
INMO it's better to pay a little more up front and only purchase the machine only once.
Bob
I am not a welder. Would not make a bump on a good welders asre. :LOL: BUT, I am going to welding school and I'm learning. I do quite a bit in the pole barn here and am trying to get better, thats why I'm going to school. I can share what I know with ya. You can pick up a good AC/DC welder for about $400-500 new that are decent. Hobart makes one that sells at Tractor Supply. I have an old Miller Thunderbolt AC, and its fine but DC will produce a slicker looking weld, and you wont see blowby with those. 220 is much preferable to 110. I have a small mig. I have a Clarke 135. I have found this to be ok for medium steel 1/16-1/8th. You get into 3/8", you better have at least 180 amps, and be able to make multiple passes.For very thin metal this is not the best setup beacause it has very few settings for amps and wire feed. You need alot of settings like with a potentiometer, not a 4 position switch. So Im gonna say at least a settable 180 amp mig and a ac/dc welder, and your good to go. Just remember to practice alot. An ugly weld is an accident waiting to happen. Hope this helps.
Even if you have to save another month or so, get something that will be big enough to weld everything you think you ever will as far as thickness, then double it. I was on a very strict budget when I bought my little Lincoln because I also needed a bigger compressor at the same time. While I still use the heck out of my little "baby", it's another "I shoulda.......". Maybe someday I'll move up to a biggie:)
I'll go against some of the grain here and say that you should buy a known name brand. While the Northern might be a rebadged Lincoln, they do make other "adjustments" to keep the price down. It might be a lower duty cycle transformer or a 2 foot shorter lead, it's this kind of mod that can end up biting you where you sit for parts as these outfits like Northern move on. Stick with the Lincoln, Miller, Hobart, etc kind of welder and in a 220 volt application and you'll never be sorry.
[QUOTE=Don Meyer]When Mig welding it is sometimes difficult for a beginner to know how much penetration one is getting for anything thicker than sheet.
This is very true. MIG is easy to do, but also easy to get wrong too. Trouble is you can have a weld that looks great, but doesn't have any real penetration. I have to go with the "save your money and get a 220 machine" crowd. Believe me, you'll be way happier in the end.
Mike
I shelled out the big bucks for a Smith acetelyne set up; could have paid about half for a victor. Complaints? I got none. never had the first problem with it.
I went to Lowes and picked up a Campfield Housend flux core 110 V welder. Complaints? you bet. it overheats on a big job. Splatters to hell and back on ALL jobs. And it really ain't worth a cup of spit for anything over 1/8". Luckilly I don't use it much. For small jobs it does fine, and it makes the parts stick together, which is what I need.
I forsee a 220 V MIG in my future.
i see it..
Oh ya dont forget about the oaw welding. A lot to be said for the non electric mode. Works really well on light stuff too, AND... you can braze with it.:)
Could not agree more, this is one of those times that, it is better to save some more and get a good welding machine. You will be happier in the long run. :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by IC2
lots of useful advice! I am also a welder novice, so here's another question. Arc welder vs MIG vs TIG. Does one need to take welding classes to proceed, or find an old welder to teach?Also 110 volt is preferable in my case as no 220 where it would be used!:HMMM:
My vote would go for installing 220 volt service and get a good MIG with a bottle.....
A good experienced welder can have you putting down some nice beads with a couple hours of training time.... After that it's just experience to make you better...
Don't settle for a little flux core 110v welder, you'll out grow it's usefulness and wind up buying a big welder anyway... Just save your money and get the good stuff the first time....
Dave, I wish I could agree with that but :LOL: , not today.I have been in welding school since the 10th of December and I still can't lay the greatest bead with consistansy. I've burnt 100's of rods. Sure you can get a 7018 or a 7024 to lay nice for ya. Try a 6010 with its whip and pause or the 6013 without getting holes in the weld. :LOL: I'm not trying to be a wet blanket but its not gonna come overnight., or in a few hours. just IMHO, :D
Jimmyjeep, I have to agree with Dave,:) There was a time before 7018 and when you only had 5p or 6010 rod, and the welds look as good as 7018.:)
With that said, I agree with Dave that a good 220 Volt mig welder with the bottle is the way to go. Like anything else, keep spending time in the booth and it will come.:3dSMILE:
Last year on vacation I went up to Seattle Washington to visit some friends. I also visit Art Morrison shop. Real nice people gave my son and me a tour and some T-Shirts and other cool stuff.:D D
Did you guys know that all the chassis's and clips are mig welded, and look like rolls of dimes. :D Yea those guys do it every day but man all mig no tig, wow!:)
Oh I wasn't trying to be ornery. :LOL: I was just saying it may take a little while to get use to the mechanics. Like trying to put a 3 pass weld on a 'Tee". It took longer to understand what the weld pool looks like at different temps and attitudes than I would have thought when I began. I look back at the welds I was doing before and I get scared! :eek: Anyway good luck to any new welder, its an art worth learning regardless.Quote:
Originally Posted by TedIII
Hers a quick story for ya, I told my teacher that since I started w-school, I really notice a lot of the welds around me that I never took the time to notice before. He said, Then don't go to the County Fair" :eek: . I have had my last ride on a ferris wheel after that remark. :D
one point to make...
the 'save your money and get something better' comment cannot be disputed.
HOWEVER... a 110V flux core is a DAM handy thing to have around.
For instance: when my stepson called up and told me his blower bracket broke again ( home A/C unit ) I threw the C.H. 110V flux core welder in the trunk along with some scrap 16 GA and headed over to his house. Job done, cost 0$.
Good point, they are plug and play.:3dSMILE: :3dSMILE:
Quote:
Originally Posted by firebird77clone
started out with a tiny 110 v century. when it died of triple pass welding from surpassing its duty cycle years lated I replaced it with a bigger amped hobart 110v that would run circles around the former. when i run out of flux core i wire i might get a bottle too for it.
I didnt plan on having to weld anything thicker than 3/16. I don't weld semi
frames. But I did have to weld an extension on a 20 ton jack for jacking my house out of 1/4" and it is presently holding up one side of my house just fine.
i could tell it was straining the jack when i jacked it up, too!
thats 20 tons load PLUS the 6" of LEVERAGE(reach) on the welds.
think it was only $450~ ish at FArm and Fleet with cart?
Coming from a guy who purchased a 110 unit then went to a miller 210. I was also that type of guy who said that he would never build a frame or anything radical like that. well I was wrong, once i began to fabricate my own parts i was hooked. i sold the 110 unit bought a miller 210, and recently bought a miller plasma cutter. it is nice to be able to fabricate any part that I want, axle mounts, engine mounts, frames. believe me it will save you money in the long run. all of those parts and brackets on speedway, you can make them yourslef for the price of the steel. also putting a 220 outlet in your garage is really simple, i have done it to my past two houses.
as far as Miller vs Lincoln, I spoke to a sales rep who sold both and when I asked him the difference, he said " well that one is red, and that one is blue."
good luck
Pablo
I know the difference between the red and blue and there is at least two for sure that I can tell you about. The miller has steel wire feed rollers and that red thing has plastic...... can you say wear out fast. The other is that the miller weights more and if I am buying a machine that has a transformer in it I want a huge one it means it is more powerful. So there you go I have disproved another salesmen pitch, aka bs ........... and as always IMHO ..
You are wrong -Quote:
Originally Posted by pepi
I just looked at my baby Lincoln 110V - steel all the way. Plastic, even special engineering plastics would not last a single 2# roll and a 13# roll for sure would't last. Mine is identical to one of the welders that I used for a brush up course at the local welding school as well as the one at a fab shop I used to go to for job related quality audits.
Do not think I mentioned Lincoln by name just said RED, I do not remember the brand name. I just know what I saw and that was just one of the reasons I decided to go with the best MILLER. If that is the way your baby welder is then so be it, But I will bet you your next paycheck that the Miller weighs more and more then likely will out last your baby welder. I bought a 110 and then got another one 220 and as this thread was saying, in the beginning and I agree with from experience that having more then you think you need is a wise consideration before the purchase. That 210 is a nice unit cause it has both of the best worlds 110 tap and a 220 tap. I have found that for sheet metal the 110 is the right welder , but beyond that the 220 is more capable and easier to get the penetration needed for a secure weld I try to live by that assume thing, before I call someone out ..... again just my HO .......... :LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by IC2
You responded to the discussion in the post immediately prior to yours - Lincoln(red) vs. Miller(blue).Quote:
Originally Posted by pepi
My statement still holds - no plastic rollers in a Lincoln.
Enough said
I myself run an airliqiud 130 basiclly a miller with a good mixed argon gas it welds almost eveything i throw at it . i got a steal of a deal it was worth $1300 at the time but my neighbour needed cash in a hurry so i wont disclose what i paid :toocool: but there are good welders out there if you have the time to look.. and yes it runs off of 115volt electricity does what i need to do and is wire fed and doesnt seem to mind lots of work and i mean work..:toocool:
I'm A Certifyed Aircraft Welder For 17 Years Now, Mig ,tig Stick, Oxy Fuel,carbon Arc,spray Arc Etc Etc. I Don't Swim And Weld Though. And Used A Lot Of Brands, I Owned Several Red Ones For Years. At Work I Use Blue,esab,hobart Thermal Arc, And Recently I Just Purchased A Thermal Arc Inverter, Baddest 67 Lbs Tig Box Ive Ever Used! Its Plastic Too... Imho They All Have Their Goods And Bads But I Think If You Stay With The Name Brands You'll Be Better Off In The Long Run... You Aint Doin Nuthin Unless Somethins On Fire!!!!
O.K. I'm looking at the following on craigslist, what do you think?
*****BRAND NEW, FACTORY SEALED********
ONLY HAVE ONE OF THIS IN STOCK.
.
DESCRIPTION:
Weld-Pak 140HD
120 Volt AC Input Compact Wire Welder
Whether you have a home project, farm repairs or basic autobody welding to complete, the Weld-Pak® 140HD should be at the top of your shopping list!
Requiring common 120 volt input power, the Weld-Pak® 140HD can be used almost anywhere. With simple two knob tapped control, the machine is easy to set up for gas-less flux-cored welding for deep penetration on thicker steel or gas-shielded MIG welding on thin gauge steel, stainless or aluminum. Compare the precise drive, rugged construction and full list of standard accessories...Lincoln® Weld-Pak® is an excellent choice!
Advantage Lincoln
Superior Arc Performance:
• Forgiving arc makes dialing in your application easy.
• Smooth arc starts with minimal spatter.
• Wide 30-140 amp welding output range.
• MIG weld 24 gauge up to 10 gauge (.135") sheet metal in a single pass. Weld up to 5/16" steel using self-shielded Lincoln Innershield® wire (FCAW-S).
Professional Features:
• Precise Wire Drive features:
– Precision full adjustment drive system reduces chance of wire tangling and crushing.
– Brass-to-Brass gun connections for enhanced connectivity.
– Large industrial closed-design drive motor for improved torque and trouble-free performance.
• Spool Gun Ready – add the optional Magnum® 100SG spool gun for reliable operation at the high wire feed speeds aluminum welding demands. No expensive outboard modules required.
• No Hassle Tool-less Design – for wire spool mounting, wire drive service and polarity changes.
• Innovative contact tip, drive roll and nozzle storage – keeps all your consumables close at hand.
Superb Quality:
• Power Chassis™ channels airflow to cool power systems, structurally secures key components and traps wires and cables to avoid unnecessary abrasion.
• Toughest PC Board Protection in the industry – 'Potted' to seal sensitive components from the environment, 'trayed' in a tough plastic tray to add rigidity and shock resistance.
• Three Year Lincoln Warranty/90 Days on gun and cable assembly.
Processes
MIG, Flux-Cored
Unit Includes
Gun
• Magnum® 100L gun and 10 ft. (3.0 m) cable assembly with brass gun connection and 4-pin MS-Type connection for trigger control (K530-6)
• .025" (0.6 mm) Contact Tips (Qty. 3)
• .035" (0.9 mm) Contact Tips (Qty. 3)
• Gasless Nozzle for Innershield® welding
• Gas Nozzle for MIG welding
Drive
• Spindle Adapter for 8" (203 mm) Diameter Spools
• .025" (0.6 mm) Wire Diameter Drive Roll for MIG welding (KP2529-1)
• .035" (0.9 mm) Wire Diameter Drive Roll for MIG welding (KP2529-2)
• .030"-.045" (0.7-1.1 mm) Wire Diameter Knurled Drive Roll for Flux-Cored welding (KP2529-3)
Shielding Gas Apparatus
• Harris® 3000290 Gas Regulator and 52 in. (1.3 m) Hose for use with CO2 or argon blend gases. (For use with CO2 shielding gas, order a Lincoln® S19298 CO2 shielding gas bottle adapter.)
Welding Wire
• 2 lb. (0.90 kg) Spool of .025" (0.6 mm) diameter SuperArc® L-56® premium MIG wire (ED030583)
• 1 lb. (0.45 kg) Spool of .035" (0.9 mm) diameter Innershield® NR-211-MP flux-cored wire (ED027641)
Other
• Work Clamp and 10 ft. (3.0 m) Cable
• Handshield
• Instruction Manual (IM891)
• How to Use DVD
• Learn to Weld Manual (LTW1)
Just bought it from Northern tools. 459.00 free shipping great deal. I'm using engine money for now, because my welding stuff and air grinding needs to get done before I can put the engine in anyway. Thanks for this old thread. It was very helpful!:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Itoldyouso
Along with a welder, get some training at a local vo-tech. The instructors typically come from industry with years of field experience, and are able to impart their knowledge and experience via hands-on instruction. Procedural knowledge is absolutely necessary, but no amount of reading will beat making arcs and sparks. Another advantage of getting into a vo-tech is that the welding shops typically also have huge shears, press brakes, and a variety of materials. When you only need a 2" length of 1/2x6 to make a bracket, this comes in very handy.
I had taken training in SMAW (shielded metal arc - aka stick welding), GMAW (gas metal arc - aka MIG), and GTAW (gas tungsten - aka TIG), and thought I was good until I worked at a fabrication shop. My welds were both mediocre and slow compared to others, but after three months welding six hours per day, I am no longer an amateur. The job folded after nine months, but welding at that level is like riding a bicyle.
I have a 15 year old 130 amp L-Tec (Linde) 110/220v GTAW. I've made qualified one-pass welds in 5/16" carbon plate with .035 solid wire with this unit and the correct procedure. If I need anything larger, I take the project back to school (where I'm still friends with the instructor) and have access to 440v industrial welders in many flavors.
After today I would strongly agree with you! I'm trying to get into an adult education welding class in the fall!:)