What Kind Of Welder???

[BLKXJ33]

Hey guys, im planning on getting a welder soon. I want to know the best route to go. Could yall give me some ideas for onboard as well as a standalone welder. If possible, best places to get them too. Thx

 

[Beezil]

Mig, no less that 175amps. 220ac I consider a must.

the advertised performance data on almost all smaller welders is exaggerated....

if it says it will do 1/4, don't count on it welding bombproof welds in 3/16.

sticking two pcs of metal together is one thing.

WELDING them together so they don't fail is another.

My shop used to be ALL MILLER, but the red machines (lincoln) are slowly taking over......I think Hobart can be an excellent value....

I'd rather have a 250 amp hobart than a 175 amp miller.

 

[MinotJeep]

I recently bought an oxy-acetylene welding setup as my first welder. Besides being able to weld, it will also allow you to cut, shape, heat, and braze metal for whatever you want to make. From what my friends tell me it is more difficult than other kinds of welding, but I've never welded in my life before I bought this setup and I didn't think it was too bad. After a couple of afternoons practicing I was able to put make ,what I at least think, are good beads. The cost for the torch and regulators was $200 for a Victor medium-duty rig. I also had to lease the pair of tanks for year for $25 a tank plus the initial fill cost of $25 for a total of $100. Other tools I bought once I got going were a Sawzall and an angle grinder. Add other miscellaneous tools like a handcart, tip cleaner, gloves, spare goggles, strikers, etc and the cost is about $600. The cost for all of the tools above is about equal to a QUALITY Mig welder by itself with that will only let you do one thing. Before I bought anything I read and re-read "The Welders Handbook" by Richard Finch and "Welding Essentials - Questions and Answers" by William Galvery and Frank Marlow.
-Matt

 

[xjblaine]

I had an oxy/acetylene setup last fall...I takes a while to do welds on 1/4" plate, but it will do a nice job if you can stand the heat (2' from a 6000 deg flame gets old after a while). I took my tanks back when the semester ended and just haven't had time to go get new ones.

 

[Dazz]

If you have the skillz, get a stick welder! Much more afforable and welds the thick stuff without a concern.

 

[Haulgas]

I have a millermatic 210 and love it... My 2 cents..

 

[Rawbrown]

I have used a Millermatic 180 for a few years for my stationary stuff in my welding shed. for portability I have a millermatic challenger 172 that I power of a 5000watt generator. I have it setup for Fluxcore and can burn 1/4". I tow it behind my electric cart on a custom trailer that gets around my ranch.

for technical work I just got a Miller maxstar 150. I can run it on either 110 or 220. weighing in at a measly 13 pounds with a shoulder strap I can either burn dc stick or dc tig. with a 2500watt inverter and a small 20# argon bottle you can tig out in the middle of nowhere. but this is a 1000+ unit.
I mainly got it for tig welding a roll cage. it will run at 80amps on a 110 circuit at 100% duty cycle. even better on a 220. but when your tig welding .120 wall, it doesn't take that much...

 

[KY Chris]

I have a millermatic 210 and love it... My 2 cents..

Ditto...big step up from the Millermatic 135 I was using.

 

[JSmall]

Mm 175

I've had my MM 175 for about a year now and I love it. IMO if your new to welding I would purchase a Hobart...they are a little easier to dial in. On the Miller you can fine tune the adjustments and on the Hobart I think they have four or five settings to choose from. Sometimes I find myself messing with my welder more than I am welding. Just my opinion.

Later

 

[xj92]

I have the Harbor Freight 90-amp (cheap $120) because it was all I could afford at the time and I didn't have access to a 220 power supply either. With .035 wire it gets the job done, and I have welded 1/4" stuff, but it takes a lot of time to do it. I have to keep on it to get the general area really hot and then I get good penetration. I made a custom crossmember with it, welded on a chassis stiffener, and other various things with it and haven't had any welds break yet. I'll get something better in the future, but this works well for now.

 

[offroadman83]

Note to self---------Don't ever make a trip to tucson, arizona and don't even think about getting close to xj92's jeep if it is seen.---- Kyle

 

[Legacy]

Stick with name brand welders like Miller, Lincoln. Get some thing with a warrantee. Depending on what you want a welder for, what are you going to use it for? Mig/flux core would be the best for a beginner. If you’re right handed weld left to right for stick, mig/fluxcore, and right to left for Tig and oxy.
if you have any more questions about welding hit me up.
good luck

 

[massxj]

with mig you should have the tip pointed 45* at the bead but moving away from it, right?

 

[PaulJ]

Go all out, buy a TIG and an oxy outfit.

 

[REDXJ4FUN]

It all depends on how much you can spend. I've been lookshoping for awhile and for the most part bang for the buck the hobart 175 can be had for 600 with a cart almost anywhere. its a good welder (basicaly a miller with a few cheaper parts) and a good warenty. I was getting ready to buy it when i found a hobart ironman 210 at nothern tool for under 1100 and with thier EZpay its about 170 a month for 6 months with NO interest. so need less to say I'm getting the 210 :cheers:
I tig weld for a living but most people willl have a realy hard time learning it and its not the greatest for welding on the unibody. stick works well but thi stuff nad over head INMHO sucks so a mig is a great way to go for most things. I still have my stick and tig setup since theres things that both are great at.

 

[John D]

Lincoln AC 225 is 229 bucks at Home Depot. Not that hard to learn how to weld with a stick. Just a little tricky with the thin stuff. My $.02.

 

[woody]

I've been scoping out a Lincoln AC/DC hotbox at about $450 shipped, then add this $250 kit: http://www.tigdepot.com/products/p35TD-BBTF.htm
Plug into 120v for precise/light gage work or 240v (or stick) for heavier work.

 

[Legacy]

with mig you should have the tip pointed 45* at the bead but moving away from it, right?

you should have a 90* work angle with a 15*-20* push angle for mig.

 

[massxj]

thanks

 

[MudDawg]

I have an old Clarke 130 Mig that I use on stuff 8 gauge and thinner...sweet little machine for the money...BUT...It is inadequate for anything heavier. So I went and bought a Ironman 210 for the heavier stuff...$999.99 at Tractor Supply.