Which Welder?

[BowtieWrangler]

im looking to pick up a welder that i can use for many things and that i wont have to go out and buy another one becuase i out grew the use after thin material.


the work i plan on doing keep in mind this is not stuff i am going to jump right into by any means just future plans of use
Roll Cage
Suspension Mounts
Body Work
Axle Tubes(doesnt necessarily have to weld these)
Maybe bumpers


The welders im lookin at are
Millerwelds 180C
Lincoln 175plus or 180c
Hobart 187

[Yetti]

are you looking at new or used? if you can consider a used one then shot for 200-250 class of machine. it will do much more and does way better when doing tube & pipe type work. I like the 185s for doing light work like sheet metal. I have a 250 lincoln that I picked up used 2 years old from a dealer that took it in on trade. it was traded so the guy could go bigger. the whole out fit was $1000 + tank($180)this machine was $1999.00 new. so do some shopping and see what you can find.

[BowtieWrangler]

ya, im was looking at new welders becuase i found those for like $600 when most places i see want like 8or900 for em.............but i dont know to much about welders the only thing i was really looking at was metal type and thickness cuz i can understand that but i dont know if Continous or Tap is better

i initially was lookin at the licoln power mig 215 but its 1800 price range is a bit much for my pocket right now..............if i look for used machines what do i need to look for, i mean if i look at em how am i gonna know there not burnt up junk?

[sglide]

if you want somthing that you will never out grow get a lincon ctx 305 its a gas powered welder that will run a/c or d/c stick, tig, or mig and is a really good generator
you can get them new for about 3000 but you will have a 250amp machine that dose it all

[Monkeyevil]

The Lincoln 175plus will be plenty of welder for anything up to 1/4."

If your looking at welding thicker with one pass or production welding step up to something bigger off the bat, or you can always sell your 175 later.

A quality brand welder really doesn't loose value fast UNLESS you buy new.

[greenmeanie]

sorry to hijack; but since we're on the topic...could this be used for the things listed, or would a 220 volt one be a better bet? i used a small wire feed for spring/shock mounts and it seemed to work just fine with good penetration.

http://www.toolking.com/category/pro...nextag=500487R

[Cooter]

I'd get a Miller 175. If you don't plan on using it much you could get the Hobart, I guess.

[Sveen]

I recently got a Hobart 187 for 220v MIG welder and it rocks. I was welding some 1/4" steel and it's penetration was incredible - things were glowing cherry red and I wasn't even on the highest setting.

What ever you go for, make sure to get a 220volt model if you can. I had a 110v olt MIG before and it doesn't even compare to 220volt I got now.

[greenmeanie]

i don't have any 220v outlets :-(

[xjmichigan]

Originally Posted by greenmeanie

i don't have any 220v outlets :-(

if you have two 20amp 120v outlets close by you can wire a junction block with two cords going to each outlet with your welders style plug mounted in the block

[Cooter]

...or if you are buying a $600+ welder, you could just install a proper 220v receptacle, and not set your house on fire.

[brimy311]

My recommendation is a "red" machine. Biggest you can afford.

[greenmeanie]

i won't be using it every day or anything. i just wanted to spend around $300 so i can be able to do minor jobs without needing to borrow somone elses welder. (the two outlet thing does sound a bit scary though)

[brimy311]

$300 leaves you with a harbor freight sized welder. It is basically a microwave with welding leads.

[Blackjackbender]

spend 200 more and get a reconditioned hobart 180 from toolking.com

i got my 175 reconditioned when they where phasing the 175's out for 430 shiped to my door.

[greenmeanie]

that one i was looking at was a hobart 125 from tool king for $239 and $8 for shipping

[lgottler]

My father just gave me his old (brand new used 3 times) Lincoln 125 with gas. I used it those 3 times and hated it. Sheetmetal, OK, fine, it works. Anything near 3/16 and I wouldn't trust it.

If you absolutely cannot do better than a 110v, do this: Grind all areas down to raw steel, don't skimp, and don't just lightly grind, get it down all the way to steel (should do this anyways...)! Then, heat it up with a torch first, get it nice and hot, burns off oils, etc.. and helps the welder penetrate a bit better...

I visited Wilson Welding the other day to get their opinion on the Lincoln 125 and they sold me a 5lb spool of some .035 flux core, said with that "new" stuff, I aught to be able to weld up to 1/4". I'm going to try it a few times and see what happens. But now I've got something to sell and buy a real welder with!

We use a Miller 185 at the shop and love it because I can do very light work and fairly heavy stuff on the same machine. We also use an old Airco that kicks ass, probably old as I am, but you can dial it down to weld tinfoil and crank it up for 1/2" in a single pass.

[Blue XJ]

This one seems like a good deal as well. II found it here:
http://pros.servicemagic.com/product...s-500416R.html

I might end up getting this one as well


Hobart Welders 500416R

Enlarge PhotoHobart 500416 Factory Reconditioned Handler 175 MIG & Flux Cored 175 Amp Welder$449.99 ($7.99 flat shipping)Description:
Specifications:
-230 volts, 60 Hz
-Rated output at 24 VDC: 130 amps, 60 Hz at 30% duty cycle, 130 amps, 50 Hz at 20% duty cycle
-Current range: 30-175 amps
-Max. open circuit voltage: 30 volts
-Wire feed speed range: 50-850 inches per minute (350-900 IPM at no load)
-Dimensions: 12-3/8"H x 10-5/8"W x 18-7/8"D. 65 lbs.
-Processes: MIG (GMAW) and Flux Cored (FCAW)
-Applications: Maintenance, construction, auto body, farm/ranch, rental, homePowerful and portable. Handles a broad selection of solid mild steel or stainless, flux cored and aluminum wires.Welds 22 gauge up to 1/4 inch material in a single passProven built-in wire feeder with quick-release drive roll leverBuilt-in contactor eases use and is an excellent safety feature which makes wire electrically "cold" when not weldingFour output voltage settings with wire feed tracking provide quick and easy adjustment for different materials and thicknessesSeparate "purge" setting to purge gas line and set flow rate without wasting wireEasy access to polarity changeover includes storage holes for spare tipsDual groove drive rolls make it easy to switch between .023"/.025" and .030"/.035"wireSelf-resetting thermal overload and motor protectionIncludes: Basic unit, built-in gas valve, 8" wire spool adapter, regulator and gas hose, extra .030" contact tips, 1 lb. spool of .030" self-shielded wire, comfortable 10 ft. H10 MIG welding gun, 10 ft. work lead with clamp, weld set-up and parts information chart, and power cord with plug

[Dirty Turtle]

I have a Millermatic DVI and I love it. It is a MM135 on 120V and a MM175 on 220V. That is the best part. Works on either. And it welds beautifully.

[Big Daddy Rubicon]

I myself like blue and I have 210,251 mig's. Like others have said, go the biggest you can afford.