Thread: How big-a-MIG?

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I want to purchase a mig welder to use as a ' hobbyist ' so I don't want to 'over buy' but I want one that will weld up-to 1/4 in. steel. There are umpteen dozens of them on the market and I don't know heads from tails about them. I can arc-weld and do expert oxy-acetalene work ( hvac tech.) so I shouldn't have to much trouble learning one. Looking for info. about volt/amps and other features and not brand names, so sales rep's., please don't.

For the use you are describing I'd go with a 220V machine in the 175-180 range. As long as you buy a decent brand (Hobart, Miller, Lincoln) any of them should do the job.

About the only job that I've done that required a bigger welder was narrowing a D60 axle, the 175-180 class machines arn't up to 1/2".

Chuck P
www.oldjeep.com

I personally like tig better,mig is good for tacking,but i feel tig is more controllable for a nicer finished product, and since you can torch weld it won`t be to hard for you to catch on.But if you insist on mig buy a quality unit that can handle slightly more plate than want ,just for added versatility

I have both MIG & TIG. I use the MIG most of the time. I only use the TIG for alum, SS, & critical parts(steering etc.) The TIG is just too slow & puts more heat into the metal, thus more warpage especially on sheet metal.

I have used a lot of welders & prefer lincoln or Miller.

I have a 200 amp Miller MIG & a 250 amp Miller TIG. Both are excellent welders, however they are larger than the axerage street rodder needs. For the MIG I would NOT buy a 115 v model. I also would not go lower than 150 amps. Make sure the ratings are amps out not amps in. Hobart & most all off brands rate some of theirs at amps in so make sure you compare apples w/apples. Also chk the duty cycle.

For the TIG I would stay at least 150 & use a water cooled torch. This set up is quite expensive compared to the Mig.

Don

110 volt migs are wonderfull for anything up to and including 1/8" thick mild steel material. For anything beyond that you should have a 220 volt mig.

Originally posted by brianrupnow
110 volt migs are wonderfull for anything up to and including 1/8" thick mild steel material. For anything beyond that you should have a 220 volt mig.

he is rigth to weld 1/4 steel you need no less than 180 amps or more. i have had many migs and the bigger 220 welder are easey to turn down for thin stuff but if you do a lot of 1/4 steel you need a bigger welder than a small110 welder it is better to turn down the big weld but real hard to turn some thing up when it is max out i have the miller 250 and like it and for tig 275 lincoln is what i have and i used the tig a lot more i like the tig for over head work and were i want more control of the weld and set down welding on a welding table. to dam many sparks with a mig so you need to watch that you don't set a fire with them

I have a Miller (Millermatic) 150 which I've had for about 7-8 yrs. I don't think Miller they makes the 150 anymore. I love it. What you want is one that can weld up to 3/8" material and uses mixed gases. If you go with a mixed gas unit forget about the flux core wire. Hobart makes a nice unit that is sold here in Texas at Tractor Supply and also look at the TIP products they are very affordable units.

I've got a little 120V flux core mig, it does great on little jobs but puts out a lot of splatter.

I am torn on my choice for my next welder: a tig or a 220V gas mig... Probably will go for the Tig... They just make such nice, clean welds. They do put more heat down, but the heat is very concentrated, and you can control warpage easier... seems to me anyway.

anyone know any info about the auto arc's by miller... I can get them through my tool sales business and have them on ebay, But i don't know much about them. I have a 140amp matco welder that i got in a trade, works excellen for sheet metal work... and a 250 amp lincoln mig that i use for thicker stuff... I like them both very much... I like the 140 cause i can plug it in anywhere and it still welds excellent.. just not thick stock..

wasn't so cheap when I bought my (90 amp?) 110volt century fluxcore, but I can really recommend mine. was on sale $240 and I didn't even know at the time what I would ever use it for besides rust repair/
good for 1/4" with a creative beveled edge?
actually try to steer clear of 1/4" for other reasons (wait maybe it WAS the reason- been so long I forget

guess if you work on trucks this might not be a good idea

was gonna upgrade to regulator for cleaner weld but figured I would want a bigger welder later. never got around to it

but now I see some for ~$140 + fluxwire ~$50
some I have seen for $99 at places I don't buy tools I wanna use alot...

read the link to homemade tig lately? 130 amp Ford alternator + electric or gas motor Http://classicbroncos.com/homemade-welder.shtml

Thanks guys, so far this is great info. And I knew it,,, I said don't spit on the floor and look, it's covered already. Sales/brand names etc.,,, But thats cool, better know the names of the good,the bad and the ugly.

A little off the mig subject, but if anybody has the place to plug it in i have a miller maxstar 175 ill sell cheap (400$),its 460 volt input only ,but there isnt much you could not tig with it ,100% duty cycle,ialso have a dialarc in case you might want to weld a tank ha ha.300$

Everyone will probably growl at me for saying this but if you're only using it as a hobbyist, checkout the Chinatown(Harbor Freight) welders. I've worked with Miller, Lincoln, and Hobart in the past and there is no doubt they are excellent machines but the price was always the drawback. Seems like you'll be spending about $500 or more before its over with. I bought a Chinatown mig welder and it actually works pretty good so far, cost around $200. It works good for sheet metal but I haven't used it for the heavy stuff because of the duty cycle. I'm a "buy American" type of person but money talks and if you're not using the machine in a production setting it will propably work fine.

I'll just duck on out of here now, let us know what you decide just for kicks. Over and out.

Just my opinion, but I try not to buy Chinese tools. Especially if it plugs into the wall. By the time you use and break a couple you could have bought the good stuff in the first place.

First rule in buying tools "never under buy"
well that's my opinion. I only buy Snap-on or Mac when it comes to hand tools, and Miller when buying a welder.
No sales rep here just a worn out fabricator / mechanic I've been welding for over twenty years I've welded with Lincoln, Hobart, Miller I've seen people buy on price alone, and learned that being cheap is usually exspensive.
I own a Syncrowave 350 a Syncrowave 250 and a millermatic 210.
you may want to look hard at the miller machines, and the hobarts.
the reason I chose the millermatic when buying a mig as compaired to hobart was the construction and duty cycle.
try to buy from a local store, before you buy ask if you can try the machine. nothing worse than buying a machine from a catolog and being disappointed when it shows up at the house.