Thread: Welders?

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What would be a good capable welder for the average guy to use to box a frame, make cross members, frame brackets, body patch panels, alu. and ss capable. I have both 110 and 220 available. I would be learning from scratch. That is something that has kept me from deciding on a project and I want to remedy it. I have looked at the Auto Arc 130. Seems to have the capability necessary.

Anything Miller or Lincoln-220.

Thing I have experienced is a gap when buying a high end 110 and a low end 220.The high end 110 is very good at thin stuff.Even the low end 220 really doesn't do well on the thin stuff and is limited in duty cycle.Then the next price level of 220 has a better duty cycle,but you end up getting features you would never use.

I had the good fortune to use a rolling chest very expensive welder named "L-Tec" and that thing would do it all.I welded a sub frame in a Monza Town coupe.You would select the wire speed,heat range and most important could fine dial in the heat.It would weld very heavy with good penetration and the next pass you could weld 22 gauge no problem just changing the settings.Loved it and regret when my friend put it up for sale,I let it slip threw my fingers.

a lincoln 140c can be had for about 695 i bought mine at work with a spool gun and i got it for 895
you can up grade to a 180c for about 100 more the 140 can weld up to 5/16 no prob single pass (035 flux core wire)
and i can change the wire and weld a soda can together.. another great entry level is the weld pack 3200 they are great as well

I really like my Century Mig. Easily found tips, nozzles, etc just about anywhere and it works great. I think its a 160 but not sure. It has the neat little stitch weld, spot weld and all that silly stuff that I'll never use. But seriously for the price I am tickled. Perfect for my first welder. However, I'm soon to buy a TIG and now its time to spend some money. I really like the Miller. Lincoln I'm told is good stuff too.

David

You can use the 110v migs, but it will require careful prep on heavier frame material. The smaller migs are really sheet metal machines. I had a Lincoln Welpak 100 for many years, finally got tired of finessing to weld the heavier stuff, and stepped up to a good 220v machine capable of 1/2". Save a little more now and get a machine that is rated for heavier material than you are planning on welding. You will not be disappointed. I would stick with Miller or Lincoln if it were my coin.

Keith

Sure there is Craigslist.Around here I have a Miller store that runs a welding class.Once the class is over,they sell off nearly new welders at a huge discount and along with them selling reconditioned trade-ins.I suggest buying from a local source like that in the end is a better deal and buy what you need/want the first time even if it means you have to hold off to put away more money.Yepper,don't have to ask why I am saying that.

Millermatic 175 will do everything you need to do and not break the bank. I bought mine ~5 years ago and couldn't be happier with it. works great on sheet steel and heavy plate.

Russ

Any of the good and usually US made welders are fine. I have a little Lincoln 110v unit that I've used for up to 1/4" but it really likes 1/8" or less best. I didn't have 220v wired to my shop when I bought mine plus wanted portability. I would buy a bigger 220v now, the heck with portability. Just stay away from the Harbor Freight Chinese made level junk. They are cheap, often work well for a year or so, then it's time for repairs - and parts are impossible to find. The crap Eastwood sells is Harbor Freight with a different paint job and name stuck on it so they can charge more. You also need to invest in the gas conversion. The flux core while good for welding rusty steel and outdoors with some wind and on a farm is fine, but the weld splatter makes a mess and is one additional step in a project. Unfortunately, the C25 (argon/CO2) mix has about doubled in price in the last year.

I really recommend a minimal level class. My welds before I took a few sessions of training looked like pigeon droppings, after, usually pretty good even on light sheet metal tho an occasional bird flies over "helping" the weld bead

We were just discussing this subject last night. My Son Don just bought a Miller 212, mainly because Dan has a 210 that has been FLAWLESS for maybe 6 years. The discussion was that although it is costly to do so, it is better to save up and buy a really good welder the first time, rather than buy a small one and find out it has limitations that are holding you back.

But that is a hard one to handle, financially, sometimes, because a really decent one will set you back $ 2000 by the time you add a tank, gas, helmet, etc. The upside is that it will be something you never will outgrow and will last the rest of your life.

Also, a good welding machine will let even beginning welders turn out good, strong welds with a little practice. Don had never really welded in his life, but Dan spent the last two nights with him, breaking in his new welder, and after a little while he was laying down very acceptable welds. Good equipment does let you do better work.

Don

Don - the heat needs to be a notch higher for more penetration and a move bit faster or turn the feed back a bit

Im a miller fan even though my big machine is a lincoln..lol If you want a machine that can do anything than a multiprocess machine is what you are looking for, but they are very expensive.. You cant go wrong with a mig welder for a fun easy way to learn, and you can get a big enough one that will keep you happy.. Heres a mig Ive been looking at.. Millermatic 212 MIG Welder Auto-Set with Spoolmate 200 951177 .. I really like cyberweld for their prices are very good and Ive had very good luck with them ordering and customer service... If you havnt already got to millers web site and check out their machines.. And the welding web forum has alot of info on it..

Thanks
Harmon

you want 180 machine if your welding on frames i have had 3 wire welders over the years what happened as i started to get in to more thicker steel i found out the limit of each machine i ended up with a miller 250X sold it as i tig every thing now with my 275 lincoln .some welders go in to spay transfer so welds may not look the same as others its more to the welders liking as the weld my be strong more or less to a point but you may want the row of dimes look were we you play with the welder to get that look . were fast and fill for some jobs were they want to keep all heat in the steel to get the best penetration pulling and pushing the weld also plays in seting or how the weld looks .i just tig every thing now as i not fabing much on car most of all the stuff i do can be on the bench but if need i have a thumb wheel on torch and 30 feet lead if i must

I am leaning toward the Miller 211 machine. I like the dual voltage and portability. Seems my question should of had two parts to it. The second is " what is needed power wise to full utilize the machine. This may be a question for who ever I purchase from. When I said I have 220V my dryer backs up the the garage wall and it is on a circuit that has two 30a breakers.

You deffinatly want the bigger Miller or Lincoln, the 110's just don't cut in and you want the gas hooked up.
but Like Pat said my next machine will also be a tig and everything I do after that will be tig.
Kurt

Don - the heat needs to be a notch higher for more penetration and a move bit faster or turn the feed back a bit






If you saw the backside you wouldn't say that. There is a perfect pattern there. It is an autoweld, so it regulates itself.

Don