Which Welder to buy

[davemskinner]

Greetings,

I plan to buy a welder to learn on and was wondering what would be a good beginner to intermediate machine.

I used the old Lincoln stick welders back in the early seventies and haven't touched anything since (except solder).

My use would be general purpose tractor/equipment repairs and fabrication as well as some creative work, such as making useful doodads from used horseshoes.

I'd love to hear some feedback on this.

My price range should be ??? to $1000 for a package big enough to get me started.

Also, what does anyone think of the technology used in the Multiplaz advertised here at OTT?

 

[meanjean]

Lincoln stick welder.
You can weld a pile of different materials and different thickness.

In all fairness though, if I had $1000 for a welder it would be a real nice MIG

 

[helomech]

I am real happy with my Hobart 140 Mig welder. It is the same thing as the Miller machine of the same size. It will weld up to 1/2, and has welded everything I asked it to. The duty cycle is plenty good enough unless you are doing long continuous welds. Think I paid less than 500. It is a 110 unit, which was important to me. I wanted to be able to use it anywhere they had 110 power.

 

[asbug]

I am real happy with my Hobart 140 Mig welder. It is the same thing as the Miller machine of the same size. It will weld up to 1/2, and has welded everything I asked it to. The duty cycle is plenty good enough unless you are doing long continuous welds. Think I paid less than 500. It is a 110 unit, which was important to me. I wanted to be able to use it anywhere they had 110 power.

X2!
I did the xact same thing.
Went the largest MIG (I don't like flux core...) that was 110v for the same reason. Just sold my stick welder because I never use it any more.
As a word of adivice, buy the largest gas tank that you can get. There is nothing more annoying than getting 90% done and having to stop untill you get back with more gas.
A nice mig will go from sheet metal to 7/16+" in just a few seconds.
All my stuff was around $500.
KC

 

[davemskinner]

You guys are the best!

Is that Hobart unit the same one Tractor Supply sells?

It's caught my eye on several occasions but I want to make a good decision.

Thanks guys, Keep the comments coming. Gmtinker, I'd sure love to hear from you since you taught welding. Also Wildfire.

Dave

 

[Blkvoodoo]

do you have 220v power available to you in the area you will be using the welder ?

I would suggest getting at minimum a 220v machine if you have the facilities, if you start making things, you'll inevitably " NEED MORE POWER !! "

I have a Lincoln 115v mig, 115v was all I had available to me when I bought it, I have built some cool stuff with it, but I really want something bigger. I have a plasma cutter and compressor as well, both are dual voltage 115v really limits your cutting and welding abilities when you have the need to create.

 

[davemskinner]

Hey BlkVooDoo,

Thanks for the input. I do have 220. When I built my barn I ran a hundred amp service from the house just in case it became a shop someday. Right now it is a horse barn and probably always will be but when I add on...

I'll finally get my shop!!!

Hey All, while I was browsing this forum, I decided to start at the back tonight and what did I find, a beautiful little thread with many answers in it to the question of this thread. Here is the link: http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1587

 

[300zx]

I agree with everything said. I have the Hobart 180 which is the 220v machine. It has done all I have ask it to do. The bigger tanks are good for the mig gas, but if you start small, at least our Airgas dealer let me trade in my small ones for larger ones and gave me the full value for he small ones. When I take my mig to my son's house, I hook into his dryer plug with a cord that has the right male plug on one end and the welder socket on the other. One way around places that don't have 220 in their garages. Drier circuit are only rated for 30 amps and the welder calls for 50 amp circuit, but we never weld anything that large when I am at my son's house. BTW, the only difference between the Hobart (made by Miller) and the Miller is that the Miller has a continuous (or infinite) voltage setting, while the Hobart has fixed voltage settings. I am sure the pros like the continuous settings better, but it hasn't been a problem for me, probably because I am not a Pro!!!! I have to admit also that I just recently bought a used Lincoln stick welder for $150. There were tight areas I couldn't get the mig tip into and I got some hardening stick rods from my brother in law that I wanted to use on my tiller tines. So I ended up with both. The mig is definetly my favorite, no slag to chip.

 

[helomech]

You guys are the best!

Is that Hobart unit the same one Tractor Supply sells?

It's caught my eye on several occasions but I want to make a good decision.

Thanks guys, Keep the comments coming. Gmtinker, I'd sure love to hear from you since you taught welding. Also Wildfire.

Dave

That is where I got mine.

 

[Bulldog]

If you want a small stick welder look at a Lincoln 125/225 amp A/C D/C welder. They don't take up much room and do a fairly good job for a small package. As far as a mig goes, if you are looking at Hobart welders at TSC go check with your local Air-Gas dealer. I just had a Miller priced to me for less than what TSC gets on a Hobart. I was looking at either the Ironman 210 or 230 and Air-Gas was $300 cheaper on a Miller in the same category.

 

[davemskinner]

Thanks again All.

This is really very helpful. I guess it is off to the Air-Gas dealer to buy a Miller - Widfire will be proud!!!

I'll buy the Miller new and look around for the Lincoln stick used. You see them all the time on Craig's List for cheap.

 

[Joe]

Well $1K sounds like a pretty nice setup for starting out.

What I did since I knew absolutely nothing about welding is buy a refurbished Harbor Freight 110A MIG (220V) for $100. I used it to learn how to weld for six months, it was actually a pretty good welder. Then I sold it on Craigslist for what I bought it and purchased a Hobart Handler 210 MIG on sale on the internet for $700.

I chose the 210 because with proper prep and multiple passes it can just weld 1/2" steel plate which is as big as I will ever need. That way I was able to get a MIG which for me is a lot easier to use than stick and still be able to weld anything I will ever need. Conventional wisdom says for thick plate use a stick welder for thin use MIG but for me the 210 takes care of all my needs.

Joe

 

[Wildfire]

Thanks again All.

This is really very helpful. I guess it is off to the Air-Gas dealer to buy a Miller - Widfire will be proud!!!

I'll buy the Miller new and look around for the Lincoln stick used. You see them all the time on Craig's List for cheap.

Sorry I'm late joining your topic. This is our busiest time of the year and I've worked every evening for the last 3.5 weeks and to add to the work I'm getting my tractor de-commissioned and removing all the custom stuff to install on the new tractor when it arrives.
Well I kind of try and stay away from the topic of welding machines and which brand is best because it's my belief they are all "good" if you by a brand name machine.
I say brand name because if you need to get a consumable or part at some point it will be very easy to do with the brand name machine.
I get asked a lot about stick or Mig and which is best. Well that depends on your capabilities as a welder and the type of work you want to do and how much money you want to spend.
In my shop I do a good bit of welding. I own all types of welding equipment. Right now I have mobile Miller 302 Trailblazer for field work. It's used mainly for stick welding and mig.
In the shop I run a Millermatic 251 mig, a Millermatic 350P pulse mig, a Miller Dynasty 200 DX tig unit with a Miller coolmate 3 attached to it and a Miller Spectrum 875 Pasma. With this equipment I can handle anything that can fit through my doors or field work.
It's crazy when I think about it because we are not supposed to be a welding shop. We're just catering to our customers needs.
I've read some of the advise the guys gave you here and it's all been great so I don't need to add much to it than I feel stick welding will never become outdated especially out in the field but I got to say and I say it with all due honesty that if you plan on welding in a shop go the Mig route and if you go Mig use gas and not flux core. Get a 220 volt unit as well and buy the largest you can afford. Bigger is always better and with the larger units the welds are so much nicer.
Yes I like Miller and yes I would highly recommend buying a Miller and the reason do is because of all the Millers I've had over the years I've never had a time where a Miller product let me down. I've never had to stop a job due to a break down with a Miller. 16 years ago I purchased a Miller mig welder at an auction for $250. When I got it home I spent another $200. on it. The thing was built in 1972 and I used it for 8 years with no problems other than a $20 trigger switch. I sold it and tripled my money and started buying new Millers after that.
Bottom line is buy what you can afford but buy a brand name. Factor in a good shield when buying. You'll need a good shield to protect your eyes. I use (ya you guessed it Miller) hoods. I have a digital Inferno Elite and a regular Maple Leaf Elite. Great hoods!
If you have any questioned send me a PM and I'll do my best to answer them. Good luck and be safe.

 

[skeets]

Wildfire you am da man,,,

 

[Wildfire]

Wildfire you am da man,,,

Ya dink? Na

 

[davemskinner]

Thank you Wildfire!

That response was obviously sincere and extremely thoughtful! It is exactly the info I was looking for. You have an incredible talent for creating. In your shop and here on the forum.

What more can anyone say that would contribute real information without getting super technical.

You are Da Man!

Thanks again.

 

[Wildfire]

Thank you Wildfire!

That response was obviously sincere and extremely thoughtful! It is exactly the info I was looking for. You have an incredible talent for creating. In your shop and here on the forum.

What more can anyone say that would contribute real information without getting super technical.

You are Da Man!

Thanks again.

Well thank you sir for your kind words on my work and stuff. It's only what I do, nothing more, nothing less. When it comes to to my post I see no need to get technical. I tell it as it is and usually based on my own personal experience.
Hope you end up with a welder that you like. Be sure to post a few photo's when you do get it. Thanks again for your kind words.
Paul aka Wildfire

 

[cabu]

Maybe you look for something different than I found lately...

And maybe you use a connector and a better source to pick up power...

I hope you have found your Welder and pleases you well.

carl