In market for budget welder

[WFM]

WFM, you can list all 5 welders on your implement list !!!

sorry just saw this: Miller syncrowave 250 using a water cooler torch.
Miller syncrowave 180 using a water cooled torch.
Miller Diversion 180 air cooled torch.
Millermatic 210
Lincoln 125 with gas.
ThermoDynamics 51
please remember D2cat i'm just a hobbyest. No formal training for anything.

 

[D2Cat]

sorry just saw this: Miller syncrowave 250 using a water cooler torch.
Miller syncrowave 180 using a water cooled torch.
Miller Diversion 180 air cooled torch.
Millermatic 210
Lincoln 125 with gas.
ThermoDynamics 51
please remember D2cat i'm just a hobbyest. No formal training for anything.

WFM, I just enjoy keeping things "moving". Some threads are entertaining just by their nature, like list your implements. I always think of guys telling how they lost all their firearms in a boating accident, but want to report other tools. Or, what did you do with/on your Kubota today. The contractors who show their jobs is much different then "I waxed my tractor". No offense meant to anyone.

 

[WFM]

WFM, I just enjoy keeping things "moving". Some threads are entertaining just by their nature, like list your implements. I always think of guys telling how they lost all their firearms in a boating accident, but want to report other tools. Or, what did you do with/on your Kubota today. The contractors who show their jobs is much different then "I waxed my tractor". No offense meant to anyone.

Certainly no offence taken here. If I was bragging it was not intended. Can anyone really have to many welders or firearms or implements.,,,,,

 

[coast40]

low/high settings and wire speed knob - it's at least 10 years old and was only $70 back then. It works for what I've needed to do (repair mesh on trailer, weld some 3/16" flat and 1/4" flat.) I will mostly be working on > sheet metal and <= 1/4".

A 110 MIG ( Metal Inert Gas) is great for sheetmetal, better with 75/25 gas, though CO2 will work. Lincoln SP100-140 with fully variable settings (not 4 presets), at a minimum 4 presets on power. Miller, Hobart, Esab and most every brand have similar models. I use my 40 year old SP100 for sheetmetal with 75/25. You will have cleaner welds and less warpage with MIG, and better control with variable wire speed and power.
.025 wire for sheetmetal, .030 or maybe .035 for heavier stuff. An autodarkening helmet is a must.
Changing wire and tips every time you change from sheetmetal to 3/16 is a pain.
You could get a 220v MIG later on when you are ready to move up.

https://knoxville.craigslist.org/tls/d/loudon-hobart-mig-welder-125/7492965167.html
https://nashville.craigslist.org/tls/d/gallatin-hobart-handler-125-mig-welder/7489685634.html


I have:
Lincoln SP100 MIG
Esab Migmaster 250
Lincoln SP200 Mig
Miller Syncrowave 250 TIG
Miller AC/DC 230 amp arc
Hypertherm Powermax 30XP Plasma cutter

 

[Daferris]

If your into road racing or Solo/Autocross and or rally's consider joining the SCCA at www.scca.com
One perk of membership is the ability to purchase used Lincoln equipment that was on loan to various pro race teams and or race tracks. The available equipment changes based on what is in stock but the do have a 90 day warranty and are considerably cheaper than new.

 

[WFM]

I get emails from CyberWeld as I've bought some gloves on sales and other stuff there.
Heres the lastest ad.

 

[Dave Ogren]

I bought a Lincoln AC stick welder new 54 years ago to learn. (still have it) That was the beginning of my business. All self taught My opinion the only way to go.

 

[Vigo]

I was in the exact same situation as the OP (old HF 90a flux core box, wanted to weld thicker stuff, curious about TIG) and ended up with the YesWelder 205DS. I'm honestly THRILLED with it.

Couple of things to consider.. Any machine on 120 is not going to do thick metal well. Watt's law says 120v x 15a (typical breaker size on 120v circuit) = 1800w. ANY 120v welder is going to put less than 1800w of heat into the metal, regardless of price or brand. 240v x 30a = 7200w. Enough said! If you get a dual-voltage machine and plug it into 120v for convenience sake, just be aware you are cutting the legs out from under it and putting a hard ceiling on how much better it can possibly be than the $70 HF box (mine was $89 in 2009 ). The jump from 120 to 240 is honestly far more important than brand or features if you are planning to weld thicker stuff (ever).

Another BIG deal for flux core is polarity. On the old HF machine, polarity is gonna be wrong half the time no matter what because IT PUTS OUT AC! It's unrectified. ANY mig machine that actually puts out DC will weld 'better' with flux core than the old HF box. I was shocked how much better I could weld with proper dc and polarity.

And lastly.. just because you think you're welding 1/4" with the HF box, doesn't mean you are welding it well. I got pretty used to doing preheat before welding thicker stuff with that HF box, and unless you get that part glowing red before you start.. the weld is superficial. I welded a 2" receiver (usually <1/4" thick but this one had one side thicker) to a 3pt frame twice with that HF box, and both times it broke off under hard use. I preheated it quite a bit and really took my time, especially the 2nd time around. You can stick 1/4" things together with it and have them stay together indefinitely if you don't really test it, but if something 'needs' to be 1/4 thick in the first place, it 'needs' to be welded better than what that box can do. I'm stubborn as hell but I had to admit the fallacy of attempting to weld that thing a 3rd time.

So yeah, get a 205DS! I have no regrets whatsoever.

 

[dan_m]

I was in the exact same situation as the OP (old HF 90a flux core box, wanted to weld thicker stuff, curious about TIG) and ended up with the YesWelder 205DS. I'm honestly THRILLED with it.

Couple of things to consider.. Any machine on 120 is not going to do thick metal well. Watt's law says 120v x 15a (typical breaker size on 120v circuit) = 1800w. ANY 120v welder is going to put less than 1800w of heat into the metal, regardless of price or brand. 240v x 30a = 7200w. Enough said! If you get a dual-voltage machine and plug it into 120v for convenience sake, just be aware you are cutting the legs out from under it and putting a hard ceiling on how much better it can possibly be than the $70 HF box (mine was $89 in 2009 ). The jump from 120 to 240 is honestly far more important than brand or features if you are planning to weld thicker stuff (ever).

Another BIG deal for flux core is polarity. On the old HF machine, polarity is gonna be wrong half the time no matter what because IT PUTS OUT AC! It's unrectified. ANY mig machine that actually puts out DC will weld 'better' with flux core than the old HF box. I was shocked how much better I could weld with proper dc and polarity.

And lastly.. just because you think you're welding 1/4" with the HF box, doesn't mean you are welding it well. I got pretty used to doing preheat before welding thicker stuff with that HF box, and unless you get that part glowing red before you start.. the weld is superficial. I welded a 2" receiver (usually <1/4" thick but this one had one side thicker) to a 3pt frame twice with that HF box, and both times it broke off under hard use. I preheated it quite a bit and really took my time, especially the 2nd time around. You can stick 1/4" things together with it and have them stay together indefinitely if you don't really test it, but if something 'needs' to be 1/4 thick in the first place, it 'needs' to be welded better than what that box can do. I'm stubborn as hell but I had to admit the fallacy of attempting to weld that thing a 3rd time.

So yeah, get a 205DS! I have no regrets whatsoever.

The 205DS is one of the ones I am considering. The only thing bad about it, it doesn't support spool gun and I do want to do aluminum in the future (and prefer not buying 2 welders).

I do alot of thin metal, so 110 is fine - weld outside mostly. I don't currently have 240 outlet, but will in my garage and i need to make an area weldsafe so I don't start any fires. the 1/4" i did, was multipass.

I understand about the polarity being wrong, one of the many reasons why I want to upgrade to a "better" welder.

thanks for the info!

Dan

 

[Vigo]

Yeswelder does have a model that is spool gun compatible for about $100 more. I'm sure it's 99% the same machine with a slightly different control panel and one additional connection, so I personally would have a lot of confidence that it would be as good as my 205ds is.

As far as the 240 issue, the 205ds and probably the other dual voltage machines come with a 120-to-240 adapter plug on the end of the cord. Initially I made a ~50ft 240v extension cord out of heavy gauge underground feeder wire to weld outside my shop, but sometime after that (honestly, when i wanted to repurpose that feeder wire for something else) i realized that you can simply stick a regular 120v extension cord between the welder and that plug adapter instead of making or buying a 240 extension cord.

Assuming the cord is rated at 15A the welder would only be 'safe' to operate up to 3600w but that's still twice what you'd get on 120. Which means you can buy the cheapest extension cord (i recently bought a 100ft for ~$30) and drop a fair bit of voltage on the way to the welder and STILL have more power than if you plugged it directly into the wall on 120. So I would try to get that 240 outlet up and running even if you just use the same extension cords you're using now. It will still have more power and run cooler plugged into 240 through a 'small' cord.

 

[dan_m]

Yeswelder does have a model that is spool gun compatible for about $100 more. I'm sure it's 99% the same machine with a slightly different control panel and one additional connection, so I personally would have a lot of confidence that it would be as good as my 205ds is.

As far as the 240 issue, the 205ds and probably the other dual voltage machines come with a 120-to-240 adapter plug on the end of the cord. Initially I made a ~50ft 240v extension cord out of heavy gauge underground feeder wire to weld outside my shop, but sometime after that (honestly, when i wanted to repurpose that feeder wire for something else) i realized that you can simply stick a regular 120v extension cord between the welder and that plug adapter instead of making or buying a 240 extension cord.

Assuming the cord is rated at 15A the welder would only be 'safe' to operate up to 3600w but that's still twice what you'd get on 120. Which means you can buy the cheapest extension cord (i recently bought a 100ft for ~$30) and drop a fair bit of voltage on the way to the welder and STILL have more power than if you plugged it directly into the wall on 120. So I would try to get that 240 outlet up and running even if you just use the same extension cords you're using now. It will still have more power and run cooler plugged into 240 through a 'small' cord.

Yes, the mig250 pro. However, it's not dual voltage - only 240. The majority of my welding right now is 120. Something to think about.

Thanks

Dan

 

[Vigo]

Dang, i didn't notice that. Since i like to take everything apart I'm wondering if it is 99% the same machine and the only difference is they don't put a 120 plug on the cord and tell you it will accept 120. Not the kind of thing most people would put out $500 to find out, i know.

Oh well, i've said what i know about the 205ds and about the 120/240 thing. I'll be interested to see what you decide.

 

[marine-mp]

Dan_m, Good ‘enin. By no means whatsoever, am I a experienced professional welder. So take what I profess with a very small grain of salt!!
I mainly use a older Lincoln 125 Plus buzz-box to do my “around the house” welding. Usually 1/4” or thinner. My observations have been in not so much “the welding machine” as more the kind of flux-core wire thats being used. I mainly weld low-carbon steel and use
the .030 E71T-11 wire, which is “all position-multi pass” and is a regulated and certified wire. The other wire which is more commonly found, is the .035 E71T-GS, which is a single pass wire, that is not regulated or certified. Harbor Freight has sold tons of this with their machines. I’ve found that a much nicer and stronger weld can be had with the E71T-11 wire.
Also, make sure to be using the “flux-core tip” on the end of your gun. The welder usually will come with a larger gas-style tip. You most generally have to purchase the flux-core tip, which makes it much easier to see the puddle. I know you asked about “welders”, I thot I’d give a few thots that might just make that HF welder perform perhaps a bit better till something better comes along!!! Just one old man’s opinion!! Take care. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

 

[OrangeKrush]

WFM, I just enjoy keeping things "moving". Some threads are entertaining just by their nature, like list your implements. I always think of guys telling how they lost all their firearms in a boating accident, but want to report other tools. Or, what did you do with/on your Kubota today. The contractors who show their jobs is much different then "I waxed my tractor". No offense meant to anyone.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I know this is outside Dan's budget, but if anyone is in the market, Lincoln has a limited time $400 rebate going on the Power MIG 210 MP, which makes it $1,600. Dual-voltage, MIG, DC TIG, flux, DC stick, supports spool gun (not included), handles 4" or 8" wire spool.

 

[coast40]

I recommend NOT getting a spool gun capable machine due to better control, strength, and appearance from an AC/DC tig. The Yeswelder Mig 205DS would handle all of your steel needs, and the Yeswelder TIG-A250P-AC/DC would do aluminum, steel and stainless well. More experienced welders can chime in on Tig quality or preference between mig and Tig aluminum.

Today's prices:
Mig 205DS - $351.99 - $320 on Amazon Prime Day TODAY
TIG-A250P-AC/DC - $562.49 - $592.49 on Amazon
foot pedal - $99.99 on Yeswelder and Amazon
a regulator for each

 

[PoTreeBoy]

The Dekopro stick machine for $129 on Amazon gets surprisingly good reviews. 110/220V 160A DC

 

[dan_m]

I recommend NOT getting a spool gun capable machine due to better control, strength, and appearance from an AC/DC tig. The Yeswelder Mig 205DS would handle all of your steel needs, and the Yeswelder TIG-A250P-AC/DC would do aluminum, steel and stainless well. More experienced welders can chime in on Tig quality or preference between mig and Tig aluminum.

Today's prices:
Mig 205DS - $351.99 - $320 on Amazon Prime Day TODAY
TIG-A250P-AC/DC - $562.49 - $592.49 on Amazon
foot pedal - $99.99 on Yeswelder and Amazon
a regulator for each

I did purchase the yeswelder mig 205ds yesterday on amazon.

After considering the reasons/projects I have in mind as well as reading more about spool guns, I opted not to get one for some of the reasons you mentioned above. As mentioned, the yes welder meets my requirements today. I'll continue with my current projects using flux core until I feel more comfortable, then transition to adding gas and added 240 outlet. Then later on, I'll add an ac/dc tig for aluminum (a large part will be thin).

Thanks everyone.

Dan

 

[Vigo]

Back when i used the HF 90a buzz box on thin metal, I added jumper cables between the ground clamp and work piece to 'turn down' the welder by adding resistance to the ground path. If you want to get real tricky using crap equipment there are 3 ways to 'wire' jumper cables in the ground for added resistance. Both + and - hooked up at both ends (welder and workpiece), least added resistance. Using only one side of the jumper cables, medium added resistance. Using one end of the cables hooked to welder and workpiece and the other end clamps hooked to each other, maximum added resistance. Has to do with series and parallel resistance, blah blah blah.

Anyway, I haven't done a whole bunch of thin metal with the 205ds yet and im far from an expert welder anyway, but I have been able to weld some thin stuff by turning the amps all the way down (80) AND turning the 'inductance' setting down as far as it will go ( -10 on the screen). For example in the pic below I started by having trouble on the left and making a mess (chasing holes around, putting too much heat in the metal, look at the warped lip), but on the right i had figured out how to stitch a bunch of tacks together using those settings. With it turned down that far the welder would place one single dab/tack and then the arc would fail. So basically impossible to put a hole in the sheetmetal. I'm sure it's not 'structural' but then neither is sheetmetal 99% of the time anyway. The wire is ".035 so those tacks are probably ~.120-180". If i had that figured out BEFORE i started I could have made this really clean looking after sanding down.

You're almost never going to 'run beads' on thin sheetmetal with flux core and a mig gun, but in the few situations it is possible, you have to travel REALLY FAST with the gun. I welded up a cracked ~1/2" hydraulic pipe on my Case garden tractor that way, and it is holding up to ~1500psi. I'm talking like 1-1.5" per second of welding. I would have had to weld the entire thing in the pic below in 1-2 seconds. Machines/robots do this in factories all day every day, but it is hard to do it as a human! Far easier to stitch together a bunch of tacks.

 

[dan_m]

The Dekopro stick machine for $129 on Amazon gets surprisingly good reviews. 110/220V 160A DC

It does get a lot of good reviews. I recently saw a video comparting flux core wires and the guy used the dekopro

Back when i used the HF 90a buzz box on thin metal, I added jumper cables between the ground clamp and work piece to 'turn down' the welder by adding resistance to the ground path. If you want to get real tricky using crap equipment there are 3 ways to 'wire' jumper cables in the ground for added resistance. Both + and - hooked up at both ends (welder and workpiece), least added resistance. Using only one side of the jumper cables, medium added resistance. Using one end of the cables hooked to welder and workpiece and the other end clamps hooked to each other, maximum added resistance. Has to do with series and parallel resistance, blah blah blah.

Anyway, I haven't done a whole bunch of thin metal with the 205ds yet and im far from an expert welder anyway, but I have been able to weld some thin stuff by turning the amps all the way down (80) AND turning the 'inductance' setting down as far as it will go ( -10 on the screen). For example in the pic below I started by having trouble on the left and making a mess (chasing holes around, putting too much heat in the metal, look at the warped lip), but on the right i had figured out how to stitch a bunch of tacks together using those settings. With it turned down that far the welder would place one single dab/tack and then the arc would fail. So basically impossible to put a hole in the sheetmetal. I'm sure it's not 'structural' but then neither is sheetmetal 99% of the time anyway. The wire is ".035 so those tacks are probably ~.120-180". If i had that figured out BEFORE i started I could have made this really clean looking after sanding down.

You're almost never going to 'run beads' on thin sheetmetal with flux core and a mig gun, but in the few situations it is possible, you have to travel REALLY FAST with the gun. I welded up a cracked ~1/2" hydraulic pipe on my Case garden tractor that way, and it is holding up to ~1500psi. I'm talking like 1-1.5" per second of welding. I would have had to weld the entire thing in the pic below in 1-2 seconds. Machines/robots do this in factories all day every day, but it is hard to do it as a human! Far easier to stitch together a bunch of tacks.


View attachment 83526

I would not have thought to add more resistance using jumper cable - that's a nifty trick I'll tuck away for future reference if needed.

Do you think it would be slightly 'better' on thin metal with 0.030 wire?
btw, I called yeswelder and asked about running 0.030 as the website says 0.035 only and they said it can be used - note the wire setting for flux does not have a 0.030 setting, only 0.035 they said.

Dan