What do you use for a welder?

[Tooljunkie]

Cutting wheels are awesome, used one to make a couple cuts on grader cutting edge,went through them like butter.

 

[tor]

Using a Lincoln 180C. Like it.

 

[sdk1968]

cant remember if i posted in this or not...


lincoln 145s 110/220 bottle fed

great little MIG for a gobstopper to use!

 

[twomany]

Lincoln 220V "Buzz Box"

Works for all the "agricultural applications" I've come against.

I have little need to weld ALU, or SS for that matter.

But at times I would like a nice 200 amp TIG set-up with hi feq. ;-)

 

[CaveCreekRay]

For all you hobby welders out there....

Harbor Freight has sales all the time on 4.5" combo packs that include 5 cut-off wheels, a couple grinder wheels, and three flap sander wheels -on sale for $9!!! A Diablo flap sanding wheel at Homey 'Po runs more than that. If you are into welding, try one of these combo packs. Can't beat the price for what you get.

I have tried several HD/HF cutting discs and the HF discs cut very well and last quite awhile while launching minimal dust. The key is not pushing on them hard. Let them melt through the material and they will last longer.

Oh, by the way, HD now carries paddle switch Makita 4.5 grinders for $50-something bucks. Great price. I have a bunch of the light weight HF grinders you can get for $9.99 on sale and they do work very well for light/periodic grinding use.

That said, ALWAYS tug on your HF grinder arbor periodically to check end play. They had a bad run of grinders a few years back and a friend almost lost a finger when the arbor departed the machine. If yours is anything out of the ordinary, PITCH IT!

 

[shootem604]

I borrow my neighbor's Millermatic MIG 5000. He bought it, doesn't like it, but keeps it around while he uses his old Lincoln stick. I'd buy it from him but can't afford to at the moment.

 

[RCW]

Ray - I use HF cut off wheels almost exclusively. Only get there 3 times a year, and rarely leave without a pack of them.


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[RCW]

Is there a trick to gauging amount of welding gas in the bottle, besides just lifting it periodically?

I refill mine once a year or so, but last time it surprised me I was out.


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[D2Cat]

Is there a trick to gauging amount of welding gas in the bottle, besides just lifting it periodically?

I refill mine once a year or so, but last time it surprised me I was out.


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Doesn't the bottle have a gauge on it? Should have an indication of what's left.

 

[RCW]

Doesn't the bottle have a gauge on it? Should have an indication of what's left.

***8216;Cat - it does.

I keep it at ~20L/min, and it shows ~1,500 psi now.

Just haven***8217;t figured out what psi is a good fill point besides 0....
I***8217;m not getting a good correlation between welder run-time and PSI in the tank, if that makes sense.

I***8217;m not too smart sometimes, just ask my wife.....[emoji12]

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[D2Cat]

When my tank shows "0" I get it replaced. I use it all, then go get more. If I'm in the middle of a project...so be it. Only takes a hour to go get it and back in action.

I've never considered welder run time to gas used ratio. It's too expensive to waste, and running out isn't a big problem.

 

[RCW]

When my tank shows "0" I get it replaced. I use it all, then go get more. If I'm in the middle of a project...so be it. Only takes a hour to go get it and back in action.



I've never considered welder run time to gas used ratio. It's too expensive to waste, and running out isn't a big problem.

Gotcha.
I’ve obviously done the same, but my access to a refill is 9-noon Saturday’s only due to my schedule.
Go to local welding supply I bought welder from. Great people there..
Given my use is occasional,
I can work around that.
Thanks, ‘Cat.


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[Daren Todd]

RCW, when it comes to gas, I gauge it by total psi on the tank for when I need to swap out the bottle. At 1500 psi in the tank, you got quite a while before it needs to be swapped. I'll run the tank down to almost nothing on the gauge before swapping out the tank. Usually when it's down to where the other gauge is set.

Granted, that's a ball park average. If I know I need to use the welder quite a bit for a repair, or a big project, I may swap the tank at a higher psi to avoid the down time. I'm probably in the same boat as you are with only one bottle of gas, so swapping the tank is unhooking the gauges, and loading up the tank and running over to the welding shop for a bottle exchange.

 

[RCW]

Thanks, Daren.
I’m not welding like you are at work.
I can probably work with it as is, since most of my work at home is still less than 30 minutes of torch time. It’s usually a quick repair of some sort.

Like ‘Cat said, I do keep an eye on PSI, but really been exchanging when I get to 0 on the next Saturday.
I keep a spool of flux core around, but it’s not my favorite.

100 years ago, I was a caterer. Did many summer company picnics or clambakes. If I ran out of CO2 to drive the beer draft system, I could have 500 pissed-off concrete truck drivers, or more importantly their wives/girlfriends......not a good place!!! Ask me how I know...[emoji12]

That experience led me to try predict my welding gas usage.

Thanks again to you and Cat.

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[rkidd]

Thanks, Daren.
I’m not welding like you are at work.
I can probably work with it as is, since most of my work at home is still less than 30 minutes of torch time. It’s usually a quick repair of some sort.

Like ‘Cat said, I do keep an eye on PSI, but really been exchanging when I get to 0 on the next Saturday.
I keep a spool of flux core around, but it’s not my favorite.

100 years ago, I was a caterer. Did many summer company picnics or clambakes. If I ran out of CO2 to drive the beer draft system, I could have 500 pissed-off concrete truck drivers, or more importantly their wives/girlfriends......not a good place!!! Ask me how I know...[emoji12]

That experience led me to try predict my welding gas usage.

Thanks again to you and Cat.

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Now that is funny and very true!!

 

[Slasher]

I was looking at a Hobart 140 and came across a neglected MILLERMATIC 210 that had been sitting in storage for 10 years with spoolgun (which I have to clue to use) with a couple cylinders for a great deal!!!

So duh ... I jumped all over it!!!

Still, I***8217;m Not much of a welder, but have 3 Makita grinders...
I didn***8217;t realize that while may moons ago I could rad a puddle quite well, because of age, I am passable...

 

[Fluke631]

I use a Miller Synchrowave 250 DX for TIG and ARC, Miller 211 for MIG. Also I use a Hypertherm Powermax 45 XP plasma cutter.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Interesting thread... I have and use constantly a Lincoln Weld Pak Invertig, a Hobart Handler 190 MIG, an ESAB pulsed MIG, Hyperetherm computer controlled 'fine cut' plasma (for my CNC table) and hand cutting, Harris gas ax, depending on material welded and a Lincoln Gas driven portable ac/dc SMAW unit with on board generator for field welding.

 

[shootem604]

I was looking at a Hobart 140 and came across a neglected MILLERMATIC 210 that had been sitting in storage for 10 years with spoolgun (which I have to clue to use) with a couple cylinders for a great deal!!!

So duh ***128580;... I jumped all over it!!!

Still, I’m Not much of a welder, but have 3 Mikita grinders...

I'm looking for one of those little Hobart Handler 140s as well. I've used a friend's, and they are great little machines.

 

[dochsml]

I'm looking for one of those little Hobart Handler 140s as well. I've used a friend's, and they are great little machines.

I was looking at the Hobart Handler 140 recently, but ended up going cheap(er) with an Eastwood Mig 135. It seems to be very capable for what it is and has the option for a spool gun as well.