[2781]

Ok, I know, you get what you pay for. This cliche' normally goes 3 fold for tools, but...

I don't want to buy a really good MIG welder until I have the garage/shop built, and I have a 220 line. It seems kinda dumb to buy a 110v welder now, just to sell it and buy a good 220v MIG in 6 months.

Problem is that I have a few things that need to be tacked together in the meantime. Nothing major, but little projects I would like to do now (like tacking the caps onto the diffs)

I was thinking of getting a really small stick welder, something that I could even keep in the truck "just in case".

That's when I came upon this one.

Lincoln stick welder

$99 and free shipping? This sounds like it would get me by until I have a 220 line and a place to put a real welder. Any thoughts?

 

[ka4yqi]

Daniel, this what you call a hobby welder. 50 amps @ 25 volt is not a real great welder. 1/16 or 5/64 rod. This is for welding small items, like little art work and stuff. See if you can find you a lincoln ac hot box 225 amp or something of the sort. The bigger mig welders are just a little better. That is something that I use to spot thin sheet metal together with.
Sorry.

 

[wildweasel]

I think you are wasting your money, Sorry about that. 50 amps is not enough except for very thin metal welding.(like 1/8")
the caps will just pop off if you weld it with that thing.
Get a used Lincoln 220V stick and an extension cord to tap into
a dryer or stove plug. you will actally be able to do usefull
welding.

 

[Zuk Jr.]

I just got a Hobart Handler 135 Mig with gas reg. for $417.00 Very good 110v welder and with gas can weld some nice stuff. I'm running fluxed cored .035 wire now and it will weld anything for the Zuk.
I was going to get a crappy welder at Harbor Freight, but my buddy from Ut. that makes cages told me to spend the money on something good.
I think Northern Tool has them for around $430 with cart and free shipping, but I could be wrong about the cart? That might be fore the 175?

 

[593]

later on i plan to buy a good welder for home use. i really want a 220 mig like the miller 175 but it is not something i can afford for a while.

for now i am using a lincoln pro 100 wirefeed that uses .035 fluxcore wire. yes the flux core is messy compared to solid core and C02/argon mix and it is harder to read the weld pool with but it does work pretty good. the part i do like about the flux core is i can use it outside and not be affected too much by the wind/atmosphere. except for the extra spatter/cleanup i am actually really considering holding off on the spendy $$$ miller and keep using this little unit.

 

[2781]

Well, before I would go with a 220v stick or 110v MIG, I would do it right and get a 220v MIG. I'm leaning towards a MILLERMATIC 175.

Unfortunately, I just don't have an easy way to get to the 220 lines in the house at this time. Once the garage is built, it's going to be a different story, but right now would be really tough.

I was just looking for something for a couple of quick projects. I don't know anybody locally who welds, so I can't borrow a welder. I am currently taking a welding class at the local tech school, and I could bring in a small project, but my zuk wouldn't quite fit into my booth.

 

[1100]

Just E-mail me before you spend a bunch of dough on a POS welder that won't penetrate 1/16" plate LOL! I have TWO nice little welders for cheap: A 110volt/220volt 120 amp stick welder with 2/0 gauge welding cables that we have even been welding Truck frames back together with for only $150.....includes heavy duty ground clamp and electrode holder. I laso have a 110 volt Century ? model wire feed/MIG for $300 with 3 spools of wire ($80 worth of wire). I already bought a new ARC welder and need to sell the MIG to get a 220 volt model.

Let me know if you are intersted....we can work out free shipping to Zuwharrie if you would like.

Sean
[email protected]

 

[RRich]

Watch the papers and ad sheets - you can get a great used AC arc welder to use for now for less than $100 - with helmet and all the goodies you'll need anyway. After you have a good place you can always get your money back out and get a MIG.

110 volt welders don't make enough heat to weld anything but very thin sheet metal. Think about it - the most it can draw is 15 amps, about 1500 watts - same as your wife's blow dryer! Can you weld with that?
Welding is melting the two base metals together, not dribbling filler over it.

The Hobart 135 is a POS - had one - took it back! Even their service guy said it's not really a welder, that it's a toy!!!!

 

[Guest]

Not to try and be the A-hole here, but RRich is wrong. If a salesman from a real welding store told you that the Hobart Handler 135 is not really a welder, just a toy, then they are trying to upsell you. And I've been in and around the welding industry for well over 10years, and I've NEVER talked to a Service Guy. The Hobart 135 is a SMOKIN deal, and for the money, you can't really beat it. Its built my Miller as a economy brand, and the real difference between the two is the quality of the components in side, and the setup/equipment. When I started building cages and bumpers, I had to use a 135 and NEVER, ya you heard that right N E V E R had a problem where the 135 couldn't get hot enough to BURN THROUGH something on the suspension, chassis or Tube work. If you believe that the 135 is only a 15amp unit, you my friend are MIS-INFORMED! I had to run a 30 circuit breaker to keep the welder running for any more than 5 seconds on its max or close to max setting, so if you were not resetting a 15amp circuit, its no wonder you think its only for think gauge material. That welder will get a hell of a lot hotter than what was said on here.

Now, before you all think I'm just blowing smoke, I'm running a 220amp unit, and I can about PROMISE that there is nobody on OR.C that is running a welder that is equal to mine. Do a little research and you'll see that I've got a pretty decent setup: Lincoln Power MIG 300. When I got mine, I went all out. No reason to skimp, but at a value of well over 3k with all the setups, its no joke.

If your looking for a economy MIG unit, run with that Hobart 135. I'm considering getting one for very small jobs, vs. dropping the spool size down on mine, and for tight areas. Those 300amp guns are HUGE! I was hesitant about using the 135 at first, but my friend built his UROC buggy with one, and another friend is using a Miller Matic 135 and built his UROC buggy. If it is good enough to pass Tech there, than anybody who says its not good for anything other than thin gauge is taking somebody elses word for it. Buy it, and you won't be dissapointed! Granted, if you need to run 1/4 or larger in a single pass, you will need to do some prep work, but you can burn into 1/4 very easily with that 135. Also, the gas makes a huge difference. Run the 75/25 mix for a decently hot and clean puddle.

All in all, when it comes down to it, running with a larger welder is almost always the better option. Go with the largest you can afford, and you should be good to go. As far as the welding cart, you can save huge amounts of money by just making one your self. I'm going to build Brian a cart when I get some more square tube for the bender. I made a really sharp cart for my Plasma Cutter, and everybody thinks its store bought!

Corey
<project CHAOS>

Those that are uninformed, your opnion is

My 135 Review:
http://www.wildyoats.com/may_tool_review.htm

 

[Zuk Jr.]

I want my welding cart NOW punk!