Lincoln Weld-Pak 100 $?

[jenkinsph]

Iplayfarmer,

Looks like you received some good advice. JJ is right on the money. I have had a Weld-Pak 100 for about 7 years. At best it is ok for hobby and ornamental things. It does ok for automotive panels and some NON-CRITICAL automotive repairs. I would not pay $800.00 with a gas conversion kit and small gas cylinder. If I remember correctly the new welder and gas conversion kit cost me about $375.00 at Farm & Fleet.

It is nice to have when you have some small job that requires portability. Most every place has 110 volt available, but very few have 220V. Mine is still performing ok, but I am going to get a small unit that runs off of 220 because I now have a Trailblazer generator/welder. Whenever I can I prefer to use SMAW (stick). But sometimes a mig comes in real handy for light sheet metal, and I need a unit with a higher duty cycle. I am currently looking at a Hobart 187, and waiting to see if Farm & Fleet has a sale on them. Have fun with the Weld-Pak 100. If you use it within it's intended light duty welding capacity and do not over exceed it's duty cycle, that little welder will serve you for a long time.

I have a Miller Trailblazer and the suitcase mig with assortment of liners and rollers. It will run .023, .030, .035 and .045 wire continuously great machine. A full roll of wire makes the suitcase a little cumbersome but other than that it is great. I set up mine with 50 ft of lead, remote control, and gas hose. You get the weld qality of the Trailblazer with the convenience of a mig.
My next welding purchase will be a stationary mig when I get my new shop built this summer.


Steve

 

[Bill_C]

I've had a Weld-Pak 100 for about 15 years. For its capabilities, its a great little welder. In fact, for anything 3/16 thick or less, I prefer it over my stick welder. I run .035 fluxcore in it and only on a couple of occassions have I tripped the thermal breaker from exceeding the duty cycle.

I think I paid around $400 new at Home Depot back then, a little later I got the 10 lb spool adaptor.

For best results with it, I've found that you've got to have the steel almost shiny clean. (That's best for any welder, in reality) It can't cut through paint or rust. But with clean steel (I use a HF sandblasting cabinet), I'm extremely happy with mine. It handles 90 percent of my welding needs and the Tombstone handles the rest.

I bought a gas kit for mine but haven't put it on, the kit was around $100 some 10 or 12 years ago.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I got a Hobart 187 last year set up for gas with a cart, helmet, gloves, hammer, and starter tips and wire for $650 at TSC. It is great unit for the money. Its 220Volt. I also have a big Miller stick welder and a small HF 110 volt 90 amp wire unit.

Chris

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Iplayfarmer

You don't need gas to use flux core. Just check the wires inside the panel to weld correctly with out gas.

Right you are. The welder came with almost a full spool of welding wire (non-flux core). I can either get a spool of flux core, or I can get a tank of gas. I've heard that the gas is the better way to go, so that's what I'm planning. I don't have anything I need to weld with it right now, so I'll just wait until I can get some gas.

I sure am looking forward to seeing how it does on thin sheet metal. Maybe I'll make a gate out of my stack of old ATV shipping crate frames. They are pretty thin. A gate would be a fun place to start since there are a lot of joints to weld, and it's not going to hurt anyone if it falls apart due to poor welds.

 

[RonMar]

I would skip the gas and go with the .035 flux core wire. The gas bottle ties you to one place, unless you put the whole thing on a cart. It is really nice to plop the thing down where you want to work and run a heavy extension cord to the unit. The only time I have used the gas system is the few times when I have done stainless and aluminum with it. Use good wire, that makes a big difference and I have helped several people thru mig performance problems that were related to the quality of the wire they were using. I have had very good service from the Lincoln wire, and it can be had at most any home depot or box store that sells the lincoln welders. Put it to work, I think you will be impressed with it's performance. Here is some of hte big stuff I have done with mine over the past 5 years

Grader
Fork bucket
Grapple for fork bucket
Tow behind sprayer cart
Pickup truck bed
Bumpers
Rock rails
lister diesel generator frame
Rake for garden tractor
Stainless manifold mods for sons turbo CRX
3 exhaust systems?
and more small repairs and mods than I can think of. I probably use mine once a month at a minimum. Just used it last night to build a custom "T" fitting for my truck's turbo coolant line relocation.

Good luck with yours.

 

[WilliamBos]

Iplayfarmer

You don't need gas to use flux core. Just check the wires inside the panel to weld correctly with out gas.

I would not use it with out the gas, because once you have welded with the gas, why go back. Does a better job, IMHO.

 

[newbury]

Well I've got to subscribe to this thread and ask a few more questions -
First background:
Total welding pre newbie. Just finally worked my new-to-me tractor for two hours moving sand. Just decided on a BH70-X backhoe.
From reading threads here at TBN I've come to realize I need to learn how to weld and get the equipment so I can stick hooks on things etc.
What I need to weld soon will be a grapple bar on my FEL, a couple of hooks on my trailer.
What's recommendations for:
GOOD links to tutorials
Equipment for "small" welding jobs like I mentioned?

Thanks In Advance (tia)

 

[bobodu]

[ because once you have welded with the gas, why go back.

1. The slightest bit of wind.
2. Sunday afternoon at 2:00 and the gas ran out.
3. Brother-in- law has your stick so you're stuck with borrowing the neighbors MIG.

 

[yomax4]

Howdi. You mentioned Dual Voltage. If you want dual voltage you will be talking Inverter technology and a couple thousand bucks. If you want wire feed, You will only be good to 1/8" with 110v. Unless you pre heat or do multi pass. 110v is hottest with .030 wire. Flux cored or hard wire. Many people buy a lil 110v for tacking or thin matrial and have a stick welder for heavy stuff. If you decide to go with wire for all around welding you will want to get a 250 amp machine. Miller 212 is only 150 amps. Very deciving. Read the output before you buy. An Egine Drive with a Voltage sensing feeder is good too but I would recommend CO2 or 75/25 gas for best results. Flux Core is like a Stick Weld. ( 20+yrs selling this stuff )

Good luck.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I would not use it with out the gas, because once you have welded with the gas, why go back. Does a better job, IMHO.

So what is different with Gas? And what is the difference between using straight argon and using a mixed gas?

I have the stick welder for anything heavy or anything specialty (i.e. hardfacing, old rusty painted stuff, etc.). My AC stick welder actually does a pretty good job on anything thicker than 1/8" if I keep to a 7014 or 6013 rod. I want to get an idea of where the MIG/wire feed is better and how to use it.