Mig Welding..

[crabjoe]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but I figure this might be the place to ask because it's kind of a build question.

After seeing all these posts with everyone building things, I'm getting the itch too. My biggest problem with this is that it seems welding will be a requirement and I don't have a welder.

With no welder, I figure I'd better get one. Fact is, I've always wanted one over the years, but I never had a need for one. Well, now that I really want one, do you think a wimpy MIG welder will be fine?

I'm figuring, I won't be doing many welds over 1/4" and Lincoln sells the Weld Pak 3200HD MIG/Flux core welder (advertised to well to 5/16") at Home Depot. And for a beginner, is there really any need to get something more powerful?

Thanks all!!

 

[MJPetersen]

In a bit of quick reading I see that in its class that the little Lincoln is not bad. However, if most of your welding is going to be on say 1/4 it may not have enough duty cycle. At 90 amps its duty cycle is only 20%. What that means is that the machine will overheat if you weld for more than 2 minutes out of every 10 minutes at 90 amps. now if you are only doing short welds, fiddling getting another piece into position, another short weld, etc then it may be just fine. You get a lot more duty cycle when you go to a 220 volt machine.

Here is a link to a welding forum where they talk about this welder specifically. Lincoln Weld-Pak 3200HD - Weld Talk Message Boards
and a link to the manual for the Lincoln. http://content.lincolnelectric.com/pdfs/products/navigator/im/im759.pdf

This welder may be a good test machine to see if you really like this kind of thing. If you do you will be looking soon to "upgrade," but if not then you do not have too much invested into a hobby that is not for you. That is the way I would look at it.

Mike

 

[BusaRider]

For casual use and limited thickness goods a 110 welder will work fine. The duty cycle isn't long but you can take breaks. Personally, I wouldn't bother with a flux welder, but would go gas. The cost is worth it.

For the record I have a Lincoln 135+, a Lincoln 185+, and a miller 255 (tig). I love my 185 (220V) and use it most of the time, but the 135+ is a great machine also. Its also portable and can be used anywhere you can find a plug.

If you are immune to the upgrade bug, get a small 110 and send out big jobs. If you are like myself and most people I know, get a 220 gas machine (Lincoln, Miller etc) and be done with it. That way you wont be buying 3 or 4 welders in the future.

Another thing to look at. Where can you buy disposables locally? Are they open on the days that you weld the most? IE weekends for a hobbyist.

Last, Ask yourself what your eyes are worth to you. Spend for a helmet accordingly.

 

[Superduper]

Well, using the amp recommendation calculator on Miller's website, it looks like at the rated capacity of 135 amps @ 20% duty cycle is good for 16-18 guage steel using shielded gas welding. If using flux cored wire, 3/32" is right about at the max (110-125) and 1/8" slightly exceeds the capacity of this welder (140-155). This based upon the units stated amp range of 25-135amps.

The 5/16" capacity for this welder is probably accomplished via flux cored wires and multiple passes. According to Miller's website, the recommended amp range for 5/16" using standard gas shielded process is 200-210 amps.

Even if the welder is capable of 135 amps, it's duty cycle is only 20% @ 90 amps. At 135 amps, it might be less than 10% duty cycle. At that rate, you might be stitching 1/2" bead at a time before it shuts down to cool and you might find your experience frustrating.

If you believe Miller's recommendations, then this welder is probably best for sheet metal. If you buy this, you may want to consider supplementing a good 220v stick welder to your arsenal for the heavier stuff. Mig welders in the 200 amp plus range (with respectible duty cycles) are very expensive.

 

[RonMar]

I use a Lincoln Weld Pack and have for many many years. I do rarely have need for anything above 1/4" though. On the larger projects, the duty cycle is a limitation, but with planning, you can layout a work routine to deal with this limiting factor. Weld a bit, got cut on another part, go grind/cleanup, go back and weld a bit. Setting and welding steadilly is also pretty tedious, and if not done correctly can lead to horribly distorted structures. As for wimpy, I have never had one of it's welds fail. I have had structures fail, but not due to or at the welds. I do take great care in my planning and design though and that is most of the battle in a good project.

I agree that you should get one that can do gas. Flux core is pretty handy, and is what I use mostly. the larger wire diameter is what gets you the higher current for thicker steel. The ability to use gas, gets the smaller wire and thinner metal capability as well as doing other metals. I just did some stainless welding for my son the other night on a turbocharger manifold...

I always thought I would get a stick welder for the larger stuff, but I have yet to have the need and the small MIG has done everything I have asked of it.

 

[Tom_Veatch]

...I really want one, do you think a wimpy MIG welder will be fine?

... And for a beginner, is there really any need to get something more powerful?

You've gotten some good advice in the responses so far. I'm not going to stake any claim to being an expert, or even a proficient, weldor. I will say that I have a Miller TB 235 AC/DC stick welder and a Millermatic 185. I just donated my first MIG machine (110v 80 amp) to my church.

When you consider that a halfway decent 220v MIG welder along with gas bottle, regulator, protective equipment, and other incidentals won't leave any change from a $1000 bill, you may very well want to get a small 110v machine to use to get your feet wet and find out if you want to stay with it. If you later decide that you want to upgrade, most all of the accessory stuff will carryover to the larger machine.

Primarily, think of the small 110v welder as a sheet metal machine. However, with the proper joint prep and multipass welding, you could weld a battleship together with it. But you sure won't do it in a hurry.

I'd also suggest - maybe even before buying the equipment - to check out any vo-tech welding classes that might be available in your area or maybe get some one-on-one with a friend/acquaintance who has both a welder and a thirst.

 

[sandman2234]

One thing to note, as you didn't say what type of experience you had actually welding, is that a MIG welder is easier to learn that a stick welder, but there are drawbacks. A stick weld may look like heck and be a good weld, but from my experience there is more of a chance that a MIG weld looks good and isn't. If you are going to learn to weld once you acquire this welder, take the time to practice and actually tear the welds apart to see just how well they are holding. Other than that, good luck with it.
David from jax

 

[bobodu]

Buy a $100 garage sale stick and learn to use it. None of that stopping/starting/waiting nonsense.I've heard too many horror stories about over building with the little hot glue guns and mine sits collecting dust unless I'm fixing exhaust systems.

 

[itn]

i've got a lincoln 140c mig. its 110v. you can use gas or flux core. i've done several projects and the duty cycle time has never been an issue. as long as you have a grinder anything too thick can be v ground to an acceptable thickness and then welded with a few passes. its a nice welder for being portable and i can switch to the flux core wire for outdoor fixes when its breezy.

 

[charlz]

I think arc is good to learn with as you have time to watch the puddle etc. With a MIG I think you are better off with a 220v machine unless you are only welding really small stuff. Better to have the power and not need it then to need it and not have it Most compact tractor stuff seems to have 3/8 steel in it somewhere that needs to be welded.

Whatever way you decide to go watch Craigslist for a bit and see if something comes up. I waited over a year for a 220v MIG to show up and then when the economy started to tank they started popping up almost daily.