SCORE! Lincoln SP100 MIG Welder. Free.

[etpm]

I have a Lincoln SP125+ wire feed welder, AKA a MIG Welder, that I bought used about 20 years ago, that came with with a 150 cubic foot gas cylinder, for $250.00. It still works great. I dug into the circuitry about a year after I bought it to add a gas purge button. So when I'm welding and have let the gun sit idle for a few minutes I can press a button and purge the whip before I start welding again. This helps prevent porosity.
I always thought it would be great to have two small wire feed welders so that one could be set up for MIG and the other for fluxcore.
A friend of mine was given a Lincoln SP100+ many years ago. It had problems so he asked me for help diagnosing it. It was a bad whip. The liner was bad and the switch was bad. The switch contacts in the handle just needed cleaning and the liner was so filthy it really needed replacement. My friend just bought a new whip which fixed all the welding problems.
He then welded himself a gun safe. Did a great job too. And then welded nothing for at least 6 years.
The SP100+ is the same machine as the SP125+, as near as I can tell. When diagnosing his machine for the welding problems it was having I took it apart and it looked like my SP125+. And it welds just like my SP125+. Anyway, my friend called me the other day and he said his welder was just taking up space, and he knew I wanted it, so now it is mine. I just hafta drive a couple hundred miles round trip to pick it up. I am happy to do this. Now I will have the perfect wire feed welder setup for myself. Two small amperage machines, one gas and the other flux, which will get most of the use, and my 300 amp monster Miller wire feed with the two 25 foot push-pull Python whips, one for steel and the other for aluminum, and a 12 foot regular whip.
But I am most excited now about the small Lincoln machine. I use the small machines the most and I love my SP125+ It is a great welder and now I will have 2 of them, one gas and the other fluxcore. So no more changing wire and tips and polarity. Just hafta change which welder I use. Sometimes ya luck out. I have given my friend plenty of good stuff over the years and he has done the same for me. It's reciprocal and has worked very well for both of us.
Eric

 

[DJ54]

I bought a SP125 w/gas back in '96-'97, great little welder..!! Mainly for thinner metal repair or builds. I had to replace the liner in it 4-5 years ago, but other than that "0" issues. A couple years later picked up a Miller-Matic 200 at an auction that looked a little rough but works like a champ. 5-6 years ago picked up another Miller-Matic 200 complete with a full tank of 75/25 & gauge, and an extra whip, plus a full roll of .035 wire for $300 at auction. Auctioneer guaranteed it to work, and said if it didn't work he'd personally buy it from the highest bidder for whatever it sold for, but for some reason people were afraid to bid. I've actually never even plugged it in yet to try it out, just setting there as a spare. Had numerous offers wanting to buy it for 4X what I paid for it but have refused. Figured the other one would crap out soon after selling that one.

Still have 3 stick welders, an old Mid-States 180 amp A/C in Dad's old shop, and an old 50's era Lincoln 180 amp A/C like they used to have in Vo-AG shops. For most jobs I use 1/8" rod, but both will set there and burn 5/32" rod all day at 100% duty cycle. Still great to use on those not perfectly clean metal jobs the MIG's don't like using 6011 rod. A little 180 amp Century A/C-D/C used for various things but mainly to weld cast iron manifolds on a few old tractors I have.

Those paired with a Lincoln plasma cutter capable of cutting 1/2"/gouge 3/4" is nearly a dream come true. Still have the torch with cutting, numerous brazing tips, and a rose bud to heat things up if needed.