Buying a Welder

[Jim in ICT]

Stay with a name brand, Lincoln, Hobart, or Miller (I like blue). Generally,the 110v machines will weld up to 5/16"; the 220v 175s and 180s will go to 3/8"; the 210s through 212s will go up to 7/16". Prices can range from $500 to $1,700 for new machines.

 

[mjncad]

I have a Millermatic 210 that I'm happy with. I'm not sure what the current model number is.

If you can go with 220 - 240 VAC over 110, then do so. If you expect this to be a lifetime purchase regardless of your planned usage, go with a name brand such as Miller or Lincoln. Hobart's are Miller's with lighter components; but I haven't heard anyone bad mouth them either.

Use good quality wire or sticks. After I ran out of Airgas' Radnor house brand MIG wire, I bought a spool of Lincoln, and the weld quality and appearance improved dramatically.

 

[AHNC]

I have a Miller Synchrowave 180 (tig & stick) working off a 50 amp service and a Miller 135 110V mig. By trade I'm a fitter/welder. I like Blue and/or Red machines. Spend a bit of time on Millerwelds.com. I'm going to sell my 180 and get a 212 mig or maybe a 252 with spool. My 110v is ok for real light stuff but, if you are going to do it...get a 220v machine. It is just so much more capable and better to use. A great companion product is a plasma cutter. I have a Hypertherm 380. It does well on mild steel up to 1/4".

I bought the 180 to do tig. At one time I was the real deal nad there may be anuke in your neighborhood that I worked on, but I don't have the eyes for it now and am not going to spend the time to get better, so the tig just frustrates the heck out of me. Mig is good! Point and shoot...the right way

 

[ampa]

I know now that 110/125/volt welders are not up to par on welding the heavy stuff/metal,but for me not havin' a garage with it's own main electrical panel 115/230 volts,I'll have to play with my little toy 110/125 volt Lincoln 125,for what I'll be weldin' like maybe I'll try it on tacking body panels on my old 93 Aerostar next time I need to, the whole lower drivers side panel I brazed on usin' my ol' A/O set is still holdin' up like... two years later,yes I know a 230 volt is the only way to go,but for me with limited options, I'll stick with what I have and have a little fun weldin' the less heavier metal,I'm in no way a good source for sound information...only wanted to add my 2%input.......Ampa

 

[FlaDon]

And for those who don't know, Miller and Hobart are the same company. Just setup for different customers. Hobart is more the homeowner while Miller is more for industry. In some cases, a Hobart wire feed unit will be supplied with a Miller gun. My Hobart 10K welder generator sits under a Miller cover. The Hobart Handler 240 has the Miller 10 gun.

 

[smfcpacfp]

And for those who don't know, Miller and Hobart are the same company. Just setup for different customers. Hobart is more the homeowner while Miller is more for industry. In some cases, a Hobart wire feed unit will be supplied with a Miller gun. My Hobart 10K welder generator sits under a Miller cover. The Hobart Handler 240 has the Miller 10 gun.

Just a little clarification. Hobart and Miller are not the same company.

They are both wholly owned subsidiaries of Illinois Tool Works which acquired both in the 1990's, and operate generally independently of each other with somewhat different objectives although they have some commonalities as you mentioned.

The Hobart Brothers of Troy, Ohio started their welder business before Mr. Miller started his business in Wisconsin both in the 1920's. Thus they had a 70 year independent history before Illinois Tool came along about 15 years ago.

 

[Stampeder]

I have a 15.5 acre hobby farm here in East Texas. I farm with old junk that I buy inexpensively and restore to useful life again. If you play with tractors, you will break things. You will also break big things.
I have an O/A set, which I use a lot for straightening bent steel, loosening rusted bolts and a myriad of other tasks. I have a Lincoln buzz box that I have had for over 30 years and it's still going strong. With modern day rods don't sell the old buzz box short. I weld some pretty big stuff with it and it works great. 6011 and 7018 are my friends.
I also bought a MIG 135 Chicago Electric welder that uses gas. It's Harbor Freight and is made in Italy. I bought it off eBay cheap. New consumables in it and Lincoln wire.....the thing works great!!! And I use it a LOT!! Currently rebuilding a Herd seeder with it.
I'm going to buy a Miller Bobcat or Trailblazer 302 when I can put the funds together and find the right deal. The Trailblazer is an awesome welder and it will also be used as my standby generator when the power goes out, so it will be serving multiple functions. I also need the gas powered welder as all the fencing around my place is steel pipe and with horses, well you know how it goes.
So, my two cents is O/A first, you'll learn to weld well...then buzz box and finally MIG.

 

[FlaDon]

Just a little clarification. Hobart and Miller are not the same company.

They are both wholly owned subsidiaries of Illinois Tool Works which acquired both in the 1990's, and operate generally independently of each other with somewhat different objectives although they have some commonalities as you mentioned.

The Hobart Brothers of Troy, Ohio started their welder business before Mr. Miller started his business in Wisconsin both in the 1920's. Thus they had a 70 year independent history before Illinois Tool came along about 15 years ago.

You are correct. Same parent company ITW Inc. Which owns about 160 divisions or companies.

 

[pat32rf]

I keep reading where a certain MIG welder will only handle up to 1/4" or 1/2" steel. I have only had very limited use of MIG but can't you do multiple passes like you would with a buzz box?

 

[smfcpacfp]

I keep reading where a certain MIG welder will only handle up to 1/4" or 1/2" steel. I have only had very limited use of MIG but can't you do multiple passes like you would with a buzz box?

Usually the 1/4 to 1/2" quotes you see are what they can do on one pass. You can weld thicker stuff with a mig welder with multiple passes, as you can with a stick welder.