Welder question...

[TimberHole]

If you just want to stick some stuff together you can buy a used buzz box for $150.00. I bought a Miller multimatic 255 last year and I’m really impressed with it. It’s a pulse mig welder with a smart screen that will give you amperage and wire speed based upon the material being welded. Will also stick weld, wire weld aluminum and DC tig if you buy the accessories. Lots more money but the capability is nice.

 

[spitter]

They just bought one of those HF POS Mig welders in Nov. after 2 month of constant problems and terrible welds they went and bought a decent Miller no more problems . I you have any intensions of doing this long term do yourself a favor and buy good equipment first and don't waste your money on garbach it will just sit in the connor of your shop like ours does and weight till they get sick of looking at it and through it out.:drink:

 

[dragoneggs]

If you just want to stick some stuff together you can buy a used buzz box for $150.00. I bought a Miller multimatic 255 last year and I’m really impressed with it. It’s a pulse mig welder with a smart screen that will give you amperage and wire speed based upon the material being welded. Will also stick weld, wire weld aluminum and DC tig if you buy the accessories. Lots more money but the capability is nice.

Yikes... you are touting a $3000+ system to a newbie welder. My suggestion is that someone diving in for the first time should be looking at something like a 110v/220v MIG... or a cheaper stick if he is brave and patient. OP needs to learn not only to weld but also whether at some point, decide if he wants to dive in deep. Most of us hacks can get away easily with a stick or MIG machine with far less capability/complexity than yours. Very cool welder and you are a lucky man to have! If you are in the trade and you need to travel to use for various weld projects, I get it.

It seems that at that price, multiple machines as you increase your skills might be a much better avenue and you don't have to jump in deep. I am contemplating a TIG myself. Do I need it... NO. But sure would be nice and I could spring for it and after paying for that, plus my Miller 211 MIG, I am still quite a bit less out of pocket than a multi process machine such as the 255.

 

[WranglerX]

Minimally I would suggest you buy high enough level machine that gives you both options of GMAW and FCAW.... What this means you can weld with solid wire and shield gas or change to fluxcore wire (being sure to change polarity of work leads and can accept option gas regulator and such) .... Buying a really cheap HF junk welder is just money wasted.... I won't even go near a "made for contract" chinese welder.... IF you buy quality brand name machine you can always get most of your money back if you decide machine is to small or welding is not your thing..... Chinese stuff, resale value not very good because everybody is trying to unload it for same reason...

You can buy a bicycle or a Cadillac both will give you a ride to town, but the quality of the ride is where it's at....

Dale

 

[Ford850]

Lincoln 210mp is a really nice compromise. Name brand, mig flux stick, plus tig upgradable if you ever want it. It has maybe the highest rated interface of any, especially for beginners. They have a $376 rebate now too. Worth checking them out and reading reviews.

 

[KennyG]

The HF is probably a cost effective solution, but if you can, I would suggest you go to Lincoln or Miller and be sure you have a quality machine. If you have the available wiring 220 is much better than 110. Lowes sells a Lincoln 180 for about $700. I have this and find it a bargain. The only limitation is that the voltage setting is just 5 steps instead of continuously variable, but that's the only compromise.

Whatever you get, I would suggest you use only Lincoln or Miller wire to start with. I heard of too many beginners getting frustrated with wire feed issues with off brand wire.

 

[California]

Don't have one but, once in blue moon, have need of one.

I currently have need to weld the (slightly less than 1/4") skirt on my rear rotary cutter. Caught a tree and bent part of the skirt back. (unit is probably 25 years old so not as solid as a new one)

Anyway.... if I decided to weld that myself, what type/size welder would I need to consider. Given that I'm homeowner and never welded before, would there be any merit in looking at a nicer unit to grow into?

Currently enamored with thought of getting one.

Your thoughts?

For just that one specific repair, and possibly similar simple welds in the future? You can buy a quality mig and grow into it. Or search Craigslist and buy a $50~100 old stick welder that you can resell at the same price later, after you have some experience and have a better idea what you need. The main thing is practice-practice-practice the same weld on scrap before repairing an implement that you use. And the prep down to clean metal is essential.

My $50 Montgomery Wards 230A AC stick welder was fine to learn on, later when I wanted to do thinner stuff I bought the HF 90A-AC "mig" (flux) unit and found that didn't weld nearly as well, it was more frustration than anything. Now I have a $50 used HF mig-180 that is sufficient but its not equivalent to a pro tool. I still use the stick welder sometimes. Your alternatives are start cheap and learn what you need, or spend at least several hundred $ up into the thousands for quality that will be easier to learn on and the welds will look nicer. I'm cheap, plan A is all I need for my infrequent farm repairs like what you described. The guys here who are proud of owning all quality shop tools likely wouldn't agree.

 

[Richard]

Most of these acronyms don't mean anything to me... (just disclosing how little I know about this)

Anyway.... Any welding would be done outdoors, nothing inside. My garage needs some wiring done (some extra outlets and more lights) I ALREADY have some (if I recall correctly) 8g 3 wire (??) that was used to carry power to a second panel box.

So, I can make a dedicated 220V (and or) 110V outlet for any purpose.... I have a clean drawing board and already have the wires, just need breakers and outlets.

May I presume that if I can weld something using 220 volts, I can ALSO dial it down and do something that (was described above) as sheet metal, where the 110V unit would work.

Let me re-word that....

I can weld with 110V and do so much....can't do "heavy" welding that might require 220V.

HOWEVER, if you use a 220V system, you can do the heavy stuff AND you can also dial it down for the 110V stuff?


I am one that prefers to buy something nice verses go the least cost route. No disrespect intended, but I try to avoid Harbor Freight if at all possible.... My primary wrenches/sockets are Snapon with backups of the Craftsman, MAC and Cornwell (?) type.... Had too many cheap tools snap when needed decades ago so just pay the piper and avoid them.


Never thought about used.... going to poke around Craigslist...

 

[Richard]

Again, I know nothing about brands or styles....

That said, I just found a "Miller Trailblazer Welder & Generator with Argon Diesel"

$1,200

Unit is on a pull behind trailer which means it could be moved out to the shed.... ALSO, if I understand it correctly, without knowing the wattage, it could be used as a generator for toasting my pop-tarts?? (doubt it would power the house??)

Listing says (direct copy/paste)

RUNS AND WELDS EXCELLENT.JUST SERVICED - STARTS EASY AND RUNS PERFECT.BRAND NEW BATTERY.GENERATOR HAS 120 VAC AND 240 VAC OUTLETS TO POWER OTHER EQUIPMENT !!!!!!!!!!



Edit: Did some googling on the unit and found it.... their website says it's gasoline. Listing implies diesel which means I need to dig more OR listing might be one of those folks misrepresenting said item...

Trailblazer(R) 325 (Kohler) | MillerWelds


Second Edit: They DO make a diesel unit.....however, at his posted price, sounds fishy...

Trailblazer(R) 325 Diesel | MillerWelds

 

[WranglerX]

With most welders you can dial down the heat and do very light work, but if welder does not produce enough heat (amperage) being to small you can turn it up to the max and it still may not be enough so you may need a bigger welder (more amperage capable)......

Understand voltage and amperage in any welding is a matter of just producing enough heat (at arc/puddle) to create fusion bond...

SMAW is a term Stick Metal Arc Welding it's just a technique using a stick electrode usually flux coated to add filler material into fusion bond created by arc.

GMAW in MIG welding is Gas Metal Arc Welding, wire machine feeds a solid wire "electrode" from reel in machine and control flow of shield gas to around arc/puddle to protect it from oxygen till it solidifies...

FCAW in MIG welding is Flux Core Arc Welding, wire machine feeds a tubular wire "electrode" ( the encloses a flux core) from reel i machine and and "flux" creates a shield of gas around arc/puddle to protect it from oxygen till it solidifies...

TIG is Tungsten Inert Gas welding and is sort of above what you need to know at beginners level, but its using a tungsten rod and a shield gas (usually argon) to create a arc/puddle at the joining of two pieces of material to be bonded and unlike SMAW or MIG the welder has to manually feed filler rod into fusion bond.... Very similar concept to oxy/acet welding but using a electrical arc instead of a fuel (gas) and oxygen...

Might want to invest in something like this to help you understand what it's all about, mugh get it online or drop buy local public library to see if the have some books on welding...

Dale