110 Volt Mig Welder... Need Info...

Tractors4u · Feb 18, 2004

I have a Lincoln Weldpak 100 110v wire feed welder that has worked flawlessly for the last five years. The welds I have laid with it have surprised me with their durability. Check out my webpage for the projects I have built with it. Welder Projects

EastTexFrank · Feb 18, 2004

Like Tractors4U, I have a Lincoln Weldpak 100. It has worked well for the past 3 years and it has been everything I've needed. I would never call myself a welder, I "stick" pieces of metal together with 3000 degree superglue, so the 1/4" maximum thickness has never been a problem. Anything thicker than that usually has some load bearing function that I wouldn't risk with my skill level so I get a professional to do it. It is one useful little machine though.

RonR · Feb 18, 2004

Hi Brent,

Great pics at your website. I like the looks of your pulverizer. I needed to build a harrow type implement prior to planting grass seed. A few hours and some scrap and what I have works great.

I'm curious what you used for your fingers on the pulverizer. Did you go with a shaft material so it might last longer? Or hardened bolts?

I might try building something like this.

What I REALLY want to build, since I can't affort it, is a power rake imitiation! I think it would not be too hard to build and should perform nearly as well as the multi-thousand dollar ones.

Thanks for any inputs you can provide.
Ron

Tractors4u · Feb 18, 2004

( I'm curious what you used for your fingers on the pulverizer. Did you go with a shaft material so it might last longer? Or hardened bolts?
)

Actually I used 1/2" rebar. I had a big pile of 1/2" rebar cut in 18" inch sticks that were begging to be something so I made them into spikes for the roller. That was one mundane task welding all those on there.

RonR · Feb 18, 2004

Hah! Understand the Mundane.

When my son (who'd never welded) helped me build the harrow (we used 1/4 x 2 inch straps for the teeth), I tacked them all on, then we took turns welding all of them.

We were so anxious to try it, we didn't do a 100% inspection of the welds. Found some that only were tacked, and some where we "Missed" (it was about 105 out and the sweat kept the hood glass like looking through a fish bowl to weld!). So we broke a few teeth off on round one and then tried to lay blame on who welded that one!
Sadly, most of the OOOOPS belonged to me!

Have fun!
Ron

Soundguy · Feb 18, 2004

Have you considered a generator / welder combo?

I have seen small 70amp ( 20amp 110v ) stick welder. It is campbel hausfield.

I know its cheap.. but for 99 bucks at wallmart... I couldn't resist. Easy way to glue thin metal together.

I see that they have a 90 amp wire/flux/mig welder too.

If ya want even cheaper ( and less expensive ) harbor freight has a small stick welder for 89$ and a mig/wire/flux welder for less than 200$. All are 110v, etc.

If you get the small stick.. just get used to welding with 5/64 or 1/16 rod and your set.

Soundguy

JerryG · Feb 18, 2004

I see that they have a 90 amp wire/flux/mig welder too. 
I have that CH welder. It does a good job. I have had it about 2 years. You just can't get carried away with the metal thickness. One nice thing about it is that is so portable.

moeh1 · Feb 18, 2004

I too have the Hobart Handler and it is a great unit. I have always used it in indoors with gas, so I am not really up on flux coated wire, but I have read that some of the smaller amperage units don't do so well using flux wire, keep that in mind. I also have 2 large arc welders ( 220 Volts older big transformer units) and they are the ticket for 1/4" plus material unless you jump to a large MIG. My dad bought one of the larger 110 V arc welders and it wasn't much fun to try and work with. I have no personal experience with the newer "inverter" welders, I have seen that they draw less amps, maybe someone with some knowledge in that area can shed some light.

SPIKER · Feb 19, 2004

Well guys I work in a fab shop with big welders all day, started out with a 110 mig unit, it works but the wire feed is bad, worthless. it was a Q farm & fleet purchace years ago, 10 plus now. and uses a transformer typ-e, the new invertor ones are better. but I would look at several things before purchaing

1. duty cycle. expect a 35% or less at max laod, but get the higest rated one you can afford.!

2. max thickness. usually 14" or less. but don't really expect to do much more than tack the 1/4" with it or weld non-stress parts.!

3. the feed mech is the next most critical part and how it is controlled! If it has fully indepant speed then you will be better off.

4. how is amperage controlled? in graduation , steps or by varriable knob?

ok anyhow those are most importanat

I would still want to look at a welder generator, but they are usually stick only.

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

DavidJ · Feb 21, 2004

I've been looking for a fluxcore welder also. I've looked at many different brands and am still not sure which is best. One I found on the internet looks interesting though. It a Clarke model 130en. Welding depot Clarke 130en has them and they have about as good specs as the others but at much less price.