90 Amp wire feed welder vs. 1/4" steel ?

[JCB]

When I took a welding class a while back we had a licoln 130 we could use. It was a pretty nice unit: small torch, manuverable...it felt like you had a pencil in your hand compared to the hammer size torch on the bigger units.

It was a nice unit, but I ended up getting a MM250. Great machine! I think one of the limitations you'll run into with a smaller unit on "trailer repair" is the quality of the steel you're welding and inability to prep it (clean, bevel, etc.) for that little unit.

If you're really going to weld rusty 1/4" material, I think you'd be much, much happier in the 140-150 range.

Joe

 

[thingy]

Joe,did you ever hear of a grinder? I've heard it all here,you recommend he get a bigger machine so's he can weld on rust? that takes first prize so far,,next contestant,,,,thingy

 

[jarokoro]

I looked one up 120/90 the specs says it welds up to 1/4 inch flux core only. I have a HOBART 140 Handler and have always used flux core I have no problems with heavy stuff.

E-Z MIG 90 AMP FLUX 100 WELDER

 

[MikeD74T]

Hard core welder.

I can bet you never flinch when a piece of slag pops and jumps down your collar... Not a flinch.... quote]

..or when a little ball of sizzling slag rolls down your ear canal !!!!! MikeD74T

 

[bobodu]

..or when a little ball of sizzling slag rolls down your ear canal !!!!! MikeD74T

Oh YEAH!!! Ear wax fires......scares the bejesus outta anyone dumb enough to watch me weld...

 

[turnerbend]

I have a lincoln 220 stick welder and a 90 amp wire welder. The linclon haven't been plugged in in over 2 years. The small wire welder do a real good job on welding broken tiller tines ..........

 

[davidseaquist]

I got some info from the hobart site about arc welding and mig welding hope this helps

 

[Renze]

1/4" is about 6 millimeter ?

I run a 180 amp mig welder on 400V 2 phase. It's a well known brand, with copper spools, and it has more guts than the leaflet promised. I still wish we bought a 250 amp 3 phase welder, because it sometimes lacks penetration hot rolled material with the typical carbon skin.

When i imagine welding with half the power i have now, i guess i had to grind everything down to shiny mirror like appearance to get some penetration, make multiple passes and move the torch so slow that it would be an achievement on its own to get an equal weld.

If you want to renovate trailers, get a stick welder. Allways penetration, and cheap power. You are going to regret wasting your money on a 90 amp unless the only thing you do is weld automobile tinwork.

 

[bjr]

I agree, for dirty poor fit-up get in an' get'r done work, get a stick welder. bjr

 

[MJPetersen]

Renze,

1/4 is a tiny bit more than 6. 6.35 mm is more acurate.

Mike in Warsaw