Beginner welder recs

[rcurrie]

Listen to your Dad, buy a quality 220v mig welder and you can't go wrong. I have an old tombstone a/c and a Lincoln 180 mig and the tombstone is nothing but a dust collector.

 

[IslandTractor]

Look at this if you want to try a little bit of everything.
Northern Industrial Welders Hybrid MIG/Stick 200 with Spool Gun | Wirefeed Welding | Northern Tool + Equipment

I think most weldors would tell you to stay away from the combo welders or welder/plasma units. They work but are less reliable. I'd be especially leery of a Chinese unit sold by HF or NT as they do not offer post sales service. Even the Everlast guys recommend against their own multiprocess machines.

I should clarify that this doesn't apply to stick/TIG combos which are well accepted and reliable.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Yes,
A combination CC/CV unit can solve the dilemma.

Everlast was one of the first even before Northern to offer this feature in a small package. Ours offers arc force and inductance control and digital displays.


Power I-MIG 200 - Welders, Multi Purpose Unit, Helmets, Arc Tig Mig Welding Equipment, Plasma Cutters

The MIG/Stick units are fundamentally different than the plasma/tig/stick units. They are worlds apart and MUCH different. You are not trying to cram two completely different and independent processes into one unit. The CC/CV function has been around a LONG time in larger MIGs and is highly stable. What's new is that its in the smaller products now. The Miller XMT series offer CC/CV performance in a small package as a power source and they are well respected. We also have our MTS units which are set up to do MIG/TIG/Stick and are trouble free.

Try finding a complaint on one of our MIGs. I am the first one to tell you the plasma/tig/stick units are not for your average user...but the MIG stick units not only have the best arc on a MIG I have seen, but they also are one of our best products.

 

[Travelover]

Weesy, I think it depends on how much you are really going to use the welder. If you just have a couple small projects, then occasional repairs, I'd just go with a tombstone off Craigslist, especially if you can pick up a DC machine (which you can do for less than a new AC machine).

Asking about welders here is like asking what kind of a truck you should get. A 10 year old Ranger may suit the job, but everyone wants to tell you about their new F350 crew cab King Ranch diesel dually.

 

[Haywire]

Yep, and it's easy to get into the brand war argument. My first and only welder is an Everlast, so that's what I'd buy if I got any more equipment (I want that PP50). Others feel the same way about their Lincolns and Millers. Look at the specs, figure out to what you think you need and want to spend, and then get the next higher model.

My opinion (and you know what opinions are worth) is don't buy something that needs to be run at the ragged edge of it's capability to do what you need. It'll be easier on you and the equipment.

Ian

 

[Yooper75]

Weesy, I just started welding a month ago with a Hobart 125 MIG and it's pretty easy to pic up what to do. As long as you know what kind of metal you are welding together there is not much to it other than getting the wire feed and heat right and you can play with both to get the results you want. Get a welder and a pile of scrap and start playing around by sticking stuff together and you will get the hang of it quickly.

Here a some pictures of my first welds on 3/16 steel for a weight box that is going on my John Deere 312. They may not be the prettiest welds but the penetration is good and you can make them pretty with a grinder.

 

[Shield Arc]

Excuse me GW but I gotta disagree..,
I too give discounts, especially for tbn members...
But we work off the same price sheet. I've had people get mad because when people thought they were going over my head to the "top" got the same price or a slightly higher price. In fact I make the price sheets with the discounts up. Dealing with the company "president" means you are less likely to get hold of him, and less likely to get a personal response, and less likely to get the unit matched up to your needs. I am a welder by trade. He is not. You think you are getting a better deal by dealing directly with the "head" ...That's natural for people to want to try and make themselves think that...But I know what he is selling product for. And we are selling them in the same neighborhood. Yes, I do work off commission, but its far from a significant amount.

I will say this..IF you get a significantly better price from the "top" there is a reason for it...you can read into that what you want.

Oleg / Alex screwed me in a round about way. I let a good buddy try out my PowerArc 200, within two rods he was in love! He called Oleg / Alex to place his order for one. Oleg / Alex jacked him around for a few days. Pizzed my buddy off, (not hard to do to construction workers). So I made the mistake of loaning my PowerArc 200 to my buddy, now he won't give it back!:laughing:

 

[IslandTractor]

Here a some pictures of my first welds on 3/16 steel for a weight box that is going on my John Deere 312. They may not be the prettiest welds but the penetration is good and you can make them pretty with a grinder.

The problem with self taught MIG welding is often the excessive focus on pretty welds rather than penetration. As you point out, any weld can be cleaned up to look pretty but poor penetration cannot be fixed with a grinder. I found I tended to misjudge penetration with mig because I focused on deposition of filler metal rather than on the weld puddle. I suspect I am not the only one to do that as newbie welds are typically underpenetrated. Again, experienced instruction and practice are the best ways to get past that stage. I do cringe when hearing of guys who pick up their first welder, a mig unit, and start using it to build something where strength of weld is critical.

 

[weesa20]

thanks for all the replies...anyone know where Everlast welders are manufactured? Looking for Made in the US of A products these days.

Weesy

 

[Shield Arc]

If you're looking for a 100% USA made welder, good luck with that! Some of Lincoln's welders are made in Italy.