Buying a Welder

[two_bit_score]

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

Ever get the impression that some few big tool kingpins are enjoying making us dance in a charade for so-called competition between tool brands?

 

[CBW1999]

This has really given me some great information and ideas. Last week, I narrowly missed a craigs listed "buzz box" for $75.00 (lincoln)- which would have been a good start.

At this point, I will be going with 220v MIG and am strongly considering Hobart. My wife is looking at me funny again because I've also been looking at Plasma Cutters as well.

Hobart has a nice Plasma Cutter, but I am intrigued by the Harbor Freight model. It claims to be able to cut up to 0.47 inch material. Being a tool that would not be used frequently, I am wondering if spending less on the Plasma Cutter (649.00 current plus can use 20% off coupon), and perhaps more on the MIG might be an idea.

Has anyone seen/used/own one of the Harbor Freight Plasma Cutters?

 

[Sully2]

Hobart 187 or 210 model. Both require 220...but thats no big deal

 

[Sully2]

This has really given me some great information and ideas. Last week, I narrowly missed a craigs listed "buzz box" for $75.00 (lincoln)- which would have been a good start.

At this point, I will be going with 220v MIG and am strongly considering Hobart. My wife is looking at me funny again because I've also been looking at Plasma Cutters as well.

Hobart has a nice Plasma Cutter, but I am intrigued by the Harbor Freight model. It claims to be able to cut up to 0.47 inch material. Being a tool that would not be used frequently, I am wondering if spending less on the Plasma Cutter (649.00 current plus can use 20% off coupon), and perhaps more on the MIG might be an idea.

Has anyone seen/used/own one of the Harbor Freight Plasma Cutters?

Save your $$ on a cheap plasma cutter. They are a waste.

 

[4shorts]

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.

Man your going to love the Trailblazer. I know I do. I'm a blue man as well. We got all blue from the Miller 875 plasma, Millermatic 350P / 30 amp spool gun, Millermatic 252 and Dynasty 200 DX and had three or four other Miller products before this stuff and I can't say a bad word about any of them.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I bought a craigslist Lincoln Tombstong AC DC 220 that kills. Old and used lovingly the thing still welds great. Stick is great for farming, Someday I will buy a 120V mig so I can do lighter work better. Tried it once with a stick and burned a hole in nothing flat.

 

[dcyrilc]

Man your going to love the Trailblazer. I know I do. I'm a blue man as well. We got all blue from the Miller 875 plasma, Millermatic 350P / 30 amp spool gun, Millermatic 252 and Dynasty 200 DX and had three or four other Miller products before this stuff and I can't say a bad word about any of them.

Love your trailer. Did you buy that and customize it, or build it?

 

[4shorts]

Love your trailer. Did you buy that and customize it, or build it?

Thanks Cyril. I built it from scratch. It includes all LED lighting, shocks and specialty fabricated storage compartments along with custom built roll bars that can also carry material. . Here's a few vids of it.

YouTube - welding trailer

YouTube - Miller 302 Trailblazer

YouTube - Trailblazer lights

 

[kevinj]

Love your trailer. Did you buy that and customize it, or build it?

He is quite the artist:thumbsup:

 

[Jerry/MT]

I am sort of a hobby farmer that is considering the purchase of welding equipment. The equipment will serve 2 general purposes. Repairing what I break and, some light to medium fabrication work.

It is not something that will be used daily. When it is used, it won't be for hours at a time. I do not expect to have to weld anything thicker than 3/8 inch

I have between little and moderate experience with both stick and MIG. Although I do not like the "buzz box" and sticks, I am better with that than MIG, although with practice I would get better......

I have the ability to run appropriate power supply for whatever I get, so that is not really a big concern, although I am curious if there is a 110v model that fits these needs.

So, what have you got that you like? Pro's and Con's? Any suggestions on specific brands to avoid all together? Although $$ is a consideration, whatever I get I will save up for. So, no need to go bargain brand, but I do not want to sell my left Kidney either:laughing:

Thanks for the input!

You've recieved some good advice regarding welding equipment but I would recommend you consider taking a welding course at a voc-tech in your area to learn how to use whatever you get. The best welding unit is not much good if you don't know how to use it. I took a course in the late '80's and got pretty good with a stick welder. Then I didn't use it again for a while and lost a lot of my skills. I can still fab stuff but my welds aren't as nice as they used to be, but they hold together. I'd like to take another welding course as a refresher but the voc-techs fill up pretty fast when I have some time away from ranch chores so it's difficult for me to finds a compatible time.

 

[bjr]

I don't know if you've already bought or not. But I do, what you're gonna do, and for my 35 hp tractor implements I use a lot of 1/2" plate for draft lugs and adapter contraptions. I'm not a glue gun (mig welder) fan. I recommend the ac/dc stick buzz box and oxy/acetlene set a 4-1/2" grinder a needle scaler a wire brush and oh yeah, a good capacity air compressor like a industrial 5 hp kind. Tractors and farm machinery are labor intensive, Bless their little mechanical hearts, (being funny here). I've had to do a lot of poor fit-up and maybe a little rusty welding , 6011 and 6010 rod. Just Gitterdone stuff. This kind of therapy occupation keeps me outta trouble, just ain't got no time now. bjr

 

[dcyrilc]

Thanks Cyril. I built it from scratch. It includes all LED lighting, shocks and specialty fabricated storage compartments along with custom built roll bars that can also carry material. . Here's a few vids of it.

YouTube - welding trailer

YouTube - Miller 302 Trailblazer

YouTube - Trailblazer lights

I had a gut feeling it was custom. With your work though, you can never tell as it is always at least as good if not better than a factory job.

 

[4shorts]

I had a gut feeling it was custom. With your work though, you can never tell as it is always at least as good if not better than a factory job.

Thanks buddy. It was a fun build, well for me anyway. Da wife asked me how much to build a trailer for the Trailblazer and off the top of my head I said around $1500. As I started the build I kept getting different ideas and after a full month cutting and welding I ended up with this trailer that came in just a little over $4500. not including my time. Like I told da wife. "It was around what I quoted, very much around :laughing:

This was her reply : " " I will add that I think I'll restrain from building another trailer for awhile.

 

[arrow]

You've recieved some good advice regarding welding equipment but I would recommend you consider taking a welding course at a voc-tech in your area to learn how to use whatever you get. The best welding unit is not much good if you don't know how to use it. I took a course in the late '80's and got pretty good with a stick welder. Then I didn't use it again for a while and lost a lot of my skills. I can still fab stuff but my welds aren't as nice as they used to be, but they hold together. I'd like to take another welding course as a refresher but the voc-techs fill up pretty fast when I have some time away from ranch chores so it's difficult for me to finds a compatible time.

The cheapest welding course around here is $1200. This a cost associated with a pretty decent welder purchase that once acquired, a person can practice with. I agree courses are the way to go but here they are prohibitively expensive.

 

[lostcause]

i've been looking at a new miller 211 myself, as i consider it a lifetime purchase. it should fill all the duties i will ever need out of it. with a spool gun, it's about $1150 shipped.

last time i looked, northern was running a special with the hobart 210 and the spool gun for $899 shipped. maybe not quite as good as the miller, but pretty much the same class machine for a good chunk less.

 

[crazyal]

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.

Actually if you're not using the flux core wire welding multiple passes with a mig is easier since there's no slag to clean off.

I have had no problems with my Power Mig 255. My step brother has a SP125 and the only thing I didn't like was trying to weld Aluminum with it. Once you stopped welding the wire would melt rigth up to the tip and you would have to break it free before trying to weld again. I was going to get a spool gun for mine but found the burnback control eliminates any problems with Aluminum.

If I needed something to do what you're looking for I would pick up the largest 110v mig I could find. I would buy a gas bottle for it, I never liked flux core wire. If you talk to your local gas suppliers they will sell you bottles and each time you go to fill them up they swap them so you never have to worry about having them tested.

The reasoning behind my thinking is migs are pretty easy to use. If you have a heavy extension cord you can bring the welder to the work, buzz boxes can be heavy and very few are 110v. Welding rods don't like moisture so you need to keep them dry where as mig wire really doesn't care one bit. Sooner or later you'll find the need to weld at an awkward angle and if it's been a little while you may find striking an arc much harder than you remember.

I would also buy an auto darkening helmet knowing that you need to be more careful than a regular helmet. This applies more to a stick than a mig. With a new rod trying to line it up where you want to weld you'll probably be shaking a bit. Trying to flip down the helmet without loosing your spot can be hard for the occasional welder. Plus if you don't strike and arc and your rod sticks you need to flip up the helmet and start over again. Plus (I know more do this than will admit) tack welding by closing your eyes really isn't safe.

 

[killdozerd11]

Going to go tomorrow to see the blue dealer and give him my list and see what he can give me for prices...got some prices from ebay and others
List :thumbsup:

Trailblazer 302 Air Pak with the built in condenser and filter
The air pak does not have the kubota diesel option
Suitecase 12RC wire feed..GMAW-FCAW
Sepectrum 625 Extreme plasma cutter


Going all blue maybe...looking at the
Thermal Dynamics 45 plasma cutter also

Also looking at the
Rage 3 dry saw
You guys might want to take a look
Evolution Rage 3 10" TCT Multipurpose Sliding Miter S.A.W. w/RAGE255 BLADE, Metal Cut Saws - Toolfetch.com


:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

It's only money :laughing:

 

[mjncad]

If you get the Rage saw, please let us know how you like it.

 

[mustangsallysdad]

I am sort of a hobby farmer that is considering the purchase of welding equipment. The equipment will serve 2 general purposes. Repairing what I break and, some light to medium fabrication work.

It is not something that will be used daily. When it is used, it won't be for hours at a time. I do not expect to have to weld anything thicker than 3/8 inch

I have between little and moderate experience with both stick and MIG. Although I do not like the "buzz box" and sticks, I am better with that than MIG, although with practice I would get better......

I have the ability to run appropriate power supply for whatever I get, so that is not really a big concern, although I am curious if there is a 110v model that fits these needs.

So, what have you got that you like? Pro's and Con's? Any suggestions on specific brands to avoid all together? Although $$ is a consideration, whatever I get I will save up for. So, no need to go bargain brand, but I do not want to sell my left Kidney either:laughing:

Thanks for the input!

For general, all around use...I'd say (from experience) a Lincoln Tombstone AC/DC...it's 220VAC single phase and will do everything you need to do...new price somewhere around $525-$600.

 

[4shorts]

It's only money :laughing:

I like blue and always have. Thought I'd show you some Miller ****. first one with covers on and then off :laughing:

- Millermatic 350P with 30 amp spoolamatic aluminum gun (new)
- Millermatic 252 (new)
- Dynasty 200 DX (two years old)
- Miller Spectrum 875 Plasma (new)
- Miller digital elite helmet
Not shown is our 302 Trailblazer (two years old)

HTP makes great welding equipment. I would have had some of there stuff only for the fact that shipping and possibly duties would have made it to expensive to ship to me but if i was in the US I would give them a look. Good customer rep as well.