Do I need to get a 220v mig

[California]

...I splurged and bought (used) a speed glass auto darkening helmet. That is the bestest greatest most awesomeness thing ever to help your welding!

Tell us more! I'm impressed.

 

[GSVette]

Love my Speedglass-bought used, got some new lens protectors and a new sweatband-nicest helmet I have owned.

 

[WranglerX]

I love new stuff. But I have to agree with this. Try what you have and learn the techniques to use it.

My Hobart 210MVP seems to trip a breaker when I attempt to use 110 seriously. Switch to 220 and it痴 an animal.

My tombstone AC/DC is at least 40 years old that I know of. Don稚 use it much but pulled it out the other day to deep weld some rusty channel iron.

I do have to say though. I splurged and bought (used) a speed glass auto darkening helmet.
That is the bestest greatest most awesomeness thing ever to help your welding!

The 210MPV on 120 volts draws about 24 amps at max setting.... Same as Handler 140 I have, had to install dedicated 30 amp breaker/receptacle, everything is great after that.....

Dale

 

[TractorGuy]

I've got a little Lincoln SP100 mig. I started with flux core and upgraded it to shielding gas. I haven't found anything I can't build or repair with it.

I welded the thumb on my 15,000 lb backhoe several years ago and it has held up fine. The base metal on the thumb is 5/8". I have lifted stumps that were heavy enough to lift the front wheels off the ground. I have a good many hours of stump and log lifting on it with no signs of fatigue.

For thick metal I just clean it up good, bevel the weld area, and make multiple passes. I've never pre heated anything.

 

[3Ts]

Auto darkening helmets are awesome! Anyone that does welding should have one.

I have a Hobart MIG welder with a 50 amp plug, but I've run it off a 30 amp circuit, just can't use it at it's full capabilities.

 

[Sodo]

Great feedback! Thank you so much.

- When I have to do this again I will try the preheat. It is a good tip. I was actually doing the opposite. I was waiting for the metal to cool down between segments.
- I will get a new ground clamp, cheap insurance.
- removing the cup, would never have thought about that.
- I did clean the metal.
- I got the job done but I as soon I get time I want to practice some these tips.
Again thanks for the help.

If you want to learn stick, you won't be disappointed, it's a challenge, and can be fun.
But it will set you back on your "repairs" timewise.
It's like saying you have to learn to chop wood with an axe before using a chainsaw.
Chopping can be useful on a stump roots for example, where the dirt will destroy your chain instantly.

If you are going to spend money, get a gas bottle for your Miller 140 and you will up your game considerably.
Miller 140 is a quality machine.
It can weld 1/4 very well, and even a little thicker with technique and pre-heat.

Focusing on MIG is a far better use of your time.
Stick welding will take a LOT of time - and until you master it, your "repairs" will be all covered with bird poop.
I'ts been what, 40years( ?) since any viable factory has used stick welding.

Its a vintage art, and has its place. If you WANT to learn it, it will certainly help, as anything, even oxy/acet gas welding, it all helps understanding.
But focusing on your MIG will get you repairing things well much faster.
It's barely worth the effort in comparison.

The only people who tell you stick welding is worth learning are those who already put in the time to learn it - and they want you to suffer too.
MUCH faster to put your study and practice time into MIG welding, you can be MIG welding in 1/10 the time maybe 1/20th.
Watch YouTubes and go practice.
Even better if you can do ^^THAT^^ and get a welder to show you some things in person.

Learn the machine you have.
PLUS, it's a Miller 140, a fine machine - that can do it well (not some POS $200 bargain unit)

Here's teaching an 18-year old to weld (making a log grate for the woodstove).
This is her first time welding with about one hour of 'assistance' ( I am NOT a pro welder ).
I bent the rebar and she welded.
Those welds are using gas (not flux-core).
The grate is in the fireplace now.

You might post a pic of the bucket you're welding, or at least tell us how wide it is or describe the tractor.
Some (large) buckets are better suited to a 220v welder.
If it's easy to get 220v where you're welding, a machine that welds on either 110v or 220v is nice to have.

 

[WranglerX]

Dittos on the 120/240 volt machines... I have Hobart Handler 140 and it suffices for about 98% of the time, but the is the 2% I wish I had 240 volt capabilities (more heat).... Maybe someday a Handler 210MVP will find it's way to my shop...

Dale

 

[chim]

I don't visit this part of the board very often, but can tell you my experience as a wannabe weldor. From the 70's till about 10 years ago my welding was all done with an old AC Lincoln tombstone at the in-law's farm. Then I splurged on a Millermatic 175 and a gas bottle. Most of the time I use fluxcore wire because I don't have a safe place to weld indoors. The one big exception was when I took the machine to work for a couple months to build a cab in my spare time.;

Anyway, the guys who weld for a living at our shop helped me pick the machine and it's been very handy. I ran a 240V dryer outlet to the garage and have a 10ga cord so it can be used outdoors. The strength of the welds has not been an issue. Here are a few pics of a recent project. The very rugged QA frame for the brush forks was found cheap on Facebook Marketplace. I added a headache rack and a couple 4" channel stiffeners just in case.

The fork times are 48" bale spears. The internally tapered bushings are welded to the bottom of the frame. I didn't trust relying on welds where the radius of the bushing meets the flat of the bottom tube, so I cut some pieces of plate to catch them at 9:00 and 12:00. Then made triangular gussets to catch the front of the bushing where it protrudes past the frame.

I had some lifting that was too far for the FEL, so I rigged up a pipe for extra reach. The ends of the pipe deformed from the pressure and essentially shortened it a tad. That caused the two chains carrying the load to slack up and the weight on the end of the pipe pulled the spear down somewhere around 6" at the tip. Following that my nephew was helping me with another tree and a large section of the trunk was stubborn. A different spear deflected about the same amount. Surprisingly the welds held up just fine and the spears sprung back to their original shape.

 

[Rebeldad1]

If you are looking for a stick welder like the Tombstone make sure you get ac/dc. My personal experience is dc does a much better job.
also
Seems never mentioned there is ac and dc rods. Make sure you match up to your setting on the welder.
You can do an awful lot of welding with a stick welder.

 

[aczlan]

I don't visit this part of the board very often, but can tell you my experience as a wannabe weldor. From the 70's till about 10 years ago my welding was all done with an old AC Lincoln tombstone at the in-law's farm. Then I splurged on a Millermatic 175 and a gas bottle. Most of the time I use fluxcore wire because I don't have a safe place to weld indoors. The one big exception was when I took the machine to work for a couple months to build a cab in my spare time.;

Anyway, the guys who weld for a living at our shop helped me pick the machine and it's been very handy. I ran a 240V dryer outlet to the garage and have a 10ga cord so it can be used outdoors. The strength of the welds has not been an issue. Here are a few pics of a recent project. The very rugged QA frame for the brush forks was found cheap on Facebook Marketplace. I added a headache rack and a couple 4" channel stiffeners just in case.

The fork times are 48" bale spears. The internally tapered bushings are welded to the bottom of the frame. I didn't trust relying on welds where the radius of the bushing meets the flat of the bottom tube, so I cut some pieces of plate to catch them at 9:00 and 12:00. Then made triangular gussets to catch the front of the bushing where it protrudes past the frame.

I had some lifting that was too far for the FEL, so I rigged up a pipe for extra reach. The ends of the pipe deformed from the pressure and essentially shortened it a tad. That caused the two chains carrying the load to slack up and the weight on the end of the pipe pulled the spear down somewhere around 6" at the tip. Following that my nephew was helping me with another tree and a large section of the trunk was stubborn. A different spear deflected about the same amount. Surprisingly the welds held up just fine and the spears sprung back to their original shape.

Have you had that fork setup long?
Need to make a set of forks for the front of our tractor and I'm planning on using bale spears like that, but wasn't sure if I could get away with them on the bottom (probably welded to a piece of 4x4 tube, or a piece of heavy C channel) or if I needed to go through the plate.


Aaron Z