Inexpensive Welding Solution?????

[Sully2]

I would love nothing more than to buy a really nice welder and get really good at welding. Unfortunately, with young kids and a fairly tight budget, I need to get what will do. $100 is about my budget. I don't see the need to do a lot of welding. I simply want something that will enable me to do the occassional project at home (99% of the time will be 1/4" stuff max).

I would love to meet my full potential someday, but that is sometime from now. For now, I want something that will do the job. I have a grinder, so cleaning up the ugly welds after the fact is noa problem.

Lets figure it this way then...
A FULL $300 on a VISA card..paid over a full 12 months...even with the extreme rate of 24%..( yearly) ...is going to cost you a whopping $25.03 A MONTH. If you "already have" $100 to put down on it..????..its going to set you back a whopping $16.69 a month..if you drag it out the full year!

The new Hobart is going to last you a LIFETIME!!

 

[river rat]

You're getting some good advice .... a welder is a tool that lasts and lasts - easy to find a good used one. If money is critical, look a little more and get a REALLY UGLY one ... it'll weld just as well as a pretty one, and a heckuva lot better than the cheapies, FOR THE SAME MONEY! Welding's fun (drilling's not), and you can turn a pile of scrap iron into some neat stuff; don't hamstring yourself by starting out with cheap junk. That's what I did, years ago, and I've never been sorry.

 

[montejw]

I would love nothing more than to buy a really nice welder and get really good at welding. Unfortunately, with young kids and a fairly tight budget, I need to get what will do. $100 is about my budget. I don't see the need to do a lot of welding. I simply want something that will enable me to do the occassional project at home (99% of the time will be 1/4" stuff max).

I would love to meet my full potential someday, but that is sometime from now. For now, I want something that will do the job. I have a grinder, so cleaning up the ugly welds after the fact is noa problem.

Can't say enough about Craigslist. Not sure where you're at, but here's a 230 amp AC buzzbox for $100 in Croydon, PA. I stopped looking after that, might be others.

Welder

I just noticed it's only 110v, you'd be better looking for a 220v unit.

Monte

 

[kwolfe]

How about this one. I was thinking about offering the guy $150 and see if he bites.
LINCOLN AC-225C 220V Like new ARC Welder

 

[patrick_g]

Not having extra money is a very good motivation for not WASTING any by buying something that everyone who knows anything about the topic tells you NOT TO BUY. How is buying something that will NEVER make you happy and will have to be replaced, a money saving idea?

Recall a comment about burning a $100 and then buying a welder to save wasting time and gas going to HF?

Surely if you shop around you can find a used AC buzz box for $100 or close to it. You will congratulate yourself on your WISE DECISION and your good money management.

If a welder just doesn't have the poop to weld 1/4 inch stuff then it doesn't and you can't make it OK with a lot of chipping and grinding. If what should be a welding bead looks like bird s--t laying on the surface of the workpiece then you aren't welding.

Pat

 

[wushaw]

Sounds good if he bites.

 

[patrick_g]

How about this one. I was thinking about offering the guy $150 and see if he bites.
LINCOLN AC-225C 220V Like new ARC Welder

Too much $ asked. Might be worth $150 B U T I'd be looking for a more capable if uglier machine for $150 or LESS.

The shiny new paint doesn't effect the welding performance but it effects the price, especially with newbies.

Pat

 

[Inspector507]

How about this one. I was thinking about offering the guy $150 and see if he bites.
LINCOLN AC-225C 220V Like new ARC Welder

I have the same welder, works great for me.

 

[kwolfe]

Inspector,
Is your rig capable of welding 1/4 to 3/8 stuff (more 1/4 than anyting)? Would it be OK for a beginner?

 

[gemini5362]

. If what should be a welding bead looks like bird s--t laying on the surface of the workpiece then you aren't welding.

Pat

I tried my hand for the first time last night at welding aluminum with a tig. This quote sounds like you saw the results.