Just bought a new welder!

[vulcancowboy]

Tractor Supply had the Hobart Handler 140 mig welder on sale for $469.99, plus I got a 10% discount coupon online. Too good to pass up. I want to get a tank of Argon/CO2 gas. What size tank would you recommend (I don't do a lot of welding) and approximately, what is the cost?

:dance1: :dance1: :dance1:

 

[Sodo]

Thats a good machine, good price too.

I have an 80CF, don't remember the cost. I used a 55CF for many years when I was welding less but it seemed like plenty.

I remember when I got my first tank, I asked the salesman, "what size should I buy?" He sorta laughed/smirked and said "How could i possibly know how much you're gonna weld?" Well anyway I was looking for some kind of guidance, thinking he might offer experience in the matter & help me choose a tank, which was the very specific subject at hand. But took the opportunity to use a treasured zinger that he could brag to his buddies about. I guess he was lucky the sale was already done. It's times like those I don't feel guilty buying on the internet.

 

[calman93611]

I have a Hobart 210 w/spoolgun. Originally got a 70 cf cylinder which worked great for me until I had a big project on aluminum so ended up getting a 2nd tank, 125 cf. I would think you should be fine with the 70 cf. Don't know about price, just call up your local welding gas supplier. Sometimes you can find used tanks on craigslist, however, you should check with your welding gas supplier to see they will accept the tank, they may require a hydrostatic test or require that you sign a paper saying you bought this tank from a private party.

 

[Big Barn]

In my area, the largest I could buy without leasing was 80cu ft.



Can't remember the price but my same size argon tanks were just under$300 with the first fill.
65 cu footers are around $200.

Terry

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

That's a great welder, you'll be very happy with it. Just make sure you have a 20A circuit to plug it into to take full advantage of it. I've had the same one for 15 yrs now. My tank is the Q size ( I think ) and runs about $250 for the tank and $75 for the fill at my local TSC. I'm sure regional prices and suppliers makes a big difference in price.

 

[s219]

That is an awesome price! I have been real impressed with my Hobart 140 so far. I have only been using flux core, and it's been fantastic. Seems way easier that I remember stick welding being 20+ years ago.

 

[JimRB]

At one welding supply house they said to a customer "Buy a tank. If you find it is too small just trade it in on a bigger tank. You get the price paid to the bigger tank." I have a 4 foot tall tank I use with my Handler 140. It lasts a good while as little as I weld. Here is a thread with a picture at the bottom of the thread. What size gas cylinder?

 

[Sodo]

Thanks Jim, thats a good pic.

I copied it into TBN with "insert image" (copy from URL)

 

[vulcancowboy]

Great info, thanks guys!

 

[BukitCase]

Right now you may think you won't weld much - but there's a good chance when you find out what you can do and how much fun it is, that might change.

Whether it does or not, consider BUYING the biggest tank they will let you in your area (here in Oregon, my LWS will sell whatever size you want - other areas limit you.) My smallest (backup) tank is 120 cf, the rest are 250's or (acetylene) 330.

Either way, leasing SUCKS. Even more if you REALLY don't weld much, since you're paying rent on the tank whether you're emptying it once a week or once every 5 YEARS

If you OWN the tank, the only cost after initial purchase is when you FILL it. Then you just swap for another (full) tank.

If I had leased my industrial size Oxy and Acetylene tanks, (bought in 1979 for $350/pr) I would have spent over $2000 on leasing, PLUS refill costs. Bet you could find something else to spend $1700 on that's more fun than watching tanks sit around

Just something to consider... Steve

 

[Steveneverlearn]

Congratulations on the new welder.

Check CL for tanks. In Colorado they had a dealer dumping some that look like a pretty good price.

cosprings.craigslist.org/tld/4927010594.html

No association, just saw the ad.

Steve

 

[Clint S]

The only thing I have found with my 140 it that you cannot let the feed line coil up. Keep it as straight as possible so that means welding away from the machine. When my line is coiled the wire binds and creates trouble at the roller. Not enough tension and it slips and tighten it up even a bit and a bird nest at the roller follows. Other than that it has been good.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

I have the older Handler 135. It's been a good machine. I run straight CO2 with a regulator from Harbor Freight. A tank of that lasts a long time.

 

[Big Barn]

I acquired a HH 187 from a friend. At first I thought the torch was kind of cheesy and toylike but with use I grew to really like it. It was lightweight and easy to manipulate for awkward fab jobs.

Didn't have any problem with the tapped settings either. The chart with settings on the inside of door were surprisingly accurate. Sold it only because it was too costly to add the spool gun to it.



Terry

 

[The Suburban Farmer]

You will love your Hobart 140. I have had one for a while now, and it is a fantastic welder. Agree with ClintS on the "keep the feed line straight" issue. It's not a common problem (doesn't happen every time) but the ONLY problem I've had with my 140 is when I let the feed line get a little too bent and the feed slows down or stalls. Supposedly the newer 140's (from 2012 on, I think?) fixed that problem with an all-metal feed mechanism.

As for the gas, I bought my own bottle, and still have an almost full bottle sitting around that will probably never get used up. Honestly, for 99.9% of what I do I just use a high-quality flux core wire (Hobart, Lincoln, etc. -- AVOID the Harbor Freight wire) and I really don't have much of a splatter problem. I'm not a GOOD welder by any stretch of the imagination, so maybe it's my skill, but I haven't seen a huge benefit in using the gas over using the flux core for MY PURPOSES. Your mileage may vary, though.

The other thing about flux is that you can use it outside in the wind, or take the welder to the job site on your property without lugging around a tank. The main reason I bought the Hobart 140 instead of a bigger 220v machine was so that I could move it around to the places where I needed to weld instead of taking the project to the welder. Flux core just makes it that much easier to do that. Also, if you are really pushing the limits of the 140 (like trying to weld 1/4 steel or doing multi-pass welds on something thicker) the flux core will burn a lot hotter than the gas-shielded wire, giving you a LITTLE bit more penetration for those larger pieces.

So... my suggestion would be to get a smaller bottle. I wish someone had told me how great the Hobart 140 was with flux core before I bought it. I bought it since it was gas capable and my experience with flux core welding had been bad in the past, but the 140 does a great job with it. IF YOU ARE LIKE ME you may find you don't use the gas as much as you think you will.

Gas certainly has it's place and I'm glad I have the capability to use it with my 140... this isn't a commercial for flux core -- just telling you what I experienced as an "I need to fix a broken piece of metal" welder and not an "I make works of art and require perfect rolls of dimes every time" welder. If I had it to do over, I'd skip the bottle and put the money towards an upgrade to my welding helmet.

 

[vulcancowboy]

You will love your Hobart 140. I have had one for a while now, and it is a fantastic welder. Agree with ClintS on the "keep the feed line straight" issue. It's not a common problem (doesn't happen every time) but the ONLY problem I've had with my 140 is when I let the feed line get a little too bent and the feed slows down or stalls. Supposedly the newer 140's (from 2012 on, I think?) fixed that problem with an all-metal feed mechanism.

As for the gas, I bought my own bottle, and still have an almost full bottle sitting around that will probably never get used up. Honestly, for 99.9% of what I do I just use a high-quality flux core wire (Hobart, Lincoln, etc. -- AVOID the Harbor Freight wire) and I really don't have much of a splatter problem. I'm not a GOOD welder by any stretch of the imagination, so maybe it's my skill, but I haven't seen a huge benefit in using the gas over using the flux core for MY PURPOSES. Your mileage may vary, though.

The other thing about flux is that you can use it outside in the wind, or take the welder to the job site on your property without lugging around a tank. The main reason I bought the Hobart 140 instead of a bigger 220v machine was so that I could move it around to the places where I needed to weld instead of taking the project to the welder. Flux core just makes it that much easier to do that. Also, if you are really pushing the limits of the 140 (like trying to weld 1/4 steel or doing multi-pass welds on something thicker) the flux core will burn a lot hotter than the gas-shielded wire, giving you a LITTLE bit more penetration for those larger pieces.

So... my suggestion would be to get a smaller bottle. I wish someone had told me how great the Hobart 140 was with flux core before I bought it. I bought it since it was gas capable and my experience with flux core welding had been bad in the past, but the 140 does a great job with it. IF YOU ARE LIKE ME you may find you don't use the gas as much as you think you will.

Gas certainly has it's place and I'm glad I have the capability to use it with my 140... this isn't a commercial for flux core -- just telling you what I experienced as an "I need to fix a broken piece of metal" welder and not an "I make works of art and require perfect rolls of dimes every time" welder. If I had it to do over, I'd skip the bottle and put the money towards an upgrade to my welding helmet.

Thanks! Good stuff, from the research I have done, it seems like the biggest advantage to using gas is less spatter and thus a "prettier" bead. Guess I'll just use the flux core for now.

 

[Shield Arc]

Mig has a huge advantage over self shielded flux core with really thin material, say auto body work.
Hobart's 21-B, Lincoln's NR-212, and NR-211 are very good self shielded flux core wires. Good thing to remember, anything that produces slag you should drag. If you are right handed, start your weld on the far left, and travel to your right.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

. Good thing to remember, anything that produces slag you should drag. If you are right handed, start your weld on the far left, and travel to your right.

Does that mean that when using solid core mig you should be pushing the puddle rather than dragging it? I've tried it a couple times and never liked the results.

 

[Shield Arc]

Does that mean that when using solid core mig you should be pushing the puddle rather than dragging it? I've tried it a couple times and never liked the results.

It really makes no difference with Mig. What ever direction works for you.
Here is a good chart put out by Miller.

 

[Big Barn]

Does that mean that when using solid core mig you should be pushing the puddle rather than dragging it? I've tried it a couple times and never liked the results.

Like SA says, it shouldn't make a difference. Perhaps you were using too much torch ANGLE when pushing?

Try it again. Easier to see going right to left pushing for me. I'm right handed.

Terry