Looking for a new welder

[lzicc]

I need to replace my MIG welder I sold when I moved. It was a Millermatic 200. I don't want to spend allot of money, but want something to do the job right. This is for home use and I will be welding heavier metal only, between 3/16" to 1/4". This would be for tractor repairs. I need to weld hooks onto my FEL, various repair type welding, etc. I am thinking about an Stick welder or possibly a flux core mig. I don't have much experience with stick welding, but it seems like it would do a good job on heavier steel. Then there is AC vs DC. Any suggestions?

 

[Shield Arc]

Far as stick welders. Hard to beat the price, and quality of the Everlast PowerArc 200ST. PM Mark from Everlast for a quote.
Here is what the PowerArc 200ST can do with 6010, and 7018.

 

[lzicc]

I like that. What would be the difference using 120 vs 240? Also, how easy is it to convert to TIG? I never used a tig welder, but I like having that option.

Far as stick welders. Hard to beat the price, and quality of the Everlast PowerArc 200ST. PM Mark from Everlast for a quote.
Here is what the PowerArc 200ST can do with 6010, and 7018.

 

[Lnk]

I like that. What would be the difference using 120 vs 240? Also, how easy is it to convert to TIG? I never used a tig welder, but I like having that option.

Bought my 200ST last August. Had a ac buzzbox before that. All you need to setup for tig is an air-cooled torch, regulator and argon. If you want to weld aluminum, you will need a bottle of helium. And skill, unless you are a part time hobbyist like Shield Arc, than no skill required:dance1:.

I have welded with the tig, took some getting used to the lift start at first, but now prefer it to a foot pedal as one less thing to trip over. As to durability, ask me in ten years.


Works fine on 120v but will have less power (amperage range) but will get you by. I have welded in the field off a 5k generator at 120v. It does run better at 240.

LNK

 

[stuckmotor]

Concerning what Shield Arc said about the welds in the pix. Having him holding the stinger didn't hurt, either.

 

[Sodo]

Currently theres a lot of nostalgia for Stick welding, it must be trending on Facebook or something .

Pretty sure Millermatic 200 is the machine I learned to MIG on. This was back in 1981. Summa you fellers think that was only 10 years ago (it was 37 years)! Its a classic. Im waiting for the day when some young feller assumes Im a real welder cuz I talk about running a MM200 back in the day. Thats about 5 years out I think (check back in 2023 ).

Be sure to post pics of your thoughts and progress. I stick-welded again after 36 years, it was great fun, like a sport and was great to know I can fall back on it. Skills were still there like riding a bicycle, but it the new machine (Miller MultiMatic 200) is a DC inverter and actually EASIER than an old buzz-box. But its no substitute for the MIG. If youre the type to repair stuff there will be lots of things you cant repair anymore. So youll have to learn the TIG. Which aint a bad thing, other than time-consuming. And which may be OK if you have the time & interest. Always learn new processes, even if you dont use it much it could improve the processes you DO use.

Bought my 200ST last August. Had a ac buzzbox before that. All you need to setup for tig is an air-cooled torch, regulator and argon. If you want to weld aluminum, you will need a bottle of helium

Helium is for DC tig. Choosing an AC tig for Aluminum (using your one argon bottle) will save a lot of $$$ & hassle.

Works fine on 120v but will have less power (amperage range) but will get you by. I have welded in the field off a 5k generator at 120v. It does run better at 240.

It runs better on 240v for a good reason. One thing to remember about welding with 120v on a generator. A 240v generator that has a couple 120v outlets that each use only one leg (HALF of the windings) of the generator. The other leg is the other 120v outlet (the other windings are idle, un-used). Consequently a 5kw 240v generator is only 2.5kw at 120v. 2.5kw is good for appx 1/8? You want about 3.5kw to weld 3/16 or 1/4? So to weld on 120v youll need a 7kw (or 8kw). Whereas if you had a 240v welder it would use both legs (the whole generator output).

Sorry for the confusion but confusion is one of the reasons 120v doesnt work well for remote welding. Its a really simple reason that confuses people into thinking its a problem with a 120v welder. Its not the welder - its a problem on the plug-in supply. A problem that simply goes away with 240v. Dual Voltage welders are handy if you cant just put 240v everwhere you might weld.

 

[lzicc]

Am I better off going with a MIG? I'm looking at the Hobart Handler 190. A little pricey, but will do what I need it to do.

 

[Jeepnford]

Am I better off going with a MIG? I'm looking at the Hobart Handler 190. A little pricey, but will do what I need it to do.

I'm sure a mig will be fine. If you need to weld outdoors put in a roll of flux core wire and don't forget to reverse wire polarity if you normally use solid wire. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[lzicc]

If I go MIG, I doubt I will buy and tank. I would just use flux core wire. For some reason though, stick welding seems to penetrate better and give you a stronger weld on the heavier steel. Could just be me.

 

[Jeepnford]

If I go MIG, I doubt I will buy and tank. I would just use flux core wire. For some reason though, stick welding seems to penetrate better and give you a stronger weld on the heavier steel. Could just be me.

If you're doing mostly shorter welds outdoors on equipment stick might be a better option. If a lightweight portable machine is important I'd look at one of the Everlast inverters. If it's one that will be in the shop maybe a used transformer unit.

 

[Shield Arc]

I like that. What would be the difference using 120 vs 240? Also, how easy is it to convert to TIG? I never used a tig welder, but I like having that option.

I have no use for a 120-volt welder:thumbdown:. I have several engine drive welders, I can use in remote places.
I've had this Tig rig for several years now. And my brother-n-law has had this flow meter for several years. They both work great.
TIG Welding Torch Set 2A 25' Valve Head Air-Cool 26V-25R w/Gift | US Seller 799491552128 | eBay
HTP Argon CO2 Mig Tig Flow meter Regulator Welding Weld Flowmeter | eBay

 

[Shield Arc]

If I go MIG, I doubt I will buy and tank. I would just use flux core wire. For some reason though, stick welding seems to penetrate better and give you a stronger weld on the heavier steel. Could just be me.

Mig welding is easy, all it takes is power!:thumbsup:
Far as self shielded flux core wire. Hobart's 21-B, and Lincoln's NR-212 work great. We did this seismic upgrade using NR-212.

 

[Sodo]

I don't have much experience with stick welding

I bet it would take MUCH less time to learn to use your MIG properly (and result in strong welds). Youre proposing to learn to stick-weld, to end up in the same place as a proper MIG weld.

AND proposing to reduce your versatility with a process limited to about 3/16? You wont be able to repair items made of thinner material . Any item 1/8 will be dicey, if at all. Consequenty that stuff will go un-repaired whereas a MIG does even 14ga nicely and 1/16 can be learned with less effort than learning to stick 1/8?

This forum is perhaps the wrong place to discuss MIG, as the general concensus here is rather than learn how to use the tool properly, to dump it and go stick. Many members state a rule they only use it for under 1/8 thick or for tacking. Which requires then; that you never learn to use the tool.

There is some ridiculousness here. Try to imagine a new tractor brand comes into the market. It has slag and hammer marks on all the welds. Imagine the archaic factory assembling these machines and their hopelessness even competing with the cheapest chinese tractor (and the laughter).

It can be difficult to notice the missing details cuz theyre not visible. But two (important) details that are missing on this tractor sub-forum are:
1) how to use a MIG properly. The forum experts NEVER give members tips how to weld properly with a MIG even though they admit its their go-to machine. They change the subject, write about some big industrial machine. Total avoidance.
2) the pics of the bird-poop stick welds that will adorn your eqpt during the months or years you are trying to learn to stick weld; NEVER appear on this forum. Only Stick welds that rival MIG welds, and these are only on test-plates, NEVER a real repair or fabrication or project.

This is a strange dynamic I attribute to the internet world(?) The real world uses MIGs. Try to find a single tractor built with stick in the last 40,50 years. Or even a trailer. You cant, theyre MIG.

I say better off learning to use a MIG properly like the rest of the world (and industry) but sadly its not on this forum. Maybe someday. Id teach it if I could, but Im self-taught and probably have all kinda bad habits. But Ive learned enough to build things properly and make welds that last. So all I do is try to goad the experts into helping members learn to weld properly with their MIGs.

If you have a lot of energy for learning, pour it into learning TIG. That said, stick has its place, for example welding up a crack that you cant grind thick rust off. But rusty crack repairs can be dicey if not experienced.

 

[swines]

I have no use for a 120-volt welder.

Not everyone has an engine driven welder. I have a Miller Maxxstar 140 welder that is 120 / 240. It will put out 110 amps on 120 vac as it uses a ring diode bridge that adds the two halves of the AC together to get the DC. 110 amps is plenty of power to weld a lot of materials. The welder is small, easily portable and makes on-site welding repairs in places it would be difficult to get an engine driven welder or beyond the reach of 100-foot leads. I loaned the 140 to a professional weldor who had to put in an overhead crane in a machine shop and could not get his leads to the crane's location deep in the middle of the facility. The crane is still in use 10 years later.

Would I use it as the go to welder every day? No. But it does provide added flexibility in location welding without having to wonder about getting a big welder or dragging long leads to a location. In fact, I have made up a 300 foot, 10 gage extension cord on a portable reel and can use either 120 or 240 with the welder depending upon the plug interface I put on the extension cord.

Simply because you don't own a specific welding machine or have a use for one doesn't automatically make it a bad piece of equipment. I've done repairs for people on fences and gates in locations that would be nearly unserviceable with a 240 volt welder as no outlets were available and had no access for an engine driven welder.

 

[lzicc]

I can mig weld fine, I just don't want to put the money out for another one. I was thinking that a stick welder would be cheaper and wonder if it may possibly be a better choice for what I am going to use it for. My dad had an AC stick welder in my younger days and they seem to be better suited for heavier steel. I could be wrong in saying that and wanted to get some input.

 

[Jeepnford]

Do you know anyone who has a stick welder you could try out? Since you've already mig welded then you could find out if stick is even worth considering. You know what most of your welding will consist of. I never bought a welder until I took some classes, I'm glad I waited. My first machine was a MM251. I've since added an inverter stick-tig and a used 300 amp transformer stick. I like using them all. Not saying you need 3 welders, but it really comes down to personal preference.

 

[crazyal]

If you picked up MIG welding pretty quickly then stick shouldn't be too much of an issue. The older technology when it came to stick and the improper storing of rods made it hard to strike an arc. But with the new inverters it seams like day and night (at least to me). But my old buzz box was a Sears AC welder that had limited power (maybe 150 amps) and not really knowing which rods worked best with it. One thing to keep in mind is that most inverter welders are DC only and if you want to TIG weld aluminum DC is much more difficult/ costly. That being said the Everlast ST200 is small, size and weight wise. It can easily be stored on a shelf when not in use.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

If I go MIG, I doubt I will buy and tank. I would just use flux core wire. For some reason though, stick welding seems to penetrate better and give you a stronger weld on the heavier steel. Could just be me.

Both work very well. It's really up to personal preference with your desired thicknesses in mind.

For what you are going to be welding, a 120v Mig is too small in my opinion. The 180 amp migs (and above) will do a good job.
For small stick welders, the dual voltage 160 amp machines (or larger) work excellent. I use a Thermal Arc 161 fairly often (stick and tig) and 2 of the school machines I teach with are ESAB 161.

 

[fried1765]

Am I better off going with a MIG? I'm looking at the Hobart Handler 190. A little pricey, but will do what I need it to do.

Blain's Farm & Fleet in Janesville Wisconsin has the Hobart Handler 190 for $649.99 plus $29.09 shipping to Pittsburgh.... no tax.
Blain's has been great for me to deal with, and I doubt that you will beat their price.

 

[bunyip]

I have just bought a new 175 amp MIG/MMA (stick) welder, I had a cheap 100 amp with two voltage setting (high and low) which gave mixed results, this one was four times the price and much more controllable.
My stick welding skills (I use that word very loosely) bear the appearance of a passing flock of ducks and have about the same structural integrity but I am told that with my new inverter machine that stick welding is much easier, I have not tried stick welding yet but will give it a try and see if it is true.
It is a Unimig Razorweld 175, I don't know if they are available in the USA but they are popular here, it is a 15amp outlet machine rather than the standard 10 amp, having said that they are probably available but under a different name.
It is a gas or gasless unit and I am favouring gasless as I spend a lot of time outdoors welding and I believe that gas does not cope well with wind.