Mig welding machine

[roadrash]

After several years of debating with myself, I finally bought a Mig machine. I looked at my stick welding and thought their has to be a better way. My problem was that by the time I could start running a good bead, the job was finished. Thanks to grinders I could make do, but was not satisfied with the weld quality. Went to a local welding supply co. yesterday an bought a Millermatic 175 and a cylinder of mixed gas. I am now a happy camper!!! Played with the settings some and ran some pretty beads right off the bat. Joined some flat plate and used the "big hammer" test for penetration!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Kicked myself for waiting so long to get a machine. Oh' picked up a auto darkening sheild at the same time, I am now out of the dark ages!!! All I can say is get one, you will like it!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[MadReferee]

I have had a Millermatic 175 for almost 4 years now. Once you figure out the settings for the different types of steel you will be in welding heaven. I have found that I can weld up to 1/4" plate in one pass and sometines up to 3/8" depending on circumstances. Anything thicker requires multiple passes.

Good luck and keep practicing with scrap.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I have the "poor sister" to your Millermatics but am pretty happy with my Hobart Handler 175. Road, you did a wonderful thing for yourself getting the auto darkening helmet. I've had mine since day one and couldn't imagine being without it. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[mahlers]

I've got the "poor little sister" of the MM175 (Hobart Handler 135) and I couldn't be happier. I would have prefered the 175, but I needed to be able to plug in anywhere and the 135 was the best I could do with that requirement.

 

[chim]

Picked up a MM175 late last Fall, and the kids got me an auto-darkening helmet for Christmas. I share your enthusiasm for this setup. That reminds me. The C25 is way low and needs a refill. 80CF goes a long way though....................chim

 

[Alan L.]

I'm still deciding whether I can justify a welder. Do you notice you have to do a lot of cleaning up before using the MIG? I used a rented stick welder to fix my brush hog, and didn't do any prep work at all on the dirty, painted metal.

 

[Zoomie]

Alan L.

A stick welder and 6011 rods are a "burn thru almost anything" combination. Not the cleanest or prettiest welds but workable without alot of prep work.

Mig welders are great in a shop environment, but for me they never seem to perform well outside in the breeze (or wind... it always seems to kick up when I want to Mig outside!).

I have a flux-core Mig that is great for thin stuff and just recently bought a Hobart Champion 4500, engine-driven AC stick welder/generator combo. The Hobart can go anywhere and weld most anything (except aluminum), and also provide power for my little flu-core, making it portable as well.

I like Migs, they just don't fit my heavy welding needs as well as a stick machine!

BTW,

I live in about 15 miles west of Sherman... what part of the county are you in?

 

[om21braz]

Like Zoomie said, the MIG's depend much more on a breeze free environment, clean materials and a good ground to operate well. Ugliest welds I've seen are MIG when some smart aleck has cut off your gas ! Now, if I can ever get used to the self-darkening helmets - guess you can call me old-school.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> Like Zoomie said, the MIG's depend much more on a breeze free environment, </font>
This assumes you're not using flux core wire, right?

 

[MadReferee]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Do you notice you have to do a lot of cleaning up before using the MIG? I used a rented stick welder to fix my brush hog, and didn't do any prep work at all on the dirty, painted metal.)</font>

Mig works best when both surfaces are prepped clean. However, unlike stick welding, there is no slag to remove when finished. You either pay the labor price before welding or after welding, making this mig vs stick issue moot.

 

[roadrash]

I agree that the 6011 rods will burn through paint and rust but do a lot better if the metal is cleaned first. I picked the MM 175 because it will do 95% of my welding needs and I had 220VAC outlet already for the Arc welder. OT? why so many different outlets for 220VAC? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I have kept the Arc machine for times when the mig wont do. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I used some flux core wire yesterday out in the wind, worked farely well but requires carefull cleaning between passes /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I now have to make an adapter for the 22VAC outlet of my genarator to an outlet that will fit the plug of the mig machine /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[om21braz]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue"> Like Zoomie said, the MIG's depend much more on a breeze free environment, </font>
This assumes you're not using flux core wire, right? )</font>

Sorry Mike, but I can't comment on flux-core use - never used it. Practically all of my welding experience has been in a shop with a Miller mig(various models/3-phase) and the argon/oxy. gas mixture and minimal stick use. Here they used to not let you weld with a wire-welder until you learned how to use a stick - then you rarely touch one again. Maybe someone else here can give some insight of flux-core ?

 

[chim]

I used fluxcore for a little bit (till the C25 gas came). I need to switch between "Electrode Positive" and "Electrode Negative" when going between solid and fluxcore wire. The fluxcore leaves a little slag, but not nearly as much as a stick welder. The fluxcore produces more splater, but is recommended by folks on the welding forum I visit for better penetration and outdoor (windy) conditions. I have done nearly all my welding outdoors so far, and found solid wire with the CV25 mixed gas works pretty well. When it gets pretty breezy, I can usually block the wind enough so it isn't an issue. I have never attempted to weld outdoors when it was really windy...............chim

 

[MikePA]

The advantage I see to a 110v MIG with fluxcore is you don't have to drag around a gas bottle. It goes back to what someone else mentioned (I think somone else mentioned this /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ), can you bring the work to the welding equipment or do you have to take the welding equipment to the work.

 

[EastTexFrank]

That's the reason I got my 110v MIG apart from the pont that you can take it anywhere and plug it in. I always use flux core, never used gas. Just about all my welding is done outside and I couldn't stand starting a job, running out of gas and having to make a 60 mile round trip to get some. I admit that it's not as pretty as using gas, a lot more spatter, but for most of the stuff that I do that's not too important. I find myself using the stick welder more and more at the house. I can lay down a much prettier bead with it on a windy day although it is even more "messy".

 

[Alan L.]

I am near Tioga.

 

[Zoomie]

Alan,

You're pretty close by...

The rest,
Yes, flux-core is the only Mig I have had good results with outside a shop. When I attended welding school, the first thing we learned was welding with a gas torch! I'm glad for the experience, as it really teaches you the importance of "puddle" control, but I'd much rather have an electric welder. Y'all haven't had fun until you use a gas torch to weld a vertical joint!

The slef-darkening helments are the best thing to happen to welding in a long, long time! I could never go back to the old style.

Most of my welding is done outside, on implements or my fence/gates. For these jobs, the engine-driven AC welder has been the best choice.