Need info for buying my first welder
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spitter
Platinum Member
I was a carpenter for 30 years before i started welding . Now all I wan't to do is weld and my wood working projects have sat idle. I was given a miller regency and bought a syncrowave 300 . I like old transformer machines no fancy boards to crap out . And if you buy a multi process machine you don't have a spare to use in emergency if you have seperate mig and tig less likely hood of having 2 welders down at one time.:2cents::drink:
strantor
Platinum Member
I would suggest getting a decent MIG machine or multi-process (incl. MIG) to start. Some will insist on newbies starting out with stick or Oxy because that's what they started with, and they feel like it builds character. It does do that, and if your goal is to be a good welder then follow that advice. But if your goal is just to be able to slap metal together, then avoid the frustration of stick welding until you get to a point where you think you need it. MIG is (IMO) by far the easiest welding process and covers most of what you'll probably be doing. So long as what you'll be doing is joining virgin/clean pieces of mild steel of similar thickness. Stick is more versatile in that there are all kinds of rods for various metals and it isn't as particular about the metal being clean. Stick is also harder to learn (in my opinion/experience). TIG is at the other end of the difficulty/versatility spectrum from MIG. Hardest to learn (IMO) and most versatile (IMO). I'm being very careful with my words because it seems welding processes sometimes rival NFL teams in their abilities to stir up pouty-faced, stomp-off-and-slam-a-door debates online. Not sure why.
I have a MIG machine and a separate TIG/Stick machine. I bought the TIG because one day I decided I was going to teach myself to weld aluminum. It's hard. I never got good at it. But the TIG does come in handy when welding steel of very different thicknesses. Like welding thin sheet to heavy stock. Because you can control how much heat goes into either piece with the foot pedal. Even this though, requires practice.
I have a MIG machine and a separate TIG/Stick machine. I bought the TIG because one day I decided I was going to teach myself to weld aluminum. It's hard. I never got good at it. But the TIG does come in handy when welding steel of very different thicknesses. Like welding thin sheet to heavy stock. Because you can control how much heat goes into either piece with the foot pedal. Even this though, requires practice.
strantor
Platinum Member
forgot to add: in recent years, the gap of quality and capability between big-name-brands and "cheap" imports has closed considerably. (IMO) Miller is still the best, but hardly by any margin to justify the price, at least for a weekend warrior. Unless you're going to be putting food on the table with it, I don’t see any reason to spend that much. You can find welders on Amazon for under $1k that will do everything you need, and last you many years at the amount of hours you're likely to put on it. Even the "Vulcan" line of welders from Harbor Freight (gasp) are good options. Yep, I said it. My instinct is to say "and don't rule out a good used unit" but it seems used Millers are like late 90s Ford trucks with the 7.3L diesel... "don't try to haggle, i know what i got, and this sumbit is worth twice its weight in gold"
jaxs
Elite Member
I am not a professional but I will share what I believe a beginner will benifit from. Forget about multi process and multi voltage machines for you first one. Since you have a good power source,a DC/AC stick welder will be perfect for general farm use. You can buy a new Hobart,Lincoln or Miller and have money left over. Transformer machines are almost indestructable and plentiful so used is a good option. Many people start with a $100 used AC and never find need for anything else. The reason I suggest starting with AC/DC is when it come's time to weld out of position,DC is the way to go. Why not Mig as so many suggest? Because beginners can make pretty welds with Mig so they don't strive to improve their skill. Pretty isn't neccessarly strong,strong require's penitration. I'm not saying mig can't make good welds,it can but they don't look much different to sorry one's. A member by the name shieldarc that used to be on TBN has many good bend tests under the name cep on weldingweb. Join weldingweb then search his posts,you should get an appreciation of what make's good welds. Ditto for "Welding Tricks and Tips",Jodi is a great teacher. Master 6011 stick and chances are you will have little need for other processes but if you do,you will already be way out front to begin.
GeneV
Elite Member
I dunno if I could help you, your budget is way more generous than mine was, you got different options I'm sure, but here goes.
I'm new to welding too...other than trying out stick a few times in the past, I really only started welding this year. I started with a 90 amp flux core (century fc90) on an 120v outlet. For me, I just couldn't click with flux core. Maybe it's muscle memory from a past life or whatever, or just having extra settings to mess with in terms of wire speed, I dunno. I'm sure if I kept at it, I'd master it enough, but I just don't like it. But another reason, 120v flux core, I was welding 1/4" together, but barely so. Very little penetration, I was kinda bummed by that.
So I started researching stick welders, I settled on an amico 160, had really good reviews. It's a dual voltage, so you could plug it in a household outlet, and let me tell ya, it will weld even with that. With a 6011 rod, I was digging plenty deep into 1/4" plate on 120v, albeit I had to run down to the basement a few times to reset the breaker. But plugging this welder into a 240v outlet, wow it welds like a dream, love it!
And as far as what's easier for me, by far it's stick. What is more enjoyable, by far stick. So that's my personal take on it.
As for mig, I never tried it, but it's just flux core w/o the slag, and you could drag or push, otherwise same concept. And as for tig, I can't think of a single reason why anybody should start off on a dedicated tig machine, unless all you're ever gonna be welding is thin gauge stuff.
In regards to multi-purpose machines, I did some research on them, but I've only ever looked at brands like lotos, retail for around $500. From what I read, they're jack of all trades but masters of none. That $1,500 budget of yours would likely put you into a much more able brand of multi-purpose welder/plasma cutter and the like. The concept itself seems real cool.
user.69169
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Used to be a fellow named ROCK who moderated de Hobart site, generally answered such questions with go down to the local welding supplier and take the machine on a test dance.
More years than I care to count tells me he was right.
True to tell I'd say worst mistake a man can make is buyin himself a welding machine on mail order especially if he ain't a welder. Lot of people got mail order machines sitting on a shelf collecting dust cause they couldn't make de thing weld and had nobody to turn to for help.
Welding is kind of like makin yer first peanut butter & jelly sammich. If you seen it done makin that sammich real easy, but if you just following instructions gonna be a lot of bread wasted and all over de floor.
Another thing new guys do is think de weld is in de machine. It ain't. Weld is between de ears of de man behind de helmet. You just startin out and insist dere no reason to learn O/A where you learn de puddle, all you need for 5 years is a stick machine and a grinder wid a lot of grindin wheels. World sure welded a lot of steel together wid stick for near 50 years before MIG came to shops.
Welding is a skill set you learn wid a bunch of practice mistakes along de road. Thinkin different is just insulting the men & women who perfected the work you tryin to learn.
More years than I care to count tells me he was right.
True to tell I'd say worst mistake a man can make is buyin himself a welding machine on mail order especially if he ain't a welder. Lot of people got mail order machines sitting on a shelf collecting dust cause they couldn't make de thing weld and had nobody to turn to for help.
Welding is kind of like makin yer first peanut butter & jelly sammich. If you seen it done makin that sammich real easy, but if you just following instructions gonna be a lot of bread wasted and all over de floor.
Another thing new guys do is think de weld is in de machine. It ain't. Weld is between de ears of de man behind de helmet. You just startin out and insist dere no reason to learn O/A where you learn de puddle, all you need for 5 years is a stick machine and a grinder wid a lot of grindin wheels. World sure welded a lot of steel together wid stick for near 50 years before MIG came to shops.
Welding is a skill set you learn wid a bunch of practice mistakes along de road. Thinkin different is just insulting the men & women who perfected the work you tryin to learn.
Gary Fowler
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I had always used stick machines for my home and when I was about to retire from working construction, I bought a Miller Dialarc 250 with welding leads for $350, then bought a Phoenix dry rod storage oven to keep my Low Hydrogen rods in. That served me for 10 years. This year I decided to start doing wire feed welding and found a sweet welding little inverter at Harbor freight for $159 on sale. It is a 125 Titanium Fluxcore welder only and a friend who owns a Hobart 140 says my Titanium 125 welds much better than his Hobart. Next I decided to up my amps and got a Titanium 170 ($539)which does both MIG and FCAW but I didn't like the way it welded and I think the wire feeder was malfunctioning so I returned it to Harbor Freight.
Then I decided to go all the way and bought the top of their line, a Vulcan 220 Omni Pro ($999)which does MIG/FCAW/STICK/TIG and can run on both 120/220 volt. It will also run a spool gun for welding aluminum if you want to do that. I did so I bought the spool gun also ($189) and a couple spools of wire but I havent tried it out yet. The Omni Pro will do anything you would ever think about doing with a welder and leave money left to buy your C25 argon bottom for use with your MIG. You would still need and additional bottle of 100% Argon if you wanted to TIG weld. At my Local welding supply 125 CF bottle which are as big as I want to drag and lift are around $300 each.
I hope this info helps you somewhat. I almost forgot, I also purchased a Plasma arc from Everlast which also does stick and TIG but it didnt last long (maybe and hour total before I had to send it in for repairs) and their 3 year warranty is only for parts. I had to pay for shipping both ways so about $120 to fix it. Harbor Freight would have swapped me a new one on the spot. Folks can say what they want about their stuff but you cant beat their 90 warranty for just getting a new unit no questions asked and 1-2 or 3 year extended warranty is less than what I had to pay to get my 3 year warranty item fixed with Everlast and I am out of a plasma cutter for at least 30 days while they get parts and fix it. I am not a happy Everlast customer.
Then I decided to go all the way and bought the top of their line, a Vulcan 220 Omni Pro ($999)which does MIG/FCAW/STICK/TIG and can run on both 120/220 volt. It will also run a spool gun for welding aluminum if you want to do that. I did so I bought the spool gun also ($189) and a couple spools of wire but I havent tried it out yet. The Omni Pro will do anything you would ever think about doing with a welder and leave money left to buy your C25 argon bottom for use with your MIG. You would still need and additional bottle of 100% Argon if you wanted to TIG weld. At my Local welding supply 125 CF bottle which are as big as I want to drag and lift are around $300 each.
I hope this info helps you somewhat. I almost forgot, I also purchased a Plasma arc from Everlast which also does stick and TIG but it didnt last long (maybe and hour total before I had to send it in for repairs) and their 3 year warranty is only for parts. I had to pay for shipping both ways so about $120 to fix it. Harbor Freight would have swapped me a new one on the spot. Folks can say what they want about their stuff but you cant beat their 90 warranty for just getting a new unit no questions asked and 1-2 or 3 year extended warranty is less than what I had to pay to get my 3 year warranty item fixed with Everlast and I am out of a plasma cutter for at least 30 days while they get parts and fix it. I am not a happy Everlast customer.
yomax4
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I vote for a Multi Process unit for you. As long as you have the funds you can cover most processes. I've had the covers off of many of the $1000 units and they are all similar in design, fit and finish. I have to admit that the Omni Pro 220 is a formidable unit with the extended warranty and will likely last as well as others in it's price range. With your budget you can pick from a vast array of machines including top line used. No-one makes welders in the USA so they are not all that different under the hood. if you go this route I'd suggest paying attention to the gun connection at the machine. Euro Connect is common with many Chinese Imports but Tweco #4 back end is the most used. Miller and Hobart have their own. just google a lot and remember that Warranty is your friend. Good Luck and Enjoy.
Sberry
Platinum Member
First machines,,,, most for the buck that do the most work. A 180-211 mig and an Everlast 150 class dvi stick inverter. Those are machines I would want even if I got othjers, they are the workhorses in a small shop and the 120V stick is about as handy as a pocket on a t shirt, maybe more.
I got 4 feeders, I use 1 mainly, a 180 and a little stick with a DC buzzer. Welder deals are not great in my area, I got a 140 around with 023, its a lately thing and is really nice for car exhaust. I can do it with 030 but its a lot easier on foil thickness with the smaller wire. I just never scored a deal on a Dialarc class, just didnt, I got a 300 Synchro and rarely use it but for a little alum,,, mostly use a HH210 and spooly when I got to.
Its a matter of ease and got to for me,,, I got them, can use them but dont, I really gravitate to simple anymore and back where I started with 6011 a lot of times. Poor fits, cracks and gaps outside and occasion just to try to keep a little hand in running a rod.
What I can do and what I regularly use are somewhat different things. About the only time I use anything different than the 2 small things is contractor work, mostly other peoples things. I got stuck behind a 180 the other day and finally said,,, wtf and got a 250 out. So much faster, 2x and half the material cost.
I got 4 feeders, I use 1 mainly, a 180 and a little stick with a DC buzzer. Welder deals are not great in my area, I got a 140 around with 023, its a lately thing and is really nice for car exhaust. I can do it with 030 but its a lot easier on foil thickness with the smaller wire. I just never scored a deal on a Dialarc class, just didnt, I got a 300 Synchro and rarely use it but for a little alum,,, mostly use a HH210 and spooly when I got to.
Its a matter of ease and got to for me,,, I got them, can use them but dont, I really gravitate to simple anymore and back where I started with 6011 a lot of times. Poor fits, cracks and gaps outside and occasion just to try to keep a little hand in running a rod.
What I can do and what I regularly use are somewhat different things. About the only time I use anything different than the 2 small things is contractor work, mostly other peoples things. I got stuck behind a 180 the other day and finally said,,, wtf and got a 250 out. So much faster, 2x and half the material cost.
