Taking the Welder Plunge

[Kratos]

I haven't bought anything yet. Why would you choose the Lincoln over the Hobart? I do like the fact that the local Home Depot sells parts and accessories. I live in an area without many choices when it comes to stores.

 

[Soundguy]

I chose my hobart over lincol due to capacity mostly.. and not much on price as the hobart was only 30$ cheaper..e tc.. Also.. the hobart has a spin-wheel amp setting dial as opposed to manual click in amp settings.. etc..

soundguy

 

[Kratos]

I like the fact that the Hobart seems to adjust how long you can weld based on amperage used. At least, I think that is what it means. I just found this on Craig's list in Seattle which is a two hour drive, but could buy both and sell one maybe. Anyone know about these machines?

LINCOLN 140 and 180 amp electric welders

John

 

[fiddler kelly]

Krato I have the Lincoln sp 125 mig tha can be turned up to 125 amps and weld up to 5/16 steel with multiple runs. I like the machine for light welding or spot welding. I have made canoe racks for trucks and quads mostly anything with 1/4 inch or less thickness I have used it on but I also have a miller ac/dc thunderbolt which I use for anything greater thatn a quarter. The convenience I find with the mig is no cleanup after.

I had cut a line through an old oil tank I am using for a dump trailor which was a bad mistake but to weld it back together was very easy with the mig.

But like I said I think you should get yourself a stick first you can always turn dom the amperage and get the appropitate rod for that amperage.

 

[ChuckinNH]

To begin with rumor has it that Home Depot has a proprietary agreement with Lincoln Electric in which Lincoln supplies a lesser quality product for sale in HD outlets only.


The way I understand it, if there is a "HD" at the beginning of the product number then the product is made to Home Depot specs, and is not the same product that you would buy at another place.

 

[SkunkWerX]

To begin with rumor has it that Home Depot has a proprietary agreement with Lincoln Electric in which Lincoln supplies a lesser quality product for sale in HD outlets only. There are minor differences in the product naming that can give clues to which is which. Also I think Lincoln is kind of ambitious in their claims of welding capacity across the board. Such things can be done, but only in ideal conditions with highly skilled weldors and things are different in the real world for me and you.

That done, the small fluxcore welder will struggle to complete welds in 1/4" mild steel and then only if the material is clean and a bevel is cut in each piece.

If you buy the Lincoln wire feeder you'll likely be back in the market sooner than later, OK?

For a single welder user a stick welder makes the most sense for all the reasons given above by bigdad and Capt Jack. However, that Home Depot price for an AC only Lincoln tombstone is pretty high. They're available for less than $220. shipped for free (and tax free) from assorted online outlets.

I agree with hill. I have the Lincoln 155, which is the 220v unit, gas reeady/equipped. Right now mine is set-up for aluminum, but I;'m switching it back as I finished the aluminum work a while ago. The 155 can weld 1/4" and slightly higher with a couple passes, which makes me suspicious of the 100 doing 1/4". They may be getting away with it using multiple passes and perfect conditions/prep.

I've had the trusty Lincoln225 "Buzz box" for 20 years, and it will surely run another 20 or so. I've been welding all my tractor implements with it for a long long time, does just fine. I even built a landscape trailer, ground-up, with it. AC is more "jumpy" than a good DC unit, but it can still get your job done with good results.

I'm thinking the Lincoln100 might be just a hair undersized for your needs.
In the implement building/fixing game there will be time you need to go to 3/8" steel, maybe even 1/2". and when you consider odd angles, and less than perfect joints, the AC225 with the right electrodes will git-r-done.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Kratos i thought you had already bought that hobart welder. I like the lincoln better because I have seen a ton of them that are old and rusted looking like they are about to fall apart but still weld great, alos I learned on Lincoln's and about every arc welder i have used is a Lincoln. a buddy of mine has a Hobart AC/DC machine and it is nice, makes great looking welds and has the dial amperage adjustment instead of the pre-set adjustable switches like the Lincoln 225's.
I have used a Lincoln 110V mig welder, I don't remember the model #, but I would rather throw it in a ditch than to use it again, but that is just me. A guy I used to work for has a Miller 110V mig welder that was one of the finest mig's I have used but I don't remember the model # on it either. I welded 1/2" and 3/8" stuff with it often but it was ground, beveled and cleaned thouroughly.

 

[Kratos]

I called the guy who advertised the 140 Lincoln and the 180 Lincoln. He wants $350 for the 140 which is 110V and $400 for the 180 which is 220V. Both are new in the box and never struck an arc, he says. I have also found 15 year old Linclon 225 AC for $100. What say ye all?

 

[Tom_Veatch]

I like the fact that the Hobart seems to adjust how long you can weld based on amperage used. At least, I think that is what it means. ...

That's called "duty cycle" and is a characteristic of all these machines. The higher the welding heat (amperage), the faster the guts of the machine heats up. At some fairly low amperage, the duty cycle can be 100% meaning you can weld continuously at that amperage. At higher amperages, the duty cycle will decrease. The duty cycle at max amperage can be as low as 20% on many of this class of machines.

Duty cycles are usually expressed in the percentage of a 10 minute period that you can weld continuously - e.g. at a 20% duty cycle, you can weld for 2 minutes after which you must let the welder cool for 8 minutes. 50% duty cycle - weld 5 minutes, cool 5 minutes, etc.

I believe most welders have a thermal overload device that trips when the internal temperature exceeds maximum permitted, IOW, the duty cycle is exceeded. I have read comments by some who say they can extend the duty cycle by improving the cooling air flow through the welder - i.e. setting an external fan to blow air over/through the welder. I've not tried that, as I've not yet exceeded the duty cycle on either my Thunderbolt stick welder nor my MM180 mig unit. But, I don't ususally run long continuous beads either.

For two similar machines, check the specified duty cycle at the various welding amperages. If you expect to be continuously welding over an extended time, you'll want the machine which specifies the highest duty cycles.

 

[California]

... found 15 year old Lincoln 225 AC for $100. What say ye all?

I think you just found the answer. That unit will complete any project you are likely to need as you evolve as a "wanabe "Green Acres" style mini-farmer" (your words). The alternatives you found are lighter-duty and more specialized to make them efficient for stuff you aren't likely to do.

I'm a couple of years ahead of you on the same path. I found an old 1960's Montgomery Wards AC welder with the same specifications as that Lincoln. Both these models are dead simple, inside there is nothing but a huge indestructible transformer and a cooling fan that you might have to replace ($10) every 50 years, in the kind of service you and I use it for. The cabinet will rust away long before that transformer would have a problem.

For your use I think the additional dollars beyond that $100 are buying 'shiny and pretty' rather than improving the strength of welds you will make.

Jump on it before someone else does.