Thinking about getting myself a welder, but...

[JDgreen227]

The other day I took a draft arm clevis from my 7-Iron deck to a shop to have rewelded, they told me it took them about 20 minutes and it cost me $25 for the work. I thought that rate of $75 an hour was more than fair as I have priced welding equipment and that shop is a fair sized place with a lot of overhead.

Have long dreamed about buying a smaller MIG welder, one that can be operated on 115 volts...which would cost me about $400-450. Then I have to buy an auto-darkening helmet and leather gloves, plus the expense of a bottle of gas. In the 23 years I have lived in the country, the experience with the clevis was only the second time I needed to to have welding done, and although there are probably a few times I COULD have used a welder to fix or create something.

How many of the members here can actually justify the expense of their welding equipment, has it paid for itself yet? Or is it basically something you just wanted because you needed it once in a while, never mind the cost? Thanks for your input.

 

[20 20]

I quess I'll be 1st. I started as a teen with an old crappy 110V arc welder, very frustrating. Then latter on in life I went to a fairly nice mig hobart cost 600{allmost30yrs ago} I did a lot of work with that machine and it lasted many years well worth the money. When the mig finally died, I went back to an arc welder{my preference} have had that for some time now and it paid for itself more then a few times. I have even done a few odd jobs on the side.

You may be surprised at what you'll end up repairing or just plain building.

 

[Shield Arc]

Over my life time I've made really good money with welding equipment, (mine and the companies I worked for) haven't made a dime with mine since retiring. I have never taken anything to a welding shop for repair.


Far as the purchase of a 120-volt wire feed, don't do it! Buy a 220-volt stick machine.

 

[hodge]

For the home hobbyist, if you go out and buy new equipment with all the bells and whistles, it will probably never pay off. Then again, there are lots of things that we buy that don't pay off- like a nice television. That thing doesn't make a dime. So, what you have to ask is this- if I can't financially justify it, do I want one for the fun and experience? To me, again for the hobbyist, that is where the real question is- what can you do with it? Once you have one, and get better at welding, you will find that there are lots of things that you can do. It expands your horizons. In that sense, it's a lot easier to justify than a tv...
Now, if you shop and find you a used welder, you can see a return on your money, depending on how much you use it. If you don't use it, you can probably sell it for the same that you paid for it.
There are many things in life that, if you break it down to dollars and cents and don't look at other values, you won't take the step. A family vacation, that photo at the end of an amusement park ride, a really nice camera, etc.- some things can't be fully evaluated by the cost. I started with a Lincoln 135SP mig welder, that was worn out but I got real cheap. I eventually moved up to a new Hobart, which I now use for a side business. It hasn't paid for itself yet, but it will soon and be around, making me money, for a long time after that. If I hadn't gotten that cheap Lincoln, and realized the opportunites that came with some welding skills, then I would have missed out on a fulfilling activity. I now love to weld and fabricate.
Only you can answer whether it is a good investment or not- my advice is to not only look at the cost side of it.

 

[JDgreen227]

Given the limited use I would expect for a welder, a 220 volt makes little sense because my planned welding shop is in a detached garage 150 feet from the house, and wiring that up to 220 would be an expensive undertaking.

 

[Shield Arc]

I'm a pretty good weldor, not as good as I use to be, and I've only run one 120-volt wire feed in my life. And I couldn't get away from it fast enough, but you will never catch me repairing equipment with one.

 

[Army grunt]

I had picked up a buzz box several years ago for $100.00. It was ok,The VA had a program for 100% diss. vets. I applied an got it(only 2 guys per state get it)
They replaced ALL my woodworking tools, an asked if I could use anything else, I said I would like a Mig welder.I got that an a steal cutting band saw. an everything to go with the new welder, first project was a trailer for a new boat I built, then next big project was a saw mill, also several small projects an lastly a dump trailer,I am always on the lookout for used steal for projects. I use it alot.It makes building stuff fun.
Army Grunt

 

[JimRB]

I have a Hobart Handler 140 which is a 120 volt unit. I use solid wire with CO2Argon mix. I have used a tall tank of gas and most of a roll of .030 wire fixing things and making things. Note that you can't fix real thick stuff but 1/4" or less it works fine. That is all I am working with. If I need to do bigger stuff I go to the welding shop. So I have patched and fixed my brush cutter and finish mower, made metal stall doors, and fixed other stuff. At the shop using bigger equipment I have made a pulverizer and a front loader hay spear frame. Those bigger projects required bigger saws. Not likely I could rationalize a 230v welder for play but other folks certainly can. Well I guess I could have but really for me having an iron worker to chop 200 spikes for the pulverizer, or a big band saw to cut two pieces of 8" pipe or whatever big cutting I need. With a big welder you need creative cutting maybe? With a little welder, my grinders and 6 inch metal bandsaw are all I need. You can rationalize almost anything if you try hard enough. Of course if you buy a welder then you better have a list of things you want/need to do.

 

[Sublifer]

I would at least consider a 110/220 stick machine. 110 won't get you very far... I've got a 110 FC mig welder and I can't weld anything thicker than 1/8" with it. YMMV but I'd try to listen to Shield Arc. He is humble but is one of the most knowledgeable and helpful people you could find on here.

 

[yomax4]

It's nice to have welding equipment if you are into building and fixing. If you only require a fix here and there maybe it's not a good deal. I have built several trailers, dozens of deer stands, decorative posts and hooks for the gardens, Repaired many small implements for myself and others, Boats, ATV's etc. You have to into that kind of stuff to justify buying welding equipment. Currently if I add up all my equipment it's worth more than a new car. The problem is that I use it all. I have owned several brand named 115v wire feed units and they work ok but they are 85 amps at 19 volts at best. I would say buy a 115 / 220v inverter stick welder for your needs. There are some 115v stick units out there that are very capable and some put out an honest 100 amps. That gives you a fair amout of power for your money. Good luck on your choice.

 

[flusher]

The other day I took a draft arm clevis from my 7-Iron deck to a shop to have rewelded, they told me it took them about 20 minutes and it cost me $25 for the work. I thought that rate of $75 an hour was more than fair as I have priced welding equipment and that shop is a fair sized place with a lot of overhead.

Have long dreamed about buying a smaller MIG welder, one that can be operated on 115 volts...which would cost me about $400-450. Then I have to buy an auto-darkening helmet and leather gloves, plus the expense of a bottle of gas. In the 23 years I have lived in the country, the experience with the clevis was only the second time I needed to to have welding done, and although there are probably a few times I COULD have used a welder to fix or create something.

How many of the members here can actually justify the expense of their welding equipment, has it paid for itself yet? Or is it basically something you just wanted because you needed it once in a while, never mind the cost? Thanks for your input.

I have a $400 Hobart Stickmate LX AC/DC stick welder that paid for itself at least 10 times over in the 5 years I've had it. It gives you immense freedom to design and construct new stuff and to repair almost anything you encounter. ONe of these days I might even take a whack at MIG and TIG.

 

[JDgreen227]

I would at least consider a 110/220 stick machine. 110 won't get you very far... I've got a 110 FC mig welder and I can't weld anything thicker than 1/8" with it. YMMV but I'd try to listen to Shield Arc. He is humble but is one of the most knowledgeable and helpful people you could find on here.

I have been reading many of the threads here, agree that Shield Arc is very helpful and a wealth of information. My broken Deere deck clevis was 1/4 inch and that would be the thickest material I forsee the need to work with, and that is well within the capabilities of a 150 amp 110 volt MIG. The issue of having to run 220 to my garage 150 feet away is the main reason I want to avoid that voltage. I would be running new wiring under an existing ten foot deep concrete patio, then under an 8 foot wide concrete driveway, and then under a 20 foot deep garage pad. It's not like I can simply dig a trench and run the new wiring.

 

[FredH]

Two of the items I have built using my SP135 Lincoln using .035 fluxcore . Sure it is not the fastest welding when in a high range with limited duty cycle , but then neither am I . :thumbsup:

The ripper use to be a single gang old disk , the curved metal was there as was the some of the frame . Will have to look for the pictures of the boulders and 8" cement drain pipe that I yanked out of the ground .

Fred H.

 

[lostcause]

I have been reading many of the threads here, agree that Shield Arc is very helpful and a wealth of information. My broken Deere deck clevis was 1/4 inch and that would be the thickest material I forsee the need to work with, and that is well within the capabilities of a 150 amp 110 volt MIG. The issue of having to run 220 to my garage 150 feet away is the main reason I want to avoid that voltage. I would be running new wiring under an existing ten foot deep concrete patio, then under an 8 foot wide concrete driveway, and then under a 20 foot deep garage pad. It's not like I can simply dig a trench and run the new wiring.

i'm assuming the garage at 150 feet away already has 120v power, or are you planning on running an extension cord to use the planned welder? either way, you may be close on the power you have out there already. a 120v welder will probably only have a 20% duty cycle when drawing maximum power, but you may still find yourself heating up the supply line pretty well due to that long distance. if you ever do have a new line run to the garage, plan ahead and spend the extra on heavy wiring for future use. the labor is the same to lay one run of 12-2 as it is to lay three stands of 1/0 and a #2 ground.

many people on here like stick welders and consider them more versatile because they can weld thicker material at a cheaper initial cost. i actually consider them to be far less useful because they don't deal well with material less than 1/8" thick, and they don't leave the clean finish of mig. if you have heavy equipment then that's one thing, but i own all sorts of things made out of metal - dump truck, equipment trailer, farm implements, etc. and probably 95% of the material is under 1/4" thick.

i got by with an older 120v flux core welder for years, and it only had a 110a rating, but i managed to find ways to effectively weld everything i needed up to 1/2" by either leaving a gap or beveling the edges, or both. 1/4" is a good guideline for what can be easily welded with most 120v welders though. i now have a slightly larger unit (miller 211) and I use it for everything. i have only turned the stick unit on for an aluminum repair (tig) in the last year. i will need to use it soon though, for a cast iron repair.

as far as paying for themselves... well, if you buy a used / inexpensive welder you can probably financially justify it easily, but a larger one will likely take many years. as another poster noted: how much does a flat screen cost compared to its return? leather interior upgrades in a car, a cruise that is over in two weeks, ski lift tickets, golf memberships, and the list goes on and on... it's all a matter of what is important to you and your family. i work a desk job most of the time, and often when i work i end up doing 10-12 hour stress filled days, so the welders, mill, lathe, automotive tools, finished workshop, and so on are like having a vacation every time i come home.

 

[Soundguy]

smaller MIG welder, one that can be operated on 115 volts...which would cost me about $400-450. .

small 115v mig for 450$?

you can get one about 300$ cheaper, name brand...

I'd avoid a 115v welder, and get a 220v stick if nothing else.

soundguy

 

[JDgreen227]

Garage is wired directly from house panel, have no problems running 20 amps, have one big air compressor that draws that much and it has never tripped a breaker.

 

[gwdixon]

OK, here comes my 2 cents.

A stick welder is much, much less expensive to buy and operate. There is not very much maintenance compared to a wire-feed. No gas bottles, liners, tips to replace, mechanical things going wrong, etc., etc.

Stick is very versatile for many farm welding tasks, including hardfacing. The little 200A inverter welders are light and do an excellent job even on heavy, thick metals.

110V welding is virtually useless on a farm. Running 220V to your shop should not be that much more expensive than running 110V wire. That leaves open the possibility of a decent air compressor, plasma cutter, wood saws, air conditioning D) and many other 220V tools. OK, so I'm dreaming a bit but if you don't wire it with 220V initially it will cost you much more later when your needs expand - and they will.

Several of the responders on here have the Everlast Power Arc 200 which is simple, runs excellent beads, is versitile, lightweight, and can be had for less than $300 with the TBN discount.

 

[k0ua]

Well everyone has an opinion.
since you are limited to 120volts at 20 amps. have you considered the Everlast PA140 which will do 100 amps output on 120volts. It is cheap, AND comes with a TIG torch if you want to TIG for light metals later. So you can weld stick and learn that process now, and then invest in regulator (26 bucks) and argon bottle ( varies by region) later when you need to do sheetmetal work. TIG is not as fast as MIG and requires much more practice, but it is a good thing to know. You can fix a lot of stuff with a 3/32 rod and 100 amps or less. I have the PA160 and it is all the stick welder I need. Or you can invest in a Mig and enjoy that too

James K0UA

 

[rankrank1]

Nothing gets you into welding cheaper than a stick welder. Really the only thing a decent stick welder will not do well is weld steel thinner than say 1/16" (e.g. body panels and exhaust pipe type stuff). For thicker type steel, welding outside, or welding on dirty rusty metals the stick unit will actually be better than a cheap mig.

Do not get me wrong mig is probably the easiest to use, but even a cheap mig cost quite a bit to buy, and the consumables really add up over time. Certainly worth it if you weld lots of thin metal, but an expensive luxury to a hobbyist like me. (actually I wish I had never bought my Mig even though it is a good unit. I simply just have more invested in it than I will ever get back in return from use benefit or even resale value).

My AC/DC buzzbox stick welder on the other hand will only leave my arsenal when I die. To me my stick welder is a much more versatile tool than the 1-trick pony mig welder for a crude backyard shop.
a) I obviously weld with it (with zero consumables except electricity).
b) Also provides a nearly free source of intense heat via Twin Carbon Arc torch for bending metal, freeing rusted nuts, brazing, sliver soldering, etc. (Unfortunately the new Inverters will not allow you to utilize this benefit. You must have an older transformer based welder).
c) Also I can cut crudley with it too by sticking 6011 (or cutting electrodes) in the stinger and cranking up the amps - not plasma quality but works and does it cheaply.
d) Can also power a scratch start tig torch too.

My recommendations for you would be any of :
a) $75-$125 on used market will get you into an AC only buzzbox such as a Lincoln, Miller, Hobart, etc. You will need 220 volt to power one of these but you can use 10 gage extension cord out to 95' feet or so without issue - dryer plug or stove plug in the house. (welder will last for your grandkids to be using and if you ever decide to sell you will get all your investment back).
b) Better Yet: $150-$225 on used market will get you into an even better option of an AC/DC buzzbox similar to above. DC is slightly easier to use over AC and is a must have if you ever want to add a tig torch. (Again you will need 220, but still operatable with an extension cord. AC/DC may not last quite as many decades as an AC only unit, but still very durable. If you sell you will get 100% of your investment back).
c) Last Resort: $150-$225 Since you have zero interest in running better power to your shed and if an extension cord is not practical for you to temporary have 220 available then I would try one of the dual voltage inverters from either Everlast of Longetivity. It will be limited on on 110, but just might surprise you with some decent welding capability although you defintiely will not be doing any "Twin Carbon Arc" free heat or improvised cutting with these units. They are DC only and do come with a tig torch though. (As for how long it will last - there is lots of conflicting info on that but you do get a 5yr warranty).

FWIW: Before you disregard the extension cord idea for gaining 220: I do all of my welding outdoors since my shed is overfull and welding/grinding is a dirty messy process and I do not want the mess or risk of fire in my barn.

 

[Freakingstang]

I made a living being a fabricator after a restoration business. I"ll never not have a welder. It has allowed me to build all kinds of things from scratch...

built this quad trailer from an old pop up camper frame about 15 years ago..

built this one all out of scrap...I built it to haul 15K....

I could go on for days... a 220V smaller mig like a lincoln 180-190 is an ideal choice for a homeowner/small shop owner. With flux core wire (no gas) will allow you to weld thicker (1/4-3/8")stuff relatively easily