My brush forks project renewed my interest in gluing metal (I will post pics under the Attachments Forum). I've been kicking tires lately, thinking about upgrading my Harbor Fright 90amp flux core welder (I know you're laughing).:laughing: I bought it a couple years ago and figured if the welding bug bit me, I'd upgrade it. If not, I'd only be out of $89.00 (or $49.00 after I sold it on craigslist for $50). Despite its limitations and having no training whatsoever, I've fabricated a small firewood rack, coat rack, a rack for my weight plates in my gym, and yesterday, a brush fork for my new Kubotee. The welds are ugly with lots of splatter but they seem to stay stuck.
Anyhoo, what can I expect to accomplish with an upgrade to a Handler 140? Is the gas worth it? From what I've read, I believe my welds (with gas) should be prettier. The 140 is capable of welding light aluminum and I do have one potential aluminum project. Can I just swap out the flux core or steel wire for aluminum wire and add argon or do I need to buy an expensive aluminum spool gun? I think the gun is more $ than the dang welder itself. I looked at the EZ125 at TSC and I like the idiot-proofness of just 4 settings. The local welding shop sells Hobart but he says his Handler 140 ($595.00) is better built than the one TSC sells. I don't know if this is just marketing BS because his buying power is limited to a few units at a time or if Hobart really does make a big box consumer version to keep the price down ($499.00). At least if I did purchase from the local guy, I wouldn't feel bad about picking his brain for some advice.
I would like to stick with something I can just plug into the wall rather than rewiring my garage. I don't plan on building bridges. What are the pros and cons of these two welders? Both seem to get rave reviews.
Your local welding supply guy is blowing smoke up your ****. All Hobarts are the same units, box store, Northern Tool or his.
Always buy the biggest you can afford, no exceptions, period.
Sorry to hijack the thread, but I am in the same boat now. I have the hobart 125 ez from TSC too. It did a ok job on a few things, but there were times I needed to weld thicker/dirty metal. The only thing I hated was the liner keeps breaking and its not cheap. MY local TSC doesnt carry them and I have to go to welding shop and get one, but then they give me funny looks. I always wanted to try the tombstones units as they are supposedly worth the cost. Can anyone tell me if the tombstone an good upgrade from wireflux 120V welders ?
Dirty metal = ac tombstone and 6011
Mig isn't about dirty, rusty metal, it'a about prior preparation.
Liners are generic. You buy by length and trim to fit. You can buy teflon lined liners that work with aluminum wire but a spool gun is better because aluminum wire tends to 'birdnest' just past the drive rolls in a conventional wore machine. A good, but expensive alternative is a 'push-pull' gun.
I'm not even sure what a liner is but the guy at the LWS said the Handler 140 that Tractor Suplly sells has more plastic parts inside (vs. metal) than the one he sells. He said something about the circuit boards not being replaceable or something to that effect too. I'd be tempted to check with Hobart to see if they really do make a big box "consumer" version of the Handler.
Thanks for the advice. :thumbsup: Buying the best and crying once is always the way to go. I am on a budget after buying a
BX2660, used rotary cutter, and a snow plow in the immediate future though. Patience, Grasshopper!
Go to Hobart's website and look. All the same, inside and outside.
Nearest I can tell is that Hobart's are rebadged Miller's from the previous model and with as many plastic parts as possible to lower cost.
Hopefully a knowledgeable person will chime in and say I'm right, partially right, or full of crap.
In any case I'll take a Hobart over a HF or other slapdash brand one finds at Depot, Lowe's, HF, Northern Tool, etc.
By the way, I own a Miller 210.
Nope. Both companies are owned by ITW. Hobart is aimed at the less than professional, part time welder, whereas Miller is a more professional orientated machine. There are duplications across the lines and both Miller's and Hobarts have plastic parts.... metal too.
ITW stands behind their products. Who stands behind the 'slapdash' stuff? ITW, Lincoln, ESAB and all the major players offer assistance and good guarantees.
OK, I looked up the schematic. Do I need a different one for each type of wire? I've just been dinking around with the flux core so far. I have an extra CO2 paintball tank and I think that would work with regular steel wire?
Different what? You change gas and polarity and maybe tips for various wires.
As an aside, I have Hobart machines, Lincoln machines and Miller Machines and all are excellent.
My preference for Mig is Hobart because it's MIG simplified. For TIG, I prefer Lincoln though I do own a Miller Tig Runner. I find the Lincoln to be more controllable at low amperage. That brings me to say that after you get accustomed to a 'Glue Gun (MIG), step up a large notch and get into Tig. Tig takes skill and perserverance, but you can weld anything that conducts electricity, including magnesium, brass, copper, stainless and everything else normal GMAW and SMAW machines can weld.
