Welder Selection Help

[al3]

In addition to the other comments, look at the duty cycle rating of whatever you’re considering. If, for example, the duty cycle is 20% at 120 amps, that means for every 2 minutes of continuous welding at that amperage, you’ll need to let the unit cool for 8 minutes.
Those really inexpensive MIG units have very low duty cycles. If you exceed them bad things happen. Typically, first your arc go to heck, then the unit either shuts down (thermal overload switch) or it burns out……
Picked up a Miller Pulsar MIG last year----- runs a pretty good bead on 19 gauge alum without burning through---sweet.

 

[aardvark]

A 130A MIG that runs on 110V wall power is going to weld up to 1/8" steel material thicknesses with one pass down one side of the material. It will also weld 3/16" or 1/4" steel material if you weld two passes, one weld bead down both sides of the material. A 175A MIG which runs on 220V power will do 1/4" with one pass, and 3/8" to 7/16" with two passes, on steel.

Don't confue a MIG with a wire feed welder. A MIG technically IS a wire feed welder, but it has a shielding gas. The el-cheapo wire feed welders from the Home Depot type retailers typically are called MIG welders, but really are not, because they don't have the shielding gas available as purchased. Read all the box and see what's included. I've used the flux core wire in my Lincoln SP100 (predecessor to the SP135 Plus, purchased in 1992), and it welds kind of crappy. Most of the flux core wire if just too large a diameter to weld nicely with the 130A machines.

Just starting out, the 130A MIG which runs on 110V wall power will do most things. Many people don't like them, but frankly, I've welded more stuff with my 130A Lincoln than you could imagine. Sure it's not going to weld 1/2" material, but I knew that when I bought it. It's the equivalent of trying to push over a 400' tall northern CA Redwood with a CUT. It just won't happen, and was never intended to either.

I've never used the stick welder attachment that came with my TIG, so I'm not going to comment on it. You probably don't want the TIG if you have never welded, and it's out of your price range anyway. Frankly, I suspect all the decent MIGs are out of your price range as well. Now the 175A Lincoln Square Wave 175 Pro will weld 3/8"-1/2" with one pass, no problems at all. Lots more control on power and rod feed though, given that the rod is fed by hand, and you can leave the torch in one place on the puddle and let the puddle penetrate.

Maybe I need to try the stick welder attachment. I've owned this TIG since about 2000 and haven't even removed the stick clamp from the bag.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> I've never used the stick welder attachment that came with my TIG, so I'm not going to comment on it. </font>

I will comment on it...but for the sake of this thread this comment means nothing...TIG is expensive, well beyond the original posters budget! [for those not familiar with TIG, TIG welders are frequently dual purpose, TIG and STICK].

I used the stick side of my TIG welder long before I tried TIG. The stick side worked as well as the big TIG/STICK welder I was using at the evening learning class. I was real happy with the performance.

TIG if you can afford it is a different world. I have no experience with MIG, so that may be a different world too. I think MIG might be the best in reality, for heavy stuff, as TIG takes too slow. I am probably a "closet luster" when it comes to MIG.

Anyway, with the poster's budget, there really seems to be no option but stick, if he is buying new. And really, unless he is a very lucky guy, even buying used will point at stick too... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Nothing wrong with stick...just takes some time to get good at it...

 

[johnday]

Bill; Not directed directly at you, yours just happened to be the last post.

Tig was described by my instructor as a combination of stick and Mig. Mig is by far the easiest process to learn. It's almost like a caulking gun. After I learned the different processes, I have problems when advertisers tout "Mig welded" this and that. Mig does look nice, and it's the easiest process to make "nice" looking welds, but I believe if you want real penetration consistently, you want to get good with stick first, and then Tig. Tig welds can be absolutley beautiful in skilled hands, and was actually developed for the aircraft industry welding on thin and/or sensitive metals.

Yeah I know, I just graduated from welding class, and I'm definetley still a rookie, but every once in a while I do retain what I learned. And now I'm going out to buy one of those flower hats weldors wear. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[_RaT_]

I had welded doing ARC since 3rd or 4th grade on my Dads Lincoln 180 using Fleetweld 37 or 180. Eventually I took up MIG. I welded a 6" flange to a guys wood burning stove he was making. With many years of experience that he had usingf MIG, I completely destroyed his ego when the MIG weld I layed down was so pretty even he had to admit to being second gun. The point is, if you can do a good job ARC welding, chances are good you can be very good at MIG. I have both and find there are times for both. Now TIG as William (Henro) mentions is another story, it's very artsy fartsy, not that there is anything wrong with that. I would love to learn it.

 

[johnday]

Rat; Oh yes, all three processes have a place. I'm sort of poking fun at the advertisers that mention Mig like it's some sort of magic mystery thing. In all reality, I'd like to have a Mig, and a Tig. I've already got a stick. You guys that have been welding awhile sure could go circles around me for sure! But like at the present, a stick welder is my favorite, did I mention that it's also the least expensive? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I think I'm going to take my better 2/3 out somewhere and show her what the real welders can do, maybe I'll wind up with a Mig and Tig too!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Wonder if she has ever heard of a plasma cutter? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[1962]

i agree with the other posts. for $250.00 grab a used lincoln tombstone 225/ac. a 225 ac/dc if your lucky and you can weld steel up to 1" with multiple passes. mig is fast and easier for a beginner to use but you wont get a good one for $250.00. tig machines are not even close to cheap. very expensive and not something to begin on. not unless you have been oxyacetylene welding for awhile. i prefer stick for it's versatility for rods and the penetration you get. but i must add, i use a mig when the job calls for it and ya gotta love the speed and the simplicity..

 

[Jagmandave]

It may be "artsy-fartsy" but I've seen a guy weld tin foil with a tig! He also does some fabulous work on stainless steel when I need it. Welds so clean and neat that you not only don't need to grind them, you wouldn't want to, they're so pretty! I have a Lincoln SP 125 Plus Mig and I've welded all sorts of stuff with it, it does a great job. But even it was $700 on sale, so well out of the $250 range. A good stick welder will do fine on just about anything - given the right rod and setup - you just have to do a lot more clean up after........

 

[_RaT_]

Yeah, the versatility of TIG is amazing. I guess between the gases, the consumables, the low speed and of course the cost of the TIG welder itself, it's not your everyday welder. The one thing about an ARC welder is that it just always works. So simple, very dependable and quite inexpensive. If I were getting the Lincoln, I'd go for the AC/DC version for the extra versatility in rod selection it affords.

 

[Laminarman]

Can you weld thicker materials safely and strongly with a 220 MIG, like the dual 120/220 Miller unit? It says it will do up to 1/2" with gas shield. Sure do like the convenience of MIG and speed. My Lincoln 110V is getting too light for some things. I have a chance to buy the Miller (demo floor unit) for $400 with cart, gloves, hood (not auto darkening). It's never been used, just sitting out for six months. They have all the materials for it, just the box is damaged.