In the old days we use to have regulators with heaters built in to them. Just plug a 120-volt extension cord to it. But I haven't seen them in years. You could also hang a mechanic's drop light on the regulator, the heat from the light bulb will help keep the regulator from freezing up.
For outdoors you may wish to consider gasless fluxcore. Its messy but will save the gas for when you can work inside.
OK, so I have learned to Mig Weld via the web. Just being honest here. I am learning a lot, but some things don't make sense.
Wanted to ask you guys why the head of my welder looks this way. I seem to get it gunked up pretty quickly. Am I holding too close (I have to weld outdoors so MIG gas is an issue). Or is this just how after running 24" of weld the thing looks and cleaning is part of the process?
Flux core MIG works fine outdoors. Just as good as stick. As pointed out earlier you are limited to 0.035 gauge wire with standard MIG guns but unless you are welding more than quarter inch steel that is no issue. My stock Miller Passport and Multimatic Kit guns do just fine.If welding outdoors I thought the general advice was to stick weld. Can your welder do both?
I've been on jobs running 70-pounds of wire a day, at over 450-amps with a K-126 gun for months at a time.Holy Cow- some of those self shielded wire guns are hard core...
600 amp rating on one of them (k116) - bet with the right supply could lay down some really substantial beads in one pass.
I've been on jobs running 70-pounds of wire a day, at over 450-amps with a K-126 gun for months at a time.