Hobart 190 w/spool gun setup and cart mods...

Had some time today to get my new Hobart Handler 190 / Spool Runner 100 unpacked and set up. I did a few mods to the HF cart while I was at it that I'll show as well. First, the deal on the welder. Tractor Supply has the package on sale for $819 which is a pretty good price on it's own but I have a 15% off coupon with a max savings of $100 so I got it for $719 plus the freight and tax. $823 to my door. A pretty good deal in my book.

Everything came in one box and arrived undamaged on the big brown truck.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8518118469/" title="002 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8372/8518118469_2d681b195d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="002"></a>

The packing is super.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8519229688/" title="003 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8086/8519229688_4c0d02f568.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="003"></a>

I've never welded with a spool gun so this will be an adverture I'm sure. The spool gun comes in it's own blow mold case.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8518118409/" title="004 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8370/8518118409_d1e5a3beb5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="004"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8518118397/" title="005 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8099/8518118397_f7e7cc83cd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="005"></a>

Spool gun seems to be a quality piece.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8519229610/" title="009 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8240/8519229610_245e1a5e51.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="009"></a>

Here's everything that comes with the package.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8518118389/" title="006 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8088/8518118389_6217ec55c6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="006"></a>

Drive system = all metal. This is one of the reasons that I decided not to get the Eastwood package. I just couldn't stomach the thought of buying a welder with an all plastic drive.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8519229642/" title="007 by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8368/8519229642_9cb23a7275.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="007"></a>

Now to the setup. First thing was to make an extension cord. I have a 30 amp twist lock plug in the shop so I just need to connect to that and go to the welder. I bought a 50' 10 gauge extension cord from HF. It was on sale for $59.95 less the 20% off so got the cord for $48. Spent $42 at Lowes for a 30 amp twist lock plug and the 50 amp recepticle, 4 square box and cover so for $90 I was able to make a nice 10 gauge 50' cord.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8523222136/" title="011 (2) by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8531/8523222136_e85a9414b5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="011 (2)"></a>

The welder comes setup for flux core so the polarity has to be reversed for solid wire. The only wire that comes with the welder is also flux core. I wanted to get away from the flux core so I made a trip to Airgas yesterday and bought both a 40 cu/ft mix and 40 cu/ft argon bottle along with a roll of .035 4043 aluminum wire for the spool gun and a 10 lb. roll of .030 steel wire. Everything from Airgas was $335 tax and all.

Here's the wire installed and the polarity reversed.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8523222134/" title="011 (7) by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8523222134_e4fbfa1b41.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="011 (7)"></a>

I decided I'd change the ground clamp to the HF 400 amp brass one. Not much comparison to the one that comes with the welder even though it would have probably been fine. The heavy duty clamp looked like $12 well spent at HF to me.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8522108089/" title="011 (9) by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8523/8522108089_56c3554223.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="011 (9)"></a>

Now for the cart mods. It's the basic HF cart but I put it together with good 1/4" bolts, washers and nylocks. I also changed the front wheels to the better HF blue urethane wheels and added a handle to the front. I solved the problem of the door on the welder hitting the side of the top shelf that everyone has with these carts by installing a couple of pieces of 1/4" x 1" aluminum bar to the cart so the welder feet actually sit on the flat bar. This makes the door clear the lip on the shelf.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8523222108/" title="011 (10) by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8106/8523222108_5a6041a3c1.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="011 (10)"></a>

Here's is everything all ready to go.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8523222092/" title="011 (13) by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8250/8523222092_c4bdf4484e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="011 (13)"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8523222086/" title="011 (15) by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8230/8523222086_0629147fbd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="011 (15)"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8523222080/" title="011 (16) by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8389/8523222080_4f9b0e412a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="011 (16)"></a>

I'm going to post a picture of some beads just to prove that the welder works but man, so far I'm a terrible welder. I'll be hunting down a serious amount of scrap to practice on. Let's just say that I'll not be pursuing a career in welding anytime soon. I bought the little HF flux core welder a while back and ran it quite a bit and there is obviously no comparison between the two. Here's a piece of tubing with the HF flux core beads on one end and beads from the 190 on the other.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93396776@N06/8523222064/" title="011 (17) by TerryHatfield, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8249/8523222064_2baec81376.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="011 (17)"></a>

My initial impressions of the welder is a big WOW!!! I'm looking really forward to burning up a bunch of gas and wire and getting better at welding. It should be fun!!

Enjoy the new welder!

Wow, that's a terrific setup for $823 to the door.

LOTS of garage envy . . . . you did good!!!

Nice setup. Next time you need to do some electrical find your nearest supply house. Probably would have been out for half that. $42 bucks for a plug is nuts! Dig the welder though, if I had access to 220 in the garage this would be on the short list.

TerryH said:

I'm going to post a picture of some beads just to prove that the welder works but man, so far I'm a terrible welder. I'll be hunting down a serious amount of scrap to practice on. Let's just say that I'll not be pursuing a career in welding anytime soon.

Click to expand...

What pattern are you using when you move the gun? Try "eeeeeeeee"

ZRX61 said:

What pattern are you using when you move the gun? Try "eeeeeeeee"

Click to expand...

As much as you hated the Eastwood welders in my other thread, I thought you'd be ecstatic that I did't buy one.

I understand the cursive "e" pattern. Most people would have been smart enough not to have posted pics of their first real mig welds in years. I'm just not that smart.

TerryH said:

The packing is super.


I also changed the front wheels to the better HF blue urethane wheels

Click to expand...

I was looking at HF's site and I'm likely to follow your lead with with my welder. I saw the clamp but there are a bunch of blue wheels. Do you recall exactly which ones worked for you?

AbitNutz said:

I was looking at HF's site and I'm likely to follow your lead with with my welder. I saw the clamp but there are a bunch of blue wheels. Do you recall exactly which ones worked for you?

Click to expand...

I used these...

3" urethane swivel casters

cbogg said:

Nice setup. Next time you need to do some electrical find your nearest supply house. Probably would have been out for half that. $42 bucks for a plug is nuts! Dig the welder though, if I had access to 220 in the garage this would be on the short list.

Click to expand...

I was pressed for time so I just popped into Lowes because I was driving by there. Probably could have saved a few bucks elsewhere. The 50 amp plug was $24 but I needed the 30 amp twist lock and the box/cover for the 50 amp plug.

Edit: Prices corrected below. duh

Thanks for the quick reply and the ideas. I'm off to pick up some wheels and a new ground clamp. I also think I'll use your spacer idea so I can open the welders door. I was thinking about turning the top upside down, like others have done.

List:
1) Wheels
2) Ground clamp
3) Whip air hose
4) Tool draw liner
5) Mini grease gun to lube my air tools

Nice setup.
Good luck

Nice welder! I have a MM211 and I am curious to see how this SpoolGun works out for you. Keep us updated my welder uses the same spool gun. I know they sell an upgrade barrel for that SpoolGun but I have little experience welding aluminum on SMALL MIG welders. I wanted to wait on some reviews of people I have talked to from start to finish so please keep us updated.

TerryH said:

I was pressed for time so I just popped into Lowes because I was driving by there. Probably could have saved a few bucks elsewhere. The 50 amp plug was $24 but I needed the 30 amp twist lock and the box/cover for the 50 amp plug.

Click to expand...

I just bought the 6-50R from Lowes, it was under $9.

pipsters said:

I just bought the 6-50R from Lowes, it was under $9.

Click to expand...

Duh. Sorry. I bought several things other than the electrical stuff and I looked at the wrong line. 50 amp plug $9.87, 4 square box $2.04, exposed work cover $2.17, 30 amp male twist lock $18.97 so it was really about $33.50 for the Lowe's components of the extension cord.

Any updates? Satisfaction?

the small hobarts are pretty good machines ...even there ez 110 volt box welds nice..i haven't had to use my big miller in years

The spool gun works well. You cant beat the cost of all this. It would be interesting to run them side by side with the Eastwood model which I suspect may actually work pretty fair???? The Hobart is a sure bet though. I am a speed demon and its so fast. It can be fugly too if a guy gets the slightest bit careless but it works.

I got a tig but the Hh210 with spool gun has replaced it.

archirelic said:

Any updates? Satisfaction?

Click to expand...

I've done several projects and have been super happy with the 190 overall. Fits my needs perfectly.

Just remember to always run ur aluminum wire .005 smaller than your tip. The wire expands so it will jam if u use a .030 tip with .030 wire. U wanna run .025 wire with a .030 tip

Glad you like it and thanks for the photos. I would like their 140. How do you get a 15% off coupon for Tractor Supply?

That's a good looking machine and I'd like to get one myself. I'm going save all my pennies and when I have enough cash I'm going to decide which machine to get.

I had been seriously considering the 140...but now am looking hard at the 190. Thanks again for the initial posts and the update.

That looks like alot of welding power for <$900

Have you used the spool gun much? Any feed back or pics of beads produced with it?