Take the plunge start welding..... weld weld weld weld and weld some more. You can learn, you'll get help. Hobart, lincoln, Miller it doesn't matter you'll get an adequate machine, when you need something better you'll know it and by then you'll know why. You just have to jump in, you'll be glad you did, welding is fun.
Any Welder recommendations for a newb
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I bought a Hobart 140 several months ago and have been very happy with it for the light stuff. Would a large Miller be a better machine? Sure it would. I do have a ac/dc stick machine for the heavy stuff.
As for teaching yourself, you can, but it will take a while. I have been welding for 40 years with out any formal training. The community college school would speed up the process. I have welded frames under 15 ton combines to 250 hp 4 wheel drive tractors to extending the beds of 40' semi trailers and it has always held. Could I pass a gas line welding test? Probably not, but what I weld stands up to what ever it is required to do. But this was not learned over night or over a year. It takes burning a 1000# of rods or 100s of pounds of wire. Practice-Practice-Practice
Just my .02.
As for teaching yourself, you can, but it will take a while. I have been welding for 40 years with out any formal training. The community college school would speed up the process. I have welded frames under 15 ton combines to 250 hp 4 wheel drive tractors to extending the beds of 40' semi trailers and it has always held. Could I pass a gas line welding test? Probably not, but what I weld stands up to what ever it is required to do. But this was not learned over night or over a year. It takes burning a 1000# of rods or 100s of pounds of wire. Practice-Practice-Practice
Just my .02.
Goodfellow, Roo and PAT - thanks, that's the exact type of advice I was looking for. At this stage, I'm on the hunt for a welder on the local used market. Nothing serious yet as I'm still trying to figure out what I need and my path forward.
Mxtras - I clicked on that link even though I'd never consider buying anything serious on fleabay - what a CROCK. Some where in the jumble of multi colored text and "Turbo" this, "Upgrade" that is a welder/plasma/TIG that seems to be the all-in-one wonder - no thanks. Sounds like "all-season" tires - semi-functional in most scenarios but never works great.
Franz - I'm not sure what button I (or we're) pushing here but there was no intent to do so. I think I acknowledged the limitations of my planned approach but by the same token marathons were never run without taking the first step. From this and other posts, you have your opinions on things that seem to have been born from experience. I appreciate that. However, I don't appreciate opinions that come with the "My way is the only right way!" stipulation. That method of teaching works in very few instances (e.g. bootcamp) but it fails in most attempts to teach a student to think which is the ultimate goal.
I think everyone that has contributed on this thread has provided valuable advise (yourself included). In some cases that advice has been conflicting but it just proves there are several paths of approach.
If none of this sits right with you, I'll say thanks for your contributions to date in this thread and be done.
Mxtras - I clicked on that link even though I'd never consider buying anything serious on fleabay - what a CROCK. Some where in the jumble of multi colored text and "Turbo" this, "Upgrade" that is a welder/plasma/TIG that seems to be the all-in-one wonder - no thanks. Sounds like "all-season" tires - semi-functional in most scenarios but never works great.
Franz - I'm not sure what button I (or we're) pushing here but there was no intent to do so. I think I acknowledged the limitations of my planned approach but by the same token marathons were never run without taking the first step. From this and other posts, you have your opinions on things that seem to have been born from experience. I appreciate that. However, I don't appreciate opinions that come with the "My way is the only right way!" stipulation. That method of teaching works in very few instances (e.g. bootcamp) but it fails in most attempts to teach a student to think which is the ultimate goal.
I think everyone that has contributed on this thread has provided valuable advise (yourself included). In some cases that advice has been conflicting but it just proves there are several paths of approach.
If none of this sits right with you, I'll say thanks for your contributions to date in this thread and be done.
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PAToyota
Well-known member
DxDexter: I was just trying to point out the differences between "attempting" welding and "attempting" other things.
Although Franz puts it a bit more bluntly, I have to agree with him.
I realize that you said non-life safety items, but the problem is that someone starts welding and it sorta kinda holds together and next thing you know they are doing something like this:
For those that are saying that they are self-taught and probably can't pass a welding test but that you can stick things together and they hold, I sure would not trust my life to your welding... If you actually know what you are doing, you can pass the tests.
Although Franz puts it a bit more bluntly, I have to agree with him.
I realize that you said non-life safety items, but the problem is that someone starts welding and it sorta kinda holds together and next thing you know they are doing something like this:
For those that are saying that they are self-taught and probably can't pass a welding test but that you can stick things together and they hold, I sure would not trust my life to your welding... If you actually know what you are doing, you can pass the tests.
Franz©
Banned
Get back to me when you can explain the difference in arc density between
.035 fluxcore and .035 solid wire, and how it affects deposit.
Welding isn't a game, and ALL welds are life safety issues. Your opening statement says you intend to eventually work up to "welding" cages. There is a very good reason regulating authoritys specify all cages are to be TIG welded, and it has nothing to do with the differential deposit between a MIG weld and a TIG weld.
.035 fluxcore and .035 solid wire, and how it affects deposit.
Welding isn't a game, and ALL welds are life safety issues. Your opening statement says you intend to eventually work up to "welding" cages. There is a very good reason regulating authoritys specify all cages are to be TIG welded, and it has nothing to do with the differential deposit between a MIG weld and a TIG weld.
For those that are saying that they are self-taught and probably can't pass a welding test but that you can stick things together and they hold, I sure would not trust my life to your welding... If you actually know what you are doing, you can pass the tests.
_
I meant that I probably couldn't pass a test to weld gas line or submarines. Maybe I could, I just don't know and would not claim to until I had taken it and passed it. The reason I said that was I do not know what is involved in a test. And I doubt 90% if the guys that weld for a living could do it either. All I know is what I do does hold and that is the bottom line.
I have fabricated farm implements from scratch that has been put to the test by the largest farm tractors on the market and passed with flying colors.I have cut over the road 36' semi trailers and extended them to 42' and they held up just fine for 20 years. I understand that you would not want to trust your life to my welding, because you don't know me or my abilities. I have friends that weld that I would not trust my life to either, but they trust theirs to me.
I was just trying the help a beginner take the first step. From the attitude of some here, if his weld can not pass Xray, he has no business trying.I did suggest that he take a course that would speed up his learning curve. If everyone had taken that attitude we would still be using rocks as implements. I do not suggest that after 3 months of welding he weld a cage for rock crawling and he may never be able to. But if he doesn't start, he will never be able to weld anything.
I am sorry if I offended anyone with my comments, because I did not mean to. I just wanted to give him some positive feed back to get him started. He may not like welding after he breathes the fumes and gets burned from the sparks, but he needs to decide that for himself.
_
I meant that I probably couldn't pass a test to weld gas line or submarines. Maybe I could, I just don't know and would not claim to until I had taken it and passed it. The reason I said that was I do not know what is involved in a test. And I doubt 90% if the guys that weld for a living could do it either. All I know is what I do does hold and that is the bottom line.
I have fabricated farm implements from scratch that has been put to the test by the largest farm tractors on the market and passed with flying colors.I have cut over the road 36' semi trailers and extended them to 42' and they held up just fine for 20 years. I understand that you would not want to trust your life to my welding, because you don't know me or my abilities. I have friends that weld that I would not trust my life to either, but they trust theirs to me.
I was just trying the help a beginner take the first step. From the attitude of some here, if his weld can not pass Xray, he has no business trying.I did suggest that he take a course that would speed up his learning curve. If everyone had taken that attitude we would still be using rocks as implements. I do not suggest that after 3 months of welding he weld a cage for rock crawling and he may never be able to. But if he doesn't start, he will never be able to weld anything.
I am sorry if I offended anyone with my comments, because I did not mean to. I just wanted to give him some positive feed back to get him started. He may not like welding after he breathes the fumes and gets burned from the sparks, but he needs to decide that for himself.
MXtras
Well-known member
Didn't offend me!
I am enjoying watching Franz have a little melt down on this topic!
Scott
I am enjoying watching Franz have a little melt down on this topic!
Scott
the dude
Well-known member
Can you let me know what the reason is. And what regulating authority for what application.
As a guy that has built a few roll cages (slow speed/offroad situations) I would argue that material and design are just as, if not more important then weld type/quality. I understand that ALL are very important.
Aceman
Well-known member
No doubt! I think this forum gives him a place to vent, maybe it comes from spending too much time with the wife during retirement?
Franz©
Banned
Scott you know me well enough to know I ain't even warmed up yet or got my stinger hot. Hell this thing ain't even tacked up.
ACE, what the hell you talkin bout? I ain't retired yet, and I don't intend to retire any time soon. The wiff is still workin too, and I told her she don't even get to say the R word till she can spend 3 weeks straight with me and no job to go to. Hell, she's an "EXPERT" I heard the TV announcer call her that last night when she was on camera answering MRSA questions. All that stored knowledge in her head is worth money. Them experts don't come cheap, and she's got her eye on a 38 Rolls she fits in behind the wheel of perfectly.
Brad, please let me know where your contraptions will be breaking apart as I have no desire to be near there. I've already seen enough halfassed roll cages to fill my needs.
ACE, what the hell you talkin bout? I ain't retired yet, and I don't intend to retire any time soon. The wiff is still workin too, and I told her she don't even get to say the R word till she can spend 3 weeks straight with me and no job to go to. Hell, she's an "EXPERT" I heard the TV announcer call her that last night when she was on camera answering MRSA questions. All that stored knowledge in her head is worth money. Them experts don't come cheap, and she's got her eye on a 38 Rolls she fits in behind the wheel of perfectly.
Brad, please let me know where your contraptions will be breaking apart as I have no desire to be near there. I've already seen enough halfassed roll cages to fill my needs.
Aceman
Well-known member
Still, it appears that it only makes the last 2 words of my statement incorrect. I thought I had read somewhere you were retired, my mistake.
the dude
Well-known member
LOL
I'll make sure and let you know so you have enough time to get out of the way!
question though, how do you know my contraptions will fall apart because I use a mig?? I just don't get it?
goodfellow
Well-known member
No doubt! I think this forum gives him a place to vent, maybe it comes from spending too much time with the wife during retirement?
Personally I think his on-line criticisms of LN is just a cover. I'll bet when he's done venting about her, he still likes to chase her around the house for "lustful" purposes.
As far as the thread is concerned, I've been welding for some 30 odd years, and I'm not certified. I was a sheetmetal and body restoration tech in my 20's and like many of you learned several welding processes via OJT (O/A on steel and aluminum, MIG, TIG, and stick). In all those years I have done my share of good quality cosmetic "non-structural" repairs that looked flawless, BUT I have never solicited for, nor attempted to weld anything structural.
Many aquaintances and friends come to my shop and they assume that because I have all this welding equipment that I can weld anything. Not so, and I tell 'em right off the get go that I refuse to do any structural work on their projects, and I won't let them use my equipment to attempt it themselves either. I have seen my share of accidents that were caused by "semi-pro" weldors who though that just because they could lay a good bead, they were qualified to make their own hitches, control arms, rear multi-link suspensions, bike frames, etc.
A good friend of mine died when his chopped MC frame came apart at 80 MPH on I95 in Richmond. He welded for years, had a good side business doing it, and had built sereral frames himself, but he never had any experience with chrome-moly. One mistake -- Gone!!
I'm sure there are many excellent non-certified weldors out there, but unless I see a cert, I wouldn't trust my life to them.
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Franz©
Banned
Certified don't mean shyt! 20 years ago I had a 16 year old girl certified for basic structural, after I taught her how to weld overhead with a Lincoln Toumbstone. She spent the summer as office girl and chasing "certified" weldors out the door when they came in looking for a job. You got no idea how funny it is watching a teeniebopper blow the doors off some azzwipe who walks in claiming he holds papers thinkin he's God's gift and any shop is gonna be thrilled he came in for a paycheck.
Today the cert process is job specific, primarily because many years ago a trainload of phoney paper caused a lot of defects and eventually reworks. In Canada certification operates a little differently, where a weldor maintains his certification in his personal book, but in the US a weldor has to be certified every 6 months onthe specific job he's doing. When he walks off the job the certificate dies.
Whenever anybody claims to be a certified weldor your suspicion detector needs to go to FULL ON.
Most work, even structural isn't done by certified weldors. Probably 75% of production work is lucky if one piece in 1000 gets cut, polished and developed. Miller and now even Lincoln marketing have been using the term "welding machine operator" as a replacement for weldor for 5 years, pushing the idea to purchasing people that any pair of hands can weld. That idea was the biggest reason for installing DRO on machines. Don't worry though, the robots are getting better every day, and plenty of trainable single job weding machine operators are arriving from South of the border every day.
Goodfellow, ain't no need to waste energy that can be put to better use chasin. All I gotta do is yell "WOMAN" and she comes a runnin to me. The girl knows she has it good.
Today the cert process is job specific, primarily because many years ago a trainload of phoney paper caused a lot of defects and eventually reworks. In Canada certification operates a little differently, where a weldor maintains his certification in his personal book, but in the US a weldor has to be certified every 6 months onthe specific job he's doing. When he walks off the job the certificate dies.
Whenever anybody claims to be a certified weldor your suspicion detector needs to go to FULL ON.
Most work, even structural isn't done by certified weldors. Probably 75% of production work is lucky if one piece in 1000 gets cut, polished and developed. Miller and now even Lincoln marketing have been using the term "welding machine operator" as a replacement for weldor for 5 years, pushing the idea to purchasing people that any pair of hands can weld. That idea was the biggest reason for installing DRO on machines. Don't worry though, the robots are getting better every day, and plenty of trainable single job weding machine operators are arriving from South of the border every day.
Goodfellow, ain't no need to waste energy that can be put to better use chasin. All I gotta do is yell "WOMAN" and she comes a runnin to me. The girl knows she has it good.
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MXtras
Well-known member
Now that's impressive!
I would like to argue your comment about certification not being shyt. If this is the case then why is it so revered? Why are certs required for structural work - certifications don't mean shyt, so why bother?
As difficult as it may be, I will leave it at that for now....
Scott
Franz©
Banned
Scott the cert is job specific.
Let me try to splain it so you can understand.
I hire on at MX Fab to weld columns & beams for a bridge that is government financed, and MX Fab is required to deliver SubArc welded components meeting a standard. Part of that standard may be that the work must be done by weldors certified in the SubArc process. There will probably be UT or Xray requirements too for acceptance of the beams.
IF the spec calls for Certified weldors, MX Fab must hire a certification Service to test every weldor on that job for that process. That costs MX anyplace from $300- per weldor on up, and recertification is required every 6 months for the duration of the job. The Cert will have my name on it, and MX Fab's name on the paper, along with a renewal date.
Now, lets say MX Fab got me certified, and that miserable buzzard who runs the place gets in my face because he's cheap and wants to rerun the flux to cut $$ out of the job. He actually expects me to shovel it up and run it thru a screne back into the hopper. Bein that I'm just as cantankerous as he is, I tell him exactly what he can do wit the gun, flux and barrel of wire, and walk out.
The Cert with my name on it is now worthless as used toilet paper. Even if I go across the street and hire on at Goodfellow Iron (he really ain't that good) and he has a job building another bridge with SubArc, I still have to retest and recert and Goodfellow has to pay for the certification.
The only place in the US it works different is in the Paciffic NW where some of the Union Locals are acting as the employer on the Cert. Those guys can go from job to job and employer to employer and only have to test for each process they carry paper for every 6 months.
It didn't used to be that way, and certs were sort of tiered for want of a better word. A weldor certified for SS pipe on nukes was also considered certified on all processes below that requirement. Oddly it turned out a lot of those guys were only competent in a single process when they got into the field, and a lot of reworks resulted. Normally a rework is something the weldor eats, but on jobs where each weld isnt stamped the contractor eats the rework.
As far back as the 60s, phoney certs were on the market, and plenty of contractors and "weldors" used them. The shyt hit the fan hard when BecTel and Babcock & Wilcox got caught using phoney weldors on a Nuke. Somebody redesigned the system, and now every weldor has to cert for each job and recert every 6 months on that job.
There is also a dirty scam being pulled on a lot of kids by VoTecs and Community Colleges where they issue a Certificate of Completion for each element of their welding program. First semester the kid gets a certificate for stick welding. Next semester he gets a Certificate for MIG, and the next he gets a Certificate for TIG. The kid don't know any better cause he has never been in the real world, so he walks around looking for a job claiming he's a certified weldor. I've met more than a handfull of them kids, and they generally get real hostile when they are informed they are NOT certified.
Generally they claim I'm trying to rip them off on pay because they can't begin to understand they got taken in by the school. Worse yet, most of them can't weld to commercial requirements. The real world ain't like the booth at ScRu Teck. A joining flange on a 10" I beam is good for a pretty exact number of minutes welding, and it better be square and able to pass UT when it's done. You don't get Monday to set the flange up, Tuesday to check the alignment and Wednesday to weld it, you get X minutes. Also you need to deliver every weld perfect, or at least within tolerence in that time.
I haven't carried paper other than MSAH in years because I don't need it and I ain't payin to test. Is a Certified Weldor better than one without Certification? Probably not. I've known guys who could knock out perfect welds all day every day, who couldn't get & hold paper because they couldn't test for anything. Some of the best couldn't even read or write, but they could make good welds and good money.
Let me try to splain it so you can understand.
I hire on at MX Fab to weld columns & beams for a bridge that is government financed, and MX Fab is required to deliver SubArc welded components meeting a standard. Part of that standard may be that the work must be done by weldors certified in the SubArc process. There will probably be UT or Xray requirements too for acceptance of the beams.
IF the spec calls for Certified weldors, MX Fab must hire a certification Service to test every weldor on that job for that process. That costs MX anyplace from $300- per weldor on up, and recertification is required every 6 months for the duration of the job. The Cert will have my name on it, and MX Fab's name on the paper, along with a renewal date.
Now, lets say MX Fab got me certified, and that miserable buzzard who runs the place gets in my face because he's cheap and wants to rerun the flux to cut $$ out of the job. He actually expects me to shovel it up and run it thru a screne back into the hopper. Bein that I'm just as cantankerous as he is, I tell him exactly what he can do wit the gun, flux and barrel of wire, and walk out.
The Cert with my name on it is now worthless as used toilet paper. Even if I go across the street and hire on at Goodfellow Iron (he really ain't that good) and he has a job building another bridge with SubArc, I still have to retest and recert and Goodfellow has to pay for the certification.
The only place in the US it works different is in the Paciffic NW where some of the Union Locals are acting as the employer on the Cert. Those guys can go from job to job and employer to employer and only have to test for each process they carry paper for every 6 months.
It didn't used to be that way, and certs were sort of tiered for want of a better word. A weldor certified for SS pipe on nukes was also considered certified on all processes below that requirement. Oddly it turned out a lot of those guys were only competent in a single process when they got into the field, and a lot of reworks resulted. Normally a rework is something the weldor eats, but on jobs where each weld isnt stamped the contractor eats the rework.
As far back as the 60s, phoney certs were on the market, and plenty of contractors and "weldors" used them. The shyt hit the fan hard when BecTel and Babcock & Wilcox got caught using phoney weldors on a Nuke. Somebody redesigned the system, and now every weldor has to cert for each job and recert every 6 months on that job.
There is also a dirty scam being pulled on a lot of kids by VoTecs and Community Colleges where they issue a Certificate of Completion for each element of their welding program. First semester the kid gets a certificate for stick welding. Next semester he gets a Certificate for MIG, and the next he gets a Certificate for TIG. The kid don't know any better cause he has never been in the real world, so he walks around looking for a job claiming he's a certified weldor. I've met more than a handfull of them kids, and they generally get real hostile when they are informed they are NOT certified.
Generally they claim I'm trying to rip them off on pay because they can't begin to understand they got taken in by the school. Worse yet, most of them can't weld to commercial requirements. The real world ain't like the booth at ScRu Teck. A joining flange on a 10" I beam is good for a pretty exact number of minutes welding, and it better be square and able to pass UT when it's done. You don't get Monday to set the flange up, Tuesday to check the alignment and Wednesday to weld it, you get X minutes. Also you need to deliver every weld perfect, or at least within tolerence in that time.
I haven't carried paper other than MSAH in years because I don't need it and I ain't payin to test. Is a Certified Weldor better than one without Certification? Probably not. I've known guys who could knock out perfect welds all day every day, who couldn't get & hold paper because they couldn't test for anything. Some of the best couldn't even read or write, but they could make good welds and good money.
arkracing
Well-known member
Well back to the recommendation. I would say that a Miller or Lincoln in the 150-200 range would be good.
I understand where Franz is coming from on the structural stuff etc. Welding is not something that should be taken lightly by anyone.
As far as the "cage" - I guess it all depends on what it's designed purpose is - 300+ mph, 8k HP, Top Fuel Dragster - yeh got to be Tig welded and x-rayed etc. etc.
How many small time stock car track are there across the country? - dirt tracks, small oval tracks. Most of the classes that run on these tracks don't have to have Tig'ed cages as far as I know.
FYI - anyone who doesn't trust a non-certified welder to weld anything structrual that thier life depends on - make sure that if you ever have your car repaired @ a body shop, that the technician has an ICAR certification for welding. 99% of Autobody Technicians working would not be able to pass this test.
Think about how many cars are on the road that have structural parts welded due to collision damage - (Think Uni-Body Cars)
I understand where Franz is coming from on the structural stuff etc. Welding is not something that should be taken lightly by anyone.
As far as the "cage" - I guess it all depends on what it's designed purpose is - 300+ mph, 8k HP, Top Fuel Dragster - yeh got to be Tig welded and x-rayed etc. etc.
How many small time stock car track are there across the country? - dirt tracks, small oval tracks. Most of the classes that run on these tracks don't have to have Tig'ed cages as far as I know.
FYI - anyone who doesn't trust a non-certified welder to weld anything structrual that thier life depends on - make sure that if you ever have your car repaired @ a body shop, that the technician has an ICAR certification for welding. 99% of Autobody Technicians working would not be able to pass this test.
Think about how many cars are on the road that have structural parts welded due to collision damage - (Think Uni-Body Cars)
SpiderGearsMan
Banned
allstate would not pay for i car certified - or a legal citizen for that matter
I have an ESAB 250 migmaster which is way bigger than I need but it is smooth. My advice is to get a stick welder and practice a lot with it until you can produce nice welds. It will be a lot cheaper to purchase and use. You can weld damn near anything with a stick machine and don't need clean metal like you do with a mig. Paint, rust, don't worry about it just weld it. You have slag to chip when you're done but so what. The main reason most folks don't like a stick welder is because it requires a learning period to develop the skill to use one!! The old hump back Lincoln machines are great machines and can be found in the 200 buck range, the Ac/Dc ones are the most desirable but damn near impossible to find and are a bit more money. The DC machines would work fine for you and you can always sell these for what you have in them. Have fun!!!I'm looking to expand the tool selection with a welder in the near future. However, I'm a total newbie so am a bit lost in the world of MIG/TIG equipment. Obviously, I have more than a bit of learning to do but "how-tos" and books are much more useful if you can put the theory into practice.
So, I'm looking for MIG or TIG recommendations for a shade tree mechanic. This would be for typical automotive applications with the biggest jobs (once I'm semi-competent) probably dealing with sheet metal and cages (i.e., I'm not building Submarines out of HY steel in my garage
Off the cuff, I'm looking for:
- MIG or TIG setup
- Cheapish (prefer less than $500) which may rule out TIG. Used = good!
- 115V/220V (I'm at 115V now with plans to add 220V soon) but if push comes to shove, I'd take 220V over dual compatibility.
- Small (it'll be in your typical 24x24 garage along with 2 cars and other ****)
- Expandable/upgradable (i.e. don't need the whole ball of wax now but it would be nice if I could upgrade to Aluminum & Stainless welding in the future, add gas if I don't get it in the beginning, etc.)
Also, any references for a newb would be GREAT. I'd love to do a vocational school class but don't have the time between current hobbies, kids and projects. So, I'll have to learn the hard way.
Advice/suggestions/equipment to avoid are all welcome and appreciated!
Regards,
Brian
rooster59
Well-known member
Beware of the small migs. I’ve made folks mad by breaking their work with a hammer. Welds look nice, there’s no dig. Stick is underrated, good hot 7018 is a great skill to have. Maybe you can find a used 175amp or greater 220v stick / tig gas cooled torch machine.
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I’ve got a probably 20yo little Clark 220v MIG. Been a great machine.
BigMike782
Well-known member
Man o man, it's been a LOT of sunrises and sunsets since I have read a good rant from the old man.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
18 years...Man o man, it's been a LOT of sunrises and sunsets since I have read a good rant from the old man.
A Miller or Lincoln MIG would be great, but they’re out of most people’s price range these days unless you can find one used.
I’d consider a Hobart or PrimeWeld as less expensive but quality alternatives.
I’ve owned all 4 brands. Currently have a Hobart Ironman 240 and a PrimeWeld TIG 225X. Great quality machines with no issues.
primeweld.com
You can get a PrimeWeld 180 with spoolgun for $550.
primeweld.com
I’d consider a Hobart or PrimeWeld as less expensive but quality alternatives.
I’ve owned all 4 brands. Currently have a Hobart Ironman 240 and a PrimeWeld TIG 225X. Great quality machines with no issues.
TIG225X AC/DC TIG Welder With Pulse
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primeweld.com
You can get a PrimeWeld 180 with spoolgun for $550.
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primeweld.com
Aaron_W
Well-known member
krazykevin76
Active member
People will hate on me all day, but if you don't plan on welding a lot and your in it as a hobby and around the house then you can't beat something like a Vulcan OmniPro 220 for the price. By all means this is not a top of the line welder and no I wouldn't buy it and throw on my welding truck and head to a job. But I've had mine for years now and it does everything I need and have had zero issues. So for a thousand bucks for a mig/stick/110/220 you can't really beat it. Hate away......
Kevin
Kevin
BigMike782
Well-known member
I would have a hunch not. He was an old curmudgeon when I started surfing the interwebs 25+? years ago and he seemed to be an old codger then.
BigMike782
Well-known member
I maintain that after the apocalypse there will be two things that have survived, cockroaches and Millermatic 200s.
That’s why I buy them when I can find them affordably then fix or clean them up and turn them.
That’s why I buy them when I can find them affordably then fix or clean them up and turn them.
M.Brane
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I'm a big fan of blue welders, but the red ones are pretty good too.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have one of each, both set up for MIG. The red 135 is 110v only, came from Lowes in 2002, the blue 211 was ordered online from Cyberweld and delivered via the brown truck, it runs 110v or 220v. Both work well, but I prefer the 220v with Autoset when I have a choice.
M.Brane
ALLIANCE MEMBER
We have a little Lincoln 110 flux core we take to the track. We've loaned it out more times than we've used it ourselves. I did use it to repair our pre-silencer at Laguna once so we could get back on track after our noise penalty. At that point it was no longer stainless so didn't matter, but it was still thin. Good times...
oldmachinenut
Well-known member
Yep,
I know I am only a steward of mine till the next owner or owners. It will live long after I’m gone.
BigMike782
Well-known member
I'm like the old man telling stories in the barber shop. I have a story for almost every welder(and most of my shop equipment) I own. The only tool I walked into a store and bought brand new is my plasma cutter.
I can't even imagine how many welders I have moved through my home shop over the last 20 years but it has to be north of 50.
I can't even imagine how many welders I have moved through my home shop over the last 20 years but it has to be north of 50.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Did you name them all?
BigMike782
Well-known member
NoDid you name them all?
But I did work with a guy that named all of his different vehicles over the years.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I named my 2023 Tundra, but forum rules and community decorum prohibit me from disclosing that name here.No
But I did work with a guy that named all of his different vehicles over the years.
Started my welding with a small lincoln 3200hd. It was limited to 120v and fine up to 1/8" but that was about its max without doing multiple passes. I never did run flux core thru it though. I sold it and bought a Lincoln 211i early last year. 240v has a lot more omph. I've been happy with it so far and the ability to run .025 or .035 is nice depending on what it is your working on.
LopezBart
Well-known member
If it really has to stay stuck, I break out the Lincoln IdealArc stick welder and 7018. MIG welds can be deceptive, but my Miller Challenger gets used on lots of thin materials. I will likely pick up a Primeweld TIG machine next year so I can weld Al; cannot justify a blue machine.