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Household or small shop welding unit.

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Juan Valderrama

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Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
11
Hola a todos.

Can someone recomend a type / give some specs / welding system for a house hold use or small shop welding unit?

I am not a master welder, I am a mechanics and repair aficionado, so I would like to use it to make repairs on the house, office, build small projects, tools, toys, etc..... Probably will use mostly to weld steel, stainless steel and aluminum.

However, If I need to weld something serious, I will go to a professional welder.

I have seen on the market many small welding units that can handle electric arch, MIG and TIC.

Would love some advice, and maybe some book names for the DIY dude.

Saludos.



Juan Valderrama
XT1200Z
Broadcasting from Bogotá - Colombia.
 
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shawhite

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May 28, 2014
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1,519
I like the millers (currently own a 211 autoset) but for the price I would go with a Hobart 140 same welder for almost half the price
 
Z

zkling

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Jan 23, 2007
Messages
16,939
Syncrowave 210

The mig process is really not well suited for the home guy that wants to do a little bit of everything. By the time you get properly setup to do mild steel, stainless steel and aluminum, you will be past the purchase point of a much more capable tig machine.
 
A

aaronrkelly

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Feb 25, 2014
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southern Iowa
shawhite said:
I like the millers (currently own a 211 autoset) but for the price I would go with a Hobart 140 same welder for almost half the price
Click to expand...

This.....

I have a Hobart Handler 140 - picked it up at Northern Tools on sale for $450. The usual price is around $520ish. Great welder, if you do some research there is hardly ever a bad word said about them.

Looks like the Hobart is $530 with free shipping from Northern right now.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200471413_200471413


Another option, Eastwood 135, runs quite a bit less at $300 - add $25 for shipping and your still saving $200 over the cost of the Hobart.

http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html#

If you read it has excellent reviews as well.....and again, nothing bad is really ever said about it.

Main reason I chose against it......warranty.

*IF* you need to warranty it you have to send it in. They are super excellent and fix/replace it quickly (from what Ive read).....but one reviewer said it cost him almost $80 to ship the welder back. Again, a big IF.....but IF you need to do this - you now have a $400 welder.

*IF* you need to warranty the Hobart.....unless your on the moon your probably not far away from a service location - even in the middle of nowhere Im only an hour drive away.

Since when I was buying the Hobart was on sale at $450.....I went ahead and spent the extra and went Hobart.

......but If I wouldnt have HAD the extra, I really dont think that Eastwood would have let me down.
 
A

A1racer

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Jul 28, 2014
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I have a very old ( maybe 10 year old ) Hobart 140 that works great for my usages. Prices was like 399 back when I got it now around 500 maybe.
 
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Provincial

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Near Salem, OR
Juan, welding machines are specialized for certain tasks. A "general purpose" welder is one that isn't quite as specialized as most.

A "stick" welder (using coated rods) is the most versatile type. With the right rod, a skilled welder can make good welds on most any material. They don't do well on thin material because you can't get rod that is small enough to not burn through the material. On the other hand, an inexpensive stick machine can weld very thick steel using multiple passes.

A MIG welder is fairly easy to use, but has limitations, depending on power and type of electrode wire used. Solid wire is great for sheet metal and where you don't want to have to remove a slag coating. It requires shielding gas, which adds expense and doesn't work well when exposed to moving air (a breeze inside the shop or outdoors) which blows the gas away from the weld, with poor results. Shielded (flux-cored) wire doesn't need shielding gas, but it leaves a slag just like stick welding.

Neither MIG wire penetrates as well as stick, so it requires good preparation and joint design to get a strong weld. Small 120V MIG machines are limited to thin steel. Small 240V MIG machines can weld up to 1/4" steel with the right wire. Stainless steel requires so much amperage that small MIG machines are not practical, and even the 240V models can only weld 10 ga. stainless.

Aluminum is a similar problem, with 12 ga. being the limit for 240V small MIG machines. In addition, you must keep all the drive rolls, tips, and whip liners dedicated to aluminum from being exposed to steel wires, which have a lubricant on them that contaminates the aluminum weld.

Realistically, figure on starting out welding only steel. Use MIG for thin steel and stick for thicker steel. Move up to a larger machine before you try to weld aluminum or stainless. Consider a TIG machine when you move up.

If you don't weld aluminum or stainless all the time, it will be difficult to keep your skills up. Consider taking those items to a professional, who can do a lot of welding for what it will cost for the machines, consumables, and your practice time and welds.
 
OP
J

Juan Valderrama

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
11
Hola Guys, excelent thread we are making here, I really appreciate your comments and specially the advice given by PROVINCIAL (comment # 11)

Moreover I see that this can be a good thread for many other inmates here. I will be posting info as I research.

Juan Valderrama
XT1200Z
Broadcasting from Bogotá - Colombia.
 
OP
J

Juan Valderrama

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
11
Provincial said:
Juan, welding machines are specialized for certain tasks. A "general purpose" welder is one that isn't quite as specialized as most.

A "stick" welder (using coated rods) is the most versatile type. With the right rod, a skilled welder can make good welds on most any material. They don't do well on thin material because you can't get rod that is small enough to not burn through the material. On the other hand, an inexpensive stick machine can weld very thick steel using multiple passes.

A MIG welder is fairly easy to use, but has limitations, depending on power and type of electrode wire used. Solid wire is great for sheet metal and where you don't want to have to remove a slag coating. It requires shielding gas, which adds expense and doesn't work well when exposed to moving air (a breeze inside the shop or outdoors) which blows the gas away from the weld, with poor results. Shielded (flux-cored) wire doesn't need shielding gas, but it leaves a slag just like stick welding.

Neither MIG wire penetrates as well as stick, so it requires good preparation and joint design to get a strong weld. Small 120V MIG machines are limited to thin steel. Small 240V MIG machines can weld up to 1/4" steel with the right wire. Stainless steel requires so much amperage that small MIG machines are not practical, and even the 240V models can only weld 10 ga. stainless.

Aluminum is a similar problem, with 12 ga. being the limit for 240V small MIG machines. In addition, you must keep all the drive rolls, tips, and whip liners dedicated to aluminum from being exposed to steel wires, which have a lubricant on them that contaminates the aluminum weld.

Realistically, figure on starting out welding only steel. Use MIG for thin steel and stick for thicker steel. Move up to a larger machine before you try to weld aluminum or stainless. Consider a TIG machine when you move up.

If you don't weld aluminum or stainless all the time, it will be difficult to keep your skills up. Consider taking those items to a professional, who can do a lot of welding for what it will cost for the machines, consumables, and your practice time and welds.
Click to expand...
Again gracias Provincial for taking the time to explain things in plain vanilla.

I would like to understand if I should consider to start a TIC welder. Will you give is some beta about it?

Juan Valderrama
XT1200Z
Broadcasting from Bogotá - Colombia.
 
C

cherokee140

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 23, 2010
Messages
232
Juan Valderrama said:
Hola a todos.

Can someone recomend a type / give some specs / welding system for a house hold use or small shop welding unit?

I am not a master welder, I am a mechanics and repair aficionado, so I would like to use it to make repairs on the house, office, build small projects, tools, toys, etc..... Probably will use mostly to weld steel, stainless steel and aluminum.

However, If I need to weld something serious, I will go to a professional welder.

I have seen on the market many small welding units that can handle electric arch, MIG and TIC.

Would love some advice, and maybe some book names for the DIY dude.

Saludos.



Juan Valderrama
XT1200Z
Broadcasting from Bogotá - Colombia.
Click to expand...

IMHO asking one machine to do all that is really going to drive up your costs....weld steel, stainless steel and aluminum are all pretty different.....and most mig setups that I know need a special gun to "pull" the wire and not push it like a normal wire. IIRC it is also pretty bright and hot so other equipment may be called for as well.

I would look at just what you NEED the machine for....really need it for.

I don't think of myself as a welder but I have taken a few classes and the things I stick together usually stay together.

I only have a 110v machine at my house. My main use is car bodies, pretty thin metal.....it is all you really need for that. On the few times I have needed to do thicker stuff....odd project trailer hitch or something for the tractor just bevel and make more then one pass....it can be done but it takes more time.

I would also look at what is available in your area.....if Miller is everywhere get Miller, if Lincon is everywhere get Lincoln. Parts, gas kits, and real factory wire will be more handy.

Good luck.
 
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Provincial

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Joined
Sep 21, 2011
Messages
6,872
Location
Near Salem, OR
As for information on TIG, I can't help you, since I have only used a TIG a couple of times, and that was with coaching from the owner. It is kind of like a really delicate oxy-acetylene torch. The arc is used like a flame to melt the puddle.
 
W

Whiskeymike

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 31, 2013
Messages
775
Location
Austin, TX
Do these smaller kits like the Hobart or Miller 140 come with everything except for the tank and gas? Or are there others things you need to add?

Also, when they say the 140 can do 3/16th and the 180 can 1/4" mild steel does that mean all parts have to be under that? So for instance, if you are welding a 3/16" plate to something that is 1/2" thick, will the 140 be fine or do you need a welder that handles 1/2" thick steel?

Lastly, does it matter if the steel is cast? Such as an axle housing?
 
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