Low Cost MIG Welder

[jonesg]

prime weld MIG 180, comes with alum spoolgun. Under $600.
Wish I had bought this one too. I want them all.

 

[liliysdad]

Pawn shops, Facebook, and Craigslist. You can get a decent, name brand machine for less than Chinesium prices.

I picked up a Miller 175 MillerMatic at a local pawn shop for $150 a couple years ago. It needed a few parts, and by the time I had $300 in it, I had a solid welder. Years later, I am very happy with it.

 

[finn]

Pawn shops, Facebook, and Craigslist. You can get a decent, name brand machine for less than Chinesium prices.

I picked up a Miller 175 MillerMatic at a local pawn shop for $150 a couple years ago. It needed a few parts, and by the time I had $300 in it, I had a solid welder. Years later, I am very happy with it.

My Miller 175 is junk compared to my HTP or Primeweld machines.

 

[dnschmidt]

Primeweld 180. End of Story.

 

[Retroman]

I know the budget is low mine was too but spent more than I wanted got a 211 and have been very happy with it. Not saying the OP needs a 211 maybe a few bucks more than his budget gets him a more reliable welder.

I pack a lunch to save $10.00 a day and cut corners elsewhere if needed to buy what I want.

 

[jonesg]

Primeweld 180. End of Story.

I notice the primeweld is held in high regard by the pros and experts alike on weldingweb.

 

[dnschmidt]

I notice the primeweld is held in high regard by the pros and experts alike on weldingweb.

Additionally, Jody, the godfather of welders on YouTube at Welding Tips and Tricks has given it his pontifical blessing. Check his last two videos. HE'S THE MAN and if says it's good, it's good.

 

[wazzabie]

The Millermatic mig welder is worth more now then what I paid for it.

 

[wazzabie]

My Miller 175 is junk compared to my HTP or Primeweld machines.

Why?

 

[finn]

Why?

Noisy, not as smooth as the HTP mig, nor either my HTP or Primeweld Tig machines.

My Miller Spectrum plasma cutter is ok, but I probably could have done just as well at 3/4 the price with another brand.

Miller left the hobbiest market to the imports, and focuses on industrial and commercial users. Had that discussion with the Airgas rep at our winter house. Last December.

 

[T VETTE]

The Eastwood doesn't sound like a bad deal at all for what you are going to do. I would still check for used Lincoln or miller on some local internet sites. I have gotten a couple killer deals that way.

 

[N_Jay]

Has anyone had a bad experience with one of the cheap ones?
Guessing that I am going to need to learn a lot more about welding before selecting my second welder.

 

[Vpick001]

I have a Yeswelder 205DS, got it on Amazon with the baked in coupon for around $300. Very happy with it so far.

 

[N_Jay]

Looks like the YESWELDER is a $100 to $200 adder over cheap Amazon machines.

All that aside; Assuming I am going to buy a 'first' 'cheap' welder (YESWELDER or a step down), what features are musts to have what are nice to have.
I figure if it dies, at least I will have gained enough knowledge to make a better second decision, and if a plan well, all the accessories will carry over.

 

[rockettauto]

Looks like the YESWELDER is a $100 to $200 adder over cheap Amazon machines.

All that aside; Assuming I am going to buy a 'first' 'cheap' welder (YESWELDER or a step down), what features are musts to have what are nice to have.
I figure if it dies, at least I will have gained enough knowledge to make a better second decision, and if a plan well, all the accessories will carry over.

Yes, I wouldn't bother with the ones cheaper than than that $300 range. ( Tooliom, yeswelder etc.)

Inverters are ridiculously smooth compared to anything else.

I have a Lincoln sp I used for years, then tried a hf titanium and the hf absolutely blew it away.

I still have the Lincoln and a couple other cheap dogs but I don't know why I have the other cheapos...they are so frustratingly bad to use that I never use them.

Here's the reality of the very cheap ones.
Feed is so bad it's never consistent even when not sticking, which happens a lot.

Power adjustment and feed is not smooth enough to get a good weld on thinner material.

Power isn't high enough to get a good weld on thicker material.

So you're pretty much stuck with the only practical range being extremely limited. You can get almost acceptable welds with a ton of practice ( which you won't get because you'll spend eight times as much time either waiting to cool down or fixing feed issues as you do welding)
on maybe 1/16 and 3/32.

And then they burn out.

Then you get a slightly better machine and realize you learned nothing because the characteristics of the first were so bad that nothing applies.

They would generally compare to buying one of those kids toy sewing machines that actually sew. Well, actually those probably do a slightly better job on the limited material they will sew.

 

[N_Jay]

Thanks.

SO if I do a YESWELDER (or similar) what are the specs features that I should be looking for?
I hear 200A, but is 250 better (maybe just to give more margin when welding at 200?)
Other features specs?
What accessories should I look to get with the machine., vs. which are better shopped separately?

 

[rockettauto]

Thanks.

SO if I do a YESWELDER (or similar) what are the specs features that I should be looking for?
I hear 200A, but is 250 better (maybe just to give more margin when welding at 200?)
Other features specs?
What accessories should I look to get with the machine., vs. which are better shopped separately?

Duty cycle is often telling. Yeswelder and Tooliom are 60% at max power. 100@ 60%. Very good for low end welders.

Personally I wouldn't be too concerned with going to 250 as long as the duty cycle for the 200 is pretty good. Anything I need to be much over 160 for Im almost as likely to just use stick so a 200 is probably giving me 100 percent duty cycle or close enough for most of the times I'd use it.

That really depends a lot on your style and typical uses though. I find myself doing a lot of automotive which is all pretty thin and then doing some heavier equipment. So most often I'm either somewhere between 22ga and 3/32 or im up into 1/4" plus where the stick is going to be my go to.

Basically anything you might get included is better off bought separately, aside from maybe some of the ones with spool guns, which I probably would'nt be concerned with getting right away because i find the use cases for mig welding aluminum are pretty rare, it's typically straight to tig in those cases for me.

I'm pretty amatuer when it comes to welding so I trust your experience would be pretty similar for a while.

 

[N_Jay]

Seems like
YesWelder MIG-205DS-B or YesWelder 250A

205 give me 110 V incase I need it
250 gives me a little more margin for current (and probably heat)

Anything either is missing?

 

[rockettauto]

Seems like
YesWelder MIG-205DS-B or YesWelder 250A

205 give me 110 V incase I need it
250 gives me a little more margin for current (and probably heat)

Anything either is missing?

Tig torch, gas regulator.

 

[theoldwizard1]

All that aside; Assuming I am going to buy a 'first' 'cheap' welder (YESWELDER or a step down), what features are musts to have what are nice to have.

Make sure it comes with a regulator or at least has the capability to use gas. MIG with gas is much easier than with just flux core (some people use both at the same time).

Also note, many 120V welders will draw more than 15A either on start up or after running for awhile. I hope you have a 20A circuit !

 

[N_Jay]

Make sure it comes with a regulator or at least has the capability to use gas. MIG with gas is much easier than with just flux core (some people use both at the same time).

Also note, many 120V welders will draw more than 15A either on start up or after running for awhile. I hope you have a 20A circuit !

If it is both MIG/ and TIG it better take gas, but my understanding is most need an external regulator.

Power is not an issue, My shop as 200A service and I do my own wiring. (20A 120 and 20A 240 outlets around, plus dedicated 30A 240 for machines that need such)

Looks like Amazon has $140 off the YESWELDER 250 so that makes it $360 (A tad more then I hoped for 'Cheap" but from all the reviews better than most of the step up.) (No names running around $250, but anything that looks decent hits $350)

 

[rnscustom]

You need good heat for those manifolds . I’d buy the Hobart 190 , look them up refurbished on their site . they have them listed in stock . I bought one and been real pleased . They come as new packaged as new

 

[rnscustom]

You need good heat for those manifolds . I’d buy the Hobart 190 , look them up refurbished on their site . they have them listed in stock . I bought one and been real pleased . They come as new packaged as new

Sorry , didn’t see your budget , but get the most heat you can for your money ,

 

[IndyGarage]

Last winter I bought a cheap flux mig welder at the pawn shop for $80 for a couple small projects I had away from my shop. It was cheap enough I didn't want to load my tank and my welder into the truck to haul it. It was almost new - still in the box - probably had been used once or twice. It even came with an extra spool of wire, a cheap helmet and a pair of almost new gloves. And it actually worked good.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If it is both MIG/ and TIG it better take gas, but my understanding is most need an external regulator.

Lift arc/scratch start TIG is harder to learn and a pain in the **** for making really nice looking welds.

 

[N_Jay]

Most all the cheap ones say lift-TIG.
Supposedly better than scratch-Start.
But that is just me reading the advertising.

Tried a couple of pawn shops but found nothing.

 

[rockettauto]

Most all the cheap ones say lift-TIG.
Supposedly better than scratch-Start.
But that is just me reading the advertising.

Tried a couple of pawn shops but found nothing.

You'll end up wanting a different machine to tig anyhow. These just kind of give you a taste.

You'll spend , idk $1200 putting together a few machines that do a good job at each compared to $4k on a machine that does a good job at all of them, and that's not on a serious pro level.

Basically you can't have it all. Machines that actually do an admirable job at muliti process are not cheap. They are understandably more expensive than buying a few separate machines that do a great job for each process.

Biggest thing I've seen is looking for an a/c tig with hf start in order to do stainless. In a multiprocess that's huge money, but as a separate machine it's starting around $4-500 if you're prudent.

Understand gas is a huge additional expense per unit of welding so co2/argon is bad enough let alone pure argon or helium.

I think I spent 2/3 of your machine cost on my last bottle of mix, which was enough to get me through a chopped roof on a Merc ( with abovee the windowline shave as well and some repair of the window flanges), a couple body repairs and not much more. Add the wire cost and were around the machine cost.

It's like with painting, people seem averse to spending $300 on a gun but one cars material costs twice that.

It's why you'll find yourself using flux or stick whenever it's possible or practical.

 

[N_Jay]

One more question: Spool Guns.
Right now I am looking at almost exclusively mild steel (Sheet on cars, and steel sheet/tubing for jigs and small projects)
Also being cheap, so unless it is something I need to look good, it will probably be mostly Flux core wire and/or stick.

Now the question; how important is compatibility with a spool gun?
Can that wait till I get enough experience to want my second machine?

 

[jonesg]

One more question: Spool Guns.
Right now I am looking at almost exclusively mild steel (Sheet on cars, and steel sheet/tubing for jigs and small projects)
Also being cheap, so unless it is something I need to look good, it will probably be mostly Flux core wire and/or stick.

Now the question; how important is compatibility with a spool gun?
Can that wait till I get enough experience to want my second machine?

How important is welding alum to you?
a gas bottle of pure argon , spool gun, hoses and flow meter will cost a lot more than the welder.

for your stated needs ( steel sheet/tubing for jigs and small projects) I would get the mig 205DS B.
i use mine for exhaust pipe work.

 

[N_Jay]

How important is welding alum to you?
a gas bottle of pure argon , spool gun, hoses and flow meter will cost a lot more than the welder.

for your stated needs ( steel sheet/tubing for jigs and small projects) I would get the mig 205DS B.
i use mine for exhaust pipe work.

What does the 205ZDS do that the 250Pro does not?

Seems Spool Gun (of questionable value to me)
120V ac in. I don't have a 120V 50A outlet anywhere I don't already have a 240v 30A outlet.

250pro is about $20 more.

 

[jonesg]

What does the 205ZDS do that the 250Pro does not?

Seems Spool Gun (of questionable value to me)
120V ac in. I don't have a 120V 50A outlet anywhere I don't already have a 240v 30A outlet.

250pro is about $20 more.

No such welder as yeswelder 205ZDS .
No such thing I know of as 120v 50 amp.

250 pro has a switch to divert the power from the internal wire feed motor to the spoolgun motor , and probably a gas solenoid.

any mig machine can be made spoolgun ready... even the 205DS.

 

[N_Jay]

Sorry, fat finger the "Z"
205DS says it can use a spool gun.

The older 250Pro says it can not. (Later models say that they can, but cost more)

 

[jonesg]

Sorry, fat finger the "Z"
205DS says it can use a spool gun.

The older 250Pro says it can not. (Later models say that they can, but cost more)

any mig can weld alum by reversing polarity and using argon gas.
Install a teflon liner, use an alum suitable drive wheel and keep the lead straight.
Don't even need a spoolgun.

But I don't think it comes close to tig quality with foot pedal control.

 

[Hohn]

Just a bump to avoid starting a new thread.
I'm looking for a welder to get into light fabrication. I don't have 240V yet but it can easily be added to my panel in the garage.
While I'm sure that MIG is fast and convenient, I'm drawn to the precision of TIG. Nothing I do requires high throughput so the lower inches per minute of MIG isn't really much of a concern for me.

Mostly I'm interested in doing thinner sheet (think body panel replacement), but up to 1/4 structural work (think 4x4/offroad fab).
No much to any aluminum need I can think of, am I making a mistake to prefer TIG?
My main concern is that MIG is great for on-vehicle work, while TIG seems essentially to require parts to be removed and fixtured.
I'm thinking a larger MIG might end up being a smarter choice.

The usually penetration concerns with MIG can be addressed by wise choices of machine and setup.


I'd never heard of the PrimeWeld unit, but I was looking mostly at the Everlast machines. 5 year warranty and genuine Infineon MOSFETS.

 

[jonesg]

Just a bump to avoid starting a new thread.
I'm looking for a welder to get into light fabrication. I don't have 240V yet but it can easily be added to my panel in the garage.
While I'm sure that MIG is fast and convenient, I'm drawn to the precision of TIG. Nothing I do requires high throughput so the lower inches per minute of MIG isn't really much of a concern for me.

Mostly I'm interested in doing thinner sheet (think body panel replacement), but up to 1/4 structural work (think 4x4/offroad fab).
No much to any aluminum need I can think of, am I making a mistake to prefer TIG?
My main concern is that MIG is great for on-vehicle work, while TIG seems essentially to require parts to be removed and fixtured.
I'm thinking a larger MIG might end up being a smarter choice.

The usually penetration concerns with MIG can be addressed by wise choices of machine and setup.


I'd never heard of the PrimeWeld unit, but I was looking mostly at the Everlast machines. 5 year warranty and genuine Infineon MOSFETS.

the yeswelder 205d I have is a mig, lift tig, stick machine. the tig function has no pedal.

everlast are good, as are primeweld.
you're spoilt for choice these days.

 

[finn]

Just a bump to avoid starting a new thread.
I'm looking for a welder to get into light fabrication. I don't have 240V yet but it can easily be added to my panel in the garage.
While I'm sure that MIG is fast and convenient, I'm drawn to the precision of TIG. Nothing I do requires high throughput so the lower inches per minute of MIG isn't really much of a concern for me.

Mostly I'm interested in doing thinner sheet (think body panel replacement), but up to 1/4 structural work (think 4x4/offroad fab).
No much to any aluminum need I can think of, am I making a mistake to prefer TIG?
My main concern is that MIG is great for on-vehicle work, while TIG seems essentially to require parts to be removed and fixtured.
I'm thinking a larger MIG might end up being a smarter choice.

The usually penetration concerns with MIG can be addressed by wise choices of machine and setup.


I'd never heard of the PrimeWeld unit, but I was looking mostly at the Everlast machines. 5 year warranty and genuine Infineon MOSFETS.

When I was looking last year, I decided that Primeweld had the best support and most enthusiastic customer base of all the import welders out there.

The domestics had mostly old school traditionalists who had opinions, but no knowledge of the imports. Welding forums spoke highly of Primeweld. YouTube videos are a mixed bag, since there’s a lot of shilling, but if you cut through the bs, Primeweld seen
med to have solid support.

Join the Primeweld Facebook group.

 

[Hohn]

I see the premium ground clamp of the Primeweld units and that speaks to me that they aren't just cutting corners wherever they can.
I think their 180 MIG is about perfect for what I want. I'm not looking for a multiprocess machine and all the complexity and such that goes with it. I don't need stick capability as I won't be doing any field work or pipe work, it's all inside in a garage.

I'd love to have TIG but I think I can hold off on that and see just how often I'm wanting to weld aluminum.

I actually prefer solid riveting aluminum to welding. (interesting that a modern airliner in production today still has millions of solid rivets and isn't welded, eh? There's a reason for that).

Last time I was looking into a welder I was deep diving the Everlast units. I think the primeweld is probably a better bargain, but the everlast units seems to have slightly better specs and more features. Which is likely moot for me as a novice.

 

[N_Jay]

Decided to start with the YesWelder Pro-250.
Figured I could upgrade when needed, and as long as it doesn't die, I can probably get most of my money back selling it.

 

[JRC3]

Just bought a Tooliom 250A last week. Might wire an outlet tomorrow and fire it up for the first time...For me welding too.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/what-did-you-buy-yourself-today.445359/page-220#post-10245068

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HZYLJDX/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Komet]

Don't need knowledge of imports if you buy a used Miller. Just sayin.