Low cost welder?

[plinker]

I'm looking at needing to get some type of wire welder that will do sheet metal (minor body work on my truck).

Is there a decent wire welder for around 150-200$?

I can only really budget that much as I've got a fair bit of money to spend on my truck project so I need something to get by with for now.

I remember reading somewhere that Harbor freight has/had one that was made in Italy. I have seen some Campbel Hausfeld's at Menards and in Grizzlys catalog.

Would a stick welder work well enough on sheet metal to get by with?
I'm not looking for perfection, just something to fill holes in fenders and patch some added repair pieces on the box.

 

[nate379]

"Decent" you are looking in the $400-500 range, and if you are going that far, may as well just step up to a 240v machine for $600-700.

Have any friends with welders? I do work for beer all the time.

 

[atari]

what nate said

 

[jaysonb]

I have a small 110 wirefeed that I am using to restore a 71 chevy c20. It works great. It was set up for flux core wire when I got it, and I had to have a gas kit put on it to make it work good for body work. Try and find one with the regulator for gas and everything you need, but fluxcore wire dosen't work the best for body repair. Just for sheet metal I wouldn't spend alot.

 

[Abbott]

The price range of $150-$200 means Harbor Freight or Craigslist. You may be able to find a used Clarke which is a machine a lot of do it yourself guys use. If not you are likely limited to a HF machine. I would recommend a machine that can use .023 (.024) solid wire plus gas for your sheet metal work. The small gas bottles at HF will cost another $90.00 or so.

More info. here: http://weldingweb.com/forumdisplay.php?f=28

 

[trailwart]

i agree with the above. you can look at the machines that northern tool has, there branded machines are budget minded. hobart 140 has great reviews for the budget minded and runs about 400 new when on sale. but you get to the point that if you spend 400 for this machine, i can spend 600 and have this machine type scenario.

i would recomend you go to your closest/local welding supply and talk with them to see what your minimum needs/requirements are. price it all out and see what its gonna take. i wont use flux core on body panels, mig is just so much better, but the cost of a good size cylinder can run over 200$

over on the welding web there are many that have the hf machines. not many of them are left stock because there just not up to the task for most. it may get you thru your project just fine. most have modded there machines, and most say if they had to do it again they would just step up to a better machine from the get go.

craigslist is your friend for good deals, yard/garage sales have those can't pass up deals also. and if you find a used cylinder for sale, make sure you can get it filled, that can be a real issue without papers.

 

[KenS]

Keep on the lookout for an old Miller Sidekick or Cricket XL. These were 30% duty cycle 110 volt MIGs and can often be found-- with gauge and sometimes even with bottles-- for $50 to $200 on craigslist and in pawnshops. They use standard M-10 Miller guns which means you can buy tips, nozzles and liners for them at any welding house or even a place like Tractor Supply. (I think they use the same gun as the current Hobart Handler 187.)

The one drawback is that they were designed to hold 10-pound spools of wire, but you can fabricate or purchase an adapter. They were solid units that can get you MIG welding sheet metal very inexpensively. And if copper prices go back up, the copper in their transformers will be worth more than the machine!

You'd probably we wiser to search craigslist for a used Hobart Handler 140 (for 110-volt) or-- if you have 220-volt and can stretch it financially-- the more robust Hobart Handler 187 with its world-class arc.

One thing about MIG welding is that you will get much better results with gas. But the problem there is the high cost of getting your foot in the door with gas-- about $200+ if you want to buy your tank. If you are going to try to do flux-core (no-gas) welding, you would probably be better off buying stick welder like a used Lincoln tombstone-- but make sure it's the rarer and more costly AC/DC model and not the AC-only usually sold in the box stores.

Another entry-level arc solution is the cheap HF 110-volt inverter which can be had for about $100. These have been getting surprisingly good reviews, especially considering their limitations.

An earlier poster mentioned a Clarke and they can be had very cheaply. But remember that Clarke is no longer in the welding business in the United States and Clarke welders use proprietary parts that could become difficult to find.

 

[yotarover]

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/

this is were i just bought my power arc 160 240v dc stick/tig welder i love this thing comes with a 5 yr warranty and the customer service is great even in their forums section. they have a wide range of welders.helmets, torches etc. i paid $330 for mine

 

[Brunow]

I bought a welder from a garage sale. Look in the local newspapers & Talk to the some dude's in the small garage's.

 

[johnny1290]

I paid $210 for my used lincoln with a nice helmet and bottle off of craigslist. My experience has been that airgas or the like will take your bottle even if it's expired but charge you around $20 inspection fee and just give you an up to date bottle. What I'm saying is I wouldn't get hung up about certification date on the thing.

When all is said and done its hard to get away for less than $500 or more if you buy new.

A 110 lincoln with mig kit and cart and bottle and helmet is $700 easy.

If you ask me used is the way to go, there's always someone out there that's tired of trippping over their machine.

 

[mrholeshot]

Is there a decent wire welder for around 150-200$?

.

Would a stick welder work well enough on sheet metal to get by with?
.

First question is No, unless you find a used welder like a Lincoln weldpack 100 flux core only. Despite what some will tell you with some skill you can do a decent job with flux core wire. The weld won't be as pretty but you will be doing some grinding anyway. My pick for what you want would be a Lincoln ProMig 140. To me it's the best 110 welder on the market (thats just me) but using the gas with this one would be the best but the welder itself is 500+ new. Pretty welds don't come cheap.

Yes you can weld sheet metal with a stick welder. Back before everyone and there dog had mig welders the standard welders for most places was a Lincoln 225. Using the lowest setting using a 6011 1/16 rod it can be done with some skill. If you happen up a good AC/DC stick welder you can use 6013 on A/C and make some nice looking welds. I have Lincoln 225 I've had since the 70's. It has said hello and goodbye to at least 10 mig welders. I love my Mig welder but when it comes to something that will wield anything from sheet metal to 1/2 inch plate it's hard to beat an old Lincoln and some mad skill.

 

[mjn]

I just got a new Eastwood cat and I know bit more then you said but they have a nice little 135 there brand for $299.

 

[Abbott]

Thanks, I will look at the Eastwood machines.

Hi guys,

I wanted to clear up a few of the concerns on our new Eastwood welders.

1.These are NOT rebadged or rebranded welders made by another large company for us with our name on it.
-These welders we designed and tested in house here at Eastwood. They were designed to be EQUIVALENT to the Lincoln Mig Pak 10 (our 135) and the Mig Pak 15 (our 175). We oversaw every step of the production process to make sure these were designed to our specs and expectations. Our main concern is to give you a welder that is built to the same specs and quality as a industrial welder, but priced towards a serious hobbyist.
-We go so far as to back our welders with a 3 year warranty. That is backed by Eastwood Company, not by a 3rd party company, like people seemed to be confused about. We didn't begin offering these for a "quick buck", in fact we are working on designing further products to add to our welding product line (can you say affordable TIG and Plasma cutters?)

2. Consumables- Our welders are made with a Tweco style gun (the same as most major companies including Lincoln use). Therefore all consumable parts (nozzle, tips, etc) are available at any local welding supply store. We are enthusiasts here ourselves, and we know the frustration of needing a part or supplies halfway through the job and not being able to get it! (for me this past weekend it was running out of mig wire at 5:30PM on a Sunday and realizing the only local "Farm" store that would have wire closed at 5

)

If you guys have any other questions or concerns feel free to ask me and I'll do my best to answer them!

***In fact I can offer anyone that is on the fence about one of our welders the chance to try it for 30 days with a hassle free return policy. Buy it, use it to weld your rusty project car, patch a frame on the same project, your sons go-kart, your fence in your yard, your neighbor's shed doors, whatever... If you don't like it or it doesn't meet your expectations (which I highly doubt!), than give us a call and we will be gladly take it back and refund your money.***

Hope that cleared up a few questions and concerns.

-Matt/EW

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/eastwood-welders-173865.html

I found the Eastwood machine at $299.00 here http://www.eastwood.com/welders/eastwood-welders-1/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=41965

 

[blaze_125]

First question is No, unless you find a used welder like a Lincoln weldpack 100 flux core only. Despite what some will tell you with some skill you can do a decent job with flux core wire.

That's the machine I have and I love it. You can buy a kit to convert it for gas, but I haven't got it personnaly. I have been using flux core wire, and as I'm starting my second 1lbs roll I can honestly say my welds are looking better and better. I'm no longer shy about taking pictures of my welds.

Since you're aiming at body work, if you get such machine, or any other machine really, I would advise you to spend plenty of time welding anything but your car for the first roll or two so you can get a feel of your machine and get to know how to set it right. Get some scrap body panels and lay down beads after beads. Once you feel confident enough, then start welding your car. Don't do the opposite... Don't start welding on your car, and then learn on scrap. Learn on scrap first!

 

[back2class]

Stay the hell away from an "off brand" mig or flux core welder. They wear out and break and replacement parts are sketchy to get. Been there...done that. 110v is fine for hobby use. I have one and never use my stick welder anymore. I have owned a Hobart and Linclon since that initial mistake and both seem great. DON'T do one that is not hobart, miller or linclon!

 

[nissan_crawler]

I'm looking at needing to get some type of wire welder that will do sheet metal (minor body work on my truck).

Is there a decent wire welder for around 150-200$?

I can only really budget that much as I've got a fair bit of money to spend on my truck project so I need something to get by with for now.

I remember reading somewhere that Harbor freight has/had one that was made in Italy. I have seen some Campbel Hausfeld's at Menards and in Grizzlys catalog.

Would a stick welder work well enough on sheet metal to get by with?
I'm not looking for perfection, just something to fill holes in fenders and patch some added repair pieces on the box.

New, no. Even used, good luck.

Unless there is just no way you can swing it, I would look for, at minimum, a hobart/miller/lincoln 110v machine, preferably a 220v one.

Also, might want to check toolking.com. They sell refurb hobarts with warranty, for a good price.


Flux core only, one year warranty or remainder of factory five year, whichever is more: http://www.toolking.com/hobart-500521a-factory-reconditioned-handler-125ez-welder-a-stock

It's nothing fancy, and you can't add a bottle to it, but I would trust that a lot more than some 2 week warranty hong kong louis machine.

They sometimes have these refurb'd, depending on if you can wait or not: http://www.toolking.com/hobart-500500-handler-140-mig-flux-cored-welder

It might be worth giving them a call. I think the best would be to save for a hh187, but if you can't swing it, then you can't.

 

[plinker]

I remembered Home depot having these Lincoln/Century units; http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xiuZarnk/R-100596737/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053#specs

I may be going there this week sometime, So I'll see what they've got. I do have a 25$ off card I could use.

Otherwise the reconditioned Hobart 125 might be the ticket. Parts availabilty is an issue I'm looking at with this.

Flux core wire isnt an issue as I'm going to paint the truck anyway.

Craigslist, around here nothing to speak of (inc. compressors & tool boxes).

I figure if I can get by for now with a smaller welder, I'll be looking into getting a Hobart 187 eventully.

 

[plinker]

Well, I ended up getting a Hobart 187 instead of one of the 110v welders.

Played with it this morning and actully made some decent looking welds ( to me ) with the .030" flux core wire it came with. Much easier than stick welding for sure.

Now I need to get some more wire & stuff and then I'll be set to go.

 

[csp]

For sheetmetal get rid of the .030 and go to .023

 

[speed bump]

For sheetmetal get rid of the .030 and go to .023

They dont make 0.023 flux core that I have ever seen. 0.030 is the smallest you will get for flux core.

It also depends on the machine, I have run machines that welded sheet really well on 0.025 wire and ran machines that you couldn't dial in with 0.025 wire but would run well on 0.030 wire. It all depends on machine and the technique.

 

[csp]

Missed the flux core part.

 

[logical]

I know a guy who's Dad just threw some wires with a hook bent onto each end over the power lines coming into his house...you wanted cheap.