Welders.....Need some help

[brucer]

Unless I am mistaken, the 181i and the 252i are only 220v. The 211i is however dual voltage.

You are correct, I was thinking the 181i and 211i were dual voltage, I guess I was thinking that because my 211i was dual voltage..

 

[sberry]

Where the dual voltage is a huge asset is stick welding for field work. I think Hobart is missing an opportunity for a 120V entry level stick machine. I bought a Forney ju8st to see ghow well a hundred buck machine worked. Its a 3/32 6011 unit and although rated 100A wont run a 3/32 7018 without tripping a 20A breaker, my Maxstar does it easy.

Hobart made an equivalent but it never sold well, was a bargain but they need bare bonz stick like the EZ is to wire.

 

[HAP]

HAP, it is mainly a price point issue. I don't have a great deal of experience in welding, and while several folks have stated they prefer to have adjustability, I don't know if that is a neccesity to me due to inexperience. Perhaps as my experience expands, my need for those options will also.

I will use it mainly for light welding, boat trailer, panel replacement on the project car or go cart frame builds ect.....


I have 220v power in the garage. I can see the allure of the Miller & Thermal Arc products.

I can wait a while longer and save up a bit more to get me closer to the $800-1000 range.

Thanks Caddi. I'll just add that once your experience grows you will be looking to expand your capabilities as well. My first welder was/is the MM 210. Had no experience, but I was enrolled in the basic Mig welding class at the local CC when I bought it. Like many have mentioned here, you only want to buy a welder once. You may however end up buying more than one welder for diferent applications later. Perhaps saving up is your best option for now. You can still go for the E 175 if you are still partial to it at the time...

Happy welding.

 

[brucer]

Where the dual voltage is a huge asset is stick welding for field work. I think Hobart is missing an opportunity for a 120V entry level stick machine. I bought a Forney ju8st to see ghow well a hundred buck machine worked. Its a 3/32 6011 unit and although rated 100A wont run a 3/32 7018 without tripping a 20A breaker, my Maxstar does it easy.

Hobart made an equivalent but it never sold well, was a bargain but they need bare bonz stick like the EZ is to wire.

I've heard from others that the little harbor freight stick welders were pretty good.. Same for the ThermalArc 95s. You can also set these little welders up to scratch start tig pretty cheap..

 

[dsprint2000]

Inherited my Dad's Hobart 120. Good thing it's 110v as I don't have 220v available in my garage (condo). It has handled all I need while working on the hot rod....

David

 

[BearCuda]

I have used a firepower 220 for years with absolutely no issues. Great for the money. I had a 220 source installed in garage when I had the house built just for the eventual purpose of a 220 welder.

 

[ratdoggy]

I an not sure why they would tell you to stay away from 110 volt. Anything up to 1/4 inch they are the way to go. Have been using a 110 volt miller for the last 4 years and burn anything that I need. Just buy a name brand and not from a box store there is a difference. Good luck

All depends on what you need, a 110v machine will do a lot for a homeowner. It's much better than nothing. If you aren't welding bridges or ships you aren't wasting your money.Now if you have easy access to 220 at your house or there is already 220 in your garage then yes step up and get the 220 machine

 

[Duker]

The reason guys are telling other members to stay away from the 110V stuff is experience. Chances are they've already bought one (smaller 110V) and wished they went bigger or have already bought bigger.

Some guys will get along fine with a 110V welder while others want the larger 220V welders. A welder is something you want to buy once and most of us are going to have that welder for many years.

It's simply a matter of buying once and being done, investing your money right the first time.

+1 on this...

 

[MN4x4]

Another vote for Miller. My cousin runs a welding shop, so before I bought mine I called him for recommendations. He said 'go Miller' so I did - and have been very happy with my choice. That being said there is nothing wiring with Lincoln, Hobart, or ESAB either. Whatever you buy, buy right and buy it once:

1. Buy a name brand. Any listed above are fine.

2. If funds let you, get a 120/240 Volt unit. You will Always, ALWAYS need to weld something heavier than you think right now so a 240 Volt unit gives you that. You can run it on 120Volts for now, but you have the capability to upgrade simply by switching outlets in the future.

3. Check the classifieds here (and consider posting a wanted ad) and check Craigslist. You can often find an older, smaller unit that someone is selling to upgrade.

4. The new inverter machines are much smaller and light. If I were buying now, that's what I'd get.

And good luck to you , sparky!

 

[trackwelder]

Who knows if parts will be available in the future for that eastwood unit. I would spend the extra coin for a miller, Lincoln, thermal arc etc.

 

[Whiskeymike]

Hopefully, this additional question is additive to the conversation. What's the budget amounts one is looking at to get into welding? I'm personally interested in working on a jeep, and fabbing armor, racks, etc. for it plus common household stuff, but it would be good to find out how much money will get you. Such as...this is

$250 - entry level - 110v, fix garden, household stuff with stick welding
$500 beginning automotive
$1000 moderate auto, includes mig, 2 gases, blah blah
$1200 - mig, tig, good for aluminum - can do anything you'd want to do as a beginner-moderate welder for fun
$1500 - above plus integrated plasma

Thanks, I don't want to over buy as I have a lot of tools I'd like to get sooner than later.

 

[brucer]

Hopefully, this additional question is additive to the conversation. What's the budget amounts one is looking at to get into welding? I'm personally interested in working on a jeep, and fabbing armor, racks, etc. for it plus common household stuff, but it would be good to find out how much money will get you. Such as...this is

$250 - entry level - 110v, fix garden, household stuff with stick welding
$500 beginning automotive
$1000 moderate auto, includes mig, 2 gases, blah blah
$1200 - mig, tig, good for aluminum - can do anything you'd want to do as a beginner-moderate welder for fun
$1500 - above plus integrated plasma

Thanks, I don't want to over buy as I have a lot of tools I'd like to get sooner than later.

For straight up automotive type work, and such as your speaking of in the 4x4 world.. I would not buy anything less than 180amp machine which would be a 220v machine unless its a dual voltage (110v-220v) unit..
on Amazon and Yahoo
Hobart 190 for like $800 with spoolgun included
Hobart 210mvp for $849.99

The Hobart Ironman 230 is a 250 amp class machine, they are nice but I think it would be more than you need, but you also wouldnt ever need anything any bigger..

My other choices would be
Thermal Arc 181i $789 Cyberweld with free Tweco auto darkening helmet
Thermal Arc 211i $1035 Cyberweld with free Tweco auto darkening helmet

I own a Thermal Arc 211i (210amp) I feel this size machine is perfect for a small home shop or light to medium duty fabrication shop. This machine also gives you the added capability of dc-lift-tig/stick/spoolgun.. I paid around $1200 for mine with tig torch from Indian Oxygen.

The Hobart 210mvp is very attractive at $850...

In my opinion you are just throwing money away getting anything less than a 180amp class machine..

 

[dondarnell]

I think the Eastwood products are a safe bet. I have a Millermatic 140 MIG and its pretty easy to use, but I recently bought an Eastwood TIG 200, and an Eastwood plasma cutter, and so far so good (only practice so far). Both are 110 or 220 machines. Someone above recommended the Millermatic 200 that is all three. I paid about $1300 for the combo, shipped, and I think if I did not already have the Miller MIG, I would have got the Millermatic 200 at about $2200 (at Airgas), but maybe its cheaper elsewhere. I am a lawyer with a Porsche and Alfa habit, and Eastwood is a regular source for my hobbies. Sometimes they miss the mark, but they always make it right.

 

[38Chevy454]

I'll throw my $.02 in. I started out welding with a stick welder. Great for thicker stuff, not so goodf for sheetmetal ranges. So bought a 110v MIG (Lincoln SP-125 I think, been many years) that has gas and solid wire. I run .025 wire in it and it has worked great for thin stuff like sheetmetal. I somewhat recently bought a 220v MIG machine (Lincoln 175 or 180, i forget the exact number) and it works great for everything. I rarely use the 110v anymore, but it still has it's place for real thin stuff.

Spend a little more than your budget allows and get the 220v machine. It can do thin stuff, and has the power to do any thicker that you require.

 

[Caddis295]

Thanks to everyone for their input.

I now have another question. Should I forgo a MIG and purchase a TIG unit instead? It is only a few hundred more.....

I am a detail oriented person, so will the TIG give me cleaner/better welds than a MIG?


Thanks again!


Dino

 

[CKC]

Thanks to everyone for their input.

I now have another question. Should I forgo a MIG and purchase a TIG unit instead? It is only a few hundred more.....

I am a detail oriented person, so will the TIG give me cleaner/better welds than a MIG?


Thanks again!


Dino

If I had nothing I would get a 220V Mig first then a Tig machine, I have a Hobart 230 with the spool gun (which I have never used) and a Miller Diversion 180.
another good thing about buying Name brand is resale and trade-in value, if you want to up grade later.

 

[cdsvt]

I've got a 95s that I picked up on craigslist and it works well for what it is.

I've heard from others that the little harbor freight stick welders were pretty good.. Same for the ThermalArc 95s. You can also set these little welders up to scratch start tig pretty cheap..

 

[brucer]

or feed your addiction like I did and order a Thermal Arc 186 AC Tig! The new 186 is scheduled for delivery tomorrow, and I can't wait to try it out!

give us a review of the TA186 when you get a chance.

 

[Paticus]

I have the hobart 140 and it's great for a 110v unit... BUT... If I had 220v in my garage I would have purchased the Hobart 210MVP. That allows 110/220v operation.