What would be a good beginner welding unit?

[wrenchmaster]

I want to purchase a welder however I do not have a clear vision of what type I would need.
My first use would be to replace body panels and patches.
It would also be helpful it was multi function but I don't understand the different needs for welding different substrates.
Lastly, cutting, if that was possible that would be a bonus.

Is acetylene and O2 an option or are machines better?

Does anyone know anything about the YesWelder?

 

[JradM]

I want to purchase a welder however I do not have a clear vision of what type I would need.
My first use would be to replace body panels and patches.
It would also be helpful it was multi function but I don't understand the different needs for welding different substrates.
Lastly, cutting, if that was possible that would be a bonus.

Is acetylene and O2 an option or are machines better?

Does anyone know anything about the YesWelder?

I have the YesWelder Mig-205DS. It's more capable than I am, so I'm probably not the best to review it, even though I've had it for several months.

The problem is that I haven't got it to weld very thin sheet metal reliably, and that's what I do a lot of. I think it CAN do that, but I need to spend some time experimenting to find the right settings.

Instead, I have an old Arcweld 120v flux-core machine I got 30 years ago, that kinda ***** - but I've used it so long and so often I can get pretty good results out of it.

 

[LopezBart]

A gas mig machine is likely ideal for thin sheet metal. How thick do you want to cut?

 

[toolenthusiast]

Start by reading a few of the *many* existing threads about this topic…

 

[zendriver]

Lastly, cutting, if that was possible that would be a bonus.

Is acetylene and O2 an option or are machines better?

For body panel and frame cutting, go for an inexpensive plasma cutter, IMO. 240v if you have it.

 

[The Cobbler]

My first use would be to replace body panels and patches.

a mig welder, with gas set up & 0.022 wire , an angle grinder with cut off wheels and 24 or 36 grit sanding discs will get you long way in to the project

 

[sqznby]

If you're main goal is body work a great machine would be a Hobart Handler 190 or 210 typically found at Tractor Supply.
They're pretty capable machines.

 

[jrsavoie]

Good reviews for this on the Facebook welding pages

 

[theoldwizard1]

Even though you are a beginner, buy machine that will do both 120V and 240V. Second, even if you start with flux core wire, make sure the machine can handle gas.

 

[Benw455]

My first welder for body work was a Hobart 140 mig. It was perfect for body work only change I made was some Esab EZ grind wire.

 

[Aaron_W]

I'd go with a MIG welder. A 120v machine around 140amp will do what you are wanting to do now.

If you have the budget and want something you can grow into I agree with Oldwizard look for a 120/240v machine, something around 200amp.

Hobart is the budget name brand, Hobart Handler 140 is around $600 and is a solid light duty option, the 210MVP is about $1100 and is a decent dual voltage 120/240 machine.

There are a lot of import machines these days getting good reviews. Personally if I went cheap I'd probably go with something in the Harbor Freight Vulcan or Titanium line simply because getting a bad one is an easy walk in exchange vs most others which will be online where shipping becomes involved.

Where a lot of the cheap welders seem to be decent at their upper end, some seem to be inconsistant at the low end so may not be so great for thin metal.

Plasma cutting is a whole different rabbit hole that is probably best kept as a seperate purchase when you get there.


I do have a Multi function TIG / MIG / stick welder which I like very much. I got it as a forever machine, but I primarily use it as a MIG welder, and probably would have been perfectly happy spending a lot less money for a stand alone MIG welder.

 

[wrenchmaster]

Thank you for awesome information!

 

[PlanB]

Go mig that is designed to use gas, not flux core with option of gas.

I went the cheaper way on that choice, should have just burned the cash instead.

 

[isb cornbinder]

A better machine will help the operator's work to look better. Stay away from budget flux core. These are not for new operators. Miller is always my first choice.
My first Miller was a MILLER MATIC 200. I got it to cover the cost of paying off an account that was in in default.
If a person can find a good used Miller-Matic 200 or a MM150 are good learning machines.

 

[whateg01]

For sheet metal, avoid straight CO2, even though it's cheaper. It will produce a hotter arc which can be helpful on heavier metal but on body panels you'll just blow holes in them.

 

[Toold_up]

I don't have 220 in my garage so i'm oxy/fuel.

I had to do some welding recently when we lost power (Hurricane came through). I couldn't have done that with an electric machine. I also can weld aluminum and stainless with oxy fuel. It's also portible so I can wheel my cart out to the yard and do whatever I need (including cutting).

Oxy fuel is slower and out of favor, but very capible and inexpensive. Do whatever best meets your requirements.

 

[john.k]

The pro custom body builders all say the same thing ............oxy /acetylene for sheet metal (steel) .....the welds are soft and easily shaped .........Of course mig or tig is a lot faster and cheaper

 

[Jon h]

Oxy is awesome for body work. The welds are softer and the metal is easier to work aftwards. But….you have to know hat your doing. It’s a steep learning curve to weld with oxy. I can’t do it.

MIG is the way to go for those of us the can’t get the hang of either TIG or Oxy.
Jon h.

 

[Toold_up]

I learned oxy acetylene brazing doing HVAC work. From there welding was natural. It's not hard, anybody can learn to do it.

 

[F-22]

As others said, mig/mag is the cheapest. Machines that do mig can also do mag, it just depends what gas you hook up. Mig uses argon and is pricey. Mag uses CO2 and is generally dirt cheap gas. While mig does produce nicer welds easier, mag is also quite easy to handle and at least very cheap to learn with. I know some guys at the local fire department and they'll even load up a can of co2 for free. The dedicated welding gas is "better" for sure, they add some other gasses in in (I think a small percentage of argon?), but free is free......

 

[Hohn]

I want to purchase a welder however I do not have a clear vision of what type I would need.
My first use would be to replace body panels and patches.
It would also be helpful it was multi function but I don't understand the different needs for welding different substrates.
Lastly, cutting, if that was possible that would be a bonus.

Is acetylene and O2 an option or are machines better?

Does anyone know anything about the YesWelder?

I'll comment as someone who did a LOT of research last year in preparation for beginning my welding journey this spring. I'm an ME by day and obsessively analytical.

You say that body work is your "first use" but will it be your primary use? Only use?


Here's a couple questions I'd ask yourself to help you narrow things down a bit:
1) How important is speed vs quality?
2) What percentage of the time will you weld on material < 1/8" thick? 3/16"? 1/4"?
3) Do you expect to weld aluminum with any regularity?

Personally, I think you'd want to be in the realm of a 180amp wire feeder with thin wire (0.024) and C25 gas. I also think you'd be glad you got "pulse mig" ability as the pulse feature really helps reduce heat input on thin panels.

There are mig wires now designed specifically for panel work that leave soft, easy grinding beads behind. No need to mess with oxyfuel to get nice ductile welds.

As for brands, you can go blind on all the pop-up Chinese welder companies that have saturated the market with Youtubers and forum monkey shills. You'll get a million recommendations for Primeweld, YesWelder, Everlast, etc.

Miller and Lincoln are the two big dogs that have basically captured the local welding stores completely. I feel like they overpriced for what they are in many cases-- too much like "Tool truck" for my blood.

Almost by process of elimination, I ended up looking at welders that weren't that cheap but were neither blue nor red. Esab has some exciting stuff now as does HTP.

HTP has a Pro Pulse that is really sort of tuned to be amazing at panel work. It's not super expensive either for an advanced 220 amp class machine at $2200. Also NOT made in china.

I have no affiliation with any welding company and only shill for Sanrex because I'm super happy with my two Sanrex machines. But they are more industrial and emphasize durability and duty cycle over features. The HTP machines, on the other hand, have a LOT of features. The only ding I'd put on the HTPs is the lack of power factor correction, but since they are more of a dedicated 240V shop-kept machine, this is mostly moot.

If you have any concept of ever wanting useful 120V output, Power Factor Correction (PFC) is in my opinion an absolute MUST have, not a luxury.

HTP® Pro Pulse® 220 MTS

The HTP® Pro Pulse® 220 MTS—a multi-process machine capable of MIG, synergic MIG, synergic pulsed MIG, DC TIG, and Stick—offers a manual mode as well as 22 synergic programs, both with and without pulse, giving you the advantage of a virtually spatter free weld! Parameter selection on pulsed...

usaweld.com

 

[Hohn]

A better machine will help the operator's work to look better. Stay away from budget flux core. These are not for new operators. Miller is always my first choice.
My first Miller was a MILLER MATIC 200. I got it to cover the cost of paying off an account that was in in default.
If a person can find a good used Miller-Matic 200 or a MM150 are good learning machines.

I don't think anyone doubts the excellence of the Miller machines, even the older models.
The complaint I always have is the snap-on like pricing. There's a reason the lower cost machines are taking so much market from Lincoln and Miller.

Where I live, a clapped out USED MM250 that was ridden hard a lot and put away wet every time is $2800. New, it's $4500+ in most instances.

Even in more affordable new machines, the MM211 is $2k most places. Another $200 in the HTP gets you pulse and some very nice features for automotive panel work. The HTP is also a big higher output.
If one can find a used MM or Lincoln that's in good shape and reasonably priced, I'd buy a USED lincoln or Miller.

But in new machines, I think you can do better for your money in most cases.

 

[Toold_up]

A large tank of acetylene is about $300. A large oxygen tank is about $100. A Victor kit is about $300. That's $700 and you are off to the races (taxes not included) with all new equipment. A pound of RG45 is about $15. If you have old metal coat hangers you can use those as filler, and you can also use cut up strips of steel as filler which is no cost.


Another really nice thing about oxy/fuel is heat and beat. You can heat up a panel and body hammer it into submission. Have a radius and no english wheel, but you do have a metal wheelbarrow that happens to have the same radius? Heat and beat! Same idea for matching any radius which matches the OD of some scrap pipe you may have laying around. If you have some carpentry skills you can make a form out of wood and beat the panel to follow the form.


** EDIT **

Oh and oxy-fuel doesn't care about rust, paint, or oil. It burns off and you continue to weld.

Here is some kid who has never welded stainless before, but is smart enough to follow instructions and makes a new skin for a muffler:

Don't be scared.

 

[Steve_P]

Starting from clueless and wanting to go straight to gas welding is going to be verrrrrry difficult unless you go to school. It's not easy to master and isn't very common anymore- outside of boutique applications, for a good reason. Most vintage auto restoration shops use TIG, not gas, now.

If you don't have 240V, get a decent 120V MIG.

Yes, I have an OA torch set, but it's for cutting and heating. I have a 240V Lincoln MIG for welding.

Miller is used primarily in commercial fab shops where cost isnt a huge concern- It's what I see 95% in fab shops, the rest is Lincoln. Miller doesn't want to join the race to the bottom; they know they can't compete with no name imports. Hobart is a good compromise.

 

[Toold_up]

Starting from clueless and wanting to go straight to gas welding is going to be verrrrrry difficult unless you go to school. It's not easy to master and isn't very common anymore- outside of boutique applications, for a good reason. Most vintage auto restoration shops use TIG, not gas, now.

If you don't have 240V, get a decent 120V MIG.

Yes, I have an OA torch set, but it's for cutting and heating. I have a 240V Lincoln MIG for welding.

Miller is used primarily in commercial fab shops where cost isnt a huge concern- It's what I see 95% in fab shops, the rest is Lincoln. Miller doesn't want to join the race to the bottom; they know they can't compete with no name imports. Hobart is a good compromise.

This kid must be a master welder then. How many years of experience do you think he has under his belt:

 

[isb cornbinder]

A better machine will help the operator's work to look better. Stay away from budget flux core. These are not for new operators. Miller is always my first choice.
My first Miller was a MILLER MATIC 200. I got it to cover the cost of paying off an account that was in in default.
If a person can find a good used Miller-Matic 200 or a MM150 are good learning machines.

I doubt that I will be upgrading to new and more capable welders. If I were 15 years younger I would buy welders with the pulse option.
I have tried welding with a few economy welders and I did not like any of them. I have 2 retired welder friends, now retired, They refuse to try welding with what they call, "junk". I am guessing that they would not like to be caught holding something that will be embarrassing to themselves.
I wonder which welder Kay prefers.

 

[finn]

Starting from clueless and wanting to go straight to gas welding is going to be verrrrrry difficult unless you go to school. It's not easy to master and isn't very common anymore- outside of boutique applications, for a good reason. Most vintage auto restoration shops use TIG, not gas, now.

If you don't have 240V, get a decent 120V MIG.

Yes, I have an OA torch set, but it's for cutting and heating. I have a 240V Lincoln MIG for welding.

Miller is used primarily in commercial fab shops where cost isnt a huge concern- It's what I see 95% in fab shops, the rest is Lincoln. Miller doesn't want to join the race to the bottom; they know they can't compete with no name imports. Hobart is a good compromise.

My experience, exactly.

I started forty years ago with an oxy acetylene setup. Still have it, but I gave up try to perfect my welding ability or proficiency with it. Brazing was easier, but after having to deal with warped panels, due to my lack of skill, I bought a 120v HTP that was a prototype transformer model that the founder of the company sold to me. That was in about 1986 or 87.

I still have that 120v MiG welder and use it regularly.

I later “upgraded” to a used Miller 175, with a CO2 bottle, but never used it much, except for welding heavier stock, along with a HTP Tig ac/dc machine.

Last year I sold the Millermatic 175 and bought a lightly used Miller Multimatic 220, but still mostly use the HTP.

For our winter house in Az, three years ago I bought a PrimeWeld 225x tig welder, mostly to upgrade my tig skills, or lack there of.

Don’t listen to those that disparage the latest imports. They’re doing so out of ignorance, in my experience. The PrimeWeld machine cost a quarter or a third of the used Miller, and came with a three year warranty that included shipping, should you have an issue. I’m satisfied with its performance so far.

FYI, the other reason I use the Oxy Acetylene Setup sparingly is the real potential for fire with the open flame, especially if you’re working on old rusty metal in a residential garage. MiG welding largely, but not completely, mitigates the risk of burning your house down.

 

[MichaelP]

IMHO, it' better to start with thicker metal welding, learn the basics and then progress to more tricky thin panels.

A very good way to learn is to take welding classes at a local college and then decide what to buy.

In any case, I wouldn't invest in a limiting or "el cheapo" setup. You want to have a versatile and reliable machine you will grow with. About 200A Hobart for MIG, Thermal Arc 200-300A inverter for TIG and stick, and Victor for gas would be nice and not very expensive options that will allow to handle different metals in a wide thickness range. Miller makes excellent products that are pleasure to use, but they are much more expensive.

 

[whateg01]

... About 200W Hobart for MIG, something like Thermadyne 200-350W inverter for TIG and stick, ...

Amps?

 

[MichaelP]

Of course, Amps. Sorry, I was typing and thinking about my current unrelated issues. Thank you for the correction! Fixed.

 

[ohhimark]

whats your budget? Do u have 240v?

 

[Joemctag]

My experience, exactly.

I started forty years ago with an oxy acetylene setup. Still have it, but I gave up try to perfect my welding ability or proficiency with it. Brazing was easier, but after having to deal with warped panels, due to my lack of skill, I bought a 120v HTP that was a prototype transformer model that the founder of the company sold to me. That was in about 1986 or 87.

I still have that 120v MiG welder and use it regularly.

I later “upgraded” to a used Miller 175, with a CO2 bottle, but never used it much, except for welding heavier stock, along with a HTP Tig ac/dc machine.

Last year I sold the Millermatic 175 and bought a lightly used Miller Multimatic 220, but still mostly use the HTP.

For our winter house in Az, three years ago I bought a PrimeWeld 225x tig welder, mostly to upgrade my tig skills, or lack there of.

Don’t listen to those that disparage the latest imports. They’re doing so out of ignorance, in my experience. The PrimeWeld machine cost a quarter or a third of the used Miller, and came with a three year warranty that included shipping, should you have an issue. I’m satisfied with its performance so far.

FYI, the other reason I use the Oxy Acetylene Setup sparingly is the real potential for fire with the open flame, especially if you’re working on old rusty metal in a residential garage. MiG welding largely, but not completely, mitigates the risk of burning your house down.

Primeweld is decent stuff.

 

[john.k]

My favorite welder of all time is a Lincoln SAE300 horizontal bullet....next would be the Lincoln 250MK upright bullet...............and as a bonus you can tig weld with either of these............with the SAE 300 you can even make iron or steel castings ,using the welder as a power source to melt the metal in a crucible...................try that with your mig-o-mag......I also have a diesel 400 and a diesel 500 that I havent used for a long time.........but both are good for arc air cutting scrap.

 

[finn]

My favorite welder of all time is a Lincoln SAE300 horizontal bullet....next would be the Lincoln 250MK upright bullet...............and as a bonus you can tig weld with either of these............with the SAE 300 you can even make iron or steel castings ,using the welder as a power source to melt the metal in a crucible...................try that with your mig-o-mag......I also have a diesel 400 and a diesel 500 that I havent used for a long time.........but both are good for arc air cutting scrap.

Don’t be silly. The Lincoln SAE 300 runs from $28000 to $43000 on a quick search. It’s hardly a machine suitable for a novice to learn on.

Typical GJ suggestion on how to spend other people’s money though. Hope you weren’t being serious.

 

[zendriver]

Don’t be silly. The Lincoln SAE 300 runs from $28000 to $43000 on a quick search. It’s hardly a machine suitable for a novice to learn on.

Typical GJ suggestion on how to spend other people’s money though. Hope you weren being serious.

It was once thought that one gets good at welding, by well, welding, but it seems there's a formula here, that the more money spent on a welder, the better the weld results.

Maybe those thousands of YouTube videos, of people (some claiming to be novices) making good-to-beautiful welds, on a sub $700 welder, are AI deep fakes.

If the OP decides not to weld much, a $3000 unit will be nice to look at.

 

[squirrel17]

Beginner welder suggestion from me would be the Lincoln 140 MIG from Home Depot. That is what I run, and I've done patch panels on a squarebody (bedsides,cab corners, rockers), I've repaired a 6x12 utility trailer with broken welds, I've patched a mower deck with rusted holes, and others that I've forgotten. As i get more practice I learn to adjust heat and wire speed depending on the results I'm getting.

 

[finn]

Beginner welder suggestion from me would be the Lincoln 140 MIG from Home Depot. That is what I run, and I've done patch panels on a squarebody (bedsides,cab corners, rockers), I've repaired a 6x12 utility trailer with broken welds, I've patched a mower deck with rusted holes, and others that I've forgotten. As i get more practice I learn to adjust heat and wire speed depending on the results I'm getting.

HD also sells PrimeWeld (ship to store.)

The PrimeWeld 180 is $150 less, more powerful 180 vs 140 amp, and is 120/240 v compatible. They have a loyal following here among people that have actually purchased their products, and an active Facebook page. Worth a look.

I’m not doubting that Miller, Lincoln, HTP, and Hobart, the old standbys, are great products, but they’re not the end all these days. It was hard for me to take the plunge and buy Primeweld, after having good luck with HTP and Miller, but in retrospect, I think it was a good decision. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of those four, and don’t doubt there are several more acceptable brands these days

 

[cannuck]

I bought a Lincoln 140 for a job where I had to carry it up ladders and run on 20A 120V (used 12 ga ext cord and 40' gas hose). It couldn't penetrate the substrate adequately without tripping the breaker. Sold it with maybe an hour's use to a good friend who absolutely LOVES it in his auto restoration work. I bought a 211 to finish the job and don't regret spending the $$$ - did the required welding with available power supply. So: to the OP - take much of what advice we offer with a grain of salt - as each application works differently with each machine. In your situation let me suggest looking for a good, used import (Primeweld comes to mind) and have a go at MIG (actually GMAW if we are going to be precise). Try to get into a beginner's welding class. If you find it is not the machine you want or need re-selling should be easy at little to no loss

 

[jjblbi]

If possible, see if your local High School Vo-Tech or Community College offers any night welding classes. You'll learn the right way, get all the proper safety practices and gain exposure to a lot of different equipment and techniques, maybe even get certified.

 

[no704]

Still have and use my Clarke 240v that I got from JC Whitney many years ago. Even though I have better units now it’s still one of my favorites.