Welder

tissimo

tissimo

Stock is boring :(
Apr 5, 2005
4,238
0
0
40
Melbourne, FL
looks like it would be ok..

I bought a Hobart 140 (i think 140) from Tractor supply. its like 500$.. comes with a gas regulartor and everything.. Plus Hobart is owned by miller so its a quality unit. I havn't had any problems with it in the 1 to 1.5 years i've had it.. Runs on 115v as well.. Its pretty adjustable, 4 power level settings and and adjustable wire speed.. I've built many exhausts/ic piping setups with it + many other things.. Well worht the money! I've saved so much doing it my self.. For example.. it will only cost me ~ 500$ for my full 4" SS exhaust.. DP to muffler.. Vbands and everything.. Just a 4" catback is 700+
 
thesandymancan

thesandymancan

a.k.a: mittens
Mar 7, 2006
233
0
0
36
boise, idaho
mig welding aluminum isn't great. it looks like shit and it's a pain in the ass to set the machine properly. it may be a good beginers machine but i would hold out for a tig machine. you would be better off buying a mig welder from home depot too.

mig and tig are two completely difrent processes. in mig you pull a trigger and the wire comes out. you need gass and the welds arn't that great. in tig you have 3 things to controle, a "torch", the filler rod and the foot pedal(how you controle the heat of the weld). tig is more dificult, slower and more expencive but the end result is a better weld as well as a cleaner weld.

this is the machine i hope to get soon.

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/tig/econotig/
 
suprageezer

suprageezer

New Member
Aug 27, 2005
778
0
0
Southern California
I'm with Thesandman I'd go Miller TIG, Ive been welding since I was 12 so I have a few years experience with all of them and the Millers are the only ones that take a licken and keep on ticken. If cheap is what you need try to find a used one craigslist.org in your area and find someone that's selling one cheap. I often see reasonable prioced ones here in the San Diego area. Miller has a great support and parts network nationwide.
 
s383mmber1

s383mmber1

New Member
Oct 31, 2005
3,614
0
0
34
Somers New York
Im jsut looking for a cheap welder to fab up some intercooler pipes and jsut "practice" on. Not looking to drop 7 hundred bucks jsut yet!

Thanks guys!
 
bigaaron

bigaaron

Supramania Contributor
Apr 12, 2005
4,692
1
0
49
Pomona, CA
www.driftmotion.com
I've got the Lincoln sp135 plus.
http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Catalog/equipmentdatasheet.asp?p=7082

It is the biggest 120vac model, but if you want to weld lots of thick stuff go with the 220vac sp175 plus. I know people who have built entire race trucks with the sp175, including the rear axle, 4-link, custom spindles, a-arms, roll cage, etc...

I tried a cheap welder like the one you posted on ebay and I ended up selling it and getting the Lincoln. I have gone throught about 6 2lb spools of mig wire with it now and it's working great with all the origional parts. I have changed the tips a few times and that is it. The welds look SO much better with argon/co2 gas. No slag and no cleanup. YOU WILL WANT GAS!

I tried it on aluminum and gave up though. I think I bought the wrong type of wire but I couldn't lay down a bead on aluminum to save my life. I bought a big used Linde tig welder and I will learn how to use it for aluminum soon.

If you use an extension cord it needs to be minimum 12awg, 10awg is better.
Plug in at the closest outlet to the electrical box.
 
MK3Brent

MK3Brent

Very expensive....
Aug 1, 2005
2,878
0
0
Greensboro and Greenville NC
I have a Craftsman WE20504 MIG.

Entry level at around 500ish at Sears.

I've been welding now for about 6 months? Maybe a little longer. So far it is my opinion that every MIG I've used are all similar. It's the person using the machine that makes the difference. At the price listed for that welder you don't have much to lose. Give it a shot, keep practicing... then determine if it's you, or the machine that's not working out. (If applicable.)

Good luck! Practice makes perfect.

(edit)
Let me also mention the above too about gas.

World. Of. Difference.

That is all. :)
 
s383mmber1

s383mmber1

New Member
Oct 31, 2005
3,614
0
0
34
Somers New York
MK3Brent said:
I have a Craftsman WE20504 MIG.

Entry level at around 500ish at Sears.

I've been welding now for about 6 months? Maybe a little longer. So far it is my opinion that every MIG I've used are all similar. It's the person using the machine that makes the difference. At the price listed for that welder you don't have much to lose. Give it a shot, keep practicing... then determine if it's you, or the machine that's not working out. (If applicable.)

Good luck! Practice makes perfect.
Click to expand...

Thats what i was thinking. Ill go for the "cheaper" one. Get some good practice in ect ect. And if im really into and want to go to hte next level, ill spend some monies....

Thanks guys i really appreciate it!
 
bigaaron

bigaaron

Supramania Contributor
Apr 12, 2005
4,692
1
0
49
Pomona, CA
www.driftmotion.com
MK3Brent said:
I have a Craftsman WE20504 MIG.

Entry level at around 500ish at Sears.

I've been welding now for about 6 months? Maybe a little longer. So far it is my opinion that every MIG I've used are all similar. It's the person using the machine that makes the difference. At the price listed for that welder you don't have much to lose. Give it a shot, keep practicing... then determine if it's you, or the machine that's not working out. (If applicable.)

Good luck! Practice makes perfect.

(edit)
Let me also mention the above too about gas.

World. Of. Difference.

That is all. :)
Click to expand...

Sears used to rebrand Century welders, those were junk. I think they changed manufacturers recently, so you probably got the new ones.
 
MK3Brent

MK3Brent

Very expensive....
Aug 1, 2005
2,878
0
0
Greensboro and Greenville NC
Mine is brand new... I heard the same thing about the new lincoln's too...something about their internals being not as good as they used to be, whatever that means.

As far as quality goes... I've gone through (3) 4" spools of flux core on this MIG, and the welds I can achieve are perfect. My downpipe, exhaust piping, and muffler are all welded with it.

I have no complains for my welder. Period. :)
 
T34418L3ONE

T34418L3ONE

Supra for brains.....
Jul 3, 2005
225
0
0
Pleasanton
dont get an ebay welder. Look at the duty cycle on that thing! youll never finish a full bead. Like bigaaron said get a lincoln miller hobart. I think at home depot they have a lincoln HD3200 that is a kickass 110v welder for the $$. A guy in a local wheeling club did a whole solid axle swap on his tacoma with it, 4link'd with coilovers with no problems at all.
 
G

gixxer750

2jzget comingsoon!
Mar 30, 2005
2,333
0
0
Mississippi
I've got a miller 330 tig.... It's pretty nice.


And about flux core on a mig....don't do it. It sucks.

Argon mig welding is THE WAY TO GO!!!! much much better nicer welds.
 
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