Mig Welders

[mohadib]

Howdy,
I want to learn how to weld. I see lots of mig welders around $400 or less.
Are these cheaper mig welders any good? Good enough to learn with? If not could
someone suggest an affordable one?

Thanks,
Jason

[daniel_250r]

i bought a master craft from canadian tire for 350 its a good constructed machine but don't even attempt to weld with the flux core wire it just doesnt work

[mohadib]

Would this be an OK one?

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100670933&N=10000003+502106+10401016

I got the impression that I could not use gas with that. Should I get something that uses gas? Without gas will my welds be weak and ugly?

Thanks
Jason

[Daddio]

Would this be an OK one?

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100670933&N=10000003+502106+10401016

I got the impression that I could not use gas with that. Should I get something that uses gas? Without gas will my welds be weak and ugly?

Thanks
Jason

Do yourself a favor and get one with gas. You notice that they call that one a wire feed welder and not a mig welder? That is because it doesn't use inert gas.

Your welds will probably be weak and ugly at first with or without gas. Once you learn how to weld with it and get some practice things will start to look better.:D

[Daddio]

By the way Lincoln makes a decent MIG welder. We have a Lincoln sp100 here at work that works very well.

[mohadib]

Ahh cool! Thanks a bunch Daddio. You are truely a wealth of information!!!
I'll keep looking for something better. Can you recommend a good brand name or model that does MIG? Thanks A Bunch, Jason

[mohadib]

Ahh, you just answered me while I was typing the question. YOU READ MINDS TOOO?!!! :D Thanks Mate

[fabiodriven]

don't even attempt to weld with the flux core wire it just doesnt work

Not true... I weld with flux cored wire quite a bit and while it is very ugly, it works just fine. I wouldn't use it on something that has to look good or on something you can't grind, but structurally it works. I extended my swingarm with flux cored and it's been good for over a year. The key with any welding is penetration. The first sign of a bad welder is the tendancy to "pile up" the weld as if they were just laying the weld on top of the work. You actually have to integrate the molten metals together into one in order for it to hold.

It would definately be better to learn on a welder that uses gas. I think the reason I can make the flux cored work is because I spent so much time behind a regular mig and my experience took over.

Here are some pics. Like I said, it is ugly. I ground the crap out of these welds, but they do work. Keep in mind these are pics from before I painted the swinger so it looks alot better now.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r275/fabiodriven/swingarm/P8080037.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r275/fabiodriven/swingarm/P8080039.jpg

[topoortorideon4]

I am certified for welding, there are different types of mig welders, you have a standard GMAW ( gas metal arc welding) thats usually what you find in shops and such and you have just standard flux core that has the same concept as stick welding and you have a flux core wire feed that has gas. when learning id go with the standard machine. GMAW . hobarts are a lower quality. you also want to look into the duty cycle of the machine

[Dirtcrasher]

We talk about this all the time :D

The Lincoln SP175 PLUS 230V I have, does all the nice welds you guys see in my posts :D That in itself ought to tell you what you need to have.

I do very little if ANY grinding. The right wire, wire speed, voltage and shield gas make a perfect weld!! :beer:

[SWIGIN]

We talk about this all the time :D

The Lincoln SP175 PLUS 230V I have, does all the nice welds you guys see in my posts :D That in itself ought to tell you what you need to have.

I do very little if ANY grinding. The right wire, wire speed, voltage and shield gas make a perfect weld!! :beer:

what he said....but the shame is lincoln dont make the 175 plus anymore.

they beefed it up and it's a 185 now :p


just make sure you get a machine that uses gas and 220v

[Billy Golightly]

I've used both, and I've never been able to get the same penetration out of a fluxcore mig as a regular gas shielded setup with the same amperage. I think the shielding gas keeps the weld pool warmer.

[KASEY]

i use dual shield wire,, 71m lincon .045 .. its very nice to run .. i have soild wire also.. but i prefer the dual shiels with 75-25 mix gas.......

[c_twidwell]

on our 120volt lincoln welder at work you have to switch the pos and neg to run flux core wire. this will make a nice strong weld with no gas. or other else you get a lot of splater and pin holes.

[daniel_250r]

fabio, the wire that came with my welder will not weld anything, i can post a video even, i took a course on welding. it just spits and sputters drops of metal instead of a bead, i have tried all the settings and i am holding it the correct distance from the metal its just the wire i hope is crap not the welder

[racerxxx]

I've got a Lincoln Sp-135 (110 Volt) that I use primarly for sheet metal (thin stuff, up to 1/8" thick). Mostly for rust repair on cars. I also have and older Lincoln Dip-Pak 255 230Volt, that I use for the heavy stuff. Both run argon mix. I prefer to run the gas, it ads to the expense, but up front if you buy a mig that uses it, you can run flux core until you can pony up the extra for the gas.

Also have a Lincoln AC/DC stick welder as well, and an older Miller Tig w/ liquid cooled chiller unit.


Here's the one with gas:http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&N=5yc1vZarfeZ66xh4&R=100670934

It's a bit more but worth the extra in the long run. I don't think you'll be upset with the 110Volt Unit, I love it for the sheer size and portability, I can fit the gun it many tight places where with my big Lincoln with the tweco gun I can't or it just becomes to cumbersome. What ever you get you'll have fun with it, the funniest project I did with my pocket mig was I cut a metal headboard down to fit it up a narrow stairwell and miged it back together, ground them flush and flat blacked it back to look like new again. Told the people when they sell the house the headboard stays!:lol:

Do your research, study it, ask many ? as you can. Stop by you local welding supply store and pick their brains.

Oh yeah if you go to the Home Depot, do this first:

http://www.homedepotmoving.com/moving/

If you sign up they'll email you a 10% off coupon or they may mail it to you as well. How's that I just saved you $52.40 off your new welder!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you say Argon fill! Enjoy your new welder.:D

Racerxxx

[hondahaulic]

if you ever want to weld anything thicker, you cant beat one of the old 220 red box lincoln arc welders for the price. I cant think of a model number, but you can pick up a used one for next to nothing a lot of times. Get some nice meaty 7014 rods or whatever you prefer, and learn away. You can easily make a perfect looking bead with some practice. You can get thinner rods and work your way down to welding on thinner stuff, but its easier to burn holes with the arc welder. Whenever I'm using a 110 welder Iv'e got the voltage cranked all the way and its still tricky to get good penetration (and it takes forever). They like to pop breakers frequently too.

[Jbird5363]

I have 2 welding degrees and with all my knowledge I can give I will say this to you.
Start small you may never figure it out I bought a Hobart handler 120 for my dad 5 years ago and I have given him several hours of instruction on how to use feeds speeds heat different gas mixtures etc.he can't weld to save his life he claims he can't see well enough. He just tack welds it together and I'll go over there on the weekend and weld it up for him. Hobart makes a great machine in fact they make the miller line of mig welders that's why miller bought Hobart was for there mig machines. I've had every welder under the sun from trash can stick welders to very expensive tig machines and I will say my favorite is the stand alone miller inverter based brief case welders it uses a co2 canaster from a paint ball gun for the gas and then all you need is a 110 plug and your off.

[fabiodriven]

fabio, the wire that came with my welder will not weld anything, i can post a video even, i took a course on welding. it just spits and sputters drops of metal instead of a bead, i have tried all the settings and i am holding it the correct distance from the metal its just the wire i hope is crap not the welder

Yup, sounds like you have a problem there. Could be the wire or the machine, who knows?

[mohadib]

Thanks everyone on for the information! Thanks Racerxx! I signed up and hope to get the cupon via email soon. I will be looking for one of the lincolns with gas.

Thanks!

[Thorpe]

I have the Miller 140.... Love it... Good little welder for the money, no problem welding 1/4"....

[atctim]

I too am just learning - and getting a bit better each time I weld. I have a gasless flux-core MIG and I love it. For the small occasional application I use mine for it is perfect. it was under $300.

this is it - got it a Tractor Supply:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_36264_-1______?rFlag=true&cFlag=1

For the serious welder - this ain't the unit - but for my needs it is cost effective - gets the job done and is a great learning tool.

[Dirtcrasher]

I need to find my receipt. I too suggest stopping at local welding shops, but then find it online for free cart and free shipping :D

The thing about the SP175 and 185 is the do nearly 3/8th thick easily but can tune down to thin sheet metal with the infinitely adjustable wire speed and amperage.

The Lincoln ARC "Juke Box" can be found for about 150$ used and it's great for 1/4 inch and up. Tough to do nice welds on anything too much thinner.

That was the 1st welder I bought, and I had it a short time before I thought, "I can't even weld floors in my truck with this thing :( "

[fabiodriven]

The Lincoln ARC "Juke Box" can be found for about 150$ used and it's great for 1/4 inch and up. Tough to do nice welds on anything too much thinner.

That was the 1st welder I bought, and I had it a short time before I thought, "I can't even weld floors in my truck with this thing :( "

I've got a "tombstone" too, DC. I'm pretty sure the only time I used it was on my backhoe, which I no longer have. It's great on the heavy stuff, but that's about it.

[300rman]

Flux core wire is GREAT for windy conditions, but SMAW (stick) is even better for wind...

get a MIG welder, stay away from FCAW (flux core) welders. some can do both, and thats cool.

depends on what you want to wels, a nice 110 welder will weld most anything.

Lincoln SP-135 is a great welder, i have about 6 years welding on multiple machines of this model, they are solid reliable, and great for anything from thin sheet metal to stuff like ATV frame repairs. they can be had fairly cheap too.

[mohadib]

Thanks everyone. Looks like I need to spend between 6-800 for a good gas one. Guess I'll need to save a little longer. Thanks for stearing me in the right direction!

jd

[Jbird5363]

You can buy a rig for about 450 for what you need and get the bottle later.
I got a Hobart handler 140 for about 400 from tractor supply about two years ago it works great

[300rman]

hit up your local craigslist. never know, might find a nice welder for cheap!