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/...02106+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/...02106+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.

[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?!!! 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.

[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

The Lincoln SP175 PLUS 230V I have, does all the nice welds you guys see in my posts 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!! :

[SWIGIN]

We talk about this all the time

The Lincoln SP175 PLUS 230V I have, does all the nice welds you guys see in my posts 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!! :

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

they beefed it up and it's a 185 now


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