advise on finding a good alaround welder

[gladly]

Now that I am older and hate most everyone that I have ever met...

LMAO!

only advice that I would give is to get something that is
A/from a known company, lincoln/hobart/miller
B/capable of being converted to gas

I bought a cheapo, and it does what I need to do, but it can't be converted to gas at all. also I learned welding in college (auto body) and worked in a shop for a while, so I can probably work around my cheapy's limitations better than someone just starting out.

I would stay away from private sale used, since you don't know how to try it out, but some welding shops have units that have been traded in, and they will have been checked over, also some rental places sell their used units.

IMHO, the biggest 110v unit is the way I'd go

 

[El Cazador]

if it hasn't been suggested already, find an old Miller 35 and weld just about anything you want. It's damned near bullet proof and if you use a little common sense can find parts to repair it yourself.

 

[honk]

The Hobart is $649 with regulator. So it is $130 more but comes with less. The Clarke includes helmet, stand and other crap i think.
What consumables are you talking about. Are the tips different per welder. I have only used a stick welder before...

Thanks
Dave

Don't buy on price.

Personally I wouldn't buy a Clarke welder or that other brand that starts with a 'C' and is hyphenated. Do research about duty cycle and what it means to the long term durability of a welder.

Most weldors eventually chose their own helmet and it isn't the rinkydink thing included in any package deal.

Welding is one skill where crummy equipment can take a heavy toll on a learner's development and enthusiasm to continue. It's why there are so many cheap welders for sale in people's garages, practically unused. The buyer quickly came to a negative conclusion that welding wasn't for him/her. So cheap junk can cause you to fail.

 

[honk]

BTW, watch for Hobart sales. At one time they were blitzing the 175 Handler with a tank (20 size), an autodarkening helmet, a cheap rolling cart all in one big box for as little as $450. (one guy claimed to have bought his for $375.) all over the midwest in that big Farm store (forgot the name, and don't have any out here). The guys in the Hobart forum were falling all over themselves travelling cross state to find them. It wasn't available online or even mail order by telephone. You had to ferret them out off the floor.

did I say don't buy on price? Right. But pay as little as you can for good stuff.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

In welders, bigger is better, up to a point. You also should plan on gas as well.

If you buy a Millermatic 175, you will be able to do anything from body work, to structural welding with the same machine. Anything smaller will be borderline for heavy welding. The 175 is a good intersection of price, quality and ease of use. The 210 which I have, has been a great machine, and many really like the 251. I don't see much reason to go beyond that for a home/garage welder.