Which welder is for me? (1 Viewer)

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22re

22re

Joined
Sep 10, 2012
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Cumming, GA
Hey guys, i am new to welding and the title says it all. I am just intrested in what yalls opinions are as far as which welder is best for me and what i intend on using it for. I want to know things such as brand, type (mig/tig/stick/arc), and power rating (correct terminology?).

I plan on welding things such as shock mounts, axle armour, creeper shackle joints, bumpstops, rock sliders, reinforcing bumper mounts, front winch plate reinforcment, shackle mounts and the like.

So my question for you guys is, with so many diffrent welders on the market, which one(s) will fit my needs best?
Thank you in advance for any replies and please excuse my ignorance on welding knowledge. School me! :)
 
You will need a 220 volt welder.

Brand and type are up to your budget.

If you are inexperienced, a wire feed with gas will be the easiest to learn.
 
Thanks for the quick reply!

Hmm unfortunatly i do not have access to a 220 volt outlet (if thats what you are talking about), are there any "alternatives" or ways to get around this?
 
I agree. You want a 220 machine. Don't you have a drier outlet or something?

I'm a Miller guy, but there are lots of good Lincoln, Esab, and Miller machines out there. You want a MIG machine, not a TIG machine at least to start. I'd look hard on Craigs list because welding machines don't wear out, and for the major brands, parts are readily available. Look for a home fabricator on hard times who just needs some cash and buy his Miller 175 for $400.

Being able to weld will change what you do in a major way. Don't get a crappy Home Depot 110 machine just to have a welder.
 
Ahh yes thank you, didnt even think about the drier outlet. but the only problem with that is my drier is upstrairs in relation to the garage (where all my welding will take place). So i would need one hellofan extension every time i wanted to weld. Not too mention the drier is in a very tight corner in an already tight laundry room :(

But as for getting a used welder, what if any things should i look at or be wary of when looking for a used machine?
Btw thanks for steering me away from a HD machine, i had been contenplating it before you said that..

So things ive gathered so far, 220 volt, MIG, miller or lincoln ect, used if i can find one. What about amperage? I know you mentioned a 175, but what would be ideal for my intentions of use?
 
Thanks for all the input guys!

Is there any way i could get a converter for the 110V to 220V? I saw a few online but havnt heard much about them.

Anyone have any experience or opinions on Hobart machines?

And what about flux cored? Is it possible to use flux wire in place of gas for what i plan on welding? Will i be sacrificing structural integrity by doing so?

My apologies if this has been asked 1million times.. Btw great links^ thanks!
 
What's your budget? And remember your budget needs to include more than just the welder (i.e., welding hood, jacket, gloves, wire/stick, clamps, cylinder and gas if applicable, etc.)

A Millermatic 211 is a dual voltage box...
 
I would not like to spend more than $1000-1500 on everything. I think that is a resonable budget.

And yes thank you or mentioning all other equipment needed to weld properly and more importantly, safley.

So as for my question about amperage and flux..? What are your thoughts? I dont care about it being pretty, i just want it to be strong. Aside from strength being part of a good weld, will using flux core take away from my ability to weld the things i mentioned?
 
Background: I am not a professional nor a certified welder but took, like some of us here, metal shop all the way through high school and currently am proficient enough for the types of home-garage projects I do.

There are several contributors here that are professional/certified/instructors though and they've been my guiding light so to speak and surely will chime in...but for non-sheetmetal/thin material welding a stick welder might offer you the biggest bang for the buck right now. It doesn't sound like you need a welder for production but like me primarily need a welder for personal/smaller projects.

A wire feed welder is generally easier to learn however you can lay down pretty beads and still not have solid penetration/proper penetration.

Having said all that I started with a MM175, moved up to a MM252 a couple years ago when it looked like I was going to be doing some light production work. And last winter added a TIG box (HTP221). Apart from welding on the rig once in a great while I use my TIG box 99% of the time now...as the production work never materialized and I enjoy TIG much, much more than MIG.

If you decide to go Millermatic MIG you can get a brand new MM211 for under $1100 delivered (cyberweld.com for starters). That provides you with a growth path from 110v to 220v without buying/selling downstream...and rated for 3/8" thick steel single pass which in all likely-hood is the max thickness you'd ever do for a 4x4 rig.

And regardless, as mentioned above read everything you can on Jody's Tips and Tricks website. After you get your welder, regardless the type, go get a pile...literally a pile...of scrap and get after it. And a creed to follow: Until you have your welds checked by a pro for quality and consistency NEVER weld something that someone's life hangs in the balance. Know when to admit you're out on a plank of extended liability!
 
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You won't be able to use a 110v - 220 converter, you would have to have double the amps. If the welder would work on that low a power, it comes with a 110v plug.

You could get a generator that had 220v output, double up as an emergency power but they are not known for clean regulated power which will affect your product.
Why can't you get a proper outlet?
 
If i am not mistaken.. My water heater uses a 220 volt outlet.. Right next to the garage.... So nevermind that problem.

And yeah that looks like a good deal! Might jump on that. I still havnt heard any recomendations as far as amerage of the machine? Anyone?
 
22re said:
If i am not mistaken.. My water heater uses a 220 volt outlet.. Right next to the garage.... So nevermind that problem.

And yeah that looks like a good deal! Might jump on that. I still havnt heard any recomendations as far as amerage of the machine? Anyone?
Click to expand...

Local pickup only in MD. Looks like you have a ride ahead of you.

If your budget is $1500 I would go new. You said you have the 220v dilemna figured out so for $1100 you'll get the MM 210 shipped to your door. Next, go to your local welding supply store and start shaking the hand of EVERY guy that works in the place. Making friends with them can be extremely beneficial to you if you have questions and concerns or need some work done on your unit. Alot of welders who do it for a living also tend to hang out in welding supply shops and are usually willing to offer their advice.

So, you still have $400 to play with. You will definitely need to purchase a bottle (Argon/CO2 mix) to run shiedling gas. DO NOT RENT ONE!! Also make sure to get the 125CF bottle. It's the biggest size you can own. The larger bottle will pay itself back in no time. The price difference to get a larger one filled over a smaller one is marginal. Last time I got my 125CF tank filled it was $27. I think the 80CF was like $22.

Next will be a helmet. After you get the bottle (mine cost $199 filled)you'll still have $200 left. Get a good auto darkening helmet. Do not skimp on a cheap one. Miller sells some good ones you can get for about $150+. Speedglas probably has the best, but they are big bucks. Northern Industrial also has decent helmets for about $125-$150.

You'll be cutting it close, but get some good welding gloves, a regulator for the bottle, soap stone, and some vice grips (used). If your wife doesn't hate you yet ask her to borrow another $100 so you can buy some steel and build yourself a cart. It's like the right of passage in the world of welding.:cheers:

If it were me I would probably buy used. Alot of times if you find a guy selling a MIG that he/she no longer uses you can get all the extras that go with it like the bottle (make sure it has paperwork to prove ownership or it's useless), helmet, gloves, vise grips, spools of wire etc. etc.
 
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FWIW, I would take a serious look at an Eastwood like this one: http://www.eastwood.com/mig-175-welder-cart-and-helmet-kit.html . I have this one for my garage welder. I did a review here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/tools-fabrication/538549-eastwood-175-mig-welder-240v-review.html

I've been very happy with it. Especially for the price. Great for a DIY home welder. Has enough power to weld pretty much all of your auto related stuff. Not big enough for production work (only 30% duty cycle), but works great for me.

And to give you some perspective my family owns a metal fab shop so I have a pretty good idea of how it compares to both Miller 250 amp and 400 amp machines. It's not as smooth or quite as powerful as either larger size, but the reality is that 99% of the use of the larger machines is under 175 amps.

For the price it's an excellent little 240v welder. And it comes with a spool gun - albeit a kinda crappy one - but functional and very nice to have if you need to do a little bit of aluminum or stainless welding.

I would not buy the smaller size to save room. The reality is that you'll end up with a cart and tank and the size is about the same as a midsized 250 amp machine.

Of the midsized machines, having used Miller, Lincoln, Esab, and Panasonic, I believe that Esab makes the best. They are not as easy to find or get parts for, but I would buy an Esab for my shop if I had the need for a larger welder and price was comparable. Not to say the others are bad, but that's my preference. The only one I would not buy of the above is a Panasonic.

The best way to find a cylinder of gas for cheap is to buy used. Make sure it is owned not leased. The owned ones will be stamped on top near the valve. You can google how to identify them. You can usually buy any type of compressed gas cylinder and trade it for what you need. I bought an empty acetylene tank for $50 and traded it for a full c25 tank and Praxair only charged for the gas refill and a pretty cheap tank swap fee. A lot less than the $200+ for the cylinder. My family's shop leases large tanks because it's cheaper for how many they keep and use - and they use the larger sizes.

Good luck.
 
Thank you, thats a very good play by play plan so to speak. I have heard that most 220 volt machines do not come with a plug, is that correct? If so, how do i know what type of plug to get, unless all 220 v plugs are universal?

And as for protection, i do not want to skimp out on that by any meens. You covered the mask, but what about things such as torso, limb and extrimeties (spelling?). Is there anyone in particular who makes a very good leather jacket/apron/gloves? Or are they all pretty much equal quality? Will jeans suffice as adequite leg protection?

Thank you all for bearing with me and my very little knowledge of welding! Im learning everything i wanted to know. (so far :D)
 
^wow that is one good deal for that whole package! Thank you for posting that link! So that kit covers a lot of it.
Now my delimma is the cylinder can. Im thinking of learning how to tell if it is leased or not as you deacribed and going for a used one.
Should i stress trying to find the larger size all that much?
 
Leased gas cylinders have the owners name (eg AirGas, Air Liquide, Matheson, etc.) cast or stamped into the ring around the valve at the top of the cylinder. You won't be able to get these ones filled.

User owned cylinders have no name stamped in the ring. You can bring in your empty and exchange it for a full one or have your cylinder refilled.

All houses in the US have 240V at your circuit breaker box, so if the box is close to your garage, it is easy to add a 240V circuit.
 
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