Welder...

[MUDBUG]

I'm going to buy a MIG welder and wondered what other people had and liked. I'm looking at the Lincoln 175 or the Millermatic 175. I'm leaning towards the Miller but wanted to know ya'lls opinion on either. Also, what would the difference be of the Lincoln welders sold by Lowes and Home Depot? They are a little cheaper than the welding store Lincolns...the welding store guy said they were not the same machine, but then I've read otherwise on the web.

Then...I'm gonna be welding alot of stuff onto my Jeep...;)

[Stowe63]

I have a craftsman 120 mig w/ carft I wouldnt mind getting rid of.

$100.


plugs into any house socket. Optional use of gas(dont have a tank).

[MUDBUG]

I have a craftsman 120 mig w/ carft I wouldnt mind getting rid of.

$100.


plugs into any house socket. Optional use of gas(dont have a tank).

Thanks for the offer Stowe...but I want to get a 240 volt machine. I'm sure someone would buy that welder though. Thats a good price and a great little machine for getting into welding.

[H2_RECOVERY]

go with the lincoln. that is what i have and i love it. make sure it has a mig & tig feature.

[blthomas]

I'm just a rookie weldor, I have the Lincoln 140. It's a 110v machine, but supposedly can burn 5/16" using fluxcore and turned up.

I still need to do my spring outboards, and have been considering selling my 140, and then picking up a Lincoln 175 from Lowes.

It's a 220v and can burn easier on the big stuff with the Mig wire.

But as I've practiced with the 140, I've been surprised what I can penetrate with it. I don't know the quality, just trying to learn speeds and heat, control and stuff.

Probably my newest fav thing to do.

[MUDBUG]

Well Mike...we can have weldoer wars now cause I ordered the Miller. :) I can't wait to get it! I neet to go get some scrap metal to practice on.

BL...I'm definately a novice welder...I took a class about 25 years ago...and have stick welded and oxy/ace torch welded...mostly stick. I used to have a Lincoln 225 buzz box. I'm anxious to start MIG welding. Have you used gas with your welder?

[blthomas]

I haven't run any gas in mine yet. I'm too cheap to go and do the initial setup of the tank and gas. ($$$$)

I've run a few roles of fluxcore through it and just recently gotten some decent results. I was having issues with wire slippage causing intermittant arcing.

I'd like to get gas, but I may wait until I sell my 140 and get the 175. That's about all the cash I'm willing to shell out right now.

I've heard the 175 can do 1/4" easy and that should cover anything I plan on doing.

[fryed_1]

would the 140 be enough to do things like lca mounts on the frame and axle side and all that? Or would it not get enough penetration to do that kind of stuff? I might be interested if it does. I'm getting tired of this little 140 stick I got.

[MUDBUG]

My thinking was that the 110v machines were adequate for 3/16" steel but, unless you were really proficient, it would be pushing it to do single pass 1/4". The 240v machines are more suited for 1/4" steel.

All of that is based on research...no practical experience. YET

[fryed_1]

Mine has been good enough to do the doors and all that, but hasn't held up for crap on any of the heavier stuff I've tried.

[blthomas]

I've had many guys tell me the 110v 140 machine I have can't do the 1/4".

I haven't tried either. But over on JF, there was a lenghty dicussion that you could, mulitpass and weld 1/4" + with a 110v. Turn up the heat, turn down the wire, bevel a little, and do more than one pass.

I haven't tried so I can't speak for myself.

Biggest I've played with is 3/16" plate, and I'm still goofing with that trying to get nice looking beads and penetration.

I'm building my spring outbaords with 1/4" it looks like, and I'm not sure wether I'll do it myself, or tack it and hire Mike or someone local wiht a 220v machine.

On the other hand, on the box and in my manual, Lincoln says this machine can burn 5/16" plate using the fluxcore.

[fryed_1]

I've never played with anything but stick. Is MIG that much easier? I know I'm still learning only having been playing with it forabout 3-4months now and once I get it going it moves pretty quickly, but I'll sometimes spend 10mins just trying to get a steady spark going.

[blthomas]

I think it's pretty easy, I tend to grind/wirewheel whatever I'm playing with. The cleaner the better.

I have a tendenacy to rush and I lose my bead that way. I haven't fooled much the last couple weeks, but once I realized my wire feed was stop-start-stop-start, and I adjusted it, it was night and day running beads.

All this welding talk and I'll have to pull it out this weekend.... :P

[MUDBUG]

Well...I've got my sub-panel installed in my garage...I put in a 240/120 volt 100 amp main lug box, fed with a 60 amp breaker in the main panel and #6 copper wire. The welder uses a 20 amp circuit from the sub-panel. I've got room for more outlets and stuff now. The welder is supposed to get here tomorrow. I can't wait! :) I'll have to get the gas filled and some wire...I think it comes with a small amount of wire...I also need to get some steel to play with! Oh yea, I need a shield too. I've looked at some online...but I am not spending $300 on a welding helmet! I'll get one from Sears or something...

[H2_RECOVERY]

Jay harbor frieght has a auto darkining helmet for $35.00. I have one and love it!!! They also have a few nice mig welders. check them out online.

[MUDBUG]

Cool! I'll check it out. I couldn't believe the prices of those helmets when I saw them. The last welder I had came with the helmet...

[fryed_1]

don't get the harbor freight non-darkening one that's there for like $10. I had one of those that came with mine and it's not worth it.

[H2_RECOVERY]

They have more than one Brian. the one i have was i believe $35.00 and it is 3 years old and still works great.

[Truck]

I love my Miller 200. I'm not great at it but it is sure easier then stick welding. I think the autodarkening helmet is best thing that has come to welding in a long time. My Harbor Frieght one works great.

Truck

[Stowe63]

I have a harbor frieght one with blue flames... worked great...

[fryed_1]

They have more than one Brian. the one i have was i believe $35.00 and it is 3 years old and still works great.

yeah I know, I meant that non-darkening one for like $10. I picked up one of those a while back figuring it wouldn't be too bad and they really are. You can only barely see what your doing in direct sunlight with a towel over the back of your head to stop the glare from the inside of the mask.

[ProjectNick]

Get a stick welder and be done with it. I have a 220V stick welder and can weld up anything 1/8"-1/2" with ease. I can actually lay a roll of nickles now instead of big booger globs

[MUDBUG]

Get a stick welder and be done with it. I have a 220V stick welder and can weld up anything 1/8"-1/2" with ease. I can actually lay a roll of nickles now instead of big booger globs

I used to have a Lincoln 225 and might end up getting another one someday. They are great to have for heavier stuff. I'm going to see how good I can get with MIG...it's supposed to be easier than stick.

[H2_RECOVERY]

I have both and i preferr the mig over the stick!!

[Gonzowerke]

Real men don't wear helmets. Just poke a hole in a piece of cardboard with a nail and look through that.







Yes, I've really seen that done 8O

[MUDBUG]

Must be a west va welding helmet...lol

[fryed_1]

I was using sunglasses earlier cause it was too bright... heh... I have a headache now though :(

[Gonzowerke]

I was using sunglasses earlier cause it was too bright... heh... I have a headache now though :(

Were you wearing soft contacts? Good luck getting them out! you just welded them to your corneas! 8O I once got a burn on my left arm when I was helping a LandRover friend make his nerf bars. I was wearing a tshirt, and holding a section of tubing while the other end was welded down.there's nothing like a welding arc for spitting out that hard UV light!

[blthomas]

Were you wearing soft contacts? Good luck getting them out! you just welded them to your corneas! 8O

I have noticed a big difference in the way my eyes feel if I'm wearing my contacts verse nothing or just my glasses. Never thought about the amount of UV light being thrown out. :(

[fryed_1]

nah I don't wear contacts.

Worst I ever had was when my last helmet strap broke so it wouldn't stay on my head, but wanted to get something done.

When I went to bed that night my eyes were red and nearly swollen out of my head. They hurt closed or open, didn't matter. That was pain I wouldn't want to go through again..

[Gonzowerke]

I've never seen it happen, but I've read where soft contacts can weld themselves to your eyes if you look at an arc unprotected. Could be urban legend I suppose...........

[MUDBUG]

I've never seen it happen, but I've read where soft contacts can weld themselves to your eyes if you look at an arc unprotected. Could be urban legend I suppose...........

I don't think thats a legend...I was in electronics in the USAF and we could not wear contacts due to the sparks associated with working on electronics. It was a big safety deal...