Got welder for my birthday!! Q?'s

[Bama Burden]

If you didn't mind getting a reconditioned unit, Tool King has good prices on Hobart machines. You can a little more welder for basically the same price as the lowes/homedepot stuff.

http://www.toolking.com/productinfo.aspx?cid=323&productid=10929

I also say keep the buzz box. They're nice to have around and a buzz box that only has an AC side will make you appreciate the mig even more.

[Kaiser]

Oh, and if youre looking for deals...
B&R off of Ebay is pretty good, but its Cyberweld that usually does them in. Lots of people who have had great experiences with the two.

[jpcoutts]

Tad, I'm glad to hear that the Lowes item is not the low end of the market. I'll probably be looking in that direction because that's where the stick welder came from. Thanks for the tip on the gas fitting. In response to the posts about learning to weld with the stick welder, just how steep is the learning curve? Keep in mind I'm pretty handy with tools etc. but have absolutely no welding experience. I see a lot of grinding wheels in my future! As for the pie hole...like I said she is very tolerant, and not bad looking I might add!

[Kaiser]

Get yourself a 5 lb box of both 6013 and 7018. Get a bunch of 0.25" square plates (hit your local scrapyard for about 20-30lbs of "coupons") and practice, practice, practice. A week and 10 lbs will get you some confidence.
Take some time to perouse, and take each step deliberately...

http://www.weldingweb.com/

http://www.millerwelds.com/education/library.html

A grinder, som acetone (for cleaning), SMAW gloves, a chipping hammer/wire brush, and a good auto darkening hood will get you going faster (really requirements).
I would not buy this stuff from HD. Find yourself an Airgas near you. Will give you a good local connection/relationship that will serve you for years. 7018 needs to be taken care of too BTW, but you can look it up on weldingweb for more beta!

[Mikel]

Well, aren't women allowed to exchange that piece of jewelry or purse you bought them? Take the welder back and get a MIG... She'll never notice it

[jpcoutts]

I've done some more looking and the Lincoln Pro Mig 140 has infinitely variable wire feed rates from 50 to 300 inches/min, but has only 4 pre-set voltage settings. How much of a limitation is that. I looked at other units that have infinitely variable voltage that seems to be a more flexible setup. Am I expecting too much from this type of unit?

[irbob]

I guess the important question for us would be how much cash you are willing to spend. Figure that out and buy the best unit you can with that amount. It boils down to funds at this point.

Did you look at the comparison chart I posted earlier?

[vacca rabite]

I've done some more looking and the Lincoln Pro Mig 140 has infinitely variable wire feed rates from 50 to 300 inches/min, but has only 4 pre-set voltage settings. How much of a limitation is that. I looked at other units that have infinitely variable voltage that seems to be a more flexible setup. Am I expecting too much from this type of unit?

That is the exact welder that I have, and I love it. The same thing from Home Deopt is the Lincoln 1400HD (or HD1400 - I don't recall).

Anyway, it is a fantastic little welder, and they are supposed to last forever.

I've gone through a couple spools of wire on mine, and it just keeps on going. It is a great welder for sheet metal. You have to use flux core wire for doing thicker metal (1/4 inch) but that should not be a problem. I don't know that there is anyhting on these rigs that has a wall thickness of more then 1/4 inch.

Zach

[cincyjeeprs]

I'll second the Miller DVI, if you can scrape up the bucks. My son expressed some interest in welding so we got him a welding class at the community tech school for a Christmas present a couple years ago. He took to it real well, so we got him the DVI for his HS graduation present. He had it for 2 days, came home, told me he had to get some aluminum to practice on because he had a job interview THE NEXT DAY. Long story short, he bluffed his way into the job and spent the last year and a half making aluminum fire truck cabs. Just changed jobs and is now doing Stainless Steel tig work. Now he has a career. Best present we could have gotten him.

Oh yeah, the DVI; 110/220 is REAL handy. 110 for the light stuff, 220 for the heavy. Made a 100' x 10 ga. extension cord to drag around to all of the fleet.

[jpcoutts]

Thanks guys! Irbob, the chart is where my question about voltage controls came in, and my funds are probably going to be no more than a self imposed limit of about $500. I have no doubt that I would like the Miller. My practical side says that's too much since it's for my hobby, not my daily work.

All of you that have chimed in on this thread are really great and that is what makes this board what it is.

Thanks.

P.S. My wife has shown her beauty once again by telling me it's OK if I trade the stick unit in on the mig.

[jpcoutts]

I have one last question to resolve. It's about the voltage control. The Lincoln 120v units are available with pre-set voltage "taps" or with continuously variable voltage controls, hence the model distinction 140t or 140c. Will the "c" model be easier for a novice like me to learn to use and be more versatile in the long run or will it not make that much difference for the extra $100 or so? Vacca Rabite, you don't seem to think so, what about the rest of you guys?

P.S. I read on a welding board that Miller and Hobart machines are the same with different labels....True? The Hobarts are in my price range.

[OBX-AUTOMOTIVE]

I DON'T LIKE THE LINCOLN 110s,BECAUSE THEY CANT DRIVE STAINLESS....I LIKE THE KOOL PLASTIC CLAMP HOLD/DOWN LINCOLN HAS ........MY AIRCO MAY BEEEE OLD...BUT THAT SUCKER HAS NO PLASTIC PARTS AND WILL DRIVE STAINLESS WIRE, ALL DAY LONG....OLD IS GOOD

[Tad]

The Lincoln 120v units are available with pre-set voltage "taps" or with continuously variable voltage controls, hence the model distinction 140t or 140c. Will the "c" model be easier for a novice like me to learn to use and be more versatile in the long run or will it not make that much difference for the extra $100 or so?

Not much difference to speak of. I go back and forth between both types throughout the day.

P.S. I read on a welding board that Miller and Hobart machines are the same with different labels....True?

To the best of my knowledge the machines are made by the same facility with the same parts.

I DON'T LIKE THE LINCOLN 110s,BECAUSE THEY CANT DRIVE STAINLESS

With their SS drive kit they do better, but yes, it's still a sucky way to do it.

I LIKE THE KOOL PLASTIC CLAMP HOLD/DOWN LINCOLN HAS

Me too, but that's the only piece we have ever broken.

[Heep80]

man, that welding web looks like a good site. whats a ball park number for a mig for body work/bumpers/cage? and all the goodies to go with?

[MrThorn]

HOBART ONLY if you go with a 110 mig (Copper Coils)

Unless you are doing a job with steel thicker then 1/4 inch, go with the Lincoln or Miller 110 V Mig.

For doing body work, you are going to want to get a bottle of sheilding gas, as flux core is much harder to use on thin sheet metal.

Everything on this car, from the sheet metal body, to the rotisserie that I made to restore it on, were welded together with a Lincoln 140 (110V) welder.



You are going to blow holes all over the place with a stick welder, though they are great for thicker metal jobs.
Zach

Don't waste your cash on Lincoln or Miller, Hobart is the only one that still uses copper coils. I'm also a 15 yr. cert. welder from L.A. to Colo.