Mig welder questions

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ktcnn94

ktcnn94

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I hope this comes across clear and doesn't confuse anyone with the question im trying to ask. Im looking at mig welders 110v units and I'm getting a lot of info im unsure of. I'm not a welder at all but I want to learn. I've been told that the Lincoln welders sold at Lowes are a lower quality than the actual Lincoln welders sold at a Lincoln dealer. Is this true? And if so are the Hobart welders sold at tractor supply in the same category. I've been looking at the one Eastwood sales and it has great reviews but it's made in China, the Lincoln at lowes says assembled in Mexico. I'm going to be welding sheet metal and the such on my own cars, don't wanna break the bank but don't want to get a piece of junk that's constantly a headache especially when I'm just learning and won't know the difference of me being a terrible welder or the machine is the terrible welder. Any ideas, opinions? Thanks.
 
Millermatic 140. Self adjusting and very easy to learn on. Great for bodywork. Parts will be available in 5 years. Pay attention to duty cycle when comparing units. Just me, but I don't care much for the lincoln/hobart 110 units after using all three mentioned. Equipment like this I stay away from imported off the wall stuff.
 
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My Hobart Handler 140 has been great for sheet metal work for me. I use .023 wire and Argon/CO2 mix.
 
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skip the chinese clones such a Harbor Fright and such. Get a Miller or Hobart 110v unit, good enough for 99.9% that you would do on a car. Make sure you price it with a shield gas bottle and regulator set up. Flux core is dirty and not the best for body panels.

go to weldingweb. com and spend some time looking. Also check out chucke2000 on youtube. Lots of information on MIG how tos and equip.

Good luck.
 
When I was looking for a welder the Lincoln welders I found at Home Depot and Lowes had click voltage settings instead of infinitely adjustable knobs. You don't want those. The box store version had plastic drive parts where the the wire drive in the welding supply version is a dual drive solid block of aluminum, and the circuit board is completely sealed in silicone vs on top of the board. There is a reason they are cheaper. But if all you need is the cheaper version.........
My Dad bought a SP125 years ago and we ran countless rolls of wire through it without issue. (We did have the voltage control updated to continuously variable at the welding repair shop though. They had a parts machine so we could have them swap a few items without too much expense) Just make sure you get a setup that can run gas if you plan to do any light metal work.
 
My go to wire rig is a Lincoln 260C but it's a 230v machine. I also have a Millermatic that's a 110 machine. Bit I have to say I prefer Lincoln over Miller any day of the week but nothing wrong with either brand. You for sure want to stay away from the tap switch for the current control they just not enough fine tune adjustment on them to weld sheetmetal.
 
Aaron65 said:
My Hobart Handler 140 has been great for sheet metal work for me. I use .023 wire and Argon/CO2 mix.
Click to expand...

Another vote for the HH 140. Bought mine at Tractor Supply about 5 years ago, they had a special going on with a helmet and I think gloves thrown in no extra charge. I use .030 wire in mine.
Regulator was included, tank was not. I got one online for about $120 or so, exchange at TS ~$35 (quite a bit cheaper than Airgas wanted). Keep the receipt for the tank! You'll need it to prove ownership when you do an exchange.
 
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I bought a Hobart Handler 140 about a 1 1/2 ago. Taught myself how to weld with it. I don't know how I ever fooled with these old car's with out a welder.
 
I have a holbert 140 that I bought at Northern Tool a few years back, it welds good. I set it up with the big spool of wire and bottle from day one, they also had a deal going when I bought it, it came with a cart for like $450 shipped.

Next question is how can good can you weld?
I put the floor pan patch panels in my duster using a Lincoln 220 stick welder using thin rods, welding is a technique that is learned by practice.
 
Ok I appreciate everyone's input, I don't want to step on any toes because I do respect all opinions and answers. But looking at the Hobart handler 140 it looks like it has the click setting as opposed to the infinite setting being spoke of. Like I said I'm am no welder and honestly know very little about the welders that's is why I'm reaching out to you guys. I'm gonna look at the others suggested but the Hobart was mentioned more than others so I started looking at it first and there is a tractor supply that is almost in sight of my front door. So the 140's you guys are using are they infinite control or are they the click type and if they are cluck type are you having any trouble with sheet metal? Thanks.
 
I was a welder by trade for many years. That being said Miller was the preferred welder. Looking for something for home use with NO 220/230v, I was limited to 110/115. I asked our welding supply guy(sold Millers). He said buy the Hobart and IF and when the plastic pieces(drive wheel brackets and such) buy metal Miller pieces as replacements. Same parts different materials. Get a tank right away. Flux core is for the farm, not the shop. If yoy get a Hobart, switch polarity. Comes sey up for flux not tank.
 
Oh, by the way. Have had that welder for 15? years or so and ZERO problems, breakage. Built a lot of stuff with it.
 
Good luck in your quest for knowledge!
Just so you know I have owned my welding shop for over 22 years now.
I just bought the new Miller 211- it will weld on 110v and 220 volt and comes with a easy to switch out plug end dependant on voltage.
It will auto adjust the temp and wire speed for the material you are welding on and is easily moved but I bought the miller stand to go with it and a bottle sized C-60 75/25 gas mixture (75% Argon and 25% carbon dioxide- the extra percentage of carbon dioxide helps cool the sheet metal during welding process. If you were welding any other metal or thicker- go 95 / 5% on the gas.)
Use .023" E70s wire (E711s is flux core and not good on body panels) for the sheet metal
Spend the cash and buy a decent auto change helmet ($75.00 or more) trust me... it well worth it.
If you have any other questions pm me directly here and I'd be glad to help. Education is better than getting burned.
Oh yes, buy a good pair of flexible and comforatable welding gloves. those hot shots on TV welding with no gloves - are idiots. You dont need skin cancer.

Good luck!
Joe
 
I have a used Clarke MIG 130EN, which is a Forney brand welder, made in Italy - it's as good as any 110V welder I have seen. This is a weld from it with 75-25 argon/co2 and some 0.030 Lincoln mig wire:

IMG_20160905_140405.jpg


I also have no formal training btw. For anything 1/8 or less, it works well.
 
Thank you all very much for your help and input. I definitely have a lot to go on now, I'll do some more research and use your advice before I buy. Thank you.
 
As far as brands go, you can break them down into two groups, professional and hobby. The differences are many between the two. Professional machines are quality throughout. The power supplies, contactors, solenoids, drive rollers and motor, ect, ect. The cables and liner are higher quality and don't foul up the wire as often, and they don't fight you in cold weather like a frozen rope. The power supplies are way smoother and supply a more stable arc, which allows you to manipulate the weld pool with gun distance and orientation. The power supplies generally also ramp up instead of a 100% hit on startup. Regardless what welder you buy, purchase a good work clamp. Even $6000 machines come with junk work clamps. Use the stock one to keep your potato chips fresh.

I also always recommend a dual voltage machine. Some day you may have 240v, and 120v is nice too. 120v is great for portability. As stated by others flux is for the farm, gas is for the shop.

For sheet metal a few things will help you out.
1. Butt welding clamps. They not only keep everything aligned, but also maintain your gap.
2. Magnetic copper backing plate. Prevents burn through and works as a heat sink.
3. A Durston plug weld tool for filling holes from trim ect.
4. Panel perfect tool from Eastwood. I've done miles of butt joints without it and this thing is awesome. It saves so much time in post weld dressing.

Welding sheet metal is not running beads, but rather a series of tacks. The key to a good result is good prep and heat control. Take your time and make the pieces CLEAN and fit properly. After you have the machine setup properly it's a matter of distributing the heat and managing panel growth(that's what the gap is for). If you're doing a 12" run, tack both ends and the middle, then keep splitting the difference. 0"-6"-12" are done. Now 3" and 9", then 1.5", 4.5", 7.5", and 10.5". Keep going like that. It distributes the heat and controls panel growth. Also, as stated by others, you want C25 and .023 wire.

Welding helmets: The absolute most important thing you'll buy. Nothing will make you a better welder than a good helmet. There's a huge difference between a cheap auto darkening helmet and a good one.

As far as a specific machine to work on cars, I use a Miller 211. I have big money machines on my field trucks, but the 211 is in my garage at home.
 
My Miller 250 is capable of .020 - .045 wire MIG or duosheild fully capable of the thinest of material to 5/8 thick single pass. Stick with name brands. As a welder since 1982 I have run a lot on machines. For me Miller is the best for home use and for production jobs. The post prior to mine is correct. Proper fit and tacking is the key to no distortion in the sheet metal. TAKE YOUR TIME.
 
Troy Klingfus said:
My Miller 250 is capable of .020 - .045 wire MIG or duosheild fully capable of the thinest of material to 5/8 thick single pass. Stick with name brands. As a welder since 1982 I have run a lot on machines. For me Miller is the best for home use and for production jobs. The post prior to mine is correct. Proper fit and tacking is the key to no distortion in the sheet metal. TAKE YOUR TIME.
Click to expand...
I bought an eastwood 175 . it`s 220-240- volt. have had it for about 6 yrs., I`ve learned to weld on it good enough. it will weld up to 1/4" for me, and can do welding on sheet metal as well. I`d do it again. think they are made by Hobart.-jfyi
 
ktcnn94 said:
Ok I appreciate everyone's input, I don't want to step on any toes because I do respect all opinions and answers. But looking at the Hobart handler 140 it looks like it has the click setting as opposed to the infinite setting being spoke of. Like I said I'm am no welder and honestly know very little about the welders that's is why I'm reaching out to you guys. I'm gonna look at the others suggested but the Hobart was mentioned more than others so I started looking at it first and there is a tractor supply that is almost in sight of my front door. So the 140's you guys are using are they infinite control or are they the click type and if they are cluck type are you having any trouble with sheet metal? Thanks.
Click to expand...
I have the Hobart 140 at home. I got mine from Indiana Oxygen online. looks the same as what Tractor Supply has to me, but maybe inside components are diff as some have said. The volts is click, feed is variable. I'm not a 'welder' and it works fine for me. I use a Millermatic 140 at work for stainless. Both controls are variable on that. Can't say it's any better than my Hobart.
 
All I can tell you my experience with a Lincoln mig.
I bought one almost 15 years ago and it has had no problems.
I've used it a lot. I keep it covered when not in use.
It has the four position current control. Let's see, that's A B C D I think.
Yea, you could pay more probably for a Miller. Is it worth it for occasional use.?
IDK.
You want shielding gas. Budget for that.
So basically, I have no current useful information for you.
I just bought the latest TIG at Horror Freight. They are now putting a foot control on that one.
It's Chinese and I felt bad about it but the price was so good.
 
I purchased the Lincoln unit from Lowe's. It isn't a mig, but a flux core. I had never welded before and finally finished one floor pan replacement. Probably my inexperience, but I'm not thrilled with the performance of the unit

WP_20160526_08_43_21_Pro.jpg
 
I did the Hobart Handler 210MVP Flux-Core/Gas MIG Welder with 115V/230V, 140/210 Amp. Very happy with it.
 
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