skoti89

I'm in a beginning welding class at the local community college. Next semester I will be in intermediate welding. Then the next two semesters after that I will be in a full time (48 hours a week) 2 semester welding program getting my Associates degree. So welding has been a huge chunk of my life the past 3 months, and will be for the rest of my life, as it's my career choice.

I've already been borrowing an oxy-acetylene set up to weld some stuff around my shop, but I'm going to make the jump to buy a mig or stick set up because oxy fuel takes to long. We are covering stick welding right now, and I like it and I'm pretty good at it. We won't be covering MIG until the full time program, but I saw my welding teacher mig weld some exhaust stuff. Almost seems to easy with mig, but I won't know the ins and outs of it for a while unlike how I'm being taught a whole lot about stick and oxy fuel.

What's your favorite welding type?

SoCal4Running

The type of welding and the type of wire used depends on the materials being welded and the environment your in. I wouldn't use MIG outdoors on a windy day even though its my "favorite" type of welding where as Stick or Flux-core would be more appropriate but I do not like to do that.

I like ALL kinds of welding including Brazing. If your looking to buy a machine Id suggest skipping a 110Volt unit and get a 220Volt instead. Penetration is much better and the ability to weld thicker materials also.
Hobart makes some nice boxes, they are owned by Miller and basically are Miller guts inside a different colored and styled box.

highonpottery

iTrader: (1)

I agree it depends on what you will be doing. If you know you'll be welding a lot in the future, figure out what is needed earlier and get that machine, then later buy another better one.

I used to own a simple lincoln arc welder and did quite a bit with it, especially outdoor stuff like driveway fabrication. A friend of mine had a little 110 lincoln mig/flux that I used for all my small thin stuff in the garage. The arc was a good choice for all the 1/4"+ material but the mig was best for the stuff that would burn through.

Getting a nicer 220 machine now would be best as there are many great choices out now, like the miller 211 dual voltage machine that many people bought up when they came out. Covers pretty much most if what you'll need. If you need to weld heavy stuff then a cheap used arc would be a good choice since I see them on CL all the time for cheap vs a decent mig. If you want a tig then that's going to give cleanest welds, but also requires most investment.

Personally I would have gotten a miller 211 or equivalent Hobart but investment was more than I needed, so I found a brand new lincoln 110v mig for like $300 on CL one day and have been happy since I'm not welding anything over 1/4" or on my rig like frame repairs/SAS. For my next welder I have been thinking if coughing up the dough for one of those new multi-process Millers now that they have made some improvements and gotten them into more affordable pricing (~$2k)

Favorite welding for me is probably arc. Mig is practical but it's too easy being point and shoot - doesn't require much "skill" IMO. I don't have enough tig experience to compare but I'd guess that will be my next favorite.

85sr5excab

The versatility of mig is hard to beat. With the proper technique it's also plenty strong enough for almost any application. Arc welding is an art that honestly I have not mastered but I don't get much practice with it either. Tig welding, on the other hand is an absolute blast IMO. I mig and Tig weld on an almost daily basis at work. Although the when we Tig at work its mainly building up trim edges on dies rather than welding 2 pieces of steel together. If I were u I would seriously consider which type of welding u would most likely be doing with ur own welder. Would it just be for your own personal use, or for your potential profession? I think that's where u will find ur answer. And if u can afford it, get a welder slightly larger than ur immediate needs so that u can grow with it as your skills progress. My personal choice would be a 220v mig welder, but that's just me. Keep us posted on your decision and results.

Teuf

A 220 Lincoln 180 c is hard to match. Gas indoors, nr211 outdoors. I did my sas with nr211 on a 180 c lincoln. Ah but then I welded up my driveshafts with SMAW 3/32 7018. So many choices.

Teuf

Now thats a Miller I could use. Miller pipeworx 400 , Mig,tig,stick, and dispenses Draft beer.

85sr5excab

Sign me up teuf! Does it dispense Miller beer by chance??? Lol. I'll try to snap a pic of our welders at work 2nite. I know our mig welder can do all 3 as well but we just use it for mig and arc. Ours run on 480v

kawazx636

iTrader: (3)

I don't know what you plan on welding, but a mig welder is probably your best bet would be the versatility of a 110 volt mig welder. If you are looking to make welding your profession then you will certainly be buying more welders later on down the road, but for now a mig would probably be the most economical and practical for you. I would recommend the 110 volt simply because if you start your career with a few odd jobs and have to take your welder with you, chances are that a 220 outlet isn't available; or at least not like a 110 outlets are. I would also make sure that what ever your get has a fully adjustable wire speed and voltage settings as well as a gas connection for argon/co2.

Personally, I have an older Hobart Handler 120 that I really like. It has done everything I need from 18ga sheet steel to 3/8" plate steel. Pretty tough and worry free - I have sever hundred hours of welding on it and I've never once had a problem with it. They don't make the Handler 120 any more, but the 125 is pretty much the new version of what I have. Runs in the $550 range

85sr5excab

This is our mig welder. Works amazing. It's a miller XMT 304 CC/CV with a 60 series wire feeder

And our Tig welder at work. Is a miller synchrowave 250DX

aztoyman

I have done everything I have needed to do since 1986 with a little Miller 110 volt 90 amp MIG. I bought it when I was taking a welding program. It was all I could afford at the time. It has never failed me or broken down since I have owned it.

Very versatile since you can easily pack it up and take it with you and 110 volt power is everywhere. Great for the home hobbyist if you cant afford a larger 220 volt machine.

Professionally, my employer supplied the machines. If you will be self employed you will no doubt end up with more than one machine depending on what you will be doing. I know many self employed welders that have a large diesel driven outfit on a trailer set up as a mobile workshop plus machines set up in a shop.

I now have a nice 220 volt 220 amp MIG and a water cooled 200 amp inverter TIG in my garage. I still use the heck out of my little 90 amp Miller. Taking it to my daughter's house soon to build some gates for her.

Hard to beat a nice little 110 volt MIG for low budget "home shop" use. A larger dual voltage unit would be even better.

skoti89

I won't be using it for my profession. Being an auto mechanic now and learning how to weld and fabricate I eventually hope to combine the two many many years down the road and have my own hot rod/
4x4 ans fab shop. Right now all ill be using it is to weld on my 4runner. I have a diff cover that needs to be done, i want to weld on some sliders, do a chevy spring swap, and maybe an sas when funds are available. My price range is 300 and im seeing alot of used name brands for that. Mostly arc welding.
Thanks to every body for the tips. I have a lot to learn but I'm stoked about welding.

kawazx636

iTrader: (3)

In that case, I would definitely go with 110v mig. Shielding gas connection would be a plus when it comes to being tidy on your welds, but you could get away with a flux core wire if you don't mind cleaning up your welds.

SCToy

Love my dynasty 200dx. Have only used it for TIG so far, but considering getting a stinger so I can fool around with arc welding.

aztoyman

That Miller Dynasty is a bad ass machine but a little more than his $300 budget.

Don't buy a Harbor Freight welder! You can get a decent little Lincoln, or Hobart for around $300 but that's cutting it close on budget. Plenty of used out there too.

Check out www.usaweld.com or www.cyberweld.com for some of the smaller affordable machines.

SCToy

I'd go flux core if you're sticking to a budget. Better penetration and you don't have to buy gas, which gets expensive if you do a lot of welding. That or a stick welder.
110v mig welder a are always a pain in the butt.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

There is no real answer.

Back in the day when I ran my own business 70 plus hours a week When I had time off unless it was an emergency billed at Triple time around $180.00 an hour .

No way did I want to be any where near a Hood.

It all comes down to just what your needs are ??

Does the shop your using now have a decent Electric Service ??

$300.00 is really not much of a budget

Can you use some of your friends welders to get a feel for what you like

Unless your getting in to a lot of body panel patching you can get by with a name brand SMAW machine.

I really don`t know if any of you Mig weld outside but I have no problem unless I am in a 30 or 40 mph breeze

As far as your PipeWorxs`s You can keep it Another machine built for a niche market Tig Root and wire fill.

One gotta do what one can to sell welders

skoti89

I pretty much am going to use it on my 4unner. My diff cover is maybe 1/4 inch, then the sliders will be welded to a bracket I'll weld to the frame. The auto shop I work at has 220v outlets, but they're weird. My dads harbor freight had a different 220 plug. I'm still learning ahout the pros or cons of AC or DC on a a stick machine. I was looking at some older stick welders

Teuf

035 nr 211

[IMG][/IMG]


Tig,n

Teuf

I think that DC is more versatile. More common rod choices and the potential use of tiging with it later if you can set it up that way.

skoti89

My mom is the owner of the auto shop I work at. She has a home depot credit card. Muhahaha. She said I could use it and make the payments. Even though I'm tempted to go balls to the wall, I might expand my price range to about 550