i got a few cift certificates for sears for christmas and im thinking about getting a welder.

i already have almost every hand tool i could possibly need and a big comperssor and air tools to go with it...


so any suggestions?

what should i go with?

ive welded a couple times before, can get things to stick together pretty well but looks like crap...

any imput is appreciated

 

you gotta tell us what you wan tot do with them...

but some good starters are:

Hobart handler 187

Millermatic 180

 

my first project after practicing a whole load is gonna be making a front bumper

 

I think from some place like Sears the Hobart handler 210 is probably the best bang for the buck right now. Its hard to beat the handler 210 even going to a welding store because most of the other 210+ machines are going to be $1000+ and the handler is usually under $700. Now granted the $1000+ 210 machines are a pretty good cut above a handler 210 but then again so is the price.

 

i'm a total noob on this but what i can say is stay away from FluxCore.

a friend of mine bought an used Lincoln 175 off craig's list couple weeks ago for $400, it's in decent shape including an 88cf argon/c02 tank, 230v 1phase. for the first time ever, i tried welding just yesterday, wowww, i was hooked. i played with both mig and fluxcore side by side, saying the difference is day'n night is an understatement.

230v welders are nice but it draws plenty of power, if you don't have the "proper" power outlet at home, then go get the 110v ones.

 

ive got a miller 140 and it does everything i need it to do. wireing 220 in is a good amount to do. if the metal is preped right you can weld just about everything. my opinion is if you have 220 than go bigger but if you cant afford it go with a 110 and just pratice alot thats what ive done.

 

Lincolns and Millers are both great machines. Hobart is made by Miller. I looked and talked to a half dozen welding stores. They would tell me the minor differences and finish the conversation with "Do you like red or blue?" I have a 120v Lincoln 140. Great machine. I had to go 120v for portability. I have and can weld up to 3/16" material. Anything thicker and I tack it together and have my friend finish weld it. (he has a big 220v machine) The main thing that I noticed between the Home Depot or Lowes welders and the ones welding shops sell is the wire feed carrage inside the side of the welder. Deffinitly get mig gas 80/20. Much better welds.

 

i've got a lincoln flux core welder and its great for the price, with gas its pretty darn good

 

flux core is a joke to weld with because shielding a weld is the most important part of welding. I have a Lincoln stick welder and would take it any day over a flux core mig

 

It gets easier and cleaner looking as you go on , plus a 6" grinder makes any ugly weld look like it was never there , there for fixing your ugly welds right up

 

I got a Hobart Handler 140 for Christmas today. I've not been welding long, but throwing down good beads with penetration isn't hard at all. It's a good lil' welder. I'll be getting the gas in about 2 months. I love it!Only $459 too!

 

I love my Millermatic 185. It's done everything I've asked it too. Hopefully I'll be tacling some bumpers/skids for the truck soon.

 

I still recommend the Hobart 210

Since every one is sharing what welder they have...

The last welder I had was a Miller-matic 175 and I must say it was a nice machine. It was a bit under powered I felt and I sent it into thermal shut down a few times but I was asking a lot out of it.

My new welder is a Thermal arc 251 with a spool gun.
It will do...
200 amps at 100% duty cycle
300 amps at 40% duty cycle
5/8 in a single pass
and it will spray .035 no problem.
I haven't run out of power on any of my jobs yet. I don't think I have ever come close to over heating it. I can say that a needed to move up to a 80 amp breaker as I kept tripping my 60 amp (both 220V).

But like I said the Hobart 210 is tough to beat at that price.

 

I've been looking at the millermatic 180. Local price is $729.

As a side note, I am running a 50 amp 220V service to the front of my garage.

I did not like the welds I got with a borrowed 110V flux welder (harbor freight style). Only 2 settings (hi, low) and low duty cycle. The guy at Airgas says duty cycle is measured over 10 minuites (20% = 2 minuites welding in 10)