I am looking at this welder for some minor to moderate garage fabwork.

Hobart 205 Arc

I am not looking to spend an incredible amount on a welder, and I'm tired of having to borrow my friend's 100 amp Flux-Core job..

I like the higher amperage of this Hobart in case I need to do some heavier-duty work, and also I can get high amperage on a regular house-hold 110V plug. I currently live in an apartment community, and I don't think there are any 220V power supplies anywhere.

If anyone has recommendations for or against this welder or another one, I'd appreciate the replies.

EDIT
Oh yeah, this one is $229.00 so it doesnt break the bank. If theres a better one for another hundred dollars or so, I'll consider that, too.

 

are you a newer welder? because welding on arc is harder than welding with mig..... and jsut because you can do one, doesn't mean you can do the other...... i originally learned arc, which is the harder of the 2 between arc and mig... i can also do mig..... and as far as tig goes, you wont see that in general fabrication

 

I'm not really a first-time welder, but I don't have an incredible amount of experience.

Before I start torching my truck, I've got a pile of scrap steel I plan on welding till I feel like I'm laying good beads.

I'd prefer to stay away from gas welders, because the closest place to get Argon/O2 is almost an hour away.

 

Hey Clemson.... since you are in the area you can just have Clemson 4 Wheel Center do all of the work for you. They are great people to deal with and can work with you on most projects.

 

I think a welder is something I need in my possession, so I'm just going to buy one. If I'm doing a big project, I may not need to weld something until the truck is halfway torn apart. By that time, I won't be able to make it to Clemson 4 Wheel.

IronMike: If you want to go wheelin' sometime, give me a holler.

 

Good deal by me. Any legal places in Clemson? The Horsepasture and Bad Creek Project is turning into a soccer mom trail since the state has been putting in gravel.

 

There's a place called Fruit Mountain and also a place in Pickens called Mountain Estates. I'll post some pics...

 

If you gotta get an extension cord for it get something really decent and heavy gauge so you get all the power you can, and only as long as you need. It makes a difference.

 

Pictures not showing up. Also Mountain Lakes Estates is NOT a public area. People do go up there, but aren't supposed to. The game wardens have been patrolling those areas heavily also here lately they've been patrolling Isaqueena for idiots who run up and down that road during a heavy rain. I've even called them myself when I go up there to fish. I've not heard of Fruit mountain though.

 

You wont realise just how many uses there are for a welder till you have one. It seems like "Just weld it" is my solution for everything these days

 

exactly why is an acr welder so much harder than a mig? sorry this may sound stupid dont kno to much about welders

 

There are several reasons.

Slag is a big factor in arc welding as there is no gas to shield the metal till it cools. You get whats called slag on top that needs to be chipped off and can some times get in the way when welding or trying to clean something up. Don't get me wrong here ARC welders have their place but that place is usually welding 1/4" or thicker metals (you wont be welding any exhaust). One up side to ARC is that it isn't concerned with windy conditions like a MiG welder is. You could weld in a wind tunnel with an arc welder but even the slightest wind on a MiG and your gonna have perforated welds.

The other downfall with an arc welder is that in my experience it takes more heat to melt the rod and you usually have issues with thinner metal and burning holes. I welded with an arc for many years before getting a MiG machine but I find the MiG machine far more useful around the shop than the arc welder.

You also need to consider that the arc is live when the machine is on and not switched with a trigger like the MiG is. Its very easy to place the MiG right where you want it to go then just pull the trigger as opposed to the old "flip the mask down and try to remember where the stick needs to touch" method. The automatic welding mask is probably the best thing since sliced bread for an arc welder.

The arc welder does take more skill to make the welds look good and be strong. That whole slag thing comes into play because you need to be able to tell whats slag and whats metal when your welding and figure out how to get the metal to do what you want with out letting the slag get in your way.

some one more experienced than I could go on and on but that's just a few issues I have noticed. You should go down to the rental shop and rent an arc welder to try before you buy one.

 

arc is cool but it depends on your needs. youll just burn holes through thin stuff unless you are really proficient, but it'll weld the hell out of thicker material.

you said "in case i need it for the heavier stuff". what are you gonna be doin? but from what you say, you want to do major mods to your truck? buy a mig now, and then buy an arc later!

by the way, your truck is bitchin'. the 1st gen. trucks are the best... you should post some pics of your rig.

hooya, military(navy here)

 

When looking at the same catalog you saw the Hobart in you will see the "new" craftsman MiG welders.


Both of their new MiG machines (the 180 and the other) are made by Clark. I can buy that same craftsman 180 in blue with a Clark badge on it for $300-400 instead of the $699 craftsman wants..

here are two options as well for the Clark welders

Mig 130

Mig 180




If I was really trying to find a good welder on a budget this is what I would buy. I'm not selling these and have no interest in them being sold. I just know that I looked at buying one in the past so I'm passing the info on to you.

 

Ganoid, good choice for a MIG welder!

My experience started with ARC and acetylene ... welding storage tanks and beams.
I sincerly would enjoy a MIG welder like Ganoid is showing above this thread.

 

Go with a Mig (technically GMAW or Gas Metal Arc Welding, MIG was the old designation for Metal Inert Gas) it's way more useful around the garage. Stick (technically SMAW or Shielded Metal Arc Welding) is a little more on the brute force side. Very difficult to weld thin tubing or thinner gauge metal, which in my experience is about 80% of the stuff I need to stick together. And if you need to weld thicker stuff, you just make more passes with the MIG. JMO.

 

so clark welders are basically the same as craftsman? i know that craftsman is good quality, so is clark a good choice for a MIG? 375 seems right in my price area....input?

 

Miller or Lincoln. They are the good, reliable, welding machines. They have good reputations. I cannot say Clark or Craftsman is junk, but I would not spend my money on them. Welding machines that are on the lower end of quality have a tendancy to burn out quick with much use. And not all craftsman tools are good quality these days, alot of 'em a complete junk.

 

I wont say the Clark machine is as nice as my MM175 but we are comparing a $700 machine to a $375 machine. I think the Clark welder would be fine for most people and I have full confidence in its reliability. My local tool shop sells Clark and makes it a point only to sell quality products that they can service and get parts for. With that being said they want $550 for an EN180 but the important part is that they stock all the consumables and service parts for one of these welders unlike many of the "NO name" welders available. I would rank the Clark welders far above anything from harbor freight. Clarke is very popular in the UK market and sell a much larger product line over there ( other clarke products )

If I recall correctly Clark has an exceptional warranty on their transformers.

"All Clarke Welders are covered by a generous 10 / 2 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty. The Transformer and Rectifier (a welder’s two main components) are warranted for a full TEN YEARS. All other components are covered for TWO YEARS. Clarke has Factory Authorized Warranty centers across the nation as well as a full inventory of parts & service available at the U.S. Headquarters, in Ohio. "

These guys sell the 180 for $337 and they have plenty of info on the Clarke brand as well as a much larger Clarke product line including plasma cutters.

 

I got the Hobart 140 mig/flux core. I love the welder.