I'm looking to get a welder (or two but preferrably just one). I won't be welding every day or anything, but every once and a while I may want to fab up bumper, even a winch bumper, so I'll want to weld up to 1/4" metal or so. Perhaps weld together a roll cage, who knows. For instance, I have two winch bumpers, a TJM 17 and a Prozap, and both have to be relocated up 2-3" for a body lift. I used a 225v basic Lincoln welder on one of them, that I borrowed from someone and it seemed to work well. But I will also want to weld sheet metal for doing occasional body work. I've had recommendations from everything from getting a stick welder and a wire feed, to just getting a good wirefeed that will do both with different gauge wire.

Does stick welding with a lincoln basic AC-225 model work, or do I need to consider the DC version such as the AC/DC 225/125? Price is definately a factor here. I don't even know what to expect for pricing other than the lincoln AC-225 was only $229 at Home Depot. I'd definately like to keep it under $1000, but if I go that high I'll have to wait a while. If I don't get one single welder that will suffice for all my needs, $1000 will have to be split over two welders.

What are you using and what types of things do you use it for? Feedback will be much appreciated!

 

I am probably 6 months or more away from buying, but I am going with either the Millermatic 175 http://www.millerwelds.com/main/products/mig/M10561/ or the Thunderbolt XL AC/DC http://www.millerwelds.com/main/products/stick/M16100/

I am only now learning to weld, but the AC/DC gives you more options. I am leaning toward the 175. Check www.weldersmall.com www.cyberweld.com or www.praxair.com for prices.

BTW, I plan on using it for all sorts of fabrication, including sliders.

 

When welding 1/4 inch thick metal. To get a better, stronger hold a stick welder is better to use. Sure you could use a mig with thicker gauge wire but you still would get the hold you would out of the stick and besides the way you're talking you're going to be mounting some winches and you want the strongest hold for them. A mig is fine for sheet metal, it's even good for 1/4 inch metal as long as it's not for a winch or something that needs a lot of strength.

 

I'm assuming you're limiting your opinion to the wimpy 110v Mig units because that's absolutely not true at all.

 

Thanks for the responses! I will definately be staying towards 220v models since I already have other tools running off it. What i will likely end up doing is buying an AC/DC 225 stick and a small wire feed. That way I don't have to buy something that "can do all" but perhaps not do it all as well as two different ones. Kinda like there's no automobile that's designed to do all types of driving really well.

I have no current needs for wirefeed right now, though I do the occassional bit of body work in the summer time. So, I can just get a stick welder for now and get a wire feed later when I will actually need it. It's too cold to even consider body work in the winter and my garage heater doesn't warm up that much!

Thanks,

Shawn

 

So is there a consensus as to who makes the best quality welders?

Chris

 

For GMAW (MIG) Miller would be my vote, but there's lots of good ones available. What are you looking for?

 

I'm looking for an easy to use welder that will make the cleanest, strongest welds possible for welding things like bumpers and other high strength stuff. I'm thinking a MIG, bu I have no clue about these things are how to do it yet. I've got a friend that has a stock welder, but surely there's an easier and cleaner way to do it.

Chris

 

Go to PBB and read like the devil.

There is enough reading over there on this sort of thing to keep you busy for a couple of years.

The highlights are:
-Miller, Lincoln or Hobart, more likely to find replacement stuff off the shelf
-Models in the 175 range and up get you gas and 220 volts
-for $600 you can get a nice Mig that will do 95% of what the average wheeler fab guy will need.

 

That's exactly what I'm looking for. But, what's PBB, and what's their web site? When you say 175 range, what are you referring to? So I need gas, but I've already got enough of that! and 220 volts preferably, right? Yeah, I'd love to stay around $500 or so.

Thanks again for the help,

Chris

 

PBB = http://www.pirate4x4.com/welcome1.html

 

Ah, thanks!

Chris

 

^ exactly what he said! Don't forget safety gear like a hood and gloves. And keep your skin covered, unless you like sunburns...

"Welding is like superglue for big kids"

 

Hold your horses man. I feel like you are getting some bad info in this thread. I would highly recommend that you not get a stick welder. That seems to me a waste of money. I read your post and it screams MIG to me. They are not as expensive as many think. Shop around and you can get a good one for WELL under 1000 bucks. Stick welders DO NOT hold metal together any better than a MIG. Stick welders, in my humble opinion are more difficult to master. A stick welder is DEFINATELY NOT what you want for doing any kind of sheet metal. Save your pennies for a bit and get a decent MIG and find an experienced welder to give you some tips or read a book or buy a video on it and definately practice before you start building anything and definately before you weld anything to your truck. I promise you that you will be much happier in the end. Oh yeah, and as someone else said, there are 101 threads about this on pirate, you could read for days so I would definately head over there and give some of those thread a look through. There are some very good and experienced welders over there...

Dave

 

Calm down Dave, check the date on Shawn's post. 01-18-2003

 

So, the miller 175, hobart 175 or lincoln 175 would all be good choices, right? Any preferences on which of these three would be the best all-around welder and top quality?

Chris

 

Split between Miller and Lincoln, Hobart is a sub-brand of Miller with cheaper parts. They're still good as well though, just more affordable.

 

BTW, http://cyberweld.com/ is where I got my 251. It arrived two days after I placed the order and was the cheapest price I could find. I thought it was gonna take like 2 weeks since they're on the east coast, but they had it drop shipped direct from a Miller warehouse somewhere in Oregon.

 

Ah, okay, so Miller or Lincoln, heh? Is one easier to use over the other? Where would be the best place to get the best price on either of these?

Chris

 

That's a tad too rich for my blood. I wish I could, but after buying whatever else I need for welding, I'll have probably close to a $1000, or more, right?

By the way, what do you guys recommend for the supplies I'll need to complement the welder?

Chris

 

One other thing to keep in mind...if your welder can't do a thick metal in one pass (1/4" or whatever)...you can do it in multiple passes with the right technique.

Do yourself a favor and find a night class at the local technical college. You'll learn a bit about technique, and metal chemistry...all in all, how to weld some sturdy stuff.

Jim

 

I'm planning on doing it as soon as possible! Thanks!

Chris

 

Visit a local welding shop for your consumables (wire, gas, tips, etc...) and check out what they have. You can get away with a $20 hood with a lense around shade 9-11 and $10-20 or so for some gloves. I usually just wear my mechanix gloves when welding unless the heat gets to be too much, don't really like the typical welding gloves. All told you'll probably be in for about $750-800 depending on what you get. A cylinder is going to cost you if you purchase, but most places will rent them too. Refills are trivial, ~$15-30 depending on size. An 80cf cylinder of C25 (co2 argon mix) should be sufficient for a starter if you can't afford a bigger one.

Wait for a few months if you can, there's usually sales during the holiday season and that 175 will drop $100 or so. Shop around for prices and barter as they're quite flexible, and buying online can help you get away from state sales taxes if the company is out of state.

 

Cool, do you recommend any other online places other than cyberweld to check for prices in the next couple of months?

Chris

 

Just thought I'd throw this out real quick..I JUST bought a welder, two days ago, my first actually. Good for me, a friend of mine is an excellent welder, and I did what he told me as far as what to buy. I ended up with a 135 Lincoln Mig unit with the gas attachment, which I also bought. I can tell you already, this thing will do ANYTHING I will try to tackle in my garage. We did some stuff this weekend, basically to teach me the do's and don'ts of welding and it did fantastic. I did try it without the gas, using a flux wire, and WOW, does that suck. Make sure if you go Mig, also get the mix gas to go with it. Makes a HUGE difference!! My welds already look professional, and I've been doing it for two days!! LOL! You also need to remember your going to need a bit of safety gear, some anti splatter, and the gas (which I paid $130 including tank/fill up) and I opted for a auto darkening helmet,but still I was just over $750 after everything.

..I've already built my own panhard bar drop bracket wOOt!!