help with welders

[hoggie101]

Looking for some advice on welders, brands, and opinon and experience s

[clean4drxj]

miller first, lincoln second, and it would depend on what you'd want to weld.

[CSaddict]

Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, Thermal Arc are all good brands. I have a Thermal Arc TIG, Lincoln, MIG, Miller Plasma Cutter, and a Miller TIG at the shop. None have failed.

If you are considering a TIG I would suggest an Inverter machine due to low consumption and a smaller foot print.

[Even]

We really need more info on what you plan on using it for.

Stick/MIG/TIG?

[WickedXJ]

Anything Miller is going to be great and give you most anything you would need from a welder especially the Millermatics. If you are looking for something smaller the I like the Hobart handler 140. But off a home circuit there is a Lincoln that can handle 15 amps (can't remember the model) but even a harbor freight one is good to start with. It all depends on your experience and what you want to weld. It also depends on what you want to weld and what power input you have for it(VERY important as there are only 3 welders that I am aware of that are able to run directly off of house-hold circuits). I would say start off with a flux wire with MIG ability like the Hobart or a Stick welder.

[hoggie101]

Circuts no problem have that firqured out and i was thinking mig and nothing bigger then 3/8 steel

[CSaddict]

A 120 volt unit will not do better than 1/4 and its duty cycle would be very low.

[hoggie101]

Might do two phase dont no yet im not worried about that right now just trying to figure out one to get but thank you for the info

[cherokee-at-16]

I like my Lincoln 140 from lowes. With flux core wire my welds don't look to bad on 1/4in steel. I have never put it directly into the wall outlet, i'm too scared, instead I use a power strip with a circuit braker on it so that that will brake first before the house circuit brakes and our kitchen loses power. Don't know if i need to do this, but the Circuit on the power strip goes off a lot.

[WAD357]

I have a hobart 140 does the job but something bigger would be nice... Id go with a 220v since your able to. Welding with my buddys miller 252 is like a dream!

[Customjob]

I just got a lincoln 140. They can be had new on ebay for about 400 bux. Now i just have to learn how to weld

[WickedXJ]

For my house I have this http://www.harborfreight.com/90-amp-...der-98871.html only blew the my 15 amp once using this when the gun welded itself to my jeep but run Lincoln 0.035" wire through it and it contends with the Hobart 140. Also REALLY EFFING CHEAP. Welded 16 gauge steel all around my floors with it and no issues, especially no issues with duty cycle. I have had issues with it not cutting deep enough into some 3/8" steel for a plow but it worked...it just took a long ass time to finish an 8" bead (finished the rest on the shop's lincoln 216). I would highly recommend this as a first welder. Just for reference here is a photo that shows about 3/8 of the welds I did on the floors with my cheapo welder:

[CSaddict]

Might do two phase

Do you intend to use this on a ship?

[Bigbike]

J.B Weld..... i have a Home Depot Lincoln 140, its ok. It does what I need it to do but I really would like to up to a miller 211 in the next year.

[Zullock Holmes]

I use a miller 252 at work, its amazing. The one at my house that we have used before is a millermatic 211. With a 220 power source, it can pretty much give me the same quality as the 252 for what i use it for. 1/4 plate with one pass, and no worries. Also, i am not a fan of flux core MIG, run gas. It produces a much cleaner weld.

I had the chance to use Justin's TIG last week. I am in love, it was the first time i have ever TIG welded, I love how much more control i have over the MIG, temperature, the size of the bead, its all right there between my hands and my feet. Deff when the need is there for it, this will be an investment.