help with welders

[OWEN]

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

This is a pretty broad question, but I think if you look back through threads in this section you will find some decent info.

You'll need to provide some more information about budget and process. Like Matt said TIG is wonderful, MIG is a little faster, Stick is more used in industrial settings than automotive. Machines can be $200-$20,000

Until then, I would say get a Miller XMT350 they are small, do it all, and have a great arc and force controls. I think they are about $5000 for the unit. I don't have much experience I just use them every day

[Hydra]

Miller 180, I got it and love it, the quality of miller far exceeds what i've seen if HD products and makes gaeboe freight look like a childs toy, f you want a serious welder look into millers

[bmxnick7]

we have both a lincoln and a miller at work not sure of the models both 110v the lincoln seems like it welds lighter gauge a little better, but they are about the same.

[SupermanIce-J]

Bumpin this because I am moving up in the world of welders... I am looking mostly for mig machines but i use a multi-process ESAB welder at school and have come to love tig welding.

What is youinz opinion on older multi process machines such as this one.
http://baltimore.craigslist.org/tls/2298448052.html

ORRRR! I am looking to buy either

NEW!!! Millermatic DVI2 MIG Welder 907323 $1200
http://www.gts-welco.com/gts-welco.aspx?pcid=180&ptid=1
USED Miller 252 $1500
http://williamsport.craigslist.org/tls/2262985598.html
or
Hobart IronMan 230 (from what i can tell it is a miller 252 made by Hobart) $1500
http://www.hobartwelders.com/product...ed/ironman230/

ANY of the above mig welders are in the same price range $1200-1500... My thoughts behind buying the above welders is I can buy a seperate tig machine later on down the line and have a more efficient welder with a warranty. What is your opinion???

[Xtremeyj420]

IMO unless your doing a lot of shop work and are really pushing the duty cycle of your welder , most of the smaller $500-$800 machines out by miller,Lincoln, etc.... are more than adequate for anything up to 3/8" which in most cases is the thickest a normal garage junky will be dealing with. I've been welding for 12yrs I'm aerospace certified by Pratt&Whitney and GE with TIG, AND I WAS Nuclear certified by electric boat for mig,and fig... my home rig is a 220v Lincoln Pro mig 175... and it welds beautifully... honestly the only thing that gets better with the higher duty MIG is duty cycle... some will have pulse but most wont ever need it. If your gonna buy an entry level welder don't get a 110v machine go 220v end of story... and as for TIG unless you need to weld aluminum you can scratch start TIG with almost any stick machine.
Thanks,
Mike...

[Zullock Holmes]

Speaking about welders, i got a question for the experienced round these parts.

I have been looking at TIG welders and am pretty convinced the Miller Diversion 165 will suit my needs.

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...p?model=M00325

I plan on using this machine mostly for welding .120 wall steel tube, which is well within what miller defines as the machines capabilities. I also plan to use it for doing alot of aluminum. What do y'all think???

Also Mike, what do you use for a foot control on the stick welder?? How do you get the gun to function with the standard stick outputs.....Sheilding gas??? the concept makes sense, i wonder if its really that practical. Can you get a stick welder that will do DCEN?? i thought they were all DCEP??? and can buy one that will do AC???

Sorry for all the questions, you sparked some thought.

[Xtremeyj420]

Jeepbabi... IMO that diversion 160 would be perfect for your application... don't be turned off by the 20% duty cycle fool you. Unless your gonna be welding for hours on end you wont have much of an issue. Running AC with aluminum is gonna put the most strain on the power source.

And for your question about scratch start TIG. One of the main problems with running scratch start is the inherrent lack of on the fly adjustability. With most scratch start rigs you set the amperage on the power source and run it. If its too hot, you stop and turn it down on the power source. Etc... I have seen hand amptrol's that are basic high amperage potentiometer. They are expensive. Also with scratch start you are always hot at the torch just like a traditional stick lead, and to initiate the arc you have to scratch it just like a stick electrode. Its kind of a weird hybrid process but it works well once you get used to it. And the gas control is asimple on of valve on the torch itself, you still use the regulator on the tank.
Hope this helps.
thanks,
Mike.

[customcreationsllc]

Speaking about welders, i got a question for the experienced round these parts.

I have been looking at TIG welders and am pretty convinced the Miller Diversion 165 will suit my needs.

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...p?model=M00325

I plan on using this machine mostly for welding .120 wall steel tube, which is well within what miller defines as the machines capabilities. I also plan to use it for doing alot of aluminum. What do y'all think???

Also Mike, what do you use for a foot control on the stick welder?? How do you get the gun to function with the standard stick outputs.....Sheilding gas??? the concept makes sense, i wonder if its really that practical. Can you get a stick welder that will do DCEN?? i thought they were all DCEP??? and can buy one that will do AC???

Sorry for all the questions, you sparked some thought.

That is an entry level machine good for small stuff and portable which is nice.
The air cooled torch is going to be a little larger but no need to lug a water cooler around or even buy one. Which is nice
Max amps of 165 on the machine 150 on the torch is pretty low especially aluminum sucks all the heat out. You need about 1 amp per thousands so .120 about 120 amps then a little extra so you can vary plus some times you need a little extra heat. You will be running close to max all the time.

I have a hand control just takes some getting used to it I couldn't. I need more practice with the hand control.

Do you just want it for roll cages.
Why not just use your mig and spend the money on something else. Tig weld isn't any stronger. I use my Tig so little now that I have a real mig.
The Tig is good for small stuff or where you don't want a raised weld or need something sealed watching the bead form no voids is nice.


I would look for a used syncrowave big but proven been around for a long time but even used they are expensive and not portable. If you want to see what 150amp max is like stop by one night. And try a couple tubes.

If you can get a good deal on one the buy it, it will be nice to have in your arsenal.

~Justin

[Zullock Holmes]

cool. thanks for all the info guys

Mike just curious, but how did you get started out in that field??

[Xtremeyj420]

Well jeepbabi I originally learned how to weld by hangin around the race shop... learned to weld on modified race car chasis's and it just went from there, always kinda had a knack for it... then after awhile i started my own welding business on the side and called it Elite Fusion Fabrication... Just wish the economy wasnt as crappy as it is...lol
thanks,
mike...

[Zullock Holmes]

That's funny cause i started around like hobbyist's and then when i got the job at clayton i started to get better, and now that i'm much better at it i do ALOT of welding up there and have been curious about taking the next step. like getting certified etc.

It's also funny thats how you started out because my dream job is to work in a chassis shop for like RCR or JGR or MWR, pretty much any bigtime NASCAR shop. hahaha