WELDER ADVICE NEEDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jeepbonehead]

I am buying a mig welder, i plan to make a full cage rock sliders brackets, all of your various custom jeep stuff, i figure i need something that can weld at least 1/4" steel i have $500. what should i buy???(brand/model)

[CSaddict]

You can't really get anything that will fully penetrate 1/4 for any reasonable amount of time for that much money. Unless of course you buy used. I have a Lincoln 135 that will do ok on 1/4 if its beveled but the duty cycle is so low that you can't run a decent bead for long. You will need a 220 volt machine to get good penetration on 1/4.

[Jeepbonehead]

i just need to find something that will work

[Jeepbonehead]

what about this???

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...6073_200306073

[Ktmracer419]

i run a refurbished hobart 140 amp got from www.toolking.com for around $450 shipped

welded everything from link mounts to bumpers to rocker panels. My single upper control arm is held in my 1/4" steel welded to solid stock. Never had a weld fail.

probably the best bang for your buck in your price range.

[Jeepbonehead]

Which one do i get??? lincoln or hobart

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...5X-_-100395926

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...6073_200306073

[Ktmracer419]

everyone i have talked to that has ran both machines say:

miller/hobart> lincoln

[CSaddict]

everyone i have talked to that has ran both machines say:

miller/hobart> lincoln

That's funny. Every guy I know prefers Lincoln MIG's to the others. I don't have a preference. Hobart is the step child.

On the same token as Sam, I built my entire crossmember and control arm mounts with 135amp mig and they are holding up nicely. I TIG'd all the links though.

You should also look at the Thermal Arc welders. I use a Pro Wave TIG and its the best machine for the money hands down. Thermal makes a pretty nice MIG as well. You can also save some coin and look for Fire Power brand welders. They are made by Thermal and just reboxed. Nice machines.

[Jeepbonehead]

do i need gas with the hobart?? i think i do for the lincoln

[Ktmracer419]

That's funny. Every guy I know prefers Lincoln MIG's to the others. I don't have a preference. Hobart is the step child.

On the same token as Sam, I built my entire crossmember and control arm mounts with 135amp mig and they are holding up nicely. I TIG'd all the links though.

You should also look at the Thermal Arc welders. I use a Pro Wave TIG and its the best machine for the money hands down. Thermal makes a pretty nice MIG as well. You can also save some coin and look for Fire Power brand welders. They are made by Thermal and just reboxed. Nice machines.

well i bet you know more guys who weld than me. my list is pretty limited, but that was the general consensus

[Ktmracer419]

do i need gas with the hobart?? i think i do for the lincoln

im too lazy to click your links, but for the hobart you can run flux core wire, just reverse the polarity when you wanna step up to run shielding gas.

but trust me, you want to run gas.

i dont remember what i paid for my tank, but also factor that into the price. You can rent or own. and it costs about 45 bucks to fill each time

[Fuzzy Wuzzy]

you definitely want gas. I think my welds would be a bit nicer with it, but I use flux core all the time and hate the spatter.

[OWEN]

intershield (flux core) gives better penetration than solid core with gas, but messier

CO2 give better penetration than 75/25 but not as crisp

I encounter a lot of different welding equipment at my job. I like the Millermatic 180 (or whatever is the lastest version of it) or the Hobart equivilent for a small 220v Mig.

Just remember to watch the duty cycle. Any of these smaller machines are going to be cranked to weld 1/4" so don't run it on max for hours on end

[trained.monkey]

Screw MIG! Go TIG

I ran MIG for years and got really good at it but with TIG Welds are MUCH better. Even Harbor Freight $200 TIG set up gets better penetration and way better control than my MIG did. Only prob is deep V welding cause it can be hard to get the tip into the area (big prob on chopper frames) but i don't see that as being an issue on truck welding.

But if you just HAVE to go with MIG definately go with gas. Rosin core sucks with the splatter getting stuck to everything Gas=better welds+ less clean up.
I run Argon myself cause i weld stainless a lot and that stuff hates the O2 with a passion.

[customcreationsllc]

I have the Hobart for like 8 years now and use it a few times a week it works great however it is only a 110v welder like any 110v welder you just cannot get enough amperage and the duty cycle sucks, after you've been welding a while the welder heats up and starts welding like crap.

I don't weld the roll cages with it, I use a TIG for the important welds, I'm saving up for a 220 MIG then I would weld the cages with that.

If you ask any unbiased person they will tell you the only difference between lincoln and miller is just the color.
I went with Miller because the welding store near my house is a Miller dealer.

If I were you I would save up a little more and get the 220/110 welders like the miller http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...lermatic_dvi2/

If you building a roll cage do you even have a tube bender.

It might be better just pay someone to build your cage than buy all the tools but either way every jeep owner should have a MIG.