I'm thinking about buying a welder- what type should I get?

No, when I say gas I mean c25 which is an argon co2 gas or co2. Neither explodes it just shields the weld so you don't get contamination. Co2 has a lot of spatter, much less with c25.
 
Re: I'm thinking about buying a welder- what type should I get?

author=rustybearing link=topic=1766.msg11263#msg11263 date=1303263951
On the 140 (110v) I had the autoset didn't work properly unless you had a dedicated 20 amp line. If the amperage dropped I got a lot of 'stubbing' with the wire feeding too fast. You probably don't get the amperage drop with the 220v.
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On my 140 autoset I've found that using a 20A circuit is pretty much a given anyway on the 115V machine unless you are welding light sheet metal. Another thing to remember is that the autoset perimeters will only work for .024" or .030" solid wire using a 75/25 gas mix. Changing the wire (ie. flux core) or type of gas (CO2) requires setting the controls manually.

I think the autoset feature is a great way for novice welders to be able to make decent beads right off the bat, and reduce the amount of frustration from worrying about settings. Once you get the hang of setting the adjustments manually, the autoset feature will rarely be used most likely.
 
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Re: I'm thinking about buying a welder- what type should I get?

Ill go with Rusty, my order of things was first O/A set medium M tanks thats a do all weld cut
braze bend forge then in 1960 my father bought a AO Smith 225 amp with batt charger attachment
Ok but limited to its power cord, then 10yrs ago I came upon a 225amp ac dc gas powerd Miller
welder (its in my tool truck $400) since this the AO Smith never used again, what a difference DC
makes. Then 5yrs ago my son bought A Lincoln mig w/gas 110vt. auto helmelt all under $600.
Next my kid on fire dept somtimes borrows their plasma cutter another plug & play,so thats
next on the list. they are nice. So here the most used is- A/Ox torch & chop saw. Ive gas welded
one inch stuff as well as exhaust pipes and such. so thats my first, 2nd the mig. sam
 
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Nelson ,if you are looking for a 110v unit watch craigslist i see those on there all the time brand new in the box mostly lincolns ,i think these guys go to home depot or lowes and buy one and get it home either do one project or they get it for a gift and realize they can't weld and they need cash so it goes on craiglist if you show up with cash in fist and find a guy who needs the money you can get a sweet deal . i also see 220v millers all models on there also "not usually new ones" but if you know what you want do your home work on the models you want and definitely weld with it before you buy . it all comes down to knowing what your buying new or used .good luck! chris
 
Good advice- I will keep my eyes open. I am thinking first before I buy, I should take a welding course so I know what to look for.

Best,

Nelson
 
MIG 220V. Get the best first and save some headaches down the road. My choice first Miller http://www.millerwelds.com/products/mig/product.php?model=M00245
then 2nd Hobart like the Handler 187 http://www.hobartwelders.com/products/wirefeed/handler187/
then 3rd would be a 220v Lincoln like what Home Depot has.
Sorry i am Pro Miller after all i do work for them plus i have had Millers for the last 30+ years. The Miller 211 is 120v-220v so it would do well in a home shop. Then get a gas bottle 75/25 is best. I don't know what dealers you have in your city but i still can drive over and show you how to use it. :) ...Bob
 
I ended-up getting the MillerMatic 211, which I set-up for gas-shielded. Love it - the unit will run on 220 or 110 (you just swap the plug end). I am an utter noob but it made my welds look pretty good. No classes locally that I could find, but a kind neighbor with some experience visited one evening and gave my son and me a tutorial. My son is 11 and did great too. My impression is that the AutoSet feature worked well, but the welder has a door chart too.

On the minus side, I can see that OA is more versatile, but the MIG met my immediate needs and is quicker to learn.

I bought the larger unit because I have some farm machinery work to do and wanted the option to weld heavier metal. I bought the unit online, free shipping, at least $200 less than the local supply house. PM me for specifics if you want. I purchased my own 120 cu ft Ar/CO2 tank, rather than renting, after a back-of the envelope ROI calculation (I am a data nerd by trade, can't help myself!) :nerd:

Finally, the MM211 was made in Appleton, WI.

Hope that helps!
 
Re: I'm thinking about buying a welder- what type should I get?

I'm a self-taught welder, so my advise is, as is often said, worth every penny you have paid for it. I started with a small wire-feed (almost a MIG), but moved up to a Hobart 140 before too long. I would recommend spending the extra to get something at least that good. The Miller 140 would be similar.

While the Hobart is set up for gas, I leave it loaded with flux-core. I can clamp up a bracket, set the welder dials, turn on the exhaust fan and welder, burn some wire and shut everything down in a matter of minutes. There is a bit more spatter than with solid wire and gas, but cleanup doesn't take that long and I like not having to adjust and drain the gas system for a quick weld.
 
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