Don McCombs
501 Club
This is a great thread and needs to be preserved, before it fades into oblivion.
Mig welder recommendations?
- Thread starter Bigdog
- Start date
jim turner
501 Club
I got mine like JGTools did 12 years ago but I only paid $700.00 for it Love it.
Ok were at a very good point. I think a 220v MIG with stargon gas would be the way to go.
You could contact your local welding supply company to see if they have a good used 220v MIG or even your local pawn shops. They seem to have a lot of welding stuff nowadays too. Checkout your local bargain paper too. Maybe you could get a larger 220v MIG used at a better price than a smaller new one. Even if it needs a new gun or a liner you can come out way ahead and have a better machine than you planned on having.
I had a 225amp lincoln "tombstone" stick welder since the 80's and its still running today. I did pick up a MIG SP100 lincoln soon after and hooked it up with stargon gas. My next welder was a used miller MIG 220v with stargon gas. I ended up using the bigger MIG alot more than the other two machines. But the arc welder does rule with thicker material no matter how clean it is too.
The duty cycle is very important to me because i run rod non stop when i'm welding, time is money, inbetween coffee's of course. Ive seen some guys add another cooling fan to up the duty cycle too a tad. The duty cycle ratings are because of the heat that the coil gets when in use. The smaller coils get hotter faster so the duty cycle is less. The 100% duty cycle machines have larger coils and better cooling, there more heavy duty.
You could contact your local welding supply company to see if they have a good used 220v MIG or even your local pawn shops. They seem to have a lot of welding stuff nowadays too. Checkout your local bargain paper too. Maybe you could get a larger 220v MIG used at a better price than a smaller new one. Even if it needs a new gun or a liner you can come out way ahead and have a better machine than you planned on having.
I had a 225amp lincoln "tombstone" stick welder since the 80's and its still running today. I did pick up a MIG SP100 lincoln soon after and hooked it up with stargon gas. My next welder was a used miller MIG 220v with stargon gas. I ended up using the bigger MIG alot more than the other two machines. But the arc welder does rule with thicker material no matter how clean it is too.
The duty cycle is very important to me because i run rod non stop when i'm welding, time is money, inbetween coffee's of course. Ive seen some guys add another cooling fan to up the duty cycle too a tad. The duty cycle ratings are because of the heat that the coil gets when in use. The smaller coils get hotter faster so the duty cycle is less. The 100% duty cycle machines have larger coils and better cooling, there more heavy duty.
I saw a Campbell Hausfield 120V Flux/Mig welder at my local Farm and Fleet for a decent price. It is gas capable, but I would need to buy a regulator and tank to go along with it down the road if that is the way I want to go. It has a 20% duty cycle at 65 amps, and 15% at 90...
Anyone have one of these machines? I am going to be an extreme "hobbyist" welder... just a little bit here or there... Thanks for getting this thread going, BigDog!
Mike in La Crosse, WI
Anyone have one of these machines? I am going to be an extreme "hobbyist" welder... just a little bit here or there... Thanks for getting this thread going, BigDog!
Mike in La Crosse, WI
Mike..... I am also an "extreme hobbyist" type welder. i have had a 110v MIG and gave it up. My Miller 185 220v makes my menial welding skills look like i have been welding for a long time. The level of beads you can put down and the extra penetration the 220v offers provides a very forgiving welding experience. Often my 110v jobs were very weak welds. My Miller 185 gives me a wide range of adjustments for sheetmetal to much thicker materials. Buy once instead of twice.
BIG DOG---since you're a BUCKEYE; ya owe it to yourself to go to the east side of cleveland to the lincoln electric factory and hang out and ask questions---lincoln electric is completely owned by it's employees and are extremely nice and polite people--U>S>A> they will tell ya exactly what you need and have it right there for sale--if anyone has a chip on their shoulder concerning welding techniques they soon find out they can't weld a lick--don't ask how I know---go back and read "dirt devil's" thread and yes this needs to be preserved--JMMHO
Clark Thompson
501 Club
BIGDOG,
I need a mig welder to do hood and fender repairs on the cubs or on thin body parts on my old trucks. It is much easier to do with a mig than a std welder. I use flux core wire.030.It will handle up to .090 wire. The only problem I have is a lot of times the wire gets stuck in the tip. For .030 wire the tip is .030. I found by drilling it to .040 or useing a .040 tip with .030 wire I solved the problem. I use flux core so I dont need the gas. I bought a miller that runs on 110volt. I bought this 110 machine because i can take it anywhere to use it and also run it off a generator if needed. welds up to 5/8 steel with no problem. very handy to weld small parts. I cant tell you the model number but it was about 400 bucks at TSC a few years ago. best investment i ever made.
I need a mig welder to do hood and fender repairs on the cubs or on thin body parts on my old trucks. It is much easier to do with a mig than a std welder. I use flux core wire.030.It will handle up to .090 wire. The only problem I have is a lot of times the wire gets stuck in the tip. For .030 wire the tip is .030. I found by drilling it to .040 or useing a .040 tip with .030 wire I solved the problem. I use flux core so I dont need the gas. I bought a miller that runs on 110volt. I bought this 110 machine because i can take it anywhere to use it and also run it off a generator if needed. welds up to 5/8 steel with no problem. very handy to weld small parts. I cant tell you the model number but it was about 400 bucks at TSC a few years ago. best investment i ever made.
Don McCombs
501 Club
Mr.E":1k9dyki4 said:
dirt devil":1k9dyki4 said: