Welders

[Butch 194]

KC9KAS well if the instructor DOESN'T know what he's talking about I'll never know the difference!!

[Roger from southern Iowa 1]

Now that Tracker is NICE!!

Many uummmm hours spent on it....

but worth a comment.

[bell 11]

Thanks guys!

Yes, all of the welding was done with the Hobart 110V welder. On the heavier stuff, ie: spring mounts (1/4"), I pre-heated the metal with a propane torch before welding. works great on the thinner stuff.

I did use a Lincoln stick welder on the transmission crossmember, but I made it using 1/2" bar stock.

[sorekiwi 761]

I have a 110V Lincoln Mig and I really like it. There are times that I wish I had a 220V unit, but I really do like the fact that I can always find power where I want to use it. Mine was a refurbished unit bought from Indiana Oxygen (they sell on ebay with free shipping) and was less than $400 without the bottle or cart.

I almost always use it with gas, the last couple of years with 100% CO2. It makes a nice weld, if the weld looks like crap its my fault not the welders! I've only used flux core a couple of times, and I agree with Jon here that it does seem to burn hotter with the flux core. I have also heard that if you are forced to weld outside that often the flux core works better at shielding the weld.

Almost all my tractor stuff lately has been done with my little MIG. I have used the TIG a couple of times, but its been on something visible, when I've wanted a "pretty" weld.

I'd take the class if you can. You will learn a lot. And I've seen some good looking welds break too, the more you know, the better welder you will be.

[Butch 194]

Co2?? Duh!! I've got 3 full Co2 bottles!! That's what I use for my kegerators!!

Butch

S. Jersey

[big mike 13]

Millermatic 211!!!!!!!!!

One of Millers best ideas ever!

If I didn't already have 5 MIGs I would buy one in a heart beat.

Lincolns and Hobarts are fine but for a one welder shop the 211 will do it all(almost)

If your going to do all your work in the shop get a 12 lb spool of ER70S6 wire and a Q size bottle of 75/25 argon/CO2 and a 2 lb spool of flux cored.If your going to do most of your workk outside get a 10 lb spool of flux cored and a 2 lb 70S6 and an R size 75/25.

When you get ready shot me an e mail and I will see what kind of deal I can make you.

Not to ruffle any feathers but I just got parts for a buddies Snap On YA202 welder and wooooooo what a POS!

The small Snap Ons I have seen are not much better.....they were made by Century that Lincoln bought the name but does not support the machines......sorry guys just my honest opinion.

[bitten 134]

I have a Miller Econotig and a Miller Bobcat225 at work and havent had a problem with eather one. At home I have a Lincon buzz box and a Crapsman 115 with flux-cor. They get the job done but would trade both of them for a Econotig anyday.

[Ken B 3,166]

I have a Lincoln 3200 HD mig welder. The total cost with a nice cart was around 800 bucks. Its a great welder and very easy to use. For anything you'll be doing on a Wheel Horse its more than enough. Its gas or gas less but I always use gas as the welds are much cleaner.

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

J-B Weld :omg:

[Coadster32 793]

J-B Weld

Yuck-Yuck. They don't even make j-b weld like they used to either.

[DMK855 15]

Not to ruffle any feathers but I just got parts for a buddies Snap On YA202 welder and wooooooo what a POS!

The small Snap Ons I have seen are not much better.....they were made by Century that Lincoln bought the name but does not support the machines......sorry guys just my honest opinion.

Big Mike, not to ruffle feathers either, but the Snap On welders and plasma cutters are made by Systematics, Inc. out of West Chester, Pa.!! As far as the quality, I have not known anyone that has had a problem with one that has been properly run and maintained. That is coming from may years in the Automotive Repair and Autobody repair industry.

As far as the Blue Point welders, I can't give any opinion!!

http://www.800abcweld.com/store/index.php

[HorseFixer 2,013]

Miller Lincoln or Hobart they are all good welders and I have used them all. I personally have two Lincolns a Lincoln 255 MIG and a Lincoln square wave 175 tig. With a tig machine you can do a better job on sheet metal because you have more precise control. For your purpose a Mig is the way to go you will get more use out of it. Stay away from flux core machines a bottle is the way to go.!

I stacked both of my machines so they take up less floor area. Also no one can borrow them Cause between the two with large cylinders they weigh close to 700lbs.

[big mike 13]

Compare a Systematics drive system and gun to any of the competition and from what I saw(I sell this equipment) it didn't hold a candle.

[Butch 194]

I definitely need one that operates on 110v. Since I have 220v in the garage I like having the ability to operate the welder on 220. I prefer to use 220 on everything I can. That's why I like that miller 211. It operates on both.

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,409]

Butch,

Lost of good info here. The guys that weld sy they are not welders is becuase to those who are welders it is like an art. The better the weld the better it looks. A true welder by trade will cringe when he sees a snotty weld. Good luck !!

[6wheeler 668]

Hey Butch, you learn anthing yet? We all weld, And all weld and like different equiptment. Like you have been told, they will all work. Yes its true, flux core does burn hotter,, BUT the name of the game is penetration. You gan glow your project all you want, but if your weld doesn't penetrate you get a hot piece of metal thet breaks again. The welder you seem to be wanting sounds like it will work for you. It will definately last you a long time. Taking a class would be good, at least a basic class. But, in the end, it is still gonna be experience that will be your best friend. Practice on some scrap. That way you can wreck stuff you don't care about. Remember, your welds do not have to be robot perfect to be effective. Have fun, Make smoke. Pat

[Coadster32 793]

Just to add a little, I took a welding course at a local tech school years back. Well worth the money spent, as I didn't have any bad habits to break. A good weld might hold 60,000lbs. An ok weld might hold 25,000. A bad weld might hold 2000. To me, that's still good enough for tractors and such. Just my $.02

[HorseFixer 2,013]

Just to add a little, I took a welding course at a local tech school years back. Well worth the money spent, as I didn't have any bad habits to break. A good weld might hold 60,000lbs. An ok weld might hold 25,000. A bad weld might hold 2000. To me, that's still good enough for tractors and such. Just my $.02

Chris I did the same thing except for a degree, I went to college at the ripe Ole age of 43. That was quite an experience going to school with kids the same age or younger than your kids. I took 3 welding classes covering all the processes even, tho the first job I had out of high school was fabricating & welding Asphalt tar tankers for a company based out of Ill named McCoy Taylor. No matter what your skill level you can always learn something! I learned alot from those gals in healthy living class :D

[Butch 194]

My car sold on ebay. The money is being wired to my account right now.

So now it's welder buying time!! I'm going with the Miller 211.

I bought a Speedglas 9002X with side windows welding helmet.

I bought some welding vice grips.

These bottle sizes are confusing the heck out of me. 5, 10, 15, 20. 1,2,3.4, 80 cf, 94 cf, 120 cf. It seems like the gas inside the bottle determines the size of the tank so I'm baffled about that.

I want the 75% argon/25% CO2 mixture right? I don't plan on using flux wire because of the splatter and smoke.

Northern has a deluxe cabinet for the welder and tank that I like. It has drawers

for welding supplies.

I need to get some gloves and I guess a jacket of some sort.

What about magnets? I see these welding magnets. Do I need them?

What about wire recommendations?

Anything else?

Thanks.

Butch

S. Jersey

[Butch 194]

. No matter what your skill level you can always learn something! I learned alot from those gals in healthy living class

[rickv1957 73]

So now it's welder buying time!! I'm going with the Miller 211.

Butch,great choice,you will be very happy with the Miller 211 Rick

[big mike 13]

Yes,you want 75/25 argon CO2.

A "Q" is 88 cf.

I usually wear a long sleeved shirt and a left hand glove.

I don't use much in the way of magnets but the small pneumatic 90 degree angle grinders come in very handy.

Instead of buying a cart why not practice on your welding making exactly the one you want?

[Butch 194]

Yes,you want 75/25 argon CO2.

A "Q" is 88 cf.

I usually wear a long sleeved shirt and a left hand glove.

I don't use much in the way of magnets but the small pneumatic 90 degree angle grinders come in very handy.

Instead of buying a cart why not practice on your welding making exactly the one you want?

Mike I can get a 120cf for $170 and a 150cf for $190 without the contents. They both seem pretty good size to me. My bother in-law told me I would need a 300. I said it's a hobby, not a job. He said I'll find myself always running to get them filled. Maybe I'll just have a spare tank.

I have a couple right angle electric grinders. No pneumatic ones. I wouldn't think pneumatic ones would have any power. I did buy a couple of welding clamps.

Since they sell tips by what appears to be by large quantities I guess they where out so I should get some spares. Actually Miller has a list of what to have on hand as spares.

What about wire? Why do they have 2lbs and 10lb rolls? For the difference in cost it would seem obvious to buy the 10lb rolls unless there is some kind of advantage to the smaller roll.

Can't make my own cart. I have one coming from Northern tool this week. I like it because t has 4 drawers so I can keep all the welding stuff together and don't have to worry about mixing it with my other tools.

Thanks.

Butch

S. Jersey

[big mike 13]

You will typically run 15 cubic feet per hour of gas.An "S" size tank is about 150 cubic feet and that means 10 hours of pulled trigger welding time.I have had "Q" size tanks last a couple of years at a time.A 300 cf cylinder would be a rental only around here.

I use the pneumatic ones for cleaning of rust,grinding welds down and blending surfaces and find the have plenty of power.I also run one with a 3" cut off wheel with good results.I only use my electric grinder for heavy grinding.

Miller tips come in 10 packs but we sell them by the piece too.I try to keep extra tips,an extra nozzle and an extra diffuser.I probably keep more spare parts than I need to but I don't want to have to stop on Saturday because of a 1.00 part.

The larger the spool the cheaper per pound the wire will be.You may want to run .035 and only occasionally need some .023 so a 12# .035 and 2# .023 would make sense.Spoolguns will only handle a 2# spool(1# in aluminum) so that is another use for the smaller spools.

[Butch 194]

Are those spool guns just for aluminum or ca you use them on steel too? Is there an advantage to them?

My brother in-law was renting a 300 bottle for $10 a month. For that I'd rather own mine out right for what I'm going to be doing. I have enough monthly bills. I don't need another!

How long is the inspection good when they have to reinspect them? I assume they stamp a date in it.

Butch