Popgadget
Elite Member
Our tractor supply stores have welding gas bottles that they exchange.
Another looking for a flux core MIG welder suggestion thread
- Thread starter IXLR8
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Our tractor supply stores have welding gas bottles that they exchange.
Popgadget
Elite Member
My suggestion as well. I started with their 225a TIG machine and now have their Plasma cutter and 285a MIG machine.
You will find their support is second to none. Look at review’s.
I no longer have any miller or hobart machines in my shop. I still have a Hobart engine driven 300a AC-DC stick machine that I’ve had for 30 years.
WinterDeere
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I've owned two MIG welders, and used many more. It seems to me the weak link in the very concept of the mig welder is the feed system. I've had more wire feed issues in more MIG welders than I can count, but really nearly zero troubles of any other type or form.
So when looking at these cheap Chinese wire or MIG welders, my first quesitons would be directed at their wire feed mechanism. If that fails to work, then who really cares if it's IGBT or transformer-based?
So when looking at these cheap Chinese wire or MIG welders, my first quesitons would be directed at their wire feed mechanism. If that fails to work, then who really cares if it's IGBT or transformer-based?
5030
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At 58 bucks each or 3 for 68 bucks, it cannot be much of anything useful.
5030
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Interesting comment. Neither of the Hobart's I own have ever had a wire feed issue, in fact both have the original liners in the guns, only the tips and nozzles have been replaced, numerous times. I do run inline wire wipers on both machines however. If I remember correctly, both machines are about 20 years old and of course transformer based. Back then, IGBT's weren't even invented yet.I've owned two MIG welders, and used many more. It seems to me the weak link in the very concept of the mig welder is the feed system. I've had more wire feed issues in more MIG welders than I can count, but really nearly zero troubles of any other type or form.
So when looking at these cheap Chinese wire or MIG welders, my first quesitons would be directed at their wire feed mechanism. If that fails to work, then who really cares if it's IGBT or transformer-based?
WinterDeere
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I don't have as much trouble with regular wire, but back when I was running mostly flux core, yeah... lots of trouble. I think the feed wheel design that Hobart runs for flux core isn't as reliable as their regular feed wheels. Also, I think the liner was badly worn on one of the machines in which I was running flux core for many years. I ended up replacing the liner (and of course the feed wheel) when I switched that machine over to regular wire, and it's better now but still never trouble-free.
I sometimes wonder if the spring on the feed wheel pressure dial isn't quite what it should be, on my current machine. It could also be bad technique, fouling the tip with too much blow-back. I've been a "sometimes" welder for 40 years, doing a large project here and there with long gaps in-between. It seems each project is nearly finished by the time I'm getting really competent, again.
5030
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The Harbor Freight MIG liner fits 99% of all of them and it's cheap. Never ran flux core, always solid wire and always an inline wiper before the feed rolls. Two machines I'd never part with are the Hobart 210's.
etpm
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I have 2 old Lincoln machines, an SP125+ and an SP100 something or other. These machines are basically identical. I have never had feed problems with these old machines. And even though they are both older than 20 years they still perform perfectly. I also have a Miller machine, a 300 amp beast, and it feeds wire perfectly. My SP125+ is really not made for aluminum wire but I use a teflon liner in a whip that I use just for aluminum and I have no problem feeding .030 4043 aluminum wire. 4043 wire is not as stiff as 5356 so it can be problematical. Nevertheless I make good welds with no feeding problems. No birdnesting and no slippage. Maybe the machines are just a good design.
Eric
Eric
I agree with everything WranglerX said however you can get a Hobart Handler 140 (around here at least) lightly used for under $600 with a cart and tank. I bought a similar Miller machine with a cart for $400 and added the tank, regulator and hose for $200. Nice thing about buying used is there are typically some peripherals thrown in. Mine had 2 spools of wire with it, 1 large flux core and 1 Stainless as well as misc. tips.