Buying a welder

johnday · Jan 16, 2005

Thought it was about time to learn to weld. Signed up for a college course and are having big fun. Found out the autodarkening hoods are great. Now the question. I'm looking at buying a Hobart 235 AC/DC machine. I want to fab my own tractor attachments and such. 1/4-1/2 metal thicknesses is what I'm thinking. I've also found that in talking with people that "should" know, is a lot like talking gas/diesel. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I'd like some unbiased opinions on the Hobart and other makes. Right now I'm strictly thinking stick welding. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Feed back, I must have feedback. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bobodu · Jan 16, 2005

We just got a new Hobart MIG for the plant...not thrilled with it.
I just came in from welding all afternoon (17 degrees..whew!)with a borrowed Linciln AC 225...for some stupid reason...I can't weld worth a darn with anything but a Lincoln(stick or MIG).Granted,I'm just beginning..and I sure can't explain it... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Fella has a stick at the plant (don't know the brand)...I can't start a weld with it and spend more time getting the rod loose than welding.No problem with the AC 225.

Tractors are RED....Boats are BLUE!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

ronjhall · Jan 16, 2005

John
Come up to my place. I can give you chance to try 3 different types of welders. I'm no expert like some of the fellows here on TBN. Somehow things stay together after I welded them. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have a Lincoln 295 AC, Century AC/DC 225, and a Hobart 135 mig.
 Feedback? 
My 3 welders all work great for me. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

johnday · Jan 16, 2005

Ron; We'll plan on that! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Can a Mig be used for stick too? I think some of them can.

johnday · Jan 16, 2005

bobodu; Millers are what I'm using at the college, along with some Lincolns I haven't tried yet. Are you using an auto hood? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

bobodu · Jan 16, 2005

Oh YES on the auto hood!!! THAT might the the reason I can weld now!! Just bought it and wish I had done so years ago.I still stick a rod now and then...but BOY the difference!! So maybe it ain't the welders...maybe just the welders hood! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

ronjhall · Jan 16, 2005

Millers are what I'm using at the college 
John
You have made a good choice. Miller and Hobart are divisions of the corporation that I retired from.
Got to lookout for my retirement money. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have a Miller AutoDarkening Helmet. Greatest thing since -----------------------! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

johnday · Jan 16, 2005

bobodu; Before I started the class, I was very downspirited. I was told my eyes would be a problem and I was even concerned to being too old to learn anything. The only welding I ever did was just sticking the rod. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif My first strike using the auto hood gave me a lot of confidence, never stuck once during an hour of practice, the instructor said I was doing great! Think maybe he was being nice? Oh, he's the only guy there older than me! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

johnday · Jan 16, 2005

Ron; Amen my friend, I'm really excited about this class. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

ronjhall · Jan 16, 2005

I was even concerned to being too old to learn anything. 
/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Wait until you get to be my age. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
It seems funny when my 30 year old son shows me how to do things. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

MadReferee · Jan 16, 2005

Take a look at the Miller/Hobart welding forums. Even though the forum is sponsored by Miller/Hobart there are plenty of knowledgable people there who discuss all the brands and their uses.

Miller/Hobart welding forums

Tevi · Jan 16, 2005

I like Miller.Miller usually has better cycle times.The place I deal with and has both Miller and Lincoln.They claim that Miller is in the shop less and when they are it's easier to get parts.I also give the thumbs up to the auto hood

RonR · Jan 16, 2005

John, I grew up on a farm, so we had the Lincoln stick welder. For a few years, I ran a service truck that had a gasoline powered stick welder. The shop had 440 volt production mig welders. I can stick metal things together.

To me, it's a question of $$$$ vs convenience.

I bought a Lincoln stick 225 in 1975 and it's still running fine. Have to mess with slag and it doesn't do thin stuff well (at least I can't). But I can run 6013 rod all day long (figuratively).

I also have built some implements for my CUT (grill guard, tool bar, and soon to build: skid plate), so being able to weld on 1/8 to 1/2 inch is nice.

I'd love to get a mig just for the cleanliness and ease of use. But to get one that can do up to 3/8" steel is pretty pricey for the home occassional DIYer.

I've borrowed a 110V mig from a buddy to weld light stuff or tack together big stuff. Nice, but not beafy enough for me.

If I get rich, or win the lotto, maybe I'll buy the big mig, but for what I need right now, the Lincoln 225 is doing all I need.

Your mileage may vary.
ron

txdon · Jan 16, 2005

johnday, I'll be about a week behind you my classes start Tuesday! I bet I will be the oldest one in the class also. Do they make a small gasoline powered MIG, all I have seen are stick?

johnday · Jan 16, 2005

Don; Hope you enjoy it as much as myself. This is the first trades type course I've ever taken. I was a little apprehensive about the little gangsters in class, but that was unfounded. Even the ones fresh out of high school seem like good kids after all. There's two of them there that I've known their dads for years. Ofcourse, those are the real good kids. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

johnday · Jan 16, 2005

Mad; Just looked quickly at that site. Thanks, as soon as Jan goes to bed, I'll spend some time there. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Henro · Jan 16, 2005

John,

I think the first question is how much are you willing to spend for a welder?

Spending less in the beginning can cost more in the long run. And all that...

Myself, I am just a hobby welder (hesitate to say weldor) and for my needs I think I did good by spending the bucks for a TIG welder that also does stick, as most TIGs do.

But it cost more than the AC/DC tombstone style welders that I first looked at. And has less capability at 185 amps than what your mentioned in your post.

The beauty of the TIG side is finess I guess. And that it is so clean you can actually weld in the basement during winter without worrying about fumes, as long as you clean the metal properly before welding. AND you can weld alumnum and stainless as well as steel in very thin gages. Which may mean something or nothing to you.

Well, anyway, how much do you want to spend? Stick machines like you referred to give the biggest bang for the buck, especially if you are only interested in heavy metal welding.

I have no reason to say it, but for some reason my feelings on the colors you mentioned flow as follows: Miller, then Lincoln and then Hobart.

That is really unbiased, as I have a ThermalArc 185 tig/stick combo machine that I really like...but if I get a MIG, it will probably be Blue (Miller).

Hope this adds some value to the thread! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

wroughtn_harv · Jan 17, 2005

Here's my mig machine http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/pan888266.html

I about fell over when I saw their price. I paid a thousand less than that.

And for a good reason I might add. You see everyone saw the color, black, wasn't yellow, red, or blue like all the other machines in the store. And they thought of problems with parts.

I picked one end of the machine and compared it to the other colored machines of the same capacity for weight. It was considerably heavier. I figured it was the additional copper for the stick side.

Then I checked out the whip or gun. It was a Tweco. Tweco is the gun for migs. As soon as a whip or gun goes bad on one of the other colored machines most shops replace it with a Tweco. Any welding supply carries Tweco consumables.

There wouldn't be a problem with parts. And since I was the only one who'd shown serious interest in the machine we stood there and kicked rocks, talked about family, and made a deal.

I've had Miller migs. They were great. I had a two hundred and fifty amp Hobart. It was wonderful. I have a suitcase Lincoln mig. It's fantastic. And now I have a Panasonic. I feel like a man who loves women. And they love him, passionately.

The Panasonic does have one hiccup I don't like. The wire speed and amperage controls are too easy to turn. I like a little resistance so it's easier make small adjustments while wearing gloves.

EddieWalker · Jan 17, 2005

I don't know enough about the various brand to reckomend one over the other, so I wont attempt to do so.

My thought on buying my welder was towards the best bang for the buck. I have a Century AC/DC stick machine that works great. I learned on an AC only machine when I was a kid and was amazed at how much better the DC welds are.

My dad's AC welder was a flea market find along with a couple hundred pounds of different welding rods. He still has most of those rods, but he flux is falling off allot of them.

When I bought mine, I got some good welding rods as oposed to those old beat up ones I learned on. If you buy a stick machine, get the better rods and be sure to buy the ones that will work best for your needs. My biggest eye opener was when I first used new welding rods!!!!!!

Good luck and enjoy the class. I took metal shop in high school and it's been something I've been grateful for ever since. That and typing class. hahaha

Soundguy · Jan 17, 2005

I think as long as you buy a machine matched for your work.. I don't see how you can go wrong buying a lincoln, miller or hobart. At work we have a lincoln old 'tombstone' style stick welder.. I sear you can glue anything together with it. We also have a miller mig.. 200+ amps.. not sure about model. It's great.. it's the only mig I've ever used. I have stick welded for a little over a year and had to mig something and was welding perfectly in about 10 seconds.. nice machine.

We have a hobart stick/10kw genny - gas powered on our service truck. it will also glue just about any 2 pieces of metal together..

Just an opinion from a novice welder...

Soundguy