Hobart Handler 190

Hooked_on_HP · Nov 14, 2011

I just got a Hobart Handler 190 with spool gun. I mainly got it for the spool gun. I wanted the be able to mig thin aluminum. I ran some .030 solid wire through the mig gun just to check it out. I was impressed:thumbsup:.The machine welds great.I welded some 1/8" and 1/4" plates and I think it welds as good if not better than my Lincoln power mig 255. Then I switched to the spool gun. I loaded the spool gun with .030 5356 aluminum wire and switched to 100% argon. The spool gun was kind of a pain to get the wire through.Maybe it will get easier with practice. I welded some 3/16 with mixed results. I think I need .035 for the thicker aluminum. Then I welded some 1/8 with very good results. Then I tried some 14 gauge. The 14gauge welded good but not great. I want to try it with some .030 4043 and see if the softer wire works better on the thin stuff. This is the first spool gun I have used and for what I want to do it works great. I normally tig thin aluminum. As soon as I figure out where I left the camera

I will post some pics.
Bill

Willl · Nov 14, 2011

Sweet.

I've been wanting a alum spool gun myself. I'm jealous.

Shield Arc · Nov 14, 2011

I just got mine back out of the shop. Used the Lincoln spool gun this morning, not very good luck! As the spool rotated the tensioning nut would get tighter, and stop the wire dead in it's tracks

! Had to revamp the whole tensioning system. But I think I got it working now. I tried 3/64 5356 and .030 5356. I ordered some .035 5356, should be here in a couple days.
Also pickup a bottle of 90% argon / 10% CO2, started playing with .035 L-56 wire in spray transfer. At the moment this Invertec V350-Pro is over my head! Too many bells and whistles. :laughing:

Chilly807 · Nov 15, 2011

Hooked_on_HP said:
I just got a Hobart Handler 190 with spool gun. I mainly got it for the spool gun. I wanted the be able to mig thin aluminum. I ran some .030 solid wire through the mig gun just to check it out. I was impressed:thumbsup:.The machine welds great.I welded some 1/8" and 1/4" plates and I think it welds as good if not better than my Lincoln power mig 255. Then I switched to the spool gun. I loaded the spool gun with .030 5356 aluminum wire and switched to 100% argon. The spool gun was kind of a pain to get the wire through.Maybe it will get easier with practice. I welded some 3/16 with mixed results. I think I need .035 for the thicker aluminum. Then I welded some 1/8 with very good results. Then I tried some 14 gauge. The 14gauge welded good but not great. I want to try it with some .030 4043 and see if the softer wire works better on the thin stuff. This is the first spool gun I have used and for what I want to do it works great. I normally tig thin aluminum. As soon as I figure out where I left the camera I will post some pics.
Bill

The 4043 will work on cast aluminum as well, the 5356 is a harder wire and intended for extruded aluminum, from what I've been told.

Were you pushing or pulling the spool gun? Mine calls for a push motion so the gas is ahead of the puddle. Aluminum has to be shiny clean to weld nicely, and calls for a stainless steel wire brush, of all things.

We probably have the same gun, mine is Miller 100 series, I think. I've welded up to 1/4 inch plate with mine with decent results, but not what I'd call TIG pretty

Sean

Hooked_on_HP · Nov 16, 2011

I found my camerea:thumbsup: I found some .035 4043 locally, I ordered some .030 4043. The first pics are of the .035 4043 on 14 gauge. I came out decent but I think the .030 will work better. The last 2 pics are .035 4043 on 1/4. The 1/4 welds came out great.I am running out of thicker pieces to practice on. I have a lot of 14 gauge. I am pushing at about 10 deg. So far I am verry happy with this welder.
Bill

Shield Arc · Nov 16, 2011

The 1/4 inch welds do look great!:thumbsup: Do you remember how many amps you were running?

My .035 5356 just arrived this afternoon, going to give it a try on some 10-GA in the morning.

Here's some .030 5356 on some 16-GA. Corner joint, and a lap joint. The left side of the lap joint was a Tig weld from years ago, trying to find the sweet spot on the pulse.

deereman75 · Nov 16, 2011

Shield Arc said:
The 1/4 inch welds do look great!:thumbsup: Do you remember how many amps you were running?

My .035 5356 just arrived this afternoon, going to give it a try on some 10-GA in the morning.

Here's some .030 5356 on some 16-GA. Corner joint, and a lap joint. The left side of the lap joint was a Tig weld from years ago, trying to find the sweet spot on the pulse.

So how does the new invertec and the ln-25 compare to the old linde?

Shield Arc · Nov 16, 2011

deereman75 said:
So how does the new invertec and the ln-25 compare to the old linde?

Pretty close, except the arc force / pinch on the Invertec has more control over the puddle than the variable inductance of the Linde.
Right now that Invertec is getting the better of me. The menu has so many options I had to write them down, I came up with 31 options! I called Lincoln the other day to ask a question about the pulse, I mentioned the 31 options, the guy laughed, he said keep looking there is over 90!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:confused2: Oh man what did I get myself into!:laughing: