Novice wants a MIG, advise ?

   / Novice wants a MIG, advise ? #1  

Spike56

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Location
Lexington, Texas
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I am still researching a MIG. So far, I am sticking with the "name brands" that I know: Lincoln, Hobart (Miller) and Everlast. What I **think** I want is a 110/220 capable machine and
- can use large spools (8")
- capable using flux core in addition to (argon+co2) with wire
- do NOT need stick or TIG capability (already have a Miller stick)
- 10' leads would be nice

So far, considering a Hobart 140, Lincoln 140 (or maybe Lincoln Handy Mig k2185-1?) and Everlast 200ES. Checked a larger Miller / Lincolns locally, the next sizes up almost 2x prices. As mentioned, the Hobart, Lincoln and Miller are sold local, so any "options"/ parts... would be available.

Honestly, I am somewhat frozen by all the specs and features. I'd really like some opinions. This machine is mainly for Hobby use. Thin gauge tubing / thinnish rebar (wire, maybe up to 1/2"). So, trying to stick with a name brand, one that is easy to load spools, adjust and as trouble free as possible.
Perhaps, the ones I mentioned are all about equivalent? But I would appreciate advice from "experts" before buying and having regrets. :)
 
   / Novice wants a MIG, advise ? #2  
I'm no expert but I've seen a lot of home shop welders in use. You are correct in sticking to name brands. 120 volt capability sounds fine until you realize other more important features must be compromised in order to keep price down. Lincoln Pro-Mig 180 and Hobart 190 are my top recommendations in the bang for buck department. For mobility I have a 25' extension cord plus 4' extension cord with NEMA 6 50 receptacle and popular 30 amp and 50 amp male plugs so I can use dryer & range outlets in a pinch.
 
   / Novice wants a MIG, advise ? #3  
Need something closer to 250 amps for a good job on 1/2” steel.

Look at the specifications page for the machine you are wanting. This is the one for the Lincoln 140
3848EE31-BE16-4DA0-B8FF-2D106F39741C.jpeg


Max Weld thickness is claimed to be 5/16” thick and that’s a long way from 1/2”. A duty cycle of 20% at only 90 amps means you can weld for 2 minutes and you have to sit for 8 minutes even if you are only set at 90 amps, not the full 140.

I do have a couple of the small Lincoln 240 volt welders and while they are Ok for many projects and great for tacking things together, while being much better than their 120v counterparts still leave a lot to be desired when welding things out if there is much welding.
 
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   / Novice wants a MIG, advise ? #4  
I have a Hobart 210MVP. I am the same as you for what I use it for. I had never had any welding experience when I bought it. No one showed me anything other than YouTube. I put in new floors in my 69 d100 and new quarter panels in my 01 2500. That is why I bought it, now I used it for repairs around my place. Good enough for me.
 
   / Novice wants a MIG, advise ? #5  
If I didn’t already have:
Lincoln 225 stick
Lincoln 140 MIG
Lincoln 256 MIG
Lincoln Squarewave 200,
I’d give this a serious look. The first link is to Lincoln Electric and the second is an overview on YouTube.
POWER MIG® 211i MIG Welder

 
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   / Novice wants a MIG, advise ? #6  
Any welder that is 120 Volt AC and has output of 140 amps or less is not going to handle anything with a thickness above 1/4 inch or more...
I have Hobart Handler 140 (older 4 voltage setting model) and use primarily GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Weld) process which is solid wire and shield gas... My machine does 1/4 inch ok.... But it also requires proper preparation of weld joint (grinding clean & proper bevels)... Also spec say you can use the HH140 on a 20 amp standard circuit.... NOT SO.... At "top setting" (4 or 5 on voltage switch) it can draw up to 24.6 amps which will trip a 20 amp breaker every time, solution for me was to install 30 amp breaker and appropriate wiring for welder use only....

IF you plan to do a lot of big welds (3/8 to 1/2 inch) you really need a 240VAC machine on at least a 40 AMP circuit..... If most of your work is on 1/4 inch or less yes you can use a 120V machine and if you need to do thicker materials you can do multi pass but penetration may not be as great as with 240V machine.... Or other option if welds are in really big stuff, and your 140 Amp machine can not do it is farm out the welds to a shop or welder on wheels....

Kind of hoping HOBART will bring out a inverter machine that is FCAW/GMAW only and has same capabilities as theri 210MVP machine... Gave up stick for MIG and will never look back, and tried TIG, either too old, too blind, or too uncoordinated so that is not a plus for me.....

Another thing to consider with "China" brands is what is their tech support in case you have a problem, and do they really have a supply of replacement part should you need repairs....OR is potential machine "disposable" if something goes wrong....

Disclaimer here is I am hobby welder and do repairs around the property and make implements for CUT tractor and such.... Will not do major welding things like repairs on trailers and such that may fail out on roadway and leave me a liability risk or my load abandon along the road way until it can be properly retrieved.... Cautious. yes, foolish I hope not...
 
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   / Novice wants a MIG, advise ? #7  
I have an old Lincoln SP125 Plus welder. It is a 125 volt machine. It has the HUGE advantage of infinitely variable voltage and wire speed. Cheaper machines don't have this feature and I have used these machines and they are not as versatile. A 125 volt machine will only weld 1/4 or less steel. Unless the steel is pre heated. A weed burner works well for this. Even though I love my little Lincoln if I have bigger jobs for wirefeed welding I use my Miller. It is a 240 volt machine and has a 300 Amp 60% duty cycle. If you think you are going to weld much stuff thicker than 1/4 then buy a 240 volt machine. With a 240 volt machine you can weld aluminum too. For sure get a machine that will take 8 inch spools. And get a 12 foot whip if you can. All MIG machines can use Flux core wire, some don't come with the ability to use gas. The cheap ones. You want to avoid the cheap ones anyway. If you do get a 125 volt machine you will need a 25 Amp minimum circuit to get the maximum amperage from the machine.
Eric
 
   / Novice wants a MIG, advise ? #8  
One of the things to consider is how long you think you'll be welding. Is this for short-term use on a specific project or is the welder a tool you're going to use over a number of years? I started with a small welder in the mid-1980s and soon wished I had a more versatile and larger machine. I ended up buying a 300 amp ESAB welder that I've now had for 25 years. It was a lot of money when I bought it, but it's been worth every penny as it has welded everything from 18-gage sheet metal to 1/2-inch steel plate, and I've even set it up to weld stainless on a couple of projects. While a good welder is pricey, if you think it's something you'll need for 10 or more years, the more features you buy now, the cheaper it will be in the long run and the more flexibility you'll have in the work you do.

If you're new to welding, a machine with synergic capability can be a great help. It will get you close to the optimal setting in wire speed, and electrical current setting. This gives you a starting point to learn the settings you find work best for you. If you keep a notebook of projects with welder settings and comments on performance, it doesn't take long to buildup a knowledge base that is specific to your working methods.
 
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   / Novice wants a MIG, advise ? #9  
you didnt state your price range !

i would tell you buy a 220 machine first then add
a 110 machine , on 220 look for a used 180 amp
machine and up , be nice if you can find a 250 amp
though , doesnt really matter what color as long as it
not beat to ****, and the liner doesnt have any hard bends in it .
 
   / Novice wants a MIG, advise ? #10  
My father had a Miller 251 that he bought new. I dont know the specs but it certainly will weld 1/2". He lost it in a garage fire so he went out and bought a used 250. No issues with either machine other than you need to replace the liner every so often. Theres a dealer within 20 minutes so thats a great peace of mind. I like both of those and have also used a Miller 211 which is the next size down. I dont need a big wire feed as I have a Lincoln tombstone but I would love a smaller wire feed as the Lincoln burns thru sheet metal even using 3/32 -6013 on 40 amps. I also used a Hobart at work, not sure of the model but it is 110 volt, my impression is the Miller is a better built unit.
 
 
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