Novice wants a MIG, advise ?

[WranglerX]

alexpops: I think you are ready to buy MIG unit, stop with the discussion and just decide on unit and buy it, and then deal with electrical power as necessary, in lieu of redoing all the wiring in shop just get or make up large extension cord to reach from receptical to welder... You are going to need one anyway as lead(s) on welder are always short enough to keep you from reaching work... I have 120 Volt MIG and use 20Amp receptical attached to 30Amp breaker (which is legal by "welder" section of NEC) and use a 25 foot 12 gauge extension cord.... After extensive session of welding I have checked temperature of breaker, receptacle/plug combinations and extension cord and found no appreciable heat rise to indicate a problem....

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Harbor Freight multiprocess welder. No reason to go to school with YouTube college available for free.

 

[Spike56]

alexpops: I think you are ready to buy MIG unit, stop with the discussion and just decide on unit and buy it, and then deal with electrical power as necessary, in lieu of redoing all the wiring in shop just get or make up large extension cord to reach from receptical to welder... You are going to need one anyway as lead(s) on welder are always short enough to keep you from reaching work... I have 120 Volt MIG and use 20Amp receptical attached to 30Amp breaker (which is legal by "welder" section of NEC) and use a 25 foot 12 gauge extension cord.... After extensive session of welding I have checked temperature of breaker, receptacle/plug combinations and extension cord and found no appreciable heat rise to indicate a problem....

It was me that started this thread?
"stop with the discussion and just decide on unit and buy it, and then deal with electrical power as necessary, in lieu of redoing all the wiring in shop just get or make up large extension cord to reach from receptacle to welder."
Wow thought the forum was for this purpose. Guess I was wrong.

 

[Spike56]

The one issue with fluxcore that i have found on really thin stuff is that it burns hotter, & winds up burning through easier. The extra heat & slower fill due to hollow wire helps on structural stuff but winds up being too much for sheet metal. Warps and burns through. Try it, but be prepared to use gas if you are doing really thin stuff. There was a youtube video by fitzeefab comparing the two on 18 gauge patch panels & even he couldn't pull off decent patches with fluxcore.

Yes, I have heard that about FluxCore, especially with Sheet Metal. I have no projects in mind for sheet metal. BUT the thin wall square (1/2) tubing (not sure of thickness) might be an issue. One project I know I would like to do is make arbors for tall plants/vines. My construction is Sq tubing or other metal frame and tack weld on some type of wire mesh. I have done it with the Stick, but that is exceedingly difficult, for me fand had numerous burn throughs on the wire and tubing.
I wish I could actually try FluxCore. Someone suggested I ask at my local AirGas and see if they had a demo. Might try that?

Thanks very much for the advice!

 

[WranglerX]

It was me that started this thread?
"stop with the discussion and just decide on unit and buy it, and then deal with electrical power as necessary, in lieu of redoing all the wiring in shop just get or make up large extension cord to reach from receptacle to welder."
Wow thought the forum was for this purpose. Guess I was wrong.

Ok. got wrong OP, sorry about that....
Yeah that is what the forum is for, but at some point it just becomes repetitious and it gets strung out like the 146+ pages on "how to remove rounded off drain plug"........ Sorry if my "Get-er-done" attitude walked all over your sensitivities.........

 

[alexpops]

A final thought on gas vs. fluxcore ... you say you'll be doing mainly "thinwall" 1/2 inch square tube. From what I see, 1/2" square standard tubing comes in either 18 or 16 gauge (.048" or .064"), so I'm assuming you are doing 18 gauge. Fluxcore won't be available in thinner than .030" wire, whereas solid will be available down to .023". Another difference is that with fluxcore, you're running DCEN and with Gas your usually DCEP. (DCEN gives you about 70% heat in the workpiece and 30% in the wire/DCEP flips that ratio) DCEN good for penetration and DCEP is why so many talk about MIG as an electric caulking gun with nice looking welds that have no strength. Even using WranglerX's spaced out tack weld approach of running tacks on opposite sides (preferred approach for thin stuff) you'd be putting so much heat into the work piece that blow through & warping will be REALLY hard to avoid unless you are stopping until everything cools down after a few tacks (if not each tack should getting around the piece be difficult). You'll also need to clean the slag off your set of tacks (wire brush) before doing the next set to avoid weld contamination/slag inclusion. Can it be done? yes, but you may lose interest in the project long before you've finished your 32-64 tacks per intersection times the number of intersections you have in the lattice (I'm assuming you want clean welds that you'll grind down to make the lattice look like a single pre-formed piece). Gas would at least eliminate cleaning slag between tacks, would help to cool the weld slightly, and would concentrate heat in the wire end vs the workpiece. If you'll never think about anything heavier, a 120 volt MIG up to 140 Amp will be plenty for 18 gauge or 16 gauge, as long as it'll do .023 wire and gas. If you want to make/repair bigger stuff, or play with aluminum, buy the bigger machine now (buy once cry once -- only get the spool gun & pure Argon tank later if you do end up playing with aluminum). You could save money (at the expense of more spatter) by using CO2 on steel instead of C25 or get a small bottle that you can upgrade later or keep as a spare if you find you really get into making stuff from steel. Another thing to consider ... make sure you can get/easily change out the roller wheel, tips & liner to accommodate .023 as well as .030/.035 wire -- or invest in two guns/whips -- one for .023 the other for .030/035 -- then you only need to change the roller when swapping wire & the guns are attached on the outside. Of the two you mentioned, the Lincoln would have an increase in capability over the Miller. But for the same price (1K-1.3K) you really should check out the MultiProcess Everlast PowerMTS in 211 or 251 or the MIG only Everlast Cyclone 212 @ 900. A few hundred bucks savings gets you a gas bottle or at least steel to play with. Good Luck, & make sure you let us know what way you went.

 

[Spike56]

Ok. got wrong OP, sorry about that....
Yeah that is what the forum is for, but at some point it just becomes repetitious and it gets strung out like the 146+ pages on "how to remove rounded off drain plug"........ Sorry if my "Get-er-done" attitude walked all over your sensitivities.........

Well, ok. I did not know how much discussion is too much, too repetitive for you. Been trying to get on the Welding site mentioned in in TBN, but no luck.

 

[alexpops]

try Welding Site
"https:" then "//weldingsite" then ".com/"

sorry ... keeps converting to a link

 

[w0eaj]

Hard to go wrong with MILLER. They often offer free classes at the dealers, so that could help you as well. Operate the unit on 240 vac... More [input] voltage, less [input] current required... welds will be more consistent.

 

[Spike56]

try Welding Site
"https:" then "//weldingsite" then ".com/"

sorry ... keeps converting to a link

No issues, I just cannot get an account setup there. It says it is sending me an email - which never comes ? Asked Moderator for help several times... no go.