mig welder

[dirtwarrior]

I know nothing about welding but I want to get a mig welder. Must run on 110v not 220v. I can get one from Harbor Freight which is a 90 amp (likely to be inflated) or maybe a good used one off craigslist.
There are many things to consider welding amps, gas or no gas etc.
I am going to do simple repairs at home and some fab work. What should I look for in a mig. Any pitfalls buying a used one?

[rnixon]

Re: mig welder

I want one too, i have 220 in shop just haven't done it to much else on the go and wouldn't use it unless I started a project which I have enough of...
I used to weld a ton as a heavy duty mechanic but not much anymore. I would say gas is the cats ass but flex core works for small stuff. New would be nice but prob. Find a good used one. If you go with a little fluxe core machine I would just buy brand new and be done no hassles but a larger machine older would prob be ok...

[guage]

Re: mig welder

from what ive been told the lincolns at the home depot arnt good. ive used the millers and like them. home use.. never tried the harbor freight nor know anyone who has but price is good and everyone gotta start somewhere. northerntool.com has some pretty good deals on welders also. just make sure you get one that will do the thickness of metals .. ive always been a fan of stick myself and today you can get one of those cheap. real easy once you get the hang of it

[dirtwarrior]

Re: mig welder

I tried stick and could never get the bead to strick. It would always stick to the metal

[guage]

Re: mig welder

I tried stick and could never get the bead to strick. It would always stick to the metal

lol.. sounds like how we all start. when in doubt turn up the heat..well sometimes. its hard to explain how to do it but I kinda have a slight sweep and never try to push the rod if that makes sence then cresent moon, follow the tail what ever you call it. it just take a little getiing used to is all.. sometimes the local college will have night classes. that's how I learned they are pretty casual and cheap if you think about the cost total.

[dirtwarrior]

Re: mig welder

I might look into welding class at vo tech. I am a disable vet so it will be free

[Mathom33]

Re: mig welder

You also want to take the duty cycle time of the welder into consideration. I'm too tired to try and explain, so here's a link to read... http://www.markthewelder.co.uk/id51.html

I was a certified high pressure vessel welder in the Navy and we mainly used Miller Maxstar welders. We mainly used them to stick and TIG weld. We had the capabilities of adding on a MIG welder, but it wasn't a welding process we used. If you plan on learning I would suggest you buy a decent welder. You don't want to start with junk because you will learn bad habits which will be hard to get rid of.


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[dirtwarrior]

Re: mig welder

You also want to take the duty cycle time of the welder into consideration. I'm too tired to try and explain, so here's a link to read... http://www.markthewelder.co.uk/id51.html

I was a certified high pressure vessel welder in the Navy and we mainly used Miller Maxstar welders. We mainly used them to stick and TIG weld. We had the capabilities of adding on a MIG welder, but it wasn't a welding process we used. If you plan on learning I would suggest you buy a decent welder. You don't want to start with junk because you will learn bad habits which will be hard to get rid of.


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This has a boatload of good info
Thanks

[Mathom33]

Re: mig welder

I forgot to mention, if you can afford it, buy a MIG welder that uses Argon. Flux core wire leaves a time of spatter that is a pain in the ass to clean up. Plus, if you ever decided to get into pipe welding, you can flow argon on the inside of the pipe to get nice penetration without oxidation. But that's a technique mainly reserved for l TIG welding.


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[dirtwarrior]

Re: mig welder

I am trading a SKS rifle and a Ruger P85 even for a Millermatic 135 with cart and tank. I have to travel about 70 miles 1 way to get it though.
I am pretty sure I am getting a good deal

[Mathom33]

Re: mig welder

Make sure you can test it out before buying. Run through different amperage a to ensure that it's not having issues at a certain amperage level. Ask for proof of ownership of the tank. A friend of mine bought a used welder with a tank and it didn't belong to the guy that sold it to him. It was owned by a welding supply store. It works similar to the refillable rhino tanks used for grills where you walk in and do an exchange.

You could also remove the spook of wire and just run the machine for a minute or two to check the wire feed motor isn't on its way out.

If you don't have a welding hood, harbor freight sells an auto shade hood. You'll be fine if you're in a shop or garage. As soon as you go outside with it you may run into problems with the sensors not picking up the light. You could end up with flashburn... It's no fun with sunburned retinas and a throbbing headache that leaves you feeling incapacitated for 12 hours.


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[dirtwarrior]

Re: mig welder

The deal with the trade fell through.
What do you all think of this one

http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html

[guage]

Re: mig welder

the only problem I got with ordering stuff like this is if it sucks you got to pay to ship it back. if you get it local atleast its a quick fix when it comes to problems. I personally haven't heard of this particular brand.

[dirtwarrior]

Re: mig welder

I got the eastwood mig ordered. Got it for $199 and the shipping is free if it messes up. Cool huh?

[apbt549]

Re: mig welder

good luck on the welder.. on the stick welding a lot of that depends on the rod used some rods are very easy to use and some are a pain the ass...

I agree get one with gas a lot better weld.. and its damn hard to beat a miller welder. I used 3 different ones building driveshafts. the shops I worked at when I was younger we built custom driveshafts. built them for pto assy to heavy duty off road trucks.. and your weld had to be right or it would break. in almost 20yrs only had 2 break that was when I first started...