buying a welder

[Deamers87ford]

guy im buying a welder for my dad this christmas, but im not sure what to get we need something that can weld floor pans and it gotta plug in to a regular outlet is that possible? Also im not sure where to buy it from

 

[v-8power]

You can find a nice 110v mig pretty easy. Check your local TSC or similar store. If you watch online you might be able to find a good deal.

 

[Deamers87ford]

would this one work http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp...1|14238|100356?listingPage=true&Special=false

 

[therieldeal]

flux core migs generally make for messy welds with lots of spatter (or so i've been told). my dad's neighbor used to weld for a living... he now swears by his gas-shielded lincoln mig for stuff around the house. he has a small farm so he's always doing his own repairs/fabricating stuff/etc. he's done a few small projects for me and they always come out great.

 

[martin]

That should work ok as long as you are not welding a bunch of heavy material. I recently bought one similar to that as it's smaller and lighter to carry around than my other mig, so far so good. You might also want to pick up some more wire as the one pound roll it comes with will not last long. You might also want to consider an auto helmet, makes things a little easier.

 

[lil red]

i highly sugest the lincon weldpac 3200 , thats what i learned on and thats what i bought, there great little welders for a 110 volt, i can weld up to 1/4 inch if i use flux core, but i recomend buying a sheilding gas bottle and setting it up for gas, much cleaner and allot less sparks and slag, plus you get a nicer weld eiser

and there cheap, under 300 bucks for a welder with a mask,extra tips, a tank regulator and a pound of wire, the only downside to it is the one pound spool, it emptys pretty quick on a big job, so have a spare handy for big jobs

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

like lil red said, go with a lincoln electric weld pak gas welder. you can still use flux core in it but you will get much nicer welds with the gas. also when it comes time to get new parts for your gun (tips, nozzle, cone) you will be able to find them in stock in places like TSC or home depot. i bought a lincoln 215 mig welder when i graduated high school and it has been the best investment i ever made. now that im looking for something smaller to tackle body work i will be getting a weld pak from home depot or my local welding shop.

 

[crbnunit]

Yea, I've got a Lincoln 135 I like a lot. It will do 1/4" in single pass if I bevel the edges, use small wire and crank up the wire speed. I've dont thicker with multiple passes. Perfect for the garage. Shielded wire is cheap. Gas is expensive.

 

[Mutant Pony]

Lincoln 140. Buy him just the welder. Make him buy the gas afterwards. You can weld right out of the box with flux core but, the gas is MUCH better. The second upgrade is a spool gun for aluminum. The spoolgun for this welder is only $200.
Mine cost me $600. They are VERY dependable, durable and if they do fail the parts are readily accessable. If you buy a $300 dollar welder he will not be happy with it long. Adding a spoolgun to most wire welders is very expensive, not worth it.

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

go with the gas...you wont regret it.

 

[Capt Jay]

I've got a Hobart 135/gas. Couldn't be happier.

 

[74duster318]

Definitely go gas... Flux is cheap, crappy, and messy.

I bought a Millermatic 135 (new version is the 140) about 6 years ago for light duty stuff. One of the best machines i've ever owned. Package deal from the welding supply store with cart, large gas tank, regulator and all, plus a 10lb spool of wire. I think it was about 600 something. Lincolns are a bit cheaper, but I've always been a Miller fan.
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Marijuana Bubbler

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

lincoln or miller like almost everyone has said. hobarts are made by miller so they are an economical option and alot of the parts interchange. the major differnece in the two is that lincoln uses letters on a lot of their machines to designate heat ranges and miller uses numbers. not a big deal if you only use one machine and its for your personal use, but when i was welding for my bread and butter i was used to using my big lincoln with the letters and the shops were using millers with the numbers so it always took a few test welds to set the heat right.

 

[jeepxj2007]

I have a miller 115, I love it, I sold the shielding gas setup and have used nothing but flux core...takes a little practice but I can make them look great now...it is messier but nothing a grinder with a sanding disc or a wire wheel can't clean up!

 

[74duster318]

lincoln or miller like almost everyone has said. hobarts are made by miller so they are an economical option and alot of the parts interchange. the major differnece in the two is that lincoln uses letters on a lot of their machines to designate heat ranges and miller uses numbers. not a big deal if you only use one machine and its for your personal use, but when i was welding for my bread and butter i was used to using my big lincoln with the letters and the shops were using millers with the numbers so it always took a few test welds to set the heat right.

One major difference is that Miller has an infinite amperage control, where Lincoln has settings in increments. You can fine tune the amperage on a Miller.
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New Mexico Dispensary