Welder and welding question

If it is all there and working that is not bad, I see it new online for abut $300.

It is not a great unit, but for what you want to do, it would be OK. It is a cheaper welder, lower duty cycle and amps, I was not able to find out if you can add a bottle of gas for shielded welding or not:huh: The flux core stuff is messy compared to shielded gas welding, but it is good for outside work. Should run off of any 120v 20 amp receptacle, which is good too.

A little more searching and it looks like it can take a bottle and regulator.

If it is in good shape, for $100, why not :thumb:
 
I've got a little cheapy welder and it does just fine for general fixing up stuff and messing around. In theory I can hook a bottle up to it for shielding gas, but never have. I used it to make my fireplace tools, weld up a firebox to modify a BBQ Grill into a smoker, motorized bicycle exaust :rolleyes:, and probably a bunch of other small things.

I'd say go for it. :thumb:
 
Well, I've got an email in to the seller. Brent, I don't have a specific project in mind, but just think it would be useful to be able to fabricate some stuff out of metal, like the things you mentioned.
 
It definitely gives you more options on how to fabricate things.

In fact I used it a few times when I was doing the laminate in the kitchen to repair a tool I was using to pry up the old floor.

It just comes in handy every now and then.

I got mine free from my BIL, and it's a little worse for the wear, but still works good. Once I got the settings down, i.e. the power and speed of the feed, it works even better... :thumb:
 
Ken, that will probably work for a beginner welder. Price is not bad.

The only thing I have found on the cheaper import welders is the solid state wire feed controllers. That circuit board can be prone to failure, making the unit inoperable, and they can be expensive to replace.

If you can, I would wait and look for a decent priced Lincoln "Weldpak 100" or one of the other similar models. They are made heavier duty, have a magnetic contactor, and much heavier wire feed motor and drive and last well.

After owning 2 of the cheaper imports (and having the problems I mentioned) I bought one of these Lincolns and never looked back. That was nearly 18 years ago, and it's still working fine. I did add the shield gas kit to it and have done stainless steel, light guage aluminum and up to 1/4" steel with it. I use Co2 as a shield gas with the flux core wire which helps keep the spatter down and the weld metal flow better. (Flux core wire is actually like a "stick" electrode with the flux on the inside, and they both spatter)

I highly recommend it, and I have no interest in the company or dealers.

Aloha, Tony
 
Steve, That's funny. Maybe I'm more of a neander wannabe. I thought about blacksmithing, but you're looking at some major tool, skills and equipt there.
 
Ken, I think Campbell Hausfeld made that welder and they were sold at Tractor Supply Co. You might call them to verify and see if they still sell the consumables for it (tips mostly). The Campbell Hausfeld consumables may fit it as well.

A quick search on that welder did find one review that said that it had a design flaw in that the tip was always hot, which meant that you could set the wand down without turning the welder off. In other words, the tip was always hot, not just when you pulled the trigger. Most other welders had a hot tip only when the trigger is pulled, which is much safer, however; an arc welder always has a hot tip, so just have to exercise some caution as you would with one of those.

Also, if it is available for it, get the gas conversion.
 
Just my 2 cents I will not buy any welder that does not say Miller on the side.
Yes you can call me a welder snob.:thumb:
I have had several all different brands and to date nothing out welds my Millers. :thumb:
If it's a cheap welder 9 out of 10 times you will not get a good weld from it. If you don't know anything about welding you will not know that the weld you are laying down is not really doing anything.:doh:
Best bet Ken is to find a welding class and get some hands on before jumping into buying something you know little about.:thumb:
 
Thanks all for your advice and 'pinions. The seller has not emailed me back, so I don't think I will be getting it. I'd like to take a welding class, but seems like the only ones I've seen are from BOCES, which provides vocational training, and it's a long course designed to train a professional welder. I know an old farmer who has offered to teach me, and he recommended getting a wire feed 110v welder.
 
I've done a fare amount of welding and am somewhat opinionated about what is a good wire machine. For "hobby" welding that machine may work ok but I doubt it is built very well. I lean toward Miller welders but have bought used and Lincoln welders for a weld certification program I used to run. If you plan on using it much I would invest in either a red or blue box. I would guess the snap on wires or good machines. I have seen all of them on craigs list and have almost bit on a few.

It just so happens that I'm losing the wire machine I have. It's an old Lincoln SP-100 commercial machine. I borrowed it from a friend years ago and he finally wants it back. (he knew where it was and told me to keep it until he asked for it) It is a great little machine for welding light material on the farm. I've built tree stands, stainless steel tables, and lots of repair on farm equipment. It is basically a sheet metal welder.

I welded up a cart for the machine and up-graded the tank size and am giving it back to him with tools and tips, gloves and maybe an extra helmet for letting me use it for all these years. I am also turning his family some pens for Christmas as a thank-you.

I will not be without a small wire machine for long. They are real handy.

I would recommend taking a class. Wire welding looks easy but it is actually often done incorrectly resulting in bad welds. I never had anyone pass the weld certification test the first time through. There is a lot of technique to learn and a class should give you the basic understanding of how to do an acceptable weld. It does require good eyesight and concentration. If you are past 40 years you might want to get a helmet with a magnifier lens in it. I really like the auto-darkening helmets.

If you have any questions feel free to pm me.
 
Thanks all for your advice and 'pinions. The seller has not emailed me back, so I don't think I will be getting it. I'd like to take a welding class, but seems like the only ones I've seen are from BOCES, which provides vocational training, and it's a long course designed to train a professional welder. I know an old farmer who has offered to teach me, and he recommended getting a wire feed 110v welder.

You might check with the local community ed or even the steel supply houses. I've seen both do weekend and short term classes. The local community ed classes are usually through one of the local supply shops or HS shop classes. Also check with welding supply houses for classes and buying a welder. I bought mine for about $100 cheaper than anywhere on the internet through the local supply house and didn't have to pay shipping either.

Some other things to mention about mig welders....

I have a hobart 135, which is pretty much identical to the Miller 140 (Miller owns Hobart). The main difference is that the millers usually use a variac control, which will give a lot more control over the power being supplied. My Hobart has a variac for the speed, but the power is a 4 position switch and I have to vary the speed based on the metal I'm welding, which can be hit and miss sometimes depending on my patience.

If I upgrade or buy another at some point I'll also go with a 220 unit to be able to do thicker metal. The 110 units are usually limited to 3/16" (one pass) and duty cycles are usually 20% or less. For example, a 150 amp. welder with a 30% duty cycle must be "rested" for at least 7 minutes after 3 minutes of continuous welding. Fine for hobby work, but if you have a job to get done, you've got to add time for this or get a welder with a higher duty cycle.
 
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