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Projects 215 mig vs ?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Donuts & Peelouts, Aug 17, 2017.

  1. Poh
    Joined: Apr 17, 2007
    Posts: 266

    Poh
    Member
    from Quincy,Ca.

    Here is the other thing, say on the 140 you are looking at, that number basically relates to amperage.. when Welding you want to set your machines amperage to roughly the decimal equivalent to the thickness of material being welded..


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  2. Donuts & Peelouts
    Joined: Dec 12, 2016
    Posts: 1,193

    Donuts & Peelouts
    Member
    from , CA

    Thanks Poh, I ment to tell you yesterday. Have a cool night

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  3. Flathead Dave
    Joined: Mar 21, 2014
    Posts: 3,959

    Flathead Dave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from So. Cal.

    Been using Harbor Freight welders for years and now have had my HF Chicago Electric 170 welder (chinese) for a few years and have never had a problem. My unit is 220v and is not switchable.

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    Last edited: Sep 14, 2017
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  4. Donuts & Peelouts
    Joined: Dec 12, 2016
    Posts: 1,193

    Donuts & Peelouts
    Member
    from , CA

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  5. Chiss
    Joined: May 12, 2017
    Posts: 236

    Chiss
    Member
    from S.C.

    You probably been welding for a while, Hell I have an old friend that can weld with a car Battery and jumper cables better than most. But the Quality Machines will be more Dependable and user Friendly and probably better Support. And when you crank the Dials you would probably know what the puddle needed to fine tune the Heat. A beginner needs the best name Brand they can afford.
     
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  6. Flathead Dave
    Joined: Mar 21, 2014
    Posts: 3,959

    Flathead Dave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from So. Cal.

    I also threw in a pic of my HF 40 Plasma Cutter.
     

    Attached Files:

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  7. Here's another reason to give Harbor Freight a go. With some tools I buy the 2 year extended service plan. With an item under $500 they automatically replace it. For the mig 180 it might be $30.

    I use their metal cutting portaband saw all of the time. (I don't really follow the guidelines and limits in the manual, I'm rough on them). I've burned out two motors so far (2 years), and both times I just took a break, drove to HF (2 miles), they just gave me a brand spanking new one no questions asked. Then I get a coffee at D&D's, then head home and keep working. The people there know the drill, they don't fight you like they do elsewhere, it's understood.

    I also have the $90 HF flux core wire welder and had the two year extended warrantee. I ignore the duty cycle, use cheap extension cords and generally beat on it. Two years is up and it's not failed once despite my best efforts.

    If I hadn't found this Solar 175 with cart and tank, spot welding kit, extra spools etc, for $200 on Craigs List;
    [​IMG]
    I was planning on buying the HF MIG 180 ($230) and a two year warrantee. The 180 has better control over your voltage than the the 170 which just has 2 settings, the difference in price is pretty small.

    If you look around my garage it looks like I robbed a shipping container heading to Harbor Freight. It's this or nothing for me, I've got a family to support on my income alone, and I'm not really good at making money. My old car/motorcycle hobby is about as important in the big scheme of things as my 9 year old son's Lego addiction (have you seen that DeathStar? That thing is $500! Jeez! He 'aint getting that one...)


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    Last edited: Sep 14, 2017
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  8. I did the same thing. My garage is wired for 100 amps. In my dad's house, the welder plug was in the basement, had to open the window and snake a big cord to the dedicated box we had installed next to the fuse panel.
     
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  9. Donuts & Peelouts
    Joined: Dec 12, 2016
    Posts: 1,193

    Donuts & Peelouts
    Member
    from , CA

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  10. raven
    Joined: Aug 19, 2002
    Posts: 4,698

    raven
    Member

    If you are on a budget try this route. Buy a used 110 volt set up for your 'light' welding needs. If you have a torch with a rosebud tip, you can get away with preheating your thick (1/4") metal and weld on your high setting to get penetration. I build a fast roadster frame doing this and have no issues with it years latter (and I am pushing it's limits with the engines I run). For more heavy/thick metal welding, scrounge craigslist for a used Lincoln 220 volt stick welder. They run from $100-$150 and they'll weld through about anything you put on or under a car.
    r
     
  11. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,132

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    The two negative experiences I've had with "offshore" mig welders (friends) were mainly from the cheezy drive systems, the wire feed seemed to be inconsistant.
     
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  12. lostone
    Joined: Oct 13, 2013
    Posts: 2,820

    lostone
    Member
    from kansas

    I searched for a while and finally found a Lincoln sp175t dual voltage with cart for 500. I've had it 4 yrs and love it.

    Also what's great with this model is a aluminum setup for it can be bought for 70.00 & that's with a roll of aluminum wire. All you need to change is the liner and wire roll.
     
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  13. H380
    Joined: Sep 20, 2015
    Posts: 483

    H380
    Member
    from Louisiana

    Look for name brand used buzz box. Also also try to find an AC/DC over AC only. Unless it is a smoking deal. Common 7018 rods need DC. I have a AC only box that was given to me and miss the DC bad. You can get by on AC only but it limits you on rod choice.
     
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  14. in this whole conversation about the el-cheap-o welders and the better Lincolns and Millers, the one thing I have found out is the cheaper ones don't have the high current relay/contactor so they don't cut the current to the welding wire, they just turn off the feed. This makes it very hard to fill gaps and holes. I think it would be much easier for a new welder to learn while using a Lincoln or Miller.
     
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  15. Donuts & Peelouts
    Joined: Dec 12, 2016
    Posts: 1,193

    Donuts & Peelouts
    Member
    from , CA

    Well today was pretty cool. I finally got to my Grandpa's house which is a good 1 hour 45min trip one way. I got up there with 2 welding masks I got from Craigslist for 20$ for both them. He told me before on the phone that he lends his out to somebody in the family and never give it back so he was just using some dark sunglasses 2 oxy gas weld. I wanted to hook them up so I got him a mask, when I got up there you put me to practice lines on a long piece of metal. It was funny because I went up there with a long sleeve, gloves, and a mask. And my grandpa he was in the tank top no gloves and dark glasses,lol. Well I learned a lot and I got to practice a long time, and i he taught me how to fix a hole in the metal which I made by aiming the torch right at the metal I was working on. I really enjoyed watching the rod melt. We talked awhile and he explained some things to me a little more in detail and it was overall real good day I didn't get to take pictures much because I was doing a lot and only thing I really got to take a picture of was his set up that he made and welded up together here it is. Looking forward to my next lesson.[​IMG]

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  16. els likes this.
  17. ems customer service
    Joined: Nov 15, 2006
    Posts: 2,634

    ems customer service
    Member

    one issue is the duty cycle, how long it can run in a 10 min, time frame, small welders can be 2 min per 10 and larger have more min. per 10 min block of time, what this means that when the welder over heats it can shut off, but most likely is the welding current/power goes wacko until it cools off
     
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  18. Donuts & Peelouts
    Joined: Dec 12, 2016
    Posts: 1,193

    Donuts & Peelouts
    Member
    from , CA

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  19. I have a miller 215. I love it, worth every penny. I have no experience with off-brand welders so I really can't compare.
     
  20. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Tweco was made on demand to AIRCO, by demanding customers that liked the Tweco line of 'outrigger' wire spool rigs that fastened onto an existing welder. (Miller, Lincoln, Airco, etc.)
    Airco is the 'father'. I have that 'Father', a Tweco machine AC/DC/Dip Transfer, all of it in one large cabinet. Just one problem in 40 years: in the opening side of cabinet, a nut came loose at one of the primary cables. The brown powder burn on the nice gray finish led me right to it! The burn rubbed right off with WD 40.
    Still welds perfectly, and when I got it (1976, used; $1,000) I plugged it into a dryer cord conversion. Wife that complained was ousted, shortly thereafter. New wife welds with the machine like she does everything else: expertly.
    Love my Tweco. Glad to be rid of my Tweeker!
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2017
  21. 53sled
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 5,817

    53sled
    Member
    from KCMO

    I have a little hobart with the MIG conversion kit. welds all kinds of stuff. Big stick lincoln if I ever need to weld 1/2".
     
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  22. 28 Ford PU
    Joined: Jan 9, 2015
    Posts: 464

    28 Ford PU
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    Here is my life 2 cents and a few post have already touched on them.

    Power in the area what can you run 110v or 220v.

    Do you plan on welding outside? If so 110 unit with flex core and the
    220 will run flux core also.

    I wouldn't buy a welder that is flux core only. With that said your going to need to buy/rent gas bottle which is going to hit your budget.

    I would think a 140-180 amp 110V welder will handle 90-95% of anything you want to weld automotive.

    When your comparing welders side by side (Lincoln, Hobart,Miller).
    Look at the Duty cycles.The higher duty cycle the more stable your weld will be.

    Buy the highest amp 110v welder you can afford. You can always putter around with the flux core for awhile until you can afford to spring for the gas bottle, regulator, gas hose.

    Lastly if you find you need a 220v welder in a few years buy one and keep the 110v for backup or the portability.




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  23. Donuts & Peelouts
    Joined: Dec 12, 2016
    Posts: 1,193

    Donuts & Peelouts
    Member
    from , CA

    Thanks

    Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     

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