New Welder

[madman]

Guys im finally flush with enough money to buy a welder. I weld a lot of one quarter inch steel. Have a 30 amp 220 volt single phase circuit. what type do you recommend and how many amps. I had a guy try to sell me a 80 amp 120 volt model and i figured it wasnt quite right. Please give your opinions from the ones you have bought and had for a while., Thanx Mike

[Ries]

If you are planning on living longer than a year or two, I would buy a Lincoln or a Miller.

Time tested, high quality, made in USA (well the millers are- some of the Lincolns are made in Lincoln owned offshore factories)
Good resale value.
They almost never break, and when they do, you can get parts at most welding supply stores anywhere in the USA.

I still have my first Miller, an AC/DC Thunderbolt Stick welder, bought it in about 1979, it still works great.

As far as which one to buy- well there are stick, mig, and tig welders- it depends on how much money you got, and what you want to do.

Personally, my favorite welders are my tig welders- I can weld any metal, any size, clean and neat, no slag. But they cost big bucks.

So tell us what you want to weld, and what you have in the way of dinero, and we can give better advice.

[PTSideshow]

Miller thunderbolt 225 is the one I have had for about 9 years don't do hours on end of welding on a daily bais but it is easy to use, is forgiving when ya screw up and was a bargin. As far as I'm concerned. had linc stick welders along with millers in the schools I worked in they all took alot of abuse on purpose and other wise. An old fart once told me "when buying tools, machines or cars buy the biggest and best you can afford, as so you don't lose out on trading up to soon".

[Cecil Walker]

Mike: Another thing that is very important to me (in addition to buying Miller or Lincoln) is where you buy your welder. Go with a local dealer if at all possible, Demo's, assistance, warranty, and consumables (wire, rods, gas, parts, etc). If you do much welding at all, you need a good relationship with a local dealer. Just another point to consider in your selection process.

[pkastagehand]

I run the scene shop for a college theatre department. We have a Miller MIG machine and TIG/stick unit. Dealer is close, knows us and delivers stuff every thursday if I want/need it. (Of course having a net-thirty charge account makes it nice too. )

The MIG I bought about 1987. It has has zero repairs and zero maintenance to the powersupply since new. I've replaced the wearing parts in the mig gun (we have the bulky spoolmatic gun rather than pushing the wire through the hose; at the time it gave us more reach) and the gas hose (started getting too many holes in it.) For an all around welder for semi production work and repair work it probably can't be beat for steel and aluminum. I've not tried welding anything else with it and don't know what the limitations are. Stainless maybe but probably not too many other metals.

If you do a lot of small stuff or work with a wide variety of metals, or if you're not doing production/semi-production stuff (not a lotsa parts or short time limits) you might think TIG. Very fine control, less distortion due to a small HAZ (heat affected zone), clean and will work as Reis above said, with lots of materials. Our TIG supply is a Miller syncrowave 180-SD and does stick as well as TIG which gives you the power to weld the heavy stuff with stick and the finesse of TIG. It cost around $1500 in or around 1999 or 2000 I think. Don't know what they're up to now.

[Mike P]

I have had really good luck with my Hobart 175 MIG welder. I got it on sale at TSC with a cart for $600. They've got the 180 with cart, auto darkening helmet, gloves and I think a few other doo-dads for around $650-$675 right now.

It runs on a 30 amp circuit and easily welds 1/4 steel.

[Fasttrack]

Absolutely go with a miller of lincoln - but what kind of welding do you want to do? Are you looking at smaw or gmaw (read stick or mig) ? I assume if you're welding 1/4 plate you won't be wanting a TIG.

[LastOldDog]

. . . I assume if you're welding 1/4 plate you won't be wanting a TIG.

Mr. Fasttrack. General information. On materials even up to 3/8, depending on application, we occassionally will TIG a root pass (usually with gas backup), back grind, make one more stringer passes, then follow up with MIG. Sometimes 'run-off' tabs can be your friend too as they move the end-of-weld crater off the finished weldment.

Lloyd

[Chester]

Would probably go for a 220V. mig as has been already suggested. If you are wondering what you can do with a stick welder on a 30 Amp circuit............ That is what I have and with a Lincoln 225, no problem up to about 100 amp with 3/32" rods, but you must also use those "Slow Blo" 30 amp fuses if you have the screw in type or it will blow fuses almost immediately. It will weld 1/4" but it is pretty much at its limit. I have just lived with this situation for the past fifteen years, because to update means a panel upgrade and running the new wiring along outside the house out to the garage.

[RayS]

ran a lincoln and a miller on 30 amp cir. for years. You can do it but it's a slow process. Now have 50 amp feed and its like having a new welder.