Welder Recommendations...

[GAXB9R]

So im wanting to buy a welder. What do yall use and recommend?

 

[RamAirZ]

What kind of welding are you wanting to do? A good MIG welder that has gas hookups is a good starter welder. I myself still use my Lincoln 140 (or 145 don't remember)), it's the largest welder that works on a 110/115 socket (no need for special hookups or cords) and welds up to 5/16 steel. I built a car trailer with it and it held up for thousands of miles up until I sold it and still doing good. If your looking to do alot of aluminum a Tig should be your choice but you will need to practice practice practice, and Tig's like clean, no wind environments for welding to get the best results. A flux-core mig (even a gas setup) works fine out in the open and under stuff. I can weld aluminum with my MIG (do on occasion) but it's nowehere near as easy/pretty as a good Tig. I've been using an Eastwood Tig (they had a combo with a Tig and Plasma Cutter for a REALLY good price) and it works excellent, has rotary or foot controls. Again I think it's a good starter welder especially if your not running a business or welding everyday. I wouldn't even look at an Arc welder for anything you'd do on a bike. Will it work for stuff? Sure, but I'd look at Mig's and Tigs and learn to weld

 

[d_adams]

Personally, I prefer Miller welders. Currently using a Syncrowave 180.

 

[RamAirZ]

I love my big Miller MIG I have at the shop, but if I was just looking for something for around the house I doubt I'd want to fork out the money for it. In your situation, which I think you use it alot, the extra cost is worth it, for your average joe it might not be but quality isn't a question. They make great welders! I find myself using my little Lincoln most of the time around the shop for small stuff because the cart is smaller and easier to move around and most of the stuff I need to weld falls into it's range easily. But if I have to weld suspension brackets or anything structural, the Miller comes over (I think the Lincoln would do the job fine, used it on thick stuff before, but why worry when you have the big one in the corner lol)

 

[thuren67]

I have a miller 212 case mig welder it's great. I also have a miller tig. Not a fan of Lincoln

 

[RamAirZ]

^ I used a 212 for awhile at my old shop before I opened my own, great welder. I have the 252 right now, still running the Eastwood Tig, figure when it takes a dump I'll probably end up with a Miller TIG as well. Why the dislike for Lincoln? Bad experience?

 

[matter]

It's like asking what's the best oil...

 

[axlakow]

All depends on what you want to do with it....If you just want to putz around and don't need or want welds that look pretty, go out and buy a MIG and do flux core. Practice with that for a while and once you start getting used to it, add a gas setup and you can get some pretty nice looking welds. If your patient and know what you are doing, you can even get decent looking welds with a 115v fluxcore welder

 

[RamAirZ]

^ exactly, all depends on the need. But buying a 115 that has the hookups already is a smart idea if you ever plan to expand. I wouldn't waste money on a MIG that has no gas hook-up option, your just throwing it away. I used flux on my trailer and the welds looked good, just requires alot more cleanup.

 

[thuren67]

My experience was with a Lincoln 170 mig. Got a few months out of it then the drive went to shit. Replaced everything but still didn't work and would weld inconsistent

 

[jriffe108]

Lincoln 135plus, have run many 10lb rolls of innershield (fluxcore) and gas wire through it without a hitch. Have Ramsond Plasma which is turning out to be a pretty good unit for the price. Miller, Hobart, and Lincoln would be the only welders I would purchase.

 

[snrusnak]

Like they said, what are you using it for?

I have a lincoln 110volt 125amp fluxcore/MIG and I love it. I pretty much use fluxcore 100% of the time, I can take the welder anywhere and plug it in to just about any outlet. I did run a dedicated line with more power to my garage for use on higher power settings, but it is pretty dang portable. And I can use a different spool gun to weld aluminum.

Best part is it was only like $350 brand new. Highly recommend it for at home DIY stuff.

 

[GAXB9R]

Anyone have any experience with the Eastwood 135 or Hobart Auto Arc 130? Use would be light to medium use and im wanting to do my own exhaust on the bike. Wouldnt be building sky scrapers or anything so im sure the 110V will do just fine.

Any thoughts on these two?

 

[RamAirZ]

Hobart is a good brand, haven't used the Eastwood Mig but I have used their TIG and Plasma and so far they have worked good. I love my Lincoln 140, and the weldpak is just over 500 new and includes the regulator, gauges etc for hookups for gas plus adapters for largerer spools of wire etc. If I had to choose between teh Eastwood and Hobart I would probably go with a Hobart myself.

 

[GAXB9R]

Did you buy the lincoln at HD or Lowes?

 

[RamAirZ]

I think it was at Lowes, they have it at both places though. It was a Father's Day gift from my wife so I could have a Welder at the house....and it ended up at the shop too lol.

 

[bajabomber87]

If you're looking to save money and go the cheap route, just look for any small lincoln mig on craigslist, not worth paying full price for new.

If you want to get fancy and build exhaust mufflers or headers, get a tig, lincoln or miller are great.

 

[d_adams]

If you're building from scratch and have the coin, get a good Miller or Lincoln tig welder. If you're modifiying stock ones, a mig will work if it's a decent unit, maybe a Miller 140 for the low end, a 211 would be better though.

Flux core will splatter a lot and make it look crappy, so fixing that will require more time to grind off the turds to make it look better.

I'd definitely check CL for one locally, I sold my Miller STL 150 earlier this year, guy got a decent deal on it. Kinda wish I'd have kept it, but it had been sitting since I got the Syncrowave.

 

[GAXB9R]

Yeah if i go on the lower end im definetly going to have the gas set up so less splatter. I will look into the miller also. Dont worry though im not wanting to go cheap just dont see any reason to get a fancy 2k one.

 

[greasyxb9s]

I have been a fabricator for 15 years and unless you go with a metal core wire your going to have the most splatter with bare wire. The best and cheapest way for home use is a .035" miller or Lincoln 140 amp 115v welder. I got a Lincoln a few years ago and use it for everything at home. You can weld 1/2" if you do a root pass and two cover passes. Flux core gets better penetration then bare wire also. In my opinion a tig welder isnt worth it unless your doing mostly stainless or aluminum. I have about $750 in my Lincoln with gas for aluminum and steel and a spool gun. Now of course they have there limits. But they do great for body work exhaust work and all kinds of other odds and ends. We use strictly miller stuff at work and my favorite is the dual feeder 450 amp unit. I run flux core (gas shield) on one side and metal core on the other. Covers both sides but the flux core I can weld 2" material with 3 passes and has about 3000 lbs more tensile strength then bare wire.

Just whatever you do don't buy from harbor freight! They are hot all the time like a stick welder and the trigger only controls the feeder.

Other that buy the biggest you can afford or electrical system will handle cause you'll hate your self later if you don't....