"Tristan" (casselts)
06/01/2020 at 15:46 • Filed to: None
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"Tristan" (casselts)
06/01/2020 at 15:46 • Filed to: None | 0
| 31 |
My wife wanted to buy our new home’s previous owner’s welder- a very nice Lincoln unit- for me for Father’s Day. It was offered to us for $1,000 since they’re moving cross country and downsizing, but we were a day late on claiming it. :(
So, what’s the best bang for your buck in the $1,000 and below category? I’m looking for 230v MIG, but I’m definitely open to multi process... I’m completely unfamiliar with TIG, but I’d love to play around with it. I know at that price range I’ll be limited, but I just want to move beyond the limitations of my current 115v flux core chicken poop dispenser.
gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 16:11 |
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What’s the thickest steel you plan on welding?
farscythe - makin da cawfee!
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 16:18 |
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im a welder
ill work for a case of beer
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farscythe - makin da cawfee!
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 16:22 |
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jokes aside tho.... i’d reccomend stanley
they make good stuff...not just knifes
JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
06/01/2020 at 16:28 |
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This is an important question. I am a huge fan of good old SMAW (Sheilded Metal Arc Weld, AKA “Stick”) for almost anything but aluminum or thin sheet. Most stick welders can TIG if you get a torch head for them, and it may not be as pretty, but the results are very strong with less skill requirement, and EXTREMELY strong with good skill. I have a little Amico Power DC arc unit that dials all the way down to 20amps and I have successfully wel ded 14GA sheet with 1/16" 7014 rod. She goes up to 160 amps and I’ve never needed more than 140 with the thickness I usually encounter. Was $200 from Amazon, and has been fault-free for four years now. I would definitely think about a milti-process rig in the $1000 range...The Amico Power stuff is Chinese made, but it gets gone through and double QCéd when it gets to their US warehouse.
Future next gen S2000 owner
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 16:46 |
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I don’t recommend the welder that did the monstrosity in the picture. That person has subpar skills.
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Tristan
> farscythe - makin da cawfee!
06/01/2020 at 17:28 |
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Your airfare to the US might be cost-prohibitive.
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Tristan
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
06/01/2020 at 17:32 |
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I can’t imagine anything over 1/4"-ish plate. I want to get more in-depth with modifying suspension and frames, building roll cages, fabricating exhausts, etc., b ut also be able to do body work with floorpans and sheet metal work.
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Tristan
> JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
06/01/2020 at 17:43 |
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This seems almost too good to be true. There's a fair bit of criticism in the comments about the TIG functionality, but everything else seems decent. There's even an Amico plasma cutter for $329!
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JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 17:47 |
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Mine’s been rock solid, and I’ve actually used it quite a lot. I’ ve looked at that very unit myself and thought about getting one... but for the work I do, stick is fine 95% of the time. The MIG and TIG function would mostly sit unused. Plus gas is not cheap... I can buy a lot of steel for the cost of filling up on argon.
VincentMalamute-Kim
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 17:51 |
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I’m a beginner and couldn’t weld with a $150 Home Depot unit. I bought this one:
It works for me.
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farscythe - makin da cawfee!
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 18:25 |
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*shrugs* im worth it
im a pretty decent cook too
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Tristan
> farscythe - makin da cawfee!
06/01/2020 at 19:03 |
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Hmmm... What’s shipping to 97045?
415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 19:17 |
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Borsuq?
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JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 19:36 |
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these things seem to be pretty well liked overall as well.
Steve
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 20:57 |
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I’ll throw in for Everlast welders. I bought my multiprocess unit on Amazon for a little over your budget last fall and it’s awesome. It’s a 251si so it’s capable of mig, Tig and stick. They have mig only units up to 250amp that are in your price range. I have never owned a welder like this before , always had Miller or Lincoln. The quality and functionality is amazing especially considering the price . It's a little over 100 lbs with a 33lb spool and will run 250 amps. I can easily run 1/4" -3/8" thick on 110 since it’s an inverter. I have to run 220v for anything thicker which is few and far between. I’ve so far ran four 33 lb spools through it and done limited Tig and stick also. Handles it like a champ.
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farscythe - makin da cawfee!
> Tristan
06/01/2020 at 21:07 |
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*googles*
travel included probably bout a grand....lol
SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
> JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
06/01/2020 at 22:56 |
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This is a great comment— lost in the appeal of newer TiG welders is the simple fact that, for reasonable dimensions of mild steel, nothing does structural steel welds as strongly and adeptly as an old-school “stick” welder. Stronger, deeper welds.
for frame work on ferrous-chassis vehicles? Stick welder for low cost and strong welds for the win.
Hiyahowudoing
> Tristan
06/02/2020 at 00:45 |
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Yeah go for it buy the Lincoln!!!! You’ll be good. Your sure it works though!!! Just make sure the hose is working properly. The stinger the hole shabang. Buy anti spater. Clean the nozzle frequently, really. Spray the inside of the nozzle with anti splatter. Fuck with the wire speed and voltage. Hot welds with fast wire speed look better. Co ld welds look raised and chunky. Listen for that perfect bacon sizzle sound when your welding. Fuck around with the wire speed and volt until you hear it and it’s welding smooth like butter. Get the right gas mix argon/ co2. you’ll be surprised at what a difference a full can makes. Yeah $1000 for a Lincoln, y not. Buy tips, you’ll need them. Make sure the housing mec is running properly if u keep getting burn back on the tips. Clean the nozzle to prevent burn back and connection with the tip and nozzle. It will melt right to what your welding if the tip connects to the nozzle through spatter back up in the nozzle.
Cougracer67
> Tristan
06/02/2020 at 02:31 |
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Take a look at the Vulcan combination stick/MIG/TIG unit from Harbor Freight. I bought one for my grand da ughter when she gradua ted welding school. Even with the needed accessor ies for TIG it was around $900. It’s dual voltage but works much better on 220 V than 110. All in all it’s a good machine. Lots of YouTube videos about it.
Mars
> Tristan
06/02/2020 at 05:08 |
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Hi Tristan!
I am currently a welding student (yeah! There’s schools for this stuff!) at a great Community College in California finishing an Associate’s in Welding Technology which means...
1) I’m very educated about some of the technical aspects of welding and....
2) I don’t have a lot of professional experience since I’m not employed as a welder (although I do work in manufacturing).
This means
Dude I’m right there with you. Still getting good at and figuring out TIG.
I would recommend looking at a Vulcan Welder. They’re available at Harbor Freight but compared to other things you buy from this store the Vulcan Welders are surprisingly good for their value. I know this because my instructor uses a Vulcan welder for his personal projects around the house and he has lots on professional experience and since it’s good enough for him I’ve actually started looking at the machines again. You’ll end up paying over $1000 for anything that is a miller and I say that if you’re not interested in buying a miller buy a Vulcan machine that can do everything and then save up for a Miller if you start doing some professional work.
Thanks for asking the community!
P. S.
What a picture! Of all the pictures for welding something you choose this! Lmao
joewelder
> Tristan
06/02/2020 at 07:53 |
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Best bang would be a Hobart 210 MVP with spoolgun for $ 999. Can do everything your asking like floor panels, exhaust to thicker stuff like frames. Then if you have to stainless steel and aluminum it's almost 100 pounds though. If you have a couple extra hundred go for millermatic 211 it's an inverter so its lighter. It also has infinite power adjustment. Which means you can fine tune unlike the click knob setting that the hobart has.
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COPO427
> Tristan
06/02/2020 at 08:54 |
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If I was to buy another Mig Welder I’d buy a Miller over a Lincoln. Many of the car guys I follow do a lot of fabricating seen on YouTube. They pick Miller for their brand of welders. Go to the Miller site and see what you need for the material thickness you will be using and the voltage you want to run with. https://www.millerwelds.com/equipment/welders/mig-gmaw
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COPO427
> Tristan
06/02/2020 at 10:47 |
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Another Miller unit used on a TV series.
Qill
> Tristan
06/02/2020 at 11:58 |
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No idea how I wound up here but I’ve become a massive fan of Everlast for that price point, had an esab rebel for a while too that I would highly recommend for the price but for multiprocess you really can’t beat the price of Everlast. They have an very affordable AC /DC multiprocess that’s fairly capable, might have a crappier duty cycle but you aren’t going to get much better in a multi for around a grand. As much as I like the red and blue for a home guy being able attach a spool gun for aluminum is plug and play for esab and Everlast as opposed to buying an additional controller and such for red and blue. Fo r serious commercial work I go with Miller but I can write that off otherwise I can’t justify the price for playing around in the garage.
Tapas
> Tristan
06/02/2020 at 12:13 |
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That’s some impressive metal snot- work in that photo lol
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StudyStudyStudy
> Tristan
06/02/2020 at 14:25 |
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Lincoln Mig unit from Home Depot is not bad for the money. It can do aluminum as well without a spool gun which is a neat trick.
I’ve done most everything with a Hobart handler 130-140, it uses M iller parts, but runs at a much more reasonable range. It is a a standard wall socket unit, but I’ve welded things at 1/4 or thicker with just multiple passes.
Depending on the projects though, might be worth just jumping into a TIG setup. Takes much more effort than a flux or a MIG to setup , but the end product almost always ends up nicer. I f you are concerned about putting heat into an object (painted on one side, rubber seals, etc) then you will want to stick to MIG though. My TIG is an Everlast and for portability and function it beats almost everything under the 1k mark.
Something to keep in mind, if you buy your own tank it will be an extra 150-200. Good quality auto dimming mask is another 100-300. Cart, gloves, consumables, magnets, grounding points, etc it can add up real fast if you have a budget limit.
sony1492
> Future next gen S2000 owner
06/02/2020 at 15:48 |
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They must not own an angle grinder
Sal molinare
> Tristan
06/02/2020 at 20:01 |
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Professional welder, instructor and business owner here. Start with mig and graduate to tig . I like Lincoln’s 256 power mig. We have several. Miller makes nice stuff too, we have both . I’d only invest in those 2 brands, Especially as a rookie. T hat’s where the quality is, ease of service and availability of parts.
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Chris
> Tristan
06/03/2020 at 05:38 |
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Harbor Freight gets a lot of crap but these Vulcan welders are actually well built for home shop use.
Snuze: Needs another Swede
> Tristan
06/03/2020 at 08:19 |
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I have this guy:
It’s a clone of an older Miller design and works great. However, I think Clarke is out of business now, but I’ll keep running it till it dies or I grow beyond it’s c apabilities. As others have said, don’t discount a good stick welder, if pretty isn’t number 1 concern, it’s great, and gives great penetration for heavy duty stuff . MIG is great for “production” work, i.e. lots of welding, and gives you a nicer looking weld. TIG is most labor intensive but gives the nicest welds and is great for small, fiddly parts.
thejustache
> Tristan
06/03/2020 at 11:14 |
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My brother in law has 2 Amico welders, one a stick/tig and the other a basic stick unit he converted into an arc furnace. I’ve used the stick/tig for both processes and it worked well enough at my limited skill level. The tig is definitely tricky with no high frequency start or foot pedal, but is still potentially a good way to start learning.
I really want to get a multiprocess at some point. This Everlast machine comes with a foot pedal and high frequency start for Tig, but I have no experience with it or the brand in terms of reliability https://www.everlastgenerators.com/product/mig/powermts-211si-tig-package