What welder should I buy ?

[kiwigtx]

I was thinking about getting myself a small home edition welding pack. Trouble is I'm not sure really which one I should be looking for.

Do I go Tig, Mig or Stick.....? I don't plan to build trailers or heavy machinery. Just smaller jobs that cost me a few hundred bucks each time I ask someone else to help me out.

Anyone got decent info as to what I should be looking for? I have a local Tool Shop who can sell me what I want, but their advice may be biased slightly.

I don't have aspirations of becoming a Union Welder, so nobody is going to lose their job over my purchase.

Thanks in advance....or as the youngins say.... TIA.

 

[WileERobby]

steve from staten island ?

 

[68gtxman]

I was thinking about getting myself a small home edition welding pack. Trouble is I'm not sure really which one I should be looking for.

Do I go Tig, Mig or Stick.....? I don't plan to build trailers or heavy machinery. Just smaller jobs that cost me a few hundred bucks each time I ask someone else to help me out.

Anyone got decent info as to what I should be looking for? I have a local Tool Shop who can sell me what I want, but their advice may be biased slightly.

I don't have aspirations of becoming a Union Welder, so nobody is going to lose their job over my purchase.

Thanks in advance....or as the youngins say.... TIA.

I bought the top of the line Harbor Freight welder and it does all three types. The cost was about $1,200, but I wanted to be able to weld aluminum and stainless steel if necessary.

 

[kiwigtx]

steve from staten island ?

Ya killing me......

 

[Runcharger]

110 volt MIG, I prefer ones that use gas.

 

[WileERobby]

What ? Good welder, but it'll reverse polarity in a nanosecond.

 

[eldubb440]

figured tig would be the popular answer........ all I know how to do is mig........ and you ain't a welder unless you can weld rust, paint and old seam sealer

 

[DeltaV]

Just use JB Weld.

 

[eldubb440]

Just use JB Weld.

if you get the little gun with the mixng tube, you can lay down a nice bead

 

[Roger63]

Tig is the cleanest and the most versatile, to a point. If you're going to weld anything 1/4 inch and up I would want a mig.

 

[PROSTOCKTOM]

A MIG unit using 75/25 gas mix is the best all around use welder there is in a shop for welding ferrous metals.

TIG requires a lot of preparation and finesse to use and master. Then if you want to weld aluminum you need a unit that has AC too.

Tom

 

[5.7 hemi]

Tig is really nice, but if you lack any kind of dual hand coordination, stick with Mig cause you’ll be grinding the tungsten more often than you’re welding. Lincoln make a pretty decent 140 amp Mig welder. Use a gas with Mig welding, flux core is GARBAGE!! With a 140 amp welder, you will be able to weld up to 3/16 (I’m not gonna bother looking up the metric equivalent) but the duty cycle will be low. You’ll weld for a couple minutes then let the machine rest for so long and then get back to it. It’s a 120 volt machine, which means you can take it wherever ya need damn near and get some welding done.

 

[65CopCar]

I have a Lincoln SP100 120 volt mig and a Lincoln PowerMig 180C 240 volt mig welder. I haven't used either one in 3 years. My Lincoln Precision Tig 225 gets all the action now.

I started forcing myself to use the Tig to get better at Tig and now I just like it. Doesn't mean that mig does not have a place in my shop, but for now its been all Tig.

 

[eldubb440]

X2 on the argon ....... my lincoln 200 power mig seems to be able to go non stop

 

[5.7 hemi]

Tig welds look so cool!

 

[eldubb440]

Tig welds look so cool!

my version of a phony tig weld

 

[kiwigtx]

Tig is the cleanest and the most versatile, to a point. If you're going to weld anything 1/4 inch and up I would want a mig.

Up to and around 1/4" is where I would be getting the most use.

you will be able to weld up to 3/16 (I’m not gonna bother looking up the metric equivalent)

Cool....I am very conversant with conversions in my head. 3/16" is near enough to 5mm.

 

[blue69runner]

Have a mig welder I bought just to do the car sheet metal. Use argon with that. Also bought a tig welder and it is like brazing of a sort also a mix of argon and don't remember what percent the other gas is. Have A Lincon buzz box have had for years for stick but my tig will also weld with stick and that inverter really burn a rod. I weld mostly 1/4-inch metal is the thickest. Got my Tig off the inter web. But so far so good. Not a brand name like Lincon or Miller. Make sure you have a good automatic darkening helmet. Have fun.

 

[RemCharger]

Lincoln SP 170T here. 240v
A good tig is probably 2-3 x as much?

 

[eldubb440]

Lincoln SP 170T here. 240v
A good tig is probably 2-3 x as much?

I paid 1400 for my lincoln, I just realized it was in 2003! my, how time flies........ looks like a similar unit is like triple that now