I'm getting ready to purchase an at home Mig welding unit. Does anyone have any suggestion about which one to purchase. I can go 110 or 220 volts. I have been looking at Lincoln, Hobart and Miller. There are so many different models out there that its a little confusing. The price range I'm looking at is $600, but that is flexible if some more money really gets you needed features. http://forums.performanceyears.com/g...s/icon_eek.gif

I'm getting ready to purchase an at home Mig welding unit. Does anyone have any suggestion about which one to purchase. I can go 110 or 220 volts. I have been looking at Lincoln, Hobart and Miller. There are so many different models out there that its a little confusing. The price range I'm looking at is $600, but that is flexible if some more money really gets you needed features. http://forums.performanceyears.com/g...s/icon_eek.gif

any of the three you've mentioned are good units.

i'd buy whichever one is easist in you area to get parts for.

in this area it would be a miller with the hobart being next on the list.

buy the heaviest unit that you can afford and get one that uses gas to shield the wire.

if i remember correctly the higher the duty cycle the better the unit.


mike

Mike's right on the money

unless you really need it ( you don't ) don't get a 220V as you will not have the fleixibility to use it wherever you like. I have a Clarke MIG welder. I have owned mine for almost 12 years. I bought several Clarkes for my school where I teach. They are a great value for the money. They are Italian made but they are in the in the midwest as far as a distribution center, parts etc. Fast shipping etc. My MIG was about $300 and worked fine since it was new. Only thing I have done is replace the plastic line that the wire runs through. It was a few dollars. They range from $300 to about $500 depending on the size and these are for true MIGs, not gasless models.

Pete's Ponies
Mustang RUSToration & Performance

Pete's right. Go 110v.
I bought a Lincoln 100 and the gas kit. Best $350 I've ever spent.

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The point to life isn't necessarilly the decimal.

Unless you're going to be doing ONLY bodyshop welding, I would recommend going with a larger machine. If you search for a good deal, you can buy a Lincoln PowerMig 200 for about $1000 and you'll have the extra power to do heavier steel. Better to have more power than you need than to need more power!

Lincoln 135 SP with C25, I love it. Works great, was cheap $325 with attachements and 4 foot bottle. I have done 1/4 inch steel with it (non-structrual). Works great if all you are going to do is car hobby stuff. i.e. panels/pans

Bill

_____________________________
http://home.gci.net/~wlpsyp1

It is not a problem.... It is just a blood pressure monitor.

Miller has the best features & warranty for the money. Get a Millermatic 135 or 175, it's all you'll ever need. But like stated previously; it's better have more power (flexibility/versatility) than you need, than need more than you have.
Don't f*ck around, you'll be glad you didn't years from now.

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the smaller MIGs will still weld 3/16-1/4 inch steel. There are not many cases where you need to weld more than that. What you really get with a larger machine is a higher duty cycle. This allows you to weld more continuously. However, I have had to stop less than a handful of times in the 12 years I have owned this MIG. I had to stop for a couple minutes only. I can't tell you how mant hours this machine has on it. I use this for my restoration business. And when I did have to stop, it was on a higher setting than one used primarily for sheetmetal. Also, the Clarke MIGs have 6 heat setting whereas most have only 4.

Pete's Ponies
Mustang RUSToration & Performance

I heard miller bought hobart out a few years back.....$300.00 - $400.00 range is all you need in wire feed ....as stated, make sure you get one with an argon solinoid....also , if you need to weld some of the heavy stuff 1/4 + ,just buy an a/c arc welder........shoot you can get them for around a $100,00 used, they run forever @ double as a cuting torch when you crank up the amperage!! http://forums.performanceyears.com/g...on_biggrin.gif yeah, that"s the ticket http://forums.performanceyears.com/g.../icon_wink.gif

70 gto-400-4spd-ps-pdb

I would avoid any mig that does not have infinitely variable heat and wire feed settings.

The inexpensive ones out there typically have only four heat settings. With these you will forever make welds that are cold or you'll end up burning through. It is very important when welding sheet metal to be able to fine tune the heat and wire feed settings.

It is a simple task to determine how much amperage you need. What is the thickest steel you expect to weld? Find out how many amps this will take. Now go out and buy the welder with with the highest duty cycle at that amperage that you can afford.

When you shop around for a price on a welder or welding supplies try this place. Their prices are good in my experience.

weldingsupply.com

I was doing this comparison this summer when I built my shop. I looked at Firepower, Clark, Lincoln, Hobart, and Miller. I started looking at the 110 and finally bought a Miller 175 220v. I think that all of the above brands are pretty similar in quality and capacity at the 110 and 220 levels, but the biggest features that stood out on the Miller was 1) The aluminum wire feeder mechanism - very stout and easy to use 2) Continuous voltage adjustment 3) If I remember correctly, the duty cycle was a bit longer. I used the machine to build a 30x40 shop with a 30x10 loft, using metal 16ga to 1/4" in thickness, and only hit the duty cycle twice. I've never owned a welder before, but this one made welding almost seem easy. I'm not sure I'd ever buy another welder the didn't have infinite voltage control, I used it that often. I think that any one of the brands could do what your after, but I definitely agree that you should buy as much capacity as you can afford, cause you never know what you'll be using it for. Cost of the Miller - 625 w/o bottle at local AirGas Co., Hobart and Lincoln 220v were pretty close to each other at around 550 to 590 depending on where you shopped (but both only have stepped voltage). Interesting note, Firepower has a 110 (135 model no. I believe) with an increased duty cycle and 1/4" capacity (stepped voltage) that I can pickup localy for around 290. Clarke is an English brand, but I've read pretty good things in posts. One last note, don't count out your local suppliers. I was going to buy online but decided to give local a courtesy call. Turns out they gave the best price (tax was about the same as shipping would have cost and they threw in the first fill of the bottle) and I had the loyalty of a local business if anything goes wrong with the machine. Good luck on you decision.

soontobecool- some great info- thanks.

John
67 Firebird

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." -Roger Caras

I have used them all and my personal prefernce would be the Hobart 135 Handler. 110 is just fine. You can weld anything on your car with this. You don't need to go with anything that welds above 1/4 if you are looking for a welder for your GTO.

http://www.geocities.com/jims64gto

Thanks for all the replies. Santa has the new welder under the Christmas Tree. The differences of opinion really didn't make the choice any easier, but I felt I made my decision based on a knowledge rather guessing.

PS I purchased mine from the local dealer. He was very competitive with the internet and threw in the first tank of gas. Do take in a copy of the internet prices of what you want, it helped the bargaining. http://forums.performanceyears.com/g...icon_smile.gif

Congrats. But how do you know Santa put it under the tree? You been peeking http://forums.performanceyears.com/g.../icon_cool.gif Did he also leave a shield and gloves. Do you happen to know what model he left just out of curiosity?

Enjoy.

Bill

_____________________________
http://home.gci.net/~wlpsyp1

It is not a problem.... It is just a blood pressure monitor.

Just got the HTP catalog and they have a 230 volt TIG welder that has a 30% duty cycle @ 150 amps for only $599.

"Quote" I'm not sure I'd ever buy another welder the didn't have infinite voltage control, I used it that often. I think that any one of the brands could do what your after, but I definitely agree that you should buy as much capacity as you can afford, cause you never know what you'll be using it for.

How very true. When I bought mine 15 years ago I debated and wound up buying the best I could afford.
It has served me well. Welders are like Air Compressors. You can buy 4 cheap ones or ONE good one.