Looking to purchase a small mig welder. What do you use/recommend?
Miller, Lincoln and Hobart, Miller seems a little expensive for my use. Hobart and Lincoln both have 110 & 220 v units. Hobart has one that is 110/220V.
Anything I need to avoid?
 
If I where going to buy a mig I would only buy one that was gas shield type. While the flex core do work there not half the machine the gas type are but I also did mig welding for a living for a number of years
 
I was always a Hobart guy that is a 110 or 220. Then I ran a lincoin at work and them work real nice. The ones that are 110-220 are what a lot of guys get now because then there set for all kinds of work thick or thin.
 
Definitely get a name brand, I think all you listed are good. Of the ones I've used I like the Lincolns nest and had the best luck with them. Buy the most powerful you can afford and definitely hard wire and gas.
 
I've got a Century 120v, over 20years old and still working. Admittedly, it doesn't get used much as I usually use my old stick for heavy stuff and my acet/ox to sheet metal, but it does OK.

It is unusual as it has a 20amp plug on it for input and really needs a 20A circuit if running at max output. I think it is a 120Amp max output. More than most 120v machines.

I think Lincoln now owns the Century name. The only thing I'd change is a longer gun as the one on it requires moving the welder a lot to keep it close to the work.
 
Inside a shed/garage/shop where the air is still? Go for one with gas. Doing big construction? Get the high amperage one. Light construction or sheet metal doesn't need high amperage.

Welding outdoors where wind is a factor it will blow the shielding gas away from the weld leaving it unprotected. Fluxcore is what you need for that. I drag my flux core to the combine to weld on the straw spreader shield. I don't have a building big enough to fit the combine in. I dragged my flux core to the grain auger to build up the edges that were worn. It wouldn't fit into a building either.

Welding on heavy metal (1/4 inch or bigger) I just use my stick welder. I can set it up to 200 amps DC and get good penetration.
 
People that insist flux core wire doesnt weld good dont actually know what theyre talking about, though they ironically like to brag about how much experience they have. There are things that are best with MIG, and there are projects where MIG is worthless. I do 90% of my farm projects with flux core. It works outside, penetrates better, and works better on older/rusty steel which is what I work with a lot.
Its very unusual that a project here cant be done with a 140 amp flux core machine.
 
By "MIG" I assume you mean MIG and not flux-core.

The 120V units have their place; they'll weld most sheet metal just fine. And a flux-core 120V rig can't be beat for portability, although you may have trouble finding a 20 amp circuit to run them on.

For welding steel up to about 1/4 inch, the lower-end 240V MIG units do pretty good. I have a Lincoln SP170T that I like, but on big jobs the duty cycle is limiting; it will throw the thermal overload after a few minutes of heavy work and then you have to wait for it to cool down.

I think that Hobart 120/240V unit you refer to is the Handler 210 MVP. That's a whole different animal than the 120-only and 240-only units. It's probably an inverter-type welder, which means it's quite efficient. I have a Lincoln inverter TIG welder that I really like. If you don't mind the price, that 210 MVP would be a very good choice.
 
To your question "Anything I need to avoid?"

Unless all you weld is light gauge light duty, I would avoid a 110 ONLY unit.

John T
 
bought a hobart 140 handler mig welder, 110 volt, can weld about 2 minutes and work on it for 30 minutes, sorriest machine i ever bought!! Have never been able to run the first roll of wire thru it
 
Many years ago I decided to buy a new Lincoln mig welder. I went with a 120 volt one which I figured I be more mobile, I could add an extension cord so it would be more mobil. Wrong when turned all the way up it draws more than 20 amps, even though it has a 15 amp cord cap on it. I had to put on a 25 amp breaker.

It will also run flux core wire.

Dusty
 
I recently bought a harbor freight welder that is 110 or 220, flux or gas 170 amp. It is the green cased one, I think it says titanium. It does a nice job though some of the parts for the case are kinda chinsy. Here at the house I don't need more. At the shop I have a 140 amp thermal-arc that has been really good. The harbor freight one was 480$ with shipping and at my local dealer the thermal arc is around 700 at present. I have a young fella working for me that was a school trained pipe line welder and he can make the one over there talk!
 
Miller will be an industrial model 115-220V what I mean is the Miller will most likely have continuous controls not 1,2,3,and 4. Hobart is their box store brand.(yes they still make big welder,but Miller owns and builds them. Lincoln has good small welders.Most companies now have welders that will run on 115 or 220. If you ever plan to run on an extension cord bay a 220 cord.
 
I bought a Hobart Ironman a few years ago and so far there's never been a job it wasn't fully capiable of. If you intend welding aluminum,box store machines won't do it. I didn't pay much over $1k for it with spool gun and it will bring near that now.
 

I would get a brand name unit that you can get consumables and parts for. I'd also get a 220v machine. A macine that can use gas can likely also use flux core. Flux core gets a bad rap, but if you take the time to learn how to use it, it has advantages over gas shielded MIG in some cases. I'd get one that offers both options, although I don't know that any exist that can only weld with gas. It's just a matter of reversing polarity and having the right feed rollers.
 
This past summer i stumbled onto a Lincoln 140 C new in the box with cylinder ( small one ) for 500 , it's a 110 machine with variable heat settings not like the Click Click machine with four or five heat ranges . The seller WON the machine in a local sportsman raffle and does not know how to weld . For something around the house it fills the bill . Saves time from running out to the farm and dragging out either the portable or the Lincoln 180 dual , Now that is a nice machine for a Lunch Box welder but you will pay dearly for one of them . I use the wire machines for the light work of 3/16ths and down above that the portable comes out and it is a Lincoln 250 and with that one i do not have to worry about DUTY CYCLE or if it is windy , raining / snowing or getting baked in the sun as that is when 99% of all the welding is done . Seams like nothing breaks and needs glued back together unless it is the hottest days of the year. I will say this before you dive into the pond of welder buying do some research on the welder and what your needs are . Then install a dedicated circuit for it . After i bought this one i was talking to my welding supply house owner about my F/B Market place snag and about if the warranty was still good to me and such and yes the warranty is good. Jay told me that most all reasons for failures on the Lunch boxes is low line voltage , he also advised me to go with a Straight 25 amp breaker on 10 ga. wire and IF i was to use and extension cord to not go over fifty feet and get one that is of 10 Ga. and check line voltage while welding at max .
 
I guess it depends on your budget and what you intend welding. Hobart, Miller and Lincoln should all be fine....I'd go with any of them. If you are just starting a 110v 140A will probably cost around 5-600 for one that will flux core and gas. A 180A, 110/220 probably 7 - 800. Then you'll need a gas bottle and supplies so another 300 and helmet. You might find a used package, but be careful. If you are not familiar with welders take someone who is to try them first.
My son is a welder, so we have a bunch of welders, but for a long time I got by with a 110v 140 Lincoln set up for gas and flux and an old $100 Lincoln tombstone with long cables for the heavy stuff. The portability of the 110v Lincoln was great. I've used it in different places, had it up inside a combine etc... but you need a good extension cord. Flux core is ok if you have to weld outside. Gas shield is much nicer if you are welding thin/car body etc
 
Where possible I just prefer operating electrical equipment at 240 versus 120. Its just an OLD habit I picked up in my career but hey if 120 suffices no problem go for it....To each their own choices is fine by me

John T
 
Flux core is fine for outside and heavier gauge, but if you ever try welding 20 - 22 gauge car body panels its much harder than
gas shield /.023 wire.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top