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Wire welders

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Rusty

10-21-1999 10:45:38

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Could anyone recommend an inexpensive wire welder for a novice that is not junk and would serve mainly in auto body repair? thanks

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Jim WI

10-22-1999 11:16:50

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Re: wire welders in reply to Rusty, 10-21-1999 10:45:38

I guess I'm the odd man out on this one.

I've a wire welder (a Weldpak 100) that I bought at Fleet Farm for about $300. They carry the gas conversion kit for about another $100 - $150. I don't have that.

I've done auto body work with this rig and have been satisfied with the results. My brother borrowed it and did a nice job on a Bronco (I wish I could paint as well as he does). A friend has the same welder with the gas conversion kit installed and says that it works even better.

I guess it depends how much body work you have to do. In my case, one car every few years means it doesn't pay to spend much on specialized equipment. On the other hand, as someone else pointed out, I've used it *way* more than I thought I would (I went through a spool of wire before I even started the body work I bought it for).

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Steve

10-22-1999 06:11:17

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Re: wire welders in reply to Rusty, 10-21-1999 10:45:38

Rusty,
I've been selling welders and the like for over twenty years. If you buy a name brand like the Miller, Hobart, Lincoln, ESAB etc. you will get the following as standard equipment: remote contactor,(This means the wire is cold until you pull the gun trigger. You won't flash or shock yourself trying to get into position.)built in gas selonoid,( On the cheaper machines like the Clarke this costs about $60.00 extra)steel drive wheels(cheaper versions of MIG use plastic)Also you will have a larger variety of drive wheel styles for different wires available I.E. u-groove, v-groove, and knurled. The smaller name brands offer at least 130 amp output allowing you to weld up to about 3/8" material. Also open arc wire like my #824 will give it a boost and allow you to weld dirty and outside. For body work, a .023 E70s-6 is adequate using a shielding gas of Co2 or 75%AR and 25% Co2. You may also want a spot weld option and the proper nozzle for spot welding. Unavailable on the cheapies and the 130 amp name brands. For the small 130 amp machines, you'll spend around $575.00 to $650.00. For a little bigger machine like a 185 or 250 you'll spend from $1200.00 to $1800.00. You get what you pay for in tools and welders and wires. Most people who bought the small off brand machines are unhappy with few exceptions. If I can help you any more I would be glad to. Please visit my site at usalloysweldtech.com Have a safe and happy welding experience! P.S. Did you know that Miller and Hobart are owned by the same company?

U.S. Alloys Company

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BRAD ANDERSON

07-06-2000 13:54:29

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Re: Re: wire welders in reply to Steve, 10-22-1999 06:11:17

I have read the follow-ups to the above message, and disagree heartly about the untrue things said about the Clarke welders. Sure they are a little less expensive than the Millers or the Hobarts, but the performance is very comparable. The Clarke 130EN has a working output of 100 amps, the gas valve IS built in (you must purchase a regualtor and gas bottle to weld with argon or weld/mix as this unit comes set up to use flux-core wire), and you can weld up to 3/16" in one pass. All of the above for under $350.00 retail!! Sure you can spend more money if you want, but the Clarke welders do a great job for the money. Clarke also offers a 10 year warranty on the transformer and the rectifier in ALL of their welders. Try getting a warranty like that from one of the big boys. Clarke also warranties the entire welder (excluding consumable items) for 2 years. Don't let the higher priced welders fool you. Clarke makes a very good machine.

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brad anderson

07-06-2000 13:57:12

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Re: Re: Re: wire welders in reply to BRAD ANDERSON, 07-06-2000 13:54:29

Also, the Clarke welders have a "non-live" torch meaning that there is no power to the wire until the torch trigger is pulled. Clarke also uses steel wire feed rollers. For more info on Clarke welders, call 800-227-9603 or view the link below.

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tomp

10-21-1999 23:30:40

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Re: wire welders in reply to Rusty, 10-21-1999 10:45:38

I've got a hobart handler that I've used for about 8 years. love it. Have tig and arc as well but use the handler with gas about 95% of the time. Easy to use, parts are available. I've probably got $600-800 in it including gas cylinder and its worth every penny.

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Vic S.

10-21-1999 22:50:01

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Re: wire welders in reply to Rusty, 10-21-1999 10:45:38

Hi Rusty, I was in your shoes 6 months ago. I have been using an arc welder I own for the last 15 years. I recently researched the MIG welders and their abilities for many many hours. I talked to many reps at Lincoln, Miller, local shops, and welders in the trade. So let me give it to you in a nutshell without the shell. If you really are going to weld less than 3/16 mild steel get a brand name mig welder i.e. Miller, Lincoln, Hobart. Range is 500-800 If you are doing > 3/16 often... you will need a stick welder and get at least one with ac/dc. Now for my experience: I have used the 225 amp lincoln AC only box for 15 years and gotten very good with it down to 1/16 metal. I now own a Miller sidekick 110 vac Mig unit. It is so easy to set compared to my friends CLARKE welder. His unit is very hard to get adjusted correctly. Mine will work about any settings you choose. It has 30% duty cycle at 90 listed (120 actual) amps. But you dont run it that hot if you have a stick welder to do the jobs that would require that much current. If you are going to do sheet metal ( and have it worth looking at) you will need to use gas, not flux cored wire. With gas you can go down to thinner metal than with flux wire. I found my Miller for $150.00 used at a pawn shop. Tested it right outside their door on the sidewalk with my goggles and my scrap steel. Ever see a guy weld in a suit and tie? If you are not sure of what to buy then buy SEARS (Century). You can return it for simply NOT SATISFIED. Thats why Sears is still in business after XX years. My suggestion is that if you can borrow a friends first and see if you are impressed then do that. The Lincolns that you see at the farm stores (Weldpak 100, Weldpak 155) are not exactly the same as the similar looking units from the weld supply stores. They have same control and x-former but without relay for gas. If you must buy cheap then stay with either
Lincoln Weldpak 100, or sears if you cant find a commercial used unit like I did. I read over 400 comments from people who bought different mig welders. I think the people who bought Lincoln, Miller, Hobart were 100% satisfied, Century (Sears) owners (many of them) about 85% good comments. Other brands i.e. Clarke, and many of the < $200.00 units I found many people choose to report they wish they had bought others but a few supported their purchase with comments like (mine works good) Not much impact for me. Believe me I have used the low cost ones of friends and thats why I own a Miller. Hobart is owned by Miller now too and gives good quality at lesser cost. Well good luck and just stay away if its < $200.00 new. Buy some elmers glue instead. Vic.

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werf

10-21-1999 20:59:31

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Re: wire welders in reply to Rusty, 10-21-1999 10:45:38

I bought a 110 wirefeed in 82, it has sucked ever since. It might work for autobody but it just doesn't have the power. It is a Century model that uses both gas or flux. Duty cycle on high is 20%. This is the most important spec. of any I am concerned with. If you only want to do body work (which will change as soon as you get a wirefeed) a 110 modle will be fine. I have found that if you spend a grand up front you will be better off than buying a $300 unit, sell for $150 and buy for $1000. Look in want ads for a good one (century, lincoln, linde)

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Ron Lukowski

08-16-2000 19:27:21

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Re: Re: wire welders in reply to werf, 10-21-1999 20:59:31

Looking for a cheap welders to repair fenders. Do you have one for sale?

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Paul Fox

10-21-1999 15:44:57

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Re: wire welders in reply to Rusty, 10-21-1999 10:45:38

Depends. What do you consider "inexpensive"?

You can get 110V Flux-wire (no shielding gas, tank or regulator) fairly cheaply. Never used one, don't know how happy you'd be with it.

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charlie

10-23-1999 13:16:59

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Re: Re: wire welders in reply to Paul Fox, 10-21-1999 15:44:57

i bought the lincoln sp100 5 years ago and am very pleased with it.it had features at that time that miller and hobart(demoed them all)didn't.it has dual reostat switches rather than fixed position for the wire speed and heat setting.this let's you fine tune your weld.it also was ready for iner shield wire or solid wire.the weld pak 100 has to be converted with the optional gas kit.also, another thing i did was to change the ground clamp. the one that came with the machine was big and bulky,so i bought a tweco solid cooper clamp and sweat it to the ground cable.i did the same thing to my miller thunder bolt stick machine.it really helped the preformance in both cases.if i were going to buy a mig today i would really look hard at the sp125.one thing to remember is if you buy cheap you get cheap.good luck

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