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Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:59:38 GMT
I am a maintenance mechanic in a factory. I am not a pro welder but can Mig and Tig weld Mild steel, Stainless, and Alluminum. We have welders at the factory that will do just about anything I want but by luck  I picked up a Hobart Air Force 400 Plasma Cutter for $500 bucks so now I want my own mig or Tig also. My delema is I want to be as versital as possible but want a 120/220 Volt unit that is portable. Portable is the key. I have looked at the Hobart Handler 140 Mig, Hobart 150 STI Tig, Millermatic Passport, Millermatic 135, and Lincoln sp135. I would like to be able to weld Steel, Stainless, and Alumminum so I was Figuring the Hobart 150 STI until I realised it was DC only and cant weld Aluminum. I know all of the Migs can weld Aluminum with the spool gun attachment but now am wondering how effective they will be at 120V. I know all of you are going to say get a 220volt unit but like I said I want to be portable. I would Like any and all of your opinions on what I should get please.Drivesector
Reply:Hi drivesector;I'm by no means an expert. but I have spent most of my life in factory maintenances so I know where you are coming from.If we limit the discussion to MIGs for the moment the only practical solution for portability is the Miller Passport, if you really think you need 120 volt capability.     I recently opted to go with a 220 volt unit (a SP175) because I simply couldn't justify the costs of a larger or more expensive MIG and the used market was a bit dry for over 6 months.    I also have limitations at the moment with the electrical services  to the house but that is another story.I went with this machine knowing full well that the machine is limited in capability and has almost zero capability when it comes to aluminum.    You should expect the same limitations with any 120 volt MIG, or the Passport.    The problem with MIGs and aluminum is the need for lots of current especially if you go past sheet metal thicknesses.There are two problems one being the thickness and the other the area the piece covers, these conspire to such a lot of heat out to the joint.    Remember that Aluminum is the metal for heat sinks.     So when welding aluminum think lots of heat (current) and likely preheat.     This is the long run to the point that there really isn't a 120 volt capable machine that is able to handle a wide range of Aluminum welding.All that being said I think you need to consider two things.    One since you have interest in Aluminum consider a much large MIG, literally top of the line or one step down from Miller or Lincoln.    So at a minimum a 250 Amp machine that is spool gun ready.    For the really portable needs I'd still get a 175 amp 220 volt machine, realizing of course that Aluminum just won't be it s bag.The trick with the 175 amp machine is to build yourself an extension cord with a few adapters to plug into popular dryer and air conditioner outlets.    These machines draw about 22 to 25 amps full out so you have a lot of options.    The other possibility is to get a generator to go with the larger machine.    In the end it comes down to do you want to spend the money to support welding of Aluminum.That is MIGs, now about the rest of your welding process interests.     It sounds like you are a prime candidate for a multiprocess inverter based machine.     If you can afford one of these you are doing much better than I at maintenance       In any event depending on how far you go up the food chain you can get a machine that will support MIG with a external wire drive.    This would combine all your process interests into one machine.    Further it will give you the best results you are likely to get out of the single phase home power.    You are very likely though to walk out of the welding supply shack shaking your head at the prices for this stuff.    So the other option is a conventional stick and Tig machine.Along the lines of conventional Tig machines Lincoln has a new item called the Precision TIG 225.    The nice thing it that it will plug right into the same outlet that most of Lincolns other lower end single phase machines plug into.    It will still be a limited machine with respect to aluminum but not nearly as limited as some of the lower end hardware.    Go much larger then you have to consider a dedicated feeder to the welder capable of 100 amps or so.ThanksDave
ReplyWhat should I getrive Have you checked out the Miller DVI. I have one and I'm very happy with it why it does not come with the spool gun it will accept one. It works on 120 or 240. I haved used my machine on both it works allot better on the 240 as expected but can hold it's own on the 120 to. check it out. it Also has diffren plug attachments. that are very quick and easy to change.  I think it might be worth a look for what you want.
Reply:Thank you very much for your opinion and reccomendations Wizard. I appreciate your feedback. I'm going to look at a few more machines also the one you have. I think I am going to have to forgett about the Aluminum and stick with what I do most which is Steel and Stainless. I think after reading your reply, I may go with a 220V machine also. There is plenty of 220Volt drops in the factory I am in. Also have 220 readily available in my personal shop also so when I bring it home to do something it wont be a problem. I am going to look around the web tonight and see whats out there. I was looking at the Hobart 180 for Steel and Stainless (Any comments) I am also going to look at a Lincoln and some Millers Any suggestions would be great but it needs to be something I can pick up and move, Put on a man lift, carry up to the roof. For the amount of Alluminum I weld I will just stick with the factorys machine. Thanks againDrivesector
Reply:aluminumman75 I will check it out. ThanksDrivesector
Reply:When you talk about portable in the sense of a man lift, I tend to think flux core with a MIG.   The 175 amp class machines can do this with the only other alternative being the Passport.   Most other MIG options I would classify as being to large for that application.    Now I love my MIG but I do have to suggest one thing that would be a small inverter based stick unit for such work, especially if it is also a good TIG performer.    You should be able to get a bit more machine into the limited space on a Man lift.   Of course I don't know how big you man lift is, there might be the potential for a rather large box, I would argue though that there is never enough room on one of those things.Obviously what you have here is competing issues that will drive you back and forth trying to buy the right machine.    You just might have to realize that there is no right machine here.    The portability issue hugely limits your choice range for a MIG.   It may be more beneficial to not limit the MIG, that is install it at home , and then go with a portable stick unit. The reason I say stick for the portable applications is the greater flexibility in getting into position, the ability to shape the electrode to the job and a wide range of electrodes.    Some maintenance type work just isn't easy to do with a MIG welder.    That doesn't mean I didn't do maintenance work with a MIG in the past, just that it is limited in capability.As for recommendations I really can't say much about that beyond my MIG welder.    I simply don't have the experience with the newer inverters.    Miller does leave me with a good impression as does the purple badge.    Ultimately you should try them out before buying.   If you look at Millers catalog you will see that the MAXSTAR 200STR weighs in at 32 pounds for a portable stick welder.    Go all the way to a DYNASTY 200 and you weigh in at 45 pounds for a stick and AC/DC TIG machine.   I would call these very portable stick solutions, also expensive but that is another discussion.     Lincoln has some nice options also.Unfortunately when it comes to inverter based portable MIG welder the Passport is about it.    A good machine be expensive.    The only good thing is that the standard 175 amp machines are not all that bad weight wise for a MIG welder.DaveP.S.Have fun deciding.   In the perfect world we would simply go out an buy what we needed at the moment.    Unfortunately most of us work and have to go about buying after hard thought and a bit of budgeting.Dave
Reply:Today I went out to my local supplier and was ready to buy a Miller Passport or a Hobart 180. They let me try them out, I welded a few different things together and liked them both. But I have to say for the extra 700 bucks I will carry an extra 30 pounds. I bought the Hobart Handler 180. The Supplier also said that he would buy the Hobart over the Passport because they think it is over Priced also (NICE MACHINE THOUGH!) . Now I am limited to 220V but I think I will be happier than the original Hobart 140 I was thinking of getting. I have also seen posts about local suppliers VS Internet. I live in MA. and we had a sales tax free day here today. I got the HH180 for $75.00 Less than I would have got it from Cyberweld. Nothing against Internet sales or anything, just stating a fact. Also I wanted to put a face to the warranty. When I bought it they told me if anything is wrong bring it back and they will give me a rental unit for free until the unit is repaired. Also since I bought it from them if the unit breaks down after the warranty any rental I would get from them would be half price until I bought another or had that welder repaired. I thought that was great.Drivesector
Reply:if you want a portable unit then your pretty much limited in only having a air cooled torch..they dont like hi amps  now you are talking a radiator for a water cooled torch thats far and away the better choice...if your gonna "push it" you'll need it ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.

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