Trying to choose a welder....

admin

Hey guys - brand new to the form so play gentle!  Here's my problem:  I need to buy a welder (read: I want a new toy!).  Have some experience welding, I worked in a custom fab shop for about 4.5 years in the summers while in college.  That was about 5 years ago.  Anyway, I'm trying to get a used "all purpose" welder for a reasonable price but cannot figure out which one to get so I'm looking for opinions on who has what and what they wish they could get if they did it over.  I should specify that I'm NOT looking for an argument between the brands, just the size and style.  Also, I like simplicity and have no need/desire for tons of little buttons/knobs that can A) break and B) I'll probably never use.Originally I wanted a tig/stick machine.  Have been exposed to both and like them.  I like the versatility of welding thin and different types of metals with the TIG and thicker stuff w/ the stick (definitely will have some tractor work which will be at least 1/4" mild steel).  Plus I think TIG is more of an art and will be more fun for the years to come.  However, my dad just got a sweet new (to him) aluminum fishing boat (which means I'll probably buy his old one and need to customize it) and I want to have the ability to make some little brackets and what have you for it.  The Al on it is at 1/8-1/4 so I started thinking MIG w/ a spool gun attachment but that wont weld anything LESS than 1/8" reasonably.  That's what they use at the factory that builds Wooldridge boats.  Should I try to get something like an old Dialarc HF/synchro wave (looks like around $1000)?  Or should I try to get some big mig welder and a spool gun (probably will be closer to $1700 by the time I get a spool gun)?  Keep in mind this is just a hobby type thing, not a production shop environment.  I do have 220v power and the wiring I put in (haven't put a breaker in yet, but I'm still working on my shop) is rated at 60amp (wont run the dialarc at full throttle, but I think I can live with that).  I have no desire to have a 110v welder because then people will want to borrow it, and I wont have the capability I need.Thanks in advance for your help and opinions - and just because I know people will ask, I AM searching around and reading up.  I'm just concurrently starting this thread.
Reply:some of the newer lincoln  or miller  welders work good  for a home shop . you can get  a  tig and ac dc welder all in one package . for less than $ 300.
Reply:Originally Posted by slcolvinsome of the newer lincoln  or miller  welders work good  for a home shop . you can get  a  tig and ac dc welder all in one package . for less than $ 300.
Reply:300.00 LOL.Even the china guys are much higher then that. I believe he must mean 3000.00Miller DVI2Lincoln Precision Tig 225Thermodynamics Cutmaster 38Everything else needed.
Reply:That's what I thought.  No desire for any Chinese crap welder.  Also don't have $3000 I can drop on a welder.  I need that to pay extra toward my house so I'm not living under this burden for 30 years......
Reply:The syncrowaves are nice machines. I've got a syncro 200 that I bought new to learn alum tig with. 1/4" alum is pushing that machine to the max. 3/16" is easily doable. I've seen older 330 A/BP's used with coolers go for $500-800. They'd do the job as would other older AC tigs. If I was going to do 1/4" alum regularly I'd probably want a syncro 250 or something with a few more amps than my current machine, or one of the inverters like a Dynasty 200dx where I could tighten up the heat a bit more.I've got a MM185 with the spoolgun. For some things with alum it's ok, but on others it's a PITA to use because you have to move fast. If I was working on alum dump bodies, it would probably work well as I'd just be doing long straight welds, but for some of the small stuff, I found it too much hassle thats why I picked up a tig. For steel, my mig is my go to machine 95% of the time however..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:You mentioned in your post that you could come up with 1700.00 or close to it. That should get you into a decent used brand name machine. Keep looking and I am sure you will find what you are looking for.rereading your first post again, I think getting a MM211 would be a nice fit and you can run a spool gun on it no trouble. A MM212 would even be a better welder if the cost is doable. The MM211 is a dual voltage unit which is a nice option though.  Good luck on the new welder and also on getting the house paid for. We are all working towards that LOLMiller DVI2Lincoln Precision Tig 225Thermodynamics Cutmaster 38Everything else needed.
Reply:I've welded 16g AL with my Passport and Spoolgun just fine- be a little lacking on power for the top end but a Spoolgun can weld down around 16g.What used machines are available in your area?Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Well I don't WANT to spend $1700, my goal was to get a used welder w/ a gas bottle for $1000.  However, I'm not going to set that number in stone because spending 2-300 more can make a HUGE difference.  Besides, I'm just not the guy who buys harbor freight tools.  I'd rather save for another month and get what I need.http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/tls/1629383016.html  - I think I can hook up a regular stinger to this and weld mild with it, but I haven't done any research.http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/tls/1623568886.html  - Dream machine!http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/for/1621157889.htmlhttp://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/tls/1620824865.html - wont do al though.http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/tls/1621403759.htmlNot much for MIG's right now though.  Thanks for the help guys.
Reply:I've also thought about trying to get a relatively cheap (hobart maybe) 125 or 130 or whatever they've got and use it for taking stuff together.  Tacking w/ a tig/stick isn't quite as easy, especially for a back yard welder like what I am now.  Sh!t, I think I'm confusing myself more......
Reply:Originally Posted by mot krigOriginally I wanted a tig/stick machine.  Have been exposed to both and like them.  I like the versatility of welding thin and different types of metals with the TIG and thicker stuff w/ the stick (definitely will have some tractor work which will be at least 1/4" mild steel).  Plus I think TIG is more of an art and will be more fun for the years to come.
Reply:#2 is removed unfotunately. #3 The Syncro 180 is priced a bit high. A new Syncro 200 without the wheel kit will run you $200-300 more and give you more amps at the top end and a few more features. At $900-$1100 it might be worth the money, but that price they are asking is too high. (Hey I know where Silverdale is! )#4 the maxstar is a nice DC machine. As you said it won't do alum, but for steel, SS it's a great machine. Not 100% sure on price. I haven't shopped them so I cant say. If they'd take $1500 I'd be tempted, if you can wait on alum.#5) That Idealarc is probably a good deal. I believe it will do Ac but I'm not a big Lincoln guy so'd you be best to double check. It will be BIG and want LOTs of electric, but will probably do every thing tig and stick you could ever want. $850 seems maybe a bit high, I'd offer $500 and see what they think, $650-700 would be a good price in nice shape. The cooler you can get around in 2 ways. Get an aircooled tig torch for 150-200 amp use, or use tap water till you can build a cooler yourself. Several here have made them from scratch.As far as the small migs, thats not a bad plan as long as you stay within the recomended thicknesses for the machine..Last edited by DSW; 03-05-2010 at 04:57 PM..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Yea, I have thought about 2 welders, see the post directly above yours!    Seems to me the prices on used welders are pretty high around here.  I got my buddy who has a mobile welding service to keep his eye out for some used welders.  He said he's got a lead on a couple so he's looking into them for me.  He brought his service truck over this weekend and with his Miller 140 we welded up the frame on my truck (was cracking where the steering box bolts on, man, Dodge did a horrible design on that...   Anyway, was a SWEET little machine.  I might start looking for a 140-180 used for tacking and that stuff.The other idea he brought up to me was to get a power source you can tig/stick from and getting a wire feeder for it.  Sounds like a more expensive way to go, but maybe not more expensive than having a 220v MIG and a TIG /Stick machine.  Anybody running a setup like this?  The more I think about it, the less I think I can realistically live w/o MIG.  I just dont have time to d!ck around with trying to get the tig/stick setup just right when I just need to fix a weld on the bucket of my tractor or something.  Plus, like stated before, trying to tack together something complex w/o a MIG sounds painful.  I've only tried tacking w/ a TIG a few times and I hated my life when I was doing it.
Reply:Hey DSW, what about #1?  Can that be hooked up to weld steel?  The guy says he's got spools for steel, but do I just have to use the spool gun for it?  That seems like it would suck.  Anyway, it's a MIG 200 SMS.  I had never heard of Systematics/CK.  THOUGHT it was miller, cuz it's blue, but I was wrong.  Anyway, its $700 and sounds like I could talk him down some.  No gas bottle but if I could weld steel/al with that it might be worth $500 or something if it's not the crappiest welder ever.
Reply:That machine is set up to run the Spoolgun for either Steel or Aluminum.Not familiar with it so don't know if you can connect a Feeder and use a regular Mig gun but by the time you did get that stuff you would be close to the cost of a new Mig machine.500.00 may be worth it but that Spoolgun looks bulky and would be a PIA to use all the time.Good machinehttp://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...2663_200392663Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Wow, that's a really good price.  I was looking used because I thought for sure I'd be into this for way more than that.  Hm, I'm strongly considering just doing that.  Plus i'd have a new machine that I knew somebody didn't mess around with.  Anybody think that's a horrible idea?