looking for some mig welding advice.

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Hello all.  A local mechanic asked if I'd be interested in doing some welding on a car he's restoring.  I'd like to do the work, but I need to setup my ln-25 to MIG.  It has a gas solenoid and came with a MIG gun when I bought it.  He also gave me the gauge & the gas line.  Currently I have a 350 amp fluxcore gun on it setup to run 5/64 nr233.Ok...to my question.  What would be the best MIG wire for body work?  I have a few different drive rollers...the smallest I think is .035...  I don't have any experience to speak of MIG welding.  90% of my experience is stick...the other 10% big fluxcore.  I'm certified 4g smaw A-1...and 2g smaw e-2 stainless.  I'm working on getting my 4G fluxcore papers and recently started messing around tig welding.  I'm limited space wise, as I don't have a space of my own to get out of the elements.  I'm in the market for a 20' shipping container to solve that problem.ThanksMattLincoln Ranger 250gxtLN-25Victor OA cutting torchMilwaukee mag-drillMilwaukee 6370-21 metal saw
Reply:This will be one of the few times in history when I would recc a 110 MIG. That is, for the body work. Any frame work would get the LN-25. You don't really want to be running the Ranger just to run a feeder for hours welding body panels. Not a real effecient setup. A cheap 110 mig with 75/25 would do just as good and be more economical. You're going to end up grinding a good bit of it down anyways so cosmetics won't play such a big part in the welding as long as you're proficient with a grinder.
Reply:0.023 wire is probably the easiest to weld body panels with.  You can back the joints with some copper to help with the heat.
Reply:I was afraid of that.  Ever since I started looking for side work people keep asking me to weld up little bitty thin stuff.... I look at all my gear and sigh.  Lincoln Ranger 250gxtLN-25Victor OA cutting torchMilwaukee mag-drillMilwaukee 6370-21 metal saw
Reply:Like BC said though...a 110 mig would be great for that.  A budget mig off of CL might be worth it for you if you get a couple paid gigs out of it.  They are easy to setup.  You can even get a reconditioned Hobart for around $400 online.  I recently saw a used Miller 135 on CL for ~$350.  Seems worth it to me if you have the work.
Reply:Originally Posted by kazlx0.023 wire is probably the easiest to weld body panels with.  You can back the joints with some copper to help with the heat.
Reply:Don't forget to stich weld on the panels, even with a 120V it can cause distortion if you just blast thru.Like Kazlx said back it with copper & practice on some scrap, mig is easy as pie.AEAD 200LE, Lincoln precision tig 185, Millermatic 251, Spectrum 625 extreme, Victor torch , Smithy 1220LTD. and  Do all C-4 band saw ,  Always adding.
Reply:Hey ANVIL,Your .02cents worth of opinion isn't worth .02cents when you make ridiculous statements such as: "Don't get one that has a "stepped" voltage either (ie. settings like "A", "B", "C", "D" etc.".  I have been using "stepped" MIG units over 30 yrs without issue. All my MIG units(8) are stepped & I have one "continuous" adj. spoolgun unit on my mobile unit. I have never had a failure with ANY job I have ever done with "stepped" MIG units. Be careful what you post as to fact & relevance.Your next statement of diatribe is: "If you buy a cheap and crappy welder, don't expect results to be better than cheap and crappy either."  You want to define "cheap & crappy"? For all the classic/show car resto's I do each year(4-6), I use a Miller 130, 110vac, "STEPPED" MIG unit.  (3) yrs ago, I did a frame-up resto on a rare '68 Mustang Cobra GT427 that was one of only 53 produced(documented), & now only (5) left in exixtence of the original 53. I used my Miller 130 for that entire restoration on the sheetmetal using 70S-6 & SilBrz. I paid $125 used for that Miller that was in pristine condition......CHEAP?????....YUP!  CRAPPY????? Don't think so. BTW, that particular Mustang won the Best-Of-Show in Pgh. that year & has a value of $250K. I also have (2) Chicago Electric MIG units, a CEMIG160(Made in Italy) for production alum.welding(<.187)(used $100), & a MIG151T2(Made in Italy)(used $80) set up for flux-core light repairs(<.135) in the field that have been in use for over 10yrs without any issue. Cheap????? Yup. Crappy? Not so far. My shop light ga. unit is a Miller Sidekick 110vac(free gift) w/STEPPED control, & heavier unit, Miller Challenger172($175), is also STEPPED heat control. Cheap? Yup. Crappy? Never one issue with either. Anything make any sense to you?Your "rule of thumb" must have been made WITHOUT THUMBS with your following statement of: "For a car restoration project, you want the finish to look nice and be durable. You want the job to be easier with less complications too."  So, your entire basis for these statements is not to use a STEPPED MIG unit or "cheap & crappy" that has no definition. Duuuuhhhhhhh!!! What world do you live in? If you don't want your a$$ to get singed with a flaming, be careful what you post.DennyComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:dang Pap, nothing like a 12lb sledge on an ANVIL. bet that sucker is still ringing.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:Hey Yorkiepap, I don't usually post, but this time I have to.  I couldn't agree with you more.  Finally somebody has the same mindset as me.  It's not always about the machine or how much it costs, but the person using the machine.  I paid $100 to a guy for an old linde v160 migmaster, I had to fix the power straps from the rectifier to the transformer 110 legs, but I'll tell you what, that cheap old machine welds body panels like butter and its a stepped machine.  Before I got that I used a cheap $40 fluxcore welder.  I'll tell you this learning how to weld sheetmetal with fluxcore taught me alot, especially heat control.  I'm in no way telling anybody to use a fluxcore welder for sheetmetal, but what I am saying is use common sense and get the best price on the machine you want to buy.Linde V160 MigmasterLincoln AC/DC 225CE 200amp migCE 90Amp flux-core welder