Help me pick my first welder

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hey guys/gals, so i just introduced my self in the forum above and i want to get a MIG welder for my exhaust. i will be welding exhausts 90% of the time. i have done some searching/homework and i know that i need a 110V welder... mostly because i dont have a 220 outlet in my house.. well atleast a spare one. so thats out of the question. idk if i understood this right but the more amps... the deeper the weld penetrates? is that right? i have been looking at a barely used Lincoln Pro-Mig 140 welder, here are the listed specs, • 25-140 amps output • Welds up to 5/16 in. steel using flux-cored wire. • Plugs into 120V, 20 amp outlet.• Gun trigger safety feature keeps welding wire electrically "cold" until trigger is pressed.• Compact, portable, lightweight and easy to use. • For welding .023-.035" mild steel and stainless steel solid MIG (gas-shielded) wire. Also for .035" mild steel flux-cored (gasless) wire. Install K664-2 Aluminum Welding Kit to expand the Pro-MIG 140's welding capabilities to include .035" aluminum solid MIG wire. • Welding procedure chart for mild steel is conveniently located inside the wire feed section door making voltage and wire speed selection a snap! • Fan-cooled for long life expectancy.does that seem like its good for what i will be doing? what the max i should spend on this welder?
Reply:Hi first welcome to the forum, glad you are with us.Next, have you read the sticky at the top on 110v migs and looked at the linked threads?http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=20883This will explain a bit why 110v migs are not what most people think. 220v ones are generally a better choice for almost everyone. There are a number of ways that you can get power for a 220v machine, its not impossible.If all you ever want to do is exhaust pipe you might be able to get away with a 110v mig. Don't expect to do much else as far as fab work in the future. The 110s are just too limiting.Not trying to rain on your parade. I've been there and done it. I now have a decent 220v mig and a spoolgun. Really wished I had spent the extra money upfront for the 220v machine rather than wasting it on a 110v machine. There are uses for 110v machines, but they really are the wrong machine for almost everyone.Good luck.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWHi first welcome to the forum, glad you are with us.Next, have you read the sticky at the top on 110v migs and looked at the linked threads?http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=20883This will explain a bit why 110v migs are not what most people think. 220v ones are generally a better choice for almost everyone. There are a number of ways that you can get power for a 220v machine, its not impossible.If all you ever want to do is exhaust pipe you might be able to get away with a 110v mig. Don't expect to do much else as far as fab work in the future. The 110s are just too limiting.Not trying to rain on your parade. I've been there and done it. I now have a decent 220v mig and a spoolgun. Really wished I had spent the extra money upfront for the 220v machine rather than wasting it on a 110v machine. There are uses for 110v machines, but they really are the wrong machine for almost everyone.Good luck.
Reply:the 110v mig will weld exhaust pipe. The 140 amp machines are the most power full 110v migs you can get. If you buy a 110v mig, get a 140 amp machine for sure.However, a 220v mig is a much more use full machine like DSW said.
Reply:hey there, is it possible to utilize the outlet that the dryer is on, when you need to?  that's what i'm doing, made an adapter (link below) and i'm using a 50' extension to get out to the garage. cost wasn't too bad, definately the benefits of a 220 volt welder will outweigh the costs.perhaps a selling point for "dad" would be that there would be a more capable welder in the garage for use on fixups.just my 2 bits.instructions, how i did it;http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=19231and pix in thread;http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=19232
Reply:The dryer outlet is the easiest place to connect an extension cord. A electric range would also work but mom may not be happy about not being able to cook while you weld though. You may be able to add just an outlet if you don't have an electric range or dryer. I had a 220v outlet installed next to my breaker panel in my old apartment. I ran a cord from there to the driveway where I could work. A full sized AC unit also has 220v. Its not a great place to pull power but a good electrician may be able to make it work by making it a sub panel to tie in the ac and then the welder. Electric furnace would be another possible point to convert to a sub panel. You can't run both the welder and the ac/furnace but you could part of the time.Some older houses still have 220v window ac outlets that may or may not work depending on how many amps the window unit was. ( we had one in our old house but the ac was long gone) If dad likes to work on things also 220v is useful for other tools. Air compressors, large table saws, plasma cutter, metal lathe, milling machine, and so on. A subpanel to the garage would also mean that you could upgrade the outlets in the garage. No more blown breakers and lights going out in the house when using tools like saws, 110v air compressors, as well as being able to easily add outlets if you don't have enough.If you are like many of the rest of us you will quickly catch the bug and want to weld more and more thing. Engine stand if you want to rebuild a motor. Engine hoist to pull the motor that you will put on your new stand. Jack stands, ramps, shop press.... the list goes on and on. How about a nice grill or smoker for dad? As you do more and more you will quickly realize the limitations of a 110v machine.Good luck.
Reply:lol... thanks alot guys. what snoeproe  said was easy to understand and ill check on 220 extension cords. the laundry room is almost right above the garage... thanks again. i dont have any pics but just FYI my welds now look like boogers...lol. i think you know what i mean.one last thing.... would a 220 welder melt/burn through the exhaust pipe.?Last edited by tnice17; 05-02-2008 at 11:23 AM.
Reply:I don't know why, but most people don't mention that Miller makes a mig that is dual voltage. It's called the Miller DVI2. I have one and think its a great welder. You can run it on 110 and do all the exhaust pipe you want but have the ability to change up to a 220 input and weld the bigger stuff. Worth looking into in my opinion.Miller DVI2Lincoln Precision Tig 225Thermodynamics Cutmaster 38Everything else needed.
Reply:If you can't get 220v, then I would look for a used Milermatic 135 or 140.  If you can get 220v from the dryer outlet with an extension cord, then I would look for a used Millermatic 175 or 180.   If you like red, then go with the Lincoln equivalent of the same .Check Craig's List for good deals on nice used smaller name-brand mig welders by Miller or Lincoln.  I see them often there.   There was a guy recently on Craig's List of Orange County, CA selling about 10 different Lincoln and Miller small mig welders for $300 each.  Hard to beat that!MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by jamlitI don't know why, but most people don't mention that Miller makes a mig that is dual voltage. It's called the Miller DVI2. I have one and think its a great welder. You can run it on 110 and do all the exhaust pipe you want but have the ability to change up to a 220 input and weld the bigger stuff. Worth looking into in my opinion.
Reply:Yeah it is kinda expensive.  The Passport is dual-voltage too, and not cheap either.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:so i talked to my pops about the extension cord idea, long story short, it was a no go. so i am watching about 10 Lincoln 140 welders. so hopefully i can get one for around 350 but like you guys say, get the best one you can afford so i am defiantly trying to get the 140 for under 400. ill keep you guys updated.
Reply:I'll put a plug in for a MM135.  Run .023 with CO2.  Might run out of steam on the thicker metals, but works awesome for thin stuff.
Reply:The .023 wire definitely works better on the smaller machines with gas. I use C25 though.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:do you have to use gas? i was using flux core wire with the welder at school and i was starting to get the hang of it.... before the flux core all we had was copper wire, and i tried useing gas with it and i couldnt notice a difference with or with out gas with the copper wire.
Reply:was it copper wire, or copper COATED wire?
Reply:Most mig wires have a copper coating to inhibit rust.(I'm sure you knew that though slamdvw, I posted without thinking ....sorry!)Last edited by Brett; 05-04-2008 at 02:23 AM.A good guess is better than a bad measurement
Reply:one last thing...im getting the lincoln 140 welder 110v. if i have a 20 amp circuit breaker in the basement wouldnt that trip the circuit breaker?