What size mig for a home welder?

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I took a welding class last year, and would like to get a MIG.  I'd be using it around the house and farm, welding things like a broken snowblower auger, some 2 inch diameter Ibeams to make shelving, and a air compressor tank so that I can add another threaded inlet.I like a Miller 252, but they seem to be running around $1800 which is a lot of money for something that I'm probably not going to be using on a daily basis.  On the other hand, I don't like being cheap when buying tools.What size MIG would be good for a home / farm application?  Can I get away with buying a Miller-quality machine for less, while avoiding the perils of buying "too small" a machine.Roger
Reply:Only you can anticipate the welding applications you would like to be equipped for.  Think of all the projects that you might want to be able to do yourself, talk to your local welding suppliers and study the manufacturer's literature on what the various machines can handle.I like a Lincoln Weld-Pak 155 that I picked up "like new" at auction.  It has been adequate for all my home hobby projects since I got it a year or two ago.  They claim a range of up to 1/2" mild steel, but I have never had a project with material that thick.  On the other hand, I am not trying to repair farm implements.   I do have a military surplus 350 amp AC stick welder in reserve, though.Incidentally, as a strictly hobby welder I may be a coward, but I would discourage a beginner from welding on a pressure vessel.awright
Reply:The pressure vessel is actually going to be a tank for a vacuum pump for a cow milking machine.  So that if the milk from the cow ever reaches the pump, it goes into the tank rather than into the $600 pump. Plus the tank acts as a reservoir to keep the vacuum steady.We're not talking about a 125 psi situation here.Roger
Reply:Oh!  Much safer situation than I imagined.awright
Reply:I´d say you´d be fine with the 180 class models...Maybe a used 200 would be betterMy Babies: HF Drill pressHF Pipe Bender3   4.5" Black and Decker angle grindersLincoln Electric PROMIG 175that´s it!
Reply:It depends if you have 220v to use, or just 110. Either way, for what you are going to be doing, a Miller/ Lincoln/ HTP 135 or 175 will do the job just fine.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:As soon as you said 'farm', I thought 'large machine', myself!  After mig class, I would have bought the 251 then offered, if I had the moolah!! I'm still with out a nice wire fed machine, but I did pick up my first oxy fuel torch and still have the old ac buzzbox. I can usually run my own projects by work to use the mig there, MM200. Happy Shopping! One month to Christmas!! City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:I would go with a Miller DVI. They are a wonderful hobbyist machine. Great for Home and Farm repairs. --Gol'
Reply:I have a HTP 200 mig. Havent ued it much yet. It does a nice job. I also hear the Hobart 187 and Handler 210 are nice machines. They dont have the duty cycle of the larger machines. But they are liked by their owners.mm135HTP Invertig 201 With water cooler9" Southbend LatheLots of hand tools.
Reply:Originally Posted by papasloanI have a HTP 200 mig. Havent ued it much yet. It does a nice job. I also hear the Hobart 187 and Handler 210 are nice machines. They dont have the duty cycle of the larger machines. But they are liked by their owners.
Reply:Who actually hits the duty cycle of their welders??
Reply:The HH187 and 210 appear to be the best ticket these days in terms of bang for the buck!
Reply:http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...llermatic_135/That's the one I use, hasn't failed me yet and only uses regular 110v house current!  A great little unit for the price, I `believe` you can get it for around 700.00 new, which is an excellent price for the performance in my opinion!  Also, Hobart makes superior welders for around the same price; those two companies are top notch in my book, with Lincoln coming in third only because so many folks I know have had problemss with theirs.  Good luck! Last edited by Skwerly; 11-25-2007 at 02:19 PM.Have a Jeep Cherokee?  Click Here!
Reply:The answer is:  As big as your budget or breaker can support.You will never hear anybody complaining about a welder having too much power.
Reply:I don't want to reccomend something I have not used, BUT with that being said, I would look into a Hobart machine or a Clarke machine. When I say look into, I mean research and find out everything behind the companies. Hobarts are debadged millers, good prices as well. Clarke has come up a lot recently on another board I am on, with good response.
Reply:Originally Posted by 6010I am with you Rojodiablo    I have been in maintenance for many years and 98 percent of the welding repairs never go much beyond 2 minutes. Now construction is different. If you were welding a 20 inch pipe with a welding foreman looking at you all day , well, then it might  be different.
Reply:I've hit the thermal cut-off at least 4 maybe 5-7 times, don't know for sure, I don't keep track. MM175, always in the summer when it's already hot.
Reply:a lot of dust can collect inside a welder, i blow mine out pretty often and have never had it kick. (lincoln 135).
Reply:I have a Miller 251, 250 Syncrowave, and an older 225 Thunderbolt. In normal everyday welding I have never tripped the thermal. The only times I have are when I sit down to do some practice and time slips away while I am laying bead after bead. Even with the Thunderbolt with a 20% duty cycle I have fabricated several trailers and never had a problem. Remember the duty cycle goes up comparetively as your current decreases.
Reply:Quote from above: [[i blow mine out pretty often and have never had it kick.]]Yea, x2 on that.  If ya don't have a compressor, get one of those cans of compressed air for "keyboard dusting", they work well!  Depending on how much you work outside or inside, it's more of a judgement call really.  I blow mine out quite often, but NEVER weld inside.  If in a garage or somewhere, maybe once a month?  Good luck man!Have a Jeep Cherokee?  Click Here!
Reply:I personally wouldn't limit yourself to just a MIG machine.  Something along the lines of a Miller XMT.  You can probably find a former XMT 300 rental for under $1000, that was well taken care of.  My reasoning is that with a machine like this, you have the option of all different types of welding processes.  It's easy to hook up a wire feeder to. And if you have to do something you can't get to with your mig gun, you can just pull some stick leads out to your project.Not to mention, if you need your welds to be strong.  I would much rather stick weld something industrial.  Unless you could pulse spray it, but the stick will give you better penitration.Another option along these lines would be one of the older Powcons, 200 300 series.Good luckhttp://www.thousanddollarprofits.com/45520