Hobart handler 125 MIG trailer build???

admin

Hello, My names Tyler i just signed up here and I'm sorta a newbie to welding but love to learn... Any tips and advice are greatly appreciated.I purchased a hobart handler 125 and i'm wanting to build an ATV/Motorcycle Trailer. I just ordered the gas regulator and will be running 75%Argon25%Co2 mix with .035 Wire.I know it says it will do up to 1/4" thick with flux core but will it actually penetrate GOOD enough on 3/16" thick square tube with GAS? Obviously i don't want my trailer falling apart on the freeway with 15 grand worth of toys on it. I can lay really good MIG welds and have a very sturdy design drawn up but I'm still learning the rope's. I can't afford a 220V welder at the moment and don't have an outlet available yet either. Just wondering if its a really bad idea or not... Thanks for the help! Also, a friend of mine said to try flux core wire WITH argon/co2. Apparently it makes beautiful welds???
Reply:Losing the toys hurts the wallet- losing life well... you get the idea 1. Yes, bad idea2. Your friend is wrong.Welcome to the Forum.Use the 125 handler to make other stuff that doesn't go down the road. 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:Your lost toys would be the least of your problems.  The lawsuits that result in your wages being garnished for the rest of your life, combines with the guilt if your beginner welds resulted in someone getting hit by your trailer parts and dying -- well, that's the thing that would bother me, at least.A really good welder could use a light duty welder like that to make a trailer.  But the thing is, a really good welder wouldn't be relying on a light-duty machine.  And a novice/intermediate welder is going to potentially make a trailer that breaks out on the freeway when one of the welds finally gets stressed back and forth enough to let go, and the pieces of trailer (and toys) hitting other cars at 60+ mph is the sort of thing none of us wants to see.I'm making some assumptions, based on your post, but neither you or your friend is even a novice-level welder at this point.  He's wrong about combining flux-core wire and gas -- that's another type of wire altogether.  And you're wrong to think that just because the machine is advertised at a particular thickness, any welder who picks up the gun is going to be able to make a long-lasting weld at that thickness.You should do lots of projects and have lots of fun with that welder.  But you should not ever weld anything with it that is structural or potentially life-threatening in the aftermath of a weld failure.  It's simply not designed for that kind of welding.  And without training, neither are you.It's good that you asked, though.  But Ed is spot-on in his answer.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:IMO flux core on that welder will do thicker material a lot better than with gas on that welder.I did a solid axle conversion on a toyota 4runner using a flux core welder. And beat on that thing. Hard. And never had a weld crack or any other issues. But all that material was between 3/16 and 1/4" thick.However, I'd listen to these guys here who have a heckuva lot more experience than I!Last edited by chimmike; 04-10-2012 at 03:38 PM.Hobart EZ-Tig newbie.
Reply:Oh no, here we go again. No offense to the OP, it's just that this similar topic comes up not only here on this website, but other welding sites too. Listen to the experts here.  Don't do it. Makes me wonder if on demolition forums, questions like this come up: "Will my dad's tack hammer work to demo out my old concrete driveway?"Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:Despite what the manufacturers lit might say, that machine will top out at about 14 ga steel under real world conditions. ( 14 ga is thinner than 1/8") As others have said, if you are inexperienced, don't even bet on getting decent welds on material that thin.110v migs are good for sheet metal. If you want to do 3/16" or 1/4" you need a 180 amp 220v class mig minimum, to get satisfactory results. Trailers for road use are not "learning" projects. You need to be able to do code quality welds, in all positions, every time, before you even begin to think about a project like this..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're just kidding, right ?
Reply:Originally Posted by Jack OlsenYour lost toys would be the least of your problems.  The lawsuits that result in your wages being garnished for the rest of your life, combines with the guilt if your beginner welds resulted in someone getting hit by your trailer parts and dying -- well, that's the thing that would bother me, at least.A really good welder could use a light duty welder like that to make a trailer.  But the thing is, a really good welder wouldn't be relying on a light-duty machine.  And a novice/intermediate welder is going to potentially make a trailer that breaks out on the freeway when one of the welds finally gets stressed back and forth enough to let go, and the pieces of trailer (and toys) hitting other cars at 60+ mph is the sort of thing none of us wants to see.I'm making some assumptions, based on your post, but neither you or your friend is even a novice-level welder at this point.  He's wrong about combining flux-core wire and gas -- that's another type of wire altogether.  And you're wrong to think that just because the machine is advertised at a particular thickness, any welder who picks up the gun is going to be able to make a long-lasting weld at that thickness.You should do lots of projects and have lots of fun with that welder.  But you should not ever weld anything with it that is structural or potentially life-threatening in the aftermath of a weld failure.  It's simply not designed for that kind of welding.  And without training, neither are you.It's good that you asked, though.  But Ed is spot-on in his answer.
Reply:Haha apparently i sat my self up for disaster here. I will look into a 220V setup and stick with the trailer i have for now. Thanks guys.
Reply:All we know about you is what you write here.  In your first post, you say "I'm sorta a newbie to welding but love to learn."  Then you come back later with "I have had a LOT of practice on 220V MIG welders and some with TIG."  Then you talk about running .035 wire with gas, which the 125 isn't rated for.  With gas, it runs up to .030.  And the literature I've read on it says it can go up to 3/16" with flux, but only 1/4" with gas.  But you've got different numbers.  And you've got a friend who talks about flux core wire with C25 gas making "beautiful welds."  Well, there is such a thing as dual shield welding, which uses either C25 or CO2 gas.  But it uses a special wire that's designed for that application -- not your off-the-shelf flux core wire.  Esab makes a good wire for it.So it's hard for us to know if you have any idea what you're talking about.  It might be you're a great welder who doesn't express himself with a lot of precision in an online forum.  That's certainly possible.  But we have no way of knowing that.  Lots of novices like to upgrade their skill levels when they go online.  It could be that you would make a great trailer with a Hobart 125.  But we have to make a judgement call on whether to encourage that with a guy we don't know.Last edited by Jack Olsen; 04-11-2012 at 12:51 AM.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:Originally Posted by Jack OlsenAll we know about you is what you write here.  In your first post, you say "I'm sorta a newbie to welding but love to learn."  Then you come back later with "I have had a LOT of practice on 220V MIG welders and some with TIG."  Then you talk about running .035 wire with gas, which the 125 isn't rated for.  With gas, it runs up to .030.  And the literature I've read on it says it can go up to 3/16" with flux, but only 1/4" with gas.  But you've got different numbers.  And you've got a friend who talks about flux core wire with C25 gas making "beautiful welds."  Well, there is such a thing as dual shield welding, which uses either C25 or CO2 gas.  But it uses a special wire that's designed for that application -- not your off-the-shelf flux core wire.  Esab makes a good wire for it.So it's hard for us to know if you have any idea what you're talking about.  It might be you're a great welder who doesn't express himself with a lot of precision in an online forum.  That's certainly possible.  But we have no way of knowing that.  Lots of novices like to upgrade their skill levels when they go online.  It could be that you would make a great trailer with a Hobart 125.  But we have to make a judgement call on whether to encourage that with a guy we don't know.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jack OlsenAll we know about you is what you write here.  In your first post, you say "I'm sorta a newbie to welding but love to learn."  Then you come back later with "I have had a LOT of practice on 220V MIG welders and some with TIG."  Then you talk about running .035 wire with gas, which the 125 isn't rated for.  With gas, it runs up to .030.  And the literature I've read on it says it can go up to 3/16" with flux, but only 1/4" with gas.  But you've got different numbers.  And you've got a friend who talks about flux core wire with C25 gas making "beautiful welds."  Well, there is such a thing as dual shield welding, which uses either C25 or CO2 gas.  But it uses a special wire that's designed for that application -- not your off-the-shelf flux core wire.  Esab makes a good wire for it.So it's hard for us to know if you have any idea what you're talking about.  It might be you're a great welder who doesn't express himself with a lot of precision in an online forum.  That's certainly possible.  But we have no way of knowing that.  Lots of novices like to upgrade their skill levels when they go online.  It could be that you would make a great trailer with a Hobart 125.  But we have to make a judgement call on whether to encourage that with a guy we don't know.
Reply:Get yourself a decent stick welder, then work down to a MIG.You'll find that the stick welder will do 90% of what you want to do.  The wire welder is handy for light stuff later on."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Honestly- it would be cheaper to buy a used trailer for the toys- there are tons of them out there.Use the Handler to make gas jug racks, Motorcycle Chocks and other trailer accessories.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:It's ebb and flow with trailer questions isn't it?what these guys has said is spot on so I'm not going to waste my time and yours repeating it.a good rule of thumb, if you have to ask, you probably shouldn't be doing it without express in person expert supervision. that's not saying that it can't be done or that it hasn't. It's saying that in the best interest of the people around you (no one cares if you hurt/kill yourself that's your own business), you shouldn't do it. Thanks for asking first and not getting offended when you didn't get the answer you were looking for. Too many people come on here thinking that they're big stuff with their new welder and their stack of metal expecting to get one answer, than get highly offended when they are told that they shouldn't do it. Welding is not one of those things where "anything you can do I can do better." It takes years of experience to be able to understand and do some of the stuff that guys on this forum can do. Use them to your advantage and heed the advice. it's not given to make ourselves feel important.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:As soon as the OP said he wanted to do the trailer with .035 wire and gas on a 125A mig, I knew we were in trouble..035 solid wire will not run well on that small a machine.Please listen to the advice already given.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Ty,I'm just babbling to increase my post count, but I gotta agree with Farmersamm.Keep your Handler 125 for light gage work and pick up a cheap ol' tombstone type arc welder.  Plug it in to the dryer outlet and practice till you get visually and structurally acceptible welds, shouldn't take long.But at least I didn't just say "you're just kidding, right?" Lincoln SA 200Esab Caddy 160Thermal Arc 201TSMiller Dialarc HFI don't like making plans for the day because then the word "premeditated" gets thrown around the courtroom....
Reply:I did a solid axle conversion on a toyota 4runner using a flux core welder.
Reply:Originally Posted by DeloresWhittierI did a solid axle conversion on a toyota 4runner using a flux core welder.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammGet yourself a decent stick welder, then work down to a MIG.You'll find that the stick welder will do 90% of what you want to do.  The wire welder is handy for light stuff later on.
Reply:Originally Posted by dubl_tTy,I'm just babbling to increase my post count, but I gotta agree with Farmersamm.Keep your Handler 125 for light gage work and pick up a cheap ol' tombstone type arc welder.  Plug it in to the dryer outlet and practice till you get visually and structurally acceptible welds, shouldn't take long.But at least I didn't just say "you're just kidding, right?"
Reply:Originally Posted by dubl_tKeep your Handler 125 for light gage work and pick up a cheap ol' tombstone type arc welder.
Reply:Originally Posted by k45If you have a MIG welder for lighter work, is there any advantage to an AD/DC tombstone welder over a straight AC unit for heavier work?   I'm guessing that when you do heavier work you would be using the higher rated AC output rather than the DC side?Ken
Reply:Originally Posted by tnjindNo, once you use DC you will want to pull the knob off so you can't go back to AC.All kidding aside DC is much better to use, smoother....
Reply:Originally Posted by k45I understand that it is smoother, but if you were welding something heavy, would 225 amps of AC be more capable than 125 amps of DC (Thinking of the Lincoln 225 AC/DC for example)?KenOriginally Posted by k45I understand that it is smoother, but if you were welding something heavy, would 225 amps of AC be more capable than 125 amps of DC (Thinking of the Lincoln 225 AC/DC for example)?Ken
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWMy Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC is rated at 225 amps AC and 180 amps DC, same as I believe the Lincoln is IIRC. 7018 5/32" rod is rated at  135-225 amps in AC and 120-190 amps DC on my generic rod chart at the desk. That means there's really no advantage output wise AC vs DC there. 3/16" 7018 however shows 180-270 in AC vs 210-290 in DC, so you'd get a bit more out of the machine in AC with that size rod. You'd need to look up the specific rods you planned to use however, as different 7018 rods have different output ratings.In reality 3/16" rod is probably way more than you'd ever need to run with a machine that size. You'd be much better off probably either dropping down in rod size, or getting a more powerful machine if you really needed to run 3/16" rods. Most "hobby" projects can be done with 1/8" rods max.
Reply:I'll bow to your numbers because I'm going off memory right now as far as max output on the machines. 1/4" to 1" should be fine with 1/8" rods. 125 amps DC is usually where I'd set the machine for 7018. Post picts of your welds and settings in another thread. I'm guessing your issues are something other than amps. From experience my guess is you are probably going to fast if your amps are close. 2nd thought is your arc length is to short or too long. With stick if you back off with the rod your "heat" increases. Bury the rod and the weld gets "colder". Give me a minute and I'll add the link I did on this for Rick V a while back.Edit: here's the link...http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=58537.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:For me, I'm not a professional welder (compensated), but I do stick welds that turn out nice as an amateur (not compensated).  I don't think you'd ever want to weld any electrode larger than 5/32" with a Thunderbolt or Lincoln Tombstone (AC/DC) model. 95% of the time for a home hobbiest, the 1/8" rod is big enough. My personal belief is that arc welding with AC sure may not be as smooth, but in the hand of an "artist" welder, AC welds can look just dandy.  Albeit, DC+ penetrates slightly better than AC, but there have been thousands of trailers, chassis, hoists, bumpers, roll cages etc.. welded up on Miller/Lincoln/Hobart  AC-only  'lil stick welders for decades. Is Single barrel Scotch "smoother" than Kentucky Bourbon? Hell yeah, but they both can put you three sheets to the wind equally well.  Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:Originally Posted by SuperArcIs Single barrel Scotch "smoother" than Kentucky Bourbon? Hell yeah, but they both can put you three sheets to the wind equally well.
Reply:Originally Posted by k45 is there any advantage to an AD/DC tombstone welder over a straight AC unit for heavier work? Ken