Home use - MIG or STICK?

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Well, haven't posted on here in a bit but for those who read my story before the company I'm working for now has Appenticed me and credited 600+ hours to my first year.  I've been doing fitting and some basic MIG welding.  I've had a chance to run some 7018 stick but not very good yet.  I seem to be having problems following the path   Practice practice..... ;-)So anyways, on to the question.  I need a welder for around the house.  Mainly projects like gates or mufflers or sign posts.  Small stuff probably no bigger then ever 1/4 in.Crappy Tire has the Mig Pak 15 on for $549.99 (CDN) right now, but then as I was reading about that some people have picked up the Miller Thunderbolt 225 AC/DC ($600 USD) or AC (389.00 USD) for STICK and that got me remembering that some guys at work mentioned to get stick cause it is more versitile then MIG.I'm looking for cost savings as well as I'm not made of money...yet ;-)Thanks for your input!
Reply:if you decide to go with stick i would recomend the ac/dc version over the strait ac. at the same time a nice lil MIG will cover most stuff around the house, gates and stuff but you will have some limitations that stick wont but it goes the other way as well, you wont want to be trying to STick weld on sheet metal to fix a fender. add O/A to your home toys and that will pick up what the MIG wont, and do some cutting for ya. 8^)) summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:Newbwelder ! ! ! not sure where you are at. but at Tractor supply you can get a Hobart Stickmate AC/DC welder for 384.00 and it is the same maching as the thunderbolt, just cheaper both miller and hobart are owned my the same company so i am told... that is what i plan on buying for my next stick for around the house since my buzz box don't do DC and in the Vo-Tech school i am taking welding 1 and we only use DC and i got kinda use to it. the AC has its place, but the DC is smoother to work with. course everybody tells ya that, but you got to expereince it for your self to see how much a difference, i was amazed at the difference. i guess my son with wind up with the buzz box... lolMikeHH210Hobart Champ 10KLincoln Buzz BoxCampbell Hausfeld 115Victor JourneymanMilwaukee 14" Chop Saw7" Chop Saw4/12" horz band sawmetal benderother toys forthcoming.
Reply:I personally would get a reconditioned Hobart 140 @ $419.00 or Hobart 180 @ $519.00 from www.toolking.com I have both and am VERY happy   with them. My 180 was new my 140 was recon Both are Mig units. For what you want to do I would think they will be fine. Like Fun4now said O/A is a plus.Good luck with whatever you get Fun4now and crenshawjm also gave you a couple of good choices.Last edited by drivesector; 10-28-2006 at 12:48 PM.Drivesector Hobart Handler 140Hobart Handler 180Ready Welder 2Hobart Air Force 400Airco Stinger 225Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."OZZY"
Reply:i dont think he has a TSC in canada so he has to get what he can up there so just general ideas is the best we can do for him.i started out with a MM135 and O/A setup and have done a lot of stuff around the house with it, it has served me well. i added plasma and then recently TIG/stick but that was for fun the others have served me well. i could not open a fab shop with them but for around the house they have coverd every thing i needed. a small mig and a O/A will get a lot done. 8^)) summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:Alright thanks for the replies, however would anyone recommend the Mig Pak 15 at all or should I just stay clear of it?
Reply:The Mig Pak 15 is a retail version of Lincoln's SP175-T welder, it should do a fine job for you.  I would recommend getting the gas regulator/hose kit for it so you can run it as a Mig, instead of just as a flux-core welder.  It could do a lot as a flux-core, but Mig makes a much nicer weld (less spatter), leaves no slag, and is a lot better for welding on thin material.  Mig is also cheaper for the wire and shielding gas than flux-core wire is.BigEdWhen the  drops the  stops!Check out my website at:  Tombstone 180 ACHandler 120Millermatic 210Powermax 380Harris & Victor torchesSawzallChop Saw
Reply:Get the MIGPAK15 while it is on Sale!At $550 it's a steal, compared to $900 for the same Lincoln machine with the SP-175T face plate less the regulator/hose.I know; I bought the MIGPAK15 from CTC about 6 weeks back when it was on sale for the same price; it is a superb machine for MIG - compared to the 70Amp Campbell Hausfeld (the $300 MIG CTC welder that could hardly do a 1/16inch lap joint using gas/solid wire).Stick - heck for $80 at Princess Auto you can buy a cheap 117 volt (30 amp input) AC output 80 amps unit.  This will handle the Princess Auto 6011 rod up to 1/8 inch diameter and in 3/32 inch diameter it will handle 6013, 7014, and 7018AC (Lincoln).  The are also cheap inverter stick welders out there now - Harbor Freight had some for about $120 US, even the DECCA from Princess Auto was on sale for $380 - that's got 100 amps DC out from 117 15 amp input.I'm new to this myself but with the MIGPAK 15 and gas/solid wire, you can  do thin steel metal (which stick cannot do) up to 5/16 inch with no problems and no mess.  If you want thicker - use flux core but it's messier.  Note: With the MigPak- 15, you will be running at high setting an average of 130 amps DC. So, switching to DC stick may not gain you much - since that is the usual DC limit of many standard stick welders like the Lincoln AC/DC tombstone welder.If you want thicker still - you go multiplass MIG or you could go stick with a machine with 200 amp AC capacity and be prepared for smoke and beating off the slag.The way I look at it - it is a good deal on a fine MIG unit - the MigPak 15.  A good MIG is hard to find/buy used.  There just is not any other options that come close to a Lincoln SP-175T (big deal - plastic face plate says MigPak15) for $550 Canadian (thats about 490 US).Whereas stick: you got a lot of options - new and used:~$  80 for 80 amps AC~$180 for 100 amps DC inverter (Harbor Freight), Decca (Princess Auto) at $380~$125 should get you a used Tombstone shaped Lincoln 220AC~$250 should get you a used Tombstone shaped Lincoln 220AC/120DCSo, in my opinion I suggest that you exercise your limited option now (get the MIGPak-15 while on sale $200 off) and later you exercise any number of options for stick.That's my 2 cents.Rick V
Reply:Sweet, alright, looks like I'm going to get the Mig Pak 15 :-D  Yay for me.  Does anyone know the amps this thing pulls?  I only put in a 30A wire to the garage, wonder if that will be enough if I want to have lights on and stuff ;-)Thanks again for the input
Reply:i would think to work properly it would need its own 30Amp circuit summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:If in fact it is a retail version of a SP175-T the Voltage input is 220V @ 20 Amp. per this PDF Filehttp://content.lincolnelectric.com/p...ature/e734.pdfIf you have 30 Amps going in there I would think you will be fine. Hopefully your lights and or compressor wont draw 10AMPS on top of the welder running popping your breaker. Good luck and happy welding. Ummmm make sure the fridge that holds the Beer isn't on the same circuit. (I would still go with the HH180 for $519 if it were me) Just my opinion Im sure the Lincoln is just fine.Last edited by drivesector; 10-29-2006 at 05:50 PM.Drivesector Hobart Handler 140Hobart Handler 180Ready Welder 2Hobart Air Force 400Airco Stinger 225Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."OZZY"
Reply:Lincoln and Hobart have brand new machines in this class.  Look for the Lincoln 180C or the Hobart HH187.  These things are the class of the field right now, and will do everything you've listed.  A stick welder will not be the best choice for occasional muffler work, but will certainly make you a better welder when you master it!
Reply:Here's the link to page on Lincoln's website that gives the info on the Mig Pak 15:  http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Cat...eet.asp?p=9735When the  drops the  stops!Check out my website at:  Tombstone 180 ACHandler 120Millermatic 210Powermax 380Harris & Victor torchesSawzallChop Saw
Reply:I like both MIG and Stick for home use. Lots of good advice above on this. If you get a MIOG, go big and get at least a 175/220VAC model. If you go with a Stick welder, for goodness sake get an AC/DC. Then you will have the whole spectrum of rod types available to you.
Reply:MAC702 said, Lincoln and Hobart have brand new machines in this class. Look for the Lincoln 180C or the Hobart HH187. These things are the class of the field right now, and will do everything you've listed.
Reply:Well picked up the MIG Pak 15, works great (once my neighbor [master electrician] installed a 220 plug for me).  Only done light stuff now, the exhaust on my car sounds much better now.  Still burning through really easily, got most of it welded though a couple holes left to fill....next time the car is up I'll look at it.Thanks for all the suggestions :-D