First MIG Welder

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I've been doing a lot of research and I'm trying to decide on a MIG welder. I've been looking at the MM175, Lincoln SP 175 plus, and the HH180. the MM DVI looks interesting too, however I wish it were smaller as space in my shop is gettting real tight. One big problem is that this welder is going to be sitting in a woodshop which means lots of dust in the air. I plan on doing my welding outside because of the fire hazard, but I'm worried about the dust messing up the welder. Is a blast of compressed air every now and then enough to keep the insides clean? Would an air filter over the cooling fan help? I'd probably get a cover for it too. Because I'm going to be welding outside I'll be using flux core for a while. I've heard that the settings are different for flux core than solid wire, so would this cause a problem with the automatic wire feed speed adjustment on the MM175? That feature sounds interesting, but is there a way to shut it off if I don't want to use it? Are there any features on a welder that make it better or worse for running flux core?I can see myself doing a variety of things with this welder. It will definitely be used to weld up some jigs and make some tools for the woodshop, and it will also see some use doing some more artistic stuff, as well as some prototype work. Which welder do you guys think would be the best? One final question, I live just north of Toronto, Ontario. Do you guys have any dealers that you'd recomend? Thanks in advance for all the helpAndrew
Reply:All the models you mentioned will come with a chart to give you amps and wire speed for flux core, solid , aluminum, and stainless wire. The solid wire with C-25 gas will make the best weld in my opinion. There is a world of difference in the appearance of the weld between flux core and solid gas shielded wire. The cover should keep your welder clean, you might add a rubber shock cord around the bottom of the cover to make it fit tighter.I bought my Miller on E-Bay, best price.Millermatic 135Miller Big 40Lincoln 225AC
Reply:definetly get a cover, compressed air cleanings are the best method to keep it running smoothlyStangnetShop Full Of Stuff. Joey
Reply:The three smaller welders you mention are pretty similar.  The "wire speed tracking" feature in the Miller is not selsctable; it's always on.  There are many opinions as to it's value.  It is intended to make setup easier for beginners; it tends to get in the way of "dialing in" the arc as you gain experience.  All-in-all, it's no big thing.You can weld outside with gas shileding, just don't try it in a  high wind unless you can shiled the welding area, or your shieding gas will blow away.  There is not a thing wrong with flux-core welding either.  There is a light slag left tha needs to be chipped away, but it comes off very easily, and the bead appearances are as good as the weldor!A cover will keep the dust out.  Normal maintenance calls sfor a compressed air blow-out now and then.FWIW, I do woodwork in the same work space I weld in.  I just clean up real well after a wood project, and keep the welding table surrounded with spark shields.HankHank
Reply:If cost is not an issue, can Argon be used for all three? A good friend owns a metalworking shop and says thats all he uses for everything. He doesnt weld much though, mainly machine work.The expensive fill ups would probably be cheaper then the cost of having two bottles considering how much i weld.
Reply:I have a little experience with a stick welder (I did some welding in highschool) and I've heard that fluxcore has some similarities to stick. To be honest, I know that MIG requires the least skill out of any welding process, so I'm hoping that flux core will be more of a challenge and help me develop my welding skills more. Eventually I'll get a bottle of gas, but if I can get by with out for a while it'll save me the $300 I was quoted for an 80 cf bottle. Will I need gas and solid wire to weld sheetmetal, or will flux core work (doesn't have to be perfect) Chipping a bit of slag off doesn't bother me. MMurray, I too have wondered if argon would work for all 3 metals. I'm sure there's a reason that different gasses are used, but if a TIG welder only needs argon, it would seem logical that it would work for MIG welding too. Hopefully one of the experts can expalin this.One more thing, the Lincoln has a lower low end @ 25 amps, compared to the Miller @ 30 amps. Is that 5 amps going to be noticeable, or is this just a marketing gimmick?ThanksAndrew
Reply:Originally posted by mmurray70 If cost is not an issue, can Argon be used for all three? A good friend owns a metalworking shop and says thats all he uses for everything. He doesnt weld much though, mainly machine work.The expensive fill ups would probably be cheaper then the cost of having two bottles considering how much i weld.
Reply:FWIW buy the $35 HF utility cart and put the welder on the bottom then use furnace filters and duct tape around the sides to allow air flow while eliminating dust. The top can be used to hold all the other stuff like pliers, clamps gloves and helmet. Anyway, cheap and there is enough room to add a bottle easy.