what exactly does a hobbiest need?

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I have a harbor freight 85 amp flux core welder.  I'm looking to upgrade.  I'm considering the everlast or longevity 110 volt 140 mig units.  Is 140 amps sufficient for minor hobby stuff (like tables, or maybe even a yard trailer or something light)?   Or should I step up with something like everlast imig 200 that is both 110 and 220 and does mig and stick? I like the mig stick and being able to eventually try scratch start tig with that unit but not sure how much use it will ever get?I understand there is no necessarily 1 right answer but wondering what the experience here would recommend?ShaunLast edited by calixt0; 06-20-2014 at 11:19 PM.
Reply:Or even just keeping my HF flux core unit and buying this as my new unit with stick and tig.  http://www.everlastgenerators.com/pr...powerarc-140st.    Question is will 140 amps be enough for making even a light duty trailer to pull a lawnmower or something like that?how often do you need tig or stick over 140 amps?Last edited by calixt0; 06-20-2014 at 11:36 PM.
Reply:I recommend stepping up to a 180+ amp machine.  My 140 ran out of guts before i wanted it to. I wind up going to stick before i want to. Miller, Lincoln, and Hobart make machines in this range that run off of 110v or 220v power.I'm also a hobbiest and can't afford to buy cheap welders. Buy higher quality once and you won't regret it.Disclaimer: I am just another somewhat anonymous guy on the internet and the above is merely my opinion.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Originally Posted by calixt0Or even just keeping my HF flux core unit and buying this as my new unit with stick and tig.  http://www.everlastgenerators.com/pr...powerarc-140st.    Question is will 140 amps be enough for making even a light duty trailer to pull a lawnmower or something like that?
Reply:that was to pull a lawn mower not just pull behind one. just trying to be as clear as possible.most stuff i see welded on youtube are done about 100 amps anyways unless its doing some rediculose 1/2" plate or something that I will never weld.
Reply:Gravel gave a decent reply to the problem when he stated, "I'm also a hobbiest and can't afford to buy cheap welders. Buy higher quality once and you won't regret it." I believe most of us have been in the position where we found that cheap isn't necessarily so once we factored in the expense of extra work-arounds and failed projects from the lack of sufficient equipment to really get the job done, and done properly. Forget about welding up a lawn mower trailer until you have more experience welding, much more, than you have watching YouTube videos of others' doing the welding. I guy with a Harbor Freight 85 amp flux core welder looking to upgrade to other equipment so he can build a trailer is the classic nightmare for many of us. No, come to think of it, the classic nightmare is the guy that owns a HF 85 amp flux core welder upgrading, sort of, to other equipment and not listening to a word of advice before he does build that trailer and wrecks death, injury and mayhem on the highway. If you are really looking to upgrade your equipment, go out and find a used name brand stick welder, practice, practice so more and keep practicing. By the time you become proficient you won't need to be asking whether or not the welder 'can' get the job done...you'll know both it and yourself are ready.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:WyoRoy... sound like solid advice.. I do have some experience but its been years ago.  I used to weld industrial big rig trailers and horse trailers for 2 different companies.    Its been a while since i've done much and because of that feel very green.  When I was welding the trailers back in the early 90's I was a production type welder where a "foreman" came and set up the welder and I just did minor adjustments here and there.... been long enough I don't even remember amperage or voltage settings etc. etc. Am I understanding the consensus is everlast and Longevity are not good brands.. I need to save for miller/lincoln/hobart?
Reply:The quality of the product is one thing, support after the sale is more important in my opinion.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Originally Posted by calixt0Am I understanding the consensus is everlast and Longevity are not good brands.. I need to save for miller/lincoln/hobart?
Reply:Thing with these hf, longevity,  chicom welders is a lot of people buy them and modify them so they will actually weld and not make a spattery mess. Or they see these cheap machines and assume all 120v powered migs are alike, based on what they know from ru ning these sub$150 machines. No need to mod a Lincoln,  hobart or miller unless you are totally insane. Last edited by mad welder 4; 06-21-2014 at 01:43 AM.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:Something smells fishy. You welded on big trailers for years with 2 different companies, yet you can't figure out what the difference is between a small 85 to 140 amp class 110v mig and a bigger machine. I've never seen a big company doing that sort of work with anything but 230v minimum, industrial powered, brand name units. If you've run a 230/460v industrial mig, you'd easily notice the difference between it and a small 110v machine. I'll let it pass for now and assume you're questions are legit.... Be advised though, you are being watched. If you are here to troll and start trouble over the "import" vs "brand name" machines, you are gone. That won't be tolerated.You've covered a wide range of machines, then tried to lump them all into one overall group. You can't compare 140 "amps" of mig, to 140 amps or tig or even stick. This is an apples to oranges comparison. First mig is a constant voltage process, so "amps" is a vague generic term that manufacturers use to "class" machines. It doesn't compare well to constant current machines like tig or stick. well get to those later.A 140 amp class 110v mig is capable of doing 1/8" steel under real world conditions despite what the manufacturer might say in their literature. If you read the fine print, you will usually find that they draw more than 20 amps on a dedicated circuit with no extension cord to get full output, and the duty cycle is measured almost in seconds at max power, making it totally impractical.  Use a 15 amp circuit or an extension cord, or exceed the duty cycle, and the output drops rapidly. A 230v powered mig usually has a much higher output, both in actual "amps" and in duty cycle. A 180 "amp" class mig is good for about 1/4", and a 200 amp class mig, about 3/8". Beyond that, most migs will do whatever you want them to weld. This is a very general rule, but is good enough for a simple explanation.Small 110v stick units have the same issues small migs do. Most won't give you max output on typical 110v power. Most inexpensive small 110v stick units are limited to 1/8" tick material using very small rods, typically 5/64" or less at amps below about 90. Most 230v powered stick machines can easily run higher amps and run 3/32" or 1/8" rods no problem. 3/32" rods will usually get you to at least 1/4 to 3/8" steel, and 1/8" will do just about anything thicker, though fill rates on thick steel usually means you will want a bigger rod.Tig a good rule of thumb with steel is 1 amp per .001" of material, so a 125 amp  tig will do 1/8" steel. you'd need close to 250 amps for 1/4", though the rule starts to break down at about this point and few ever weld steel this thick using tig.I'll compliment the other posters on avoiding the import vs brand name issue. There have been plenty of posts on the subject here about issues with customer service and machine problems with imports for those that do a bit of research on the subject. We don't need to rehash those again..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:Look into the Thermal Arc/Tweco multiprocess machines as well.  They are a great value with good quality control and at least some service.IIRC, the Fabricator 181i is dual voltage, can do Mig/Tig/Stick and is around $900 shipped to your door.  There's pretty much no project it won't handle for a hobby guy except thin aluminum.  You can add a Spoolgun for thick aluminum.  The problem with going small on a machine is that your projects start to GROW as you do it more but your machine stays the same size.  I started with a HF121 Dualmig and winded up with a XMT304/Suitcase Feeeder combo.
Reply:FWIW, I started with a Miller 211 (MIG) and I've been totally happy with it.   Buy something good in the first place and you only buy once.   I then added a Miller Thunderbolt when I wanted to do stick welding.   I've done some pretty heavy work (broken 30" mini excavator bucket repair) and 50hp tractor and skid steer attachments with them.
Reply:thanks all for the comments.  DSW let me clarify.  Yes I did some commercial welding but I was young and totally non observant as I like many 18 year olds thought I knew everything and had nothing else to learn.  went from doing that to going to college (because the pay was terrible as I had no certs) and didn't touch anything for close to 15 years.  All I've had access to since is what i was able to afford after being disabled due to my MS.  Can I tell that the hf stuff is very weak and erratic?  yes absolutely! But I know nothing about the other brands I asked about... I was not trying to start a war or troll was simply hoping for a good deal on a decent but not industrial/fantastic product.  I just don't have the thousands to spend on a high end name brand machine so was hoping.    Sorry if it came across fishy and I understand  how it would.
Reply:Don't be afraid to look at used. I'd never buy a new 230v transformer stick machine for example. I can find all sorts of really nice ones used at a fraction of the cost. Most are they typical "homeowner" units, but quite often you'll see bigger 230v industrial units selling for less than the lower quality ones you see at the box store.You just have to have some idea what you are looking for, and be aware that when you start looking at bigger machines, you have to make sure they aren't 3 phase only. I haven't bought a "new" welder in years. My Miller Maxstar 200 was used, but with only something like 300 hours on the clock. I picked it up for much less than a smaller import machine with less capability would have cost me new..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:If you want mig I'd recommend the Hobart 210mvp. For stick a acdc Lincoln tombstone.  Either one or both will be plenty for home purposes
Reply:Originally Posted by puty72If you want mig I'd recommend the Hobart 210mvp. For stick a acdc Lincoln tombstone.  Either one or both will be plenty for home purposes
Reply:For stick, some of the things I see available used in the mid-Atlantic region on CL:Lincoln AC-225C (yes, the "C") $40.Miller Maxstar 150 - $400.Several Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DC for $325 - $375. - very cleanAIRCO 250 (same as Miller Dialarc 250) for $210. (no leads ?)Craftsman (Century) AC/DC - $120. Lincoln AC/DC 225/125 w/ Tweco connects - $200.Air Products (Century) 230 AC welder with leads - $40.A couple very old Lincoln AC225S models with metal selector switch and side-by-side leads - about $125.I've missed purchasing (by minutes or a couple hours) several MIG units that were offered for $350- $500 .  175 - 250A with big C25 tank and some with cart and/or accessories.  (Lincoln or ESAB)"USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:Send me one of those Ideal arc AC/DC machines!  Can't get them that cheap down here. Sent from my SM-G900V using TapatalkGravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Ha. There is a used 225 amp lincoln buzzbox for $250 and an SA200 that must be made out of solid gold here.If I could get an AC-225C for $40 I would buy it, convert it to DC, parallel it with my craftsman for 450 amps of combinded output just to see what would happen.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:Originally Posted by mad welder 4Ha. There is a used 225 amp lincoln buzzbox for $250 and an SA200 that must be made out of solid gold here.If I could get an AC-225C for $40 I would buy it, convert it to DC, parallel it with my craftsman for 450 amps of combinded output just to see what would happen.
Reply:or this http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/tls/4522497462.html
Reply:Dont be parallel unlike machines it will blow up , we used to use 2 & 3 DC -600's and burned em up ,Shooting studs and gouging 1000 amps. Now use DC 1000 &Nelson stud welders .
Reply:You dont have to have DC.You need DC if you want to run 7018 and 6010. There are 7018AC rods, but they dont work that good on AC. Lincoln 7018 runs ok in AC, washington alloy says it runs AC but I cant make it work.7024 rod runs amaizing on AC. 7014 runs AC real well too. 6011 and 6013, depends on the manufacturer.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:Originally Posted by PavinsteelmanDont be parallel unlike machines it will blow up , we used to use 2 & 3 DC -600's and burned em up ,Shooting studs and gouging 1000 amps. Now use DC 1000 &Nelson stud welders .Hobart Handler 140
Reply:A large Bluco table with lots and lots of fixturing devices.No one can be expected to weld anything well without one.
Reply:i only have experience with the hobart 210 mvp as far as mig goes.  its met all my welding needs so far as a hobbyist and i've only used voltage setting 3 and below .  i have 230v in the garage and i've used it on 120v at my parents house for some small repairs on a BBQ pit.  one year in with no problems to report.my welds aren't pretty but its not the machine's fault.  i'm not saying you should buy one, just sharing my experience with it .
Reply:Once you have selected and purchased your welding machine, you will need a nice nylon/polyester blend welding jacket to protect you from sparks and UV light. Your local welding supply should be able to order one for you if they don't stock your size.
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauOnce you have selected and purchased your welding machine, you will need a nice nylon/polyester blend welding jacket ...
Reply:the accessories I understand... I was more referring to the actual welder. I know I'll need gloves and jackets and clamps and........ Original question was related to how much welder I'll need.
Reply:For a MIG I'd want a 175 class or better unless I had to have it portable/120. (ESAB 160i would also work.)  For stick, a 160A+ dual-voltage inverter would be nice but there are plenty of old 230V transformer machines floating around."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:If you are considering getting a stick, dont get a 120v transformer machine. They are useless on a 15 amp circuit and to get full power out of them they need up to 30 amp power connection. Problem standard 120v oultlets are on a 15 and 20 amp circuit breakers.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:As noted you don't have to break the bank to do some welding. I bought my used Craftsman 230amp AC at an auction sale for $40 and it works fine. I farm and repair things much larger than you are talking about, but I echo the sentiment on looking for quality products and spending the extra dime on a good 240 outlet or 2. When I got my Lincoln MIG, I also went for the higher voltage and it's given me a much wider range to work in. I bought a cheapo O/A cutting torch and it was a fire hazard that I tossed in the garbage. Buy quality and you will never have to do that.250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes