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I will try to keep this short - new to the welding forum here. I am 50y/o :-(Grew up on a farm, took shop in school to learn to weld. We learned on a 225 Lincoln Tombstone AC stick. Used only 7018 sticks. No idea why. So my only experience with welders are my own personal 225 Lincoln tombstone and an acetylene torch.I cut with my torch mainly as needed or heat things up, in a pinch I burn things apart with my tombstone on a high setting. my biggest challenge is welding things upside down or where the welding is not flat/level. I cant weld thin stuff other than with my torch and that isn't always ideal SO.........my question is this, I am looking at a new to me welder, used, etc.......I am a practical welder, something broke I need to fix it. 95% of things I weld are  on my tractor, implements, etc.....my tombstone has served me well for those things. I still use 7018 because I know nothing different. I had someone give me some 6011 and they don't seem to look as pretty LOL. Probably me.I am wanting to weld up some broken deer stands, lawn mower deck, make some furniture/tables so metal frames and I want something that can do thinner things and look good for the furniture stuff especially. Would it be best to get a good 220mig and dial it down for thin and use it for the unlevel welds? are they better for vertical stuff? So.....teach me, I am not opposed to getting a used miller/Lincoln or whatever you all might recommend, I am not picky about stuff other than it needs to work well when I need it and I can still get parts if it breaks or is repairable. I am resourceful so ingenuity is something I have had to use on the farm trying to keep things running/operational. I don't care if my welder is portable but am also not opposed to getting a small 110 if you guys think tht would be best? In my 30+ years of welding I have rarely used my tombstone over 150amps other than for burning things apart. Most of my welding with my tombstone has been from 60 to 150amps although I wish I could weld thinner stuff with it. I have about 1000 bucks to spend
Reply:You can always turn down a bigger machine, but you can't weld with power you don't have. In your price range, you are close to the price of some of the dual voltage migs, like Millers MM211 or Hobarts HH210MVP. Both will do 3/8" steel on 230v power, or 1/8" steal easily on 110v power. That would give you the best of both worlds. On a tight budget, I'd opt for the Hobart. You don't give up much compared to the Miller.If you go with just a 230v machine, you could save a bit of money and only give up the ability to weld on 110v power. Hobart, Miller and Lincoln All have good choices in the budget 230v mig area. Hobart usually is your best value for the money.Used would also be an option depending on what you can locate. I've seen plenty of guys buy older MM200's dirt cheap. That machine would blow any of the small home owner grade migs out of the water. Plenty of other options out there as well. You might add your location to your profile so we know where you are all the time.As far as welding vertical or overhead, no machine is going to "fix" that for you. To be blunt, you need to learn to weld. Being able to weld vertical/ overhead separates those who can weld from those who can't. Mig does have some advantages over stick in this. With stick or FC wire, you have to differentiate what is molten metal from what is molten flux. I see a lot of people panic when doing vertical up with stick because they see a lot of dripping slag. They immediately rush and outrun the puddle leaving gaps in their weld. Solid wire mig allows you to just concentrate on the molten puddle and I occasionally use mig to teach guys how to weld with vertical stick who simply can't get past the molten slag issue since they can see the puddle clearly this way. Then when they go back and watch me do stick, they can understand better what is happening.We'll be happy to help you improve your stick skills. Start a thread in the mig/tig stick area and post up some picts of your welds 1st in the flat position so we have a base point to start from. List rod size and type, machine used, amp setting, material thickness and so on. Seeing this we can get an idea of your basic skill level and if we hav eto start with basics or not. Then you can post some picts horizontal, vertical and overhead, and we can go on from there. ( Be sure and let us know what position they are welded in).Most hobbyists or self taught welders do what I call timing patterns. These work great in flat and horizontal. That all falls apart when you hit vertical. Here you need to learn to read the puddle and manipulate it. Once you do this, vertical isn't that hard. Overhead is almost as easy as flat IF you can read the puddle. If you can't , it's a nightmare..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:+1 on the HH210MVP. Northern Tool has it for 899 with free shipping. Cyberweld has it for 897 with free shipping.You'll want to get a cylinder of 75/25 unless you are going to only use flux-core wire.Definitely post some pictures of you welds. DSW and others can help you a great deal.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?What is the used market look like?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:I am in the Kansas city area, I see things on craigslist but not sure what is descent or not? For work I travel to stlouis, Omaha/Lincoln, springfield mo, Joplin, junction city ks/manhattan and Topeka so have options in those areas. thanks for the info so far and yes as one of you stated, I feel confident doing flat horizontal things but vertical is a nightmare LOL - when I try it all the molten stuff hits the floor whether I try going from top to bottom or bottom to top - is one direction better than the other? I will try to get some pictures and post them on here this weekend. so to fix my shortcomings I use my tractor/bobcat to turn things to a horizontal position to weld LOL - yes I have air lifted my trailers, my projects so my weld can be made horizontal - I know you are all smiling hey, I said I was resourceful!!!!I can say when I weld stuff I rarely break it again in that spot cause I usually beef it up and I like to burn hotter vs colder for good penetration. My tombstone has been a great pal. We have them everywhere, my house, at the farm, my buddys folks and his farm. I like mig, I have welded with it on a flat piece of metal a couple times and they seem to look pretty that is more my interest as I plan some hobby stuff to make some industrial looking benches metal framed with barn board sides/backs and large old casters for gifts for family.
Reply:The Hobart 210MVP would be a good choice for your $1,000.00 budget as you'll need another 200 or so for a bottle of shielding gas.Didn't see much on CL in your area.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:Originally Posted by Gravel+1 on the HH210MVP. Northern Tool has it for 899 with free shipping. Cyberweld has it for 897 with free shipping.You'll want to get a cylinder of 75/25 unless you are going to only use flux-core wire.Definitely post some pictures of you welds. DSW and others can help you a great deal.
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1Do you have a Blains Farm and Fleet ? http://www.farmandfleet.com/products...l#.VPoSaPzF-mAHobart Handler 210MVP MIG WelderBlain # 678611 | Mfr # 500553Ask a QuestionGet fast answers from people who own this!See 8 questions | 71 answers$894.99Sale $794.99 through 3/15/2015
Reply:Why not get smaller rods and run lower amps for thin stuff?  I have welded as low as 16ga with 1/16" rods, and I am not that great of a stick welder.
Reply:and within $50 of the cheapest used one in the area up on Craig'sHobart Handler 210MVP MIG WelderBlain # 678611 | Mfr # 500553Ask a QuestionGet fast answers from people who own this!See 8 questions | 71 answers$894.99Sale $794.99 through 3/15/2015
Reply:Flipping things over shows you have a understanding of what welding should be. Many guys would just gob it up and call it goodMillermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:Originally Posted by searcyfarmsthanks for the info so far and yes as one of you stated, I feel confident doing flat horizontal things but vertical is a nightmare LOL - when I try it all the molten stuff hits the floor whether I try going from top to bottom or bottom to top - is one direction better than the other?
Reply:ok thanks I will practice that maybe I wont have airlift things to weld them horizontal
Reply:hey what is the deal with this new Lincoln 210 would it be a possibility, anyone know anything about it vs the Hobart 210 or Miller 211 that you guys recommended?