Good welder for newbie

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I really want to learn to weld so I know how to for projects like bumpers and other things on my jeep and other things. I have very limited welding skills, all I have done is in my high school shop class and we really did not have much training. He told us the basics then we started on a project which was building a petal driven buggy. So all I really know is the basics. I am looking for a decent mig welder that i can weld up to about 1/4 inch steel and maybe thicker. I don't want to spend over 500 dollars and I already have a bench grinder, angle grinder, and chop saw. Any suggestions?
Reply:anything over a 1/4" and youll need to spend more than 500.  i didn't want to spend more than 500 but i had to anyways.  my MM135 was 600 and bottle co2/argon and a cheapie helmet and more wire was about 200 on top of that just to be able to start welding.  for anything over a 1/4" you'll definatly need a 220v machine which will run over the 500 limit you set.Millermatic 135.  i learn to weld by practicing on this...
Reply:Get the Lincoln 3200 from HD, and practice a bunch. Use .023 mig wire with 80/20 ish gas, or use.030 fluxcore. Gas welding is much cleaner. You can get into that welder for $500 with the bottle, and it will do 1/4" steel.
Reply:Originally Posted by OffshoreAnglerI am looking for a decent mig welder that i can weld up to about 1/4 inch steel and maybe thicker. I don't want to spend over 500 dollars and I already have a bench grinder, angle grinder, and chop saw. Any suggestions?
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloGet the Lincoln 3200 from HD, and practice a bunch. Use .023 mig wire with 80/20 ish gas, or use.030 fluxcore. Gas welding is much cleaner. You can get into that welder for $500 with the bottle, and it will do 1/4" steel.
Reply:Originally Posted by VisorblueWhile I like the Lincoln 3200/SP-135 the welding capabilities specs on that for anything above 3/16" (max. 5/16th) state flux-core and multiple-pass. http://content.lincolnelectric.com/p...ture/e7351.pdf
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloYou wanna come by my house and watch me get full penetration with a LINCOLN 100 on 3/16" aluminum??? Then, I'll switch over to .023 wire, and get full bond on 1/4" to 1/2" for a receiver hitch. If you know what you're doing, these units can be stretched to the MOON. Proper prep, beveling, preheat, multipass are all parts of a complete welding process. To just flip a switch, pull a trigger, and make sparks is another thing. These welders are good, they just need to be set up and run correctly.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloYou wanna come by my house and watch me get full penetration with a LINCOLN 100 on 3/16" aluminum??? Then, I'll switch over to .023 wire, and get full bond on 1/4" to 1/2" for a receiver hitch. If you know what you're doing, these units can be stretched to the MOON. Proper prep, beveling, preheat, multipass are all parts of a complete welding process. To just flip a switch, pull a trigger, and make sparks is another thing. These welders are good, they just need to be set up and run correctly.
Reply:Originally Posted by gixrmanYea, me too so I can figure out why mine melts the wire to the tip before even touching the base metal on aluminum.
Reply:Originally Posted by VisorblueActually, yes, I'd love to come by and watch you prep, weld, etc. and pick up some pointers, etc. Heck, pictures and email or messages here would be cool, too.  However, the original poster, OffshoreAngler, said they're a newbie and I assume (I've been wrong before) that means they are without all the skills and experience you have so how are they going to be able to do what you can do with that welder?Also, the Lincoln 3200-HD is $460 at Home Depot and will probably do what OffshoreAngler wants to do when they have more skills. While the Hobart Handler 180 is $512 at Sears and will do what they want now. If 220v is out of the question (I'll probably stay 110v myself) then the Lincoln 3200-HD, SP-135T or SP135 Plus would be excellent choices, as would a Hobart Handler 140 ($408 at Sears).
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloIf offshore angler is good at watching classified ads, he will find his welder for $400, barely used, bottle included. New, for $450, and add $100 for a bottle, it's a deal.
Reply:[QUOTE=Visorblue]What size bottle are you using Rojodiablo?When I had the Lincoln 100, I used a 40cf bottle, then upgraded to an 80 as a primary, and I kept the 40 on the side. I now run a miller 175 for my mig, and I run a 120CF bottle. It will last????? a long time. For my tig, I run a 150cf bottle for the garage, and I run an aluminum 40cf for my mobile boat work. Nothing beats carrying the light weight bottle down to the docks, and up on a boat tower 20-30 feet up. With a 40 on the small welder, you can weld for 2-3 days of moderate fabrication. At least say one full production day. That is 8-10 hrs fabbing with very little stopping. Mig is pretty frugal with the gas, it sure beats the amount of gas used for tig welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloWith a 40 on the small welder, you can weld for 2-3 days of moderate fabrication. At least say one full production day. That is 8-10 hrs fabbing with very little stopping. Mig is pretty frugal with the gas, it sure beats the amount of gas used for tig welding.