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Hi all looking for some help with choosing a welder here. I was given a functioning 12vs wire feeder and would like to be able to run it. I am a farmer and do all of my own maintenance. I use my flatbed 350 for my service truck and between topside toolboxes an air compressor and a 100 gallon fuel tank I cant fit a ranger or bobcat or anything that size. About all I have room for is something like a blue star. Im wondering if the blue star or Hobart 145 or Lincoln outback cab run an over the arc wire feeder like my suitcase. And if so wich one might run it best. If anyone knows of any other machines I dont really care about brand here. Size and the ability to run w feeder is my main concern. Thanks!
Reply:These guys can help you, they have me.
Reply:I would look for a welder on 240 voltage or 120/240 voltage. The 120 voltage type welder is just have power you need basically it flips the breaker .Dave

Originally Posted by Paulfitz08

Hi all looking for some help with choosing a welder here. I was given a functioning 12vs wire feeder and would like to be able to run it. I am a farmer and do all of my own maintenance. I use my flatbed 350 for my service truck and between topside toolboxes an air compressor and a 100 gallon fuel tank I cant fit a ranger or bobcat or anything that size. About all I have room for is something like a blue star. Im wondering if the blue star or Hobart 145 or Lincoln outback cab run an over the arc wire feeder like my suitcase. And if so wich one might run it best. If anyone knows of any other machines I dont really care about brand here. Size and the ability to run w feeder is my main concern. Thanks!
Reply:Thanks! Do you have any recommendations? The main thing is I need one with a small footprint to fit on the truck and also to run the wire feeder. I wanna use the suitcase so that one I dont have to buy a mig machine and two so that I can run .045 flux core as most of my welding is farm implements in the field. Thanks again!
Reply:No, the baby machines will not run it. They are made to run 1/8 lohy. In some respect I understand the wire feed but you might be a poster child for working on your stick skills some.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:I know a carney guy, not all of them are journeyman but he is. I asked about the new TB he had on his truck. He said, got it and a feeder and found out he regressed back to sticks and the feeder was an expensive tool box filler. Keep it for a while but dont get caught up in tossing money at it just to use a free tool. As a farmer who does his own kind of thing I can do it with the small machine and some 7018, I can run a rod extra and I really aint gonna go out of my way to do extended projects in the field.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:Using 0.045 you should have at less 180 amp welderIf only used upto 0.035 then a 125 amp welder will do. Most of size will go over 140 amps too.Meters look great but does not to mush as you welding and can not see the meters. Dave

Originally Posted by Paulfitz08

Thanks! Do you have any recommendations? The main thing is I need one with a small footprint to fit on the truck and also to run the wire feeder. I wanna use the suitcase so that one I dont have to buy a mig machine and two so that I can run .045 flux core as most of my welding is farm implements in the field. Thanks again!
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Originally Posted by Sberry

No, the baby machines will not run it. They are made to run 1/8 lohy. In some respect I understand the wire feed but you might be a poster child for working on your stick skills some.
Reply:Youve got a good point. I think I will go with something smaller and use it as field only and if it requires more Ill go to the shop with my esab. Im looking at the Vulcan outlaw 195 I would rather have a blue star but just because of price I may go with something cheaper. Does anyone have experience with the Vulcan outlaw klutzy welder generator or Hobart champion 145? Just wondering what to expect as far as quality and limitations from the cheaper machines
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Originally Posted by Paulfitz08

You’ve got a good point. I think I will go with something smaller and use it as field only and if it requires more I’ll go to the shop with my esab. I’m looking at the Vulcan outlaw 195 I would rather have a blue star but just because of price I may go with something cheaper. Does anyone have experience with the Vulcan outlaw klutzy welder generator or Hobart champion 145? Just wondering what to expect as far as quality and limitations from the cheaper machines
Reply:How about a Ranger 260 mpx...very small footprintMiller Multimatic 255
Reply:Thanks for the input. I think the blue stars welding capabilities are more than adequate for my use, especially in the field. And the size is perfect for my flatbed. The only problem I have with it is the generator portion is a little weak. If they made that exact machine with a 10k generator it would be perfect. I think I may sell the suitcase and invest in a good 10-15 thousand watt generator and a Miller multimatic 200. If I need more than 200 amps I can take the work piece back to my shop and use the big welder. But I have a couple meat lockers and several other things that would have to be powered if the power goes out and I dont think the 6k could handle it. Miller recommends 8000 watt generator for the multimatic 200. That would put me way over recommended wattage and also Im not going to be welding all day every day. Anyone see any problems with going this route? Thanks
Reply:Theyre sweet but a little too long to fit on my truck. Theyre a little more than best I need out of a welder probably
Reply:I dont know anything about the gensets on the little ones. I have a 210 with 6k doent know it isnt 8, starts 5 hp without a burp. Lots of welders make sturdy power where that home genset rating is optimistic at best. I have a 255 feeder in shop, i have 300A stick i never use. I do use some with a dc buzzer. Mine runs 1/8 hot. I just dont have big steel and if i got to do much its usually wire. Been some time since i do a weld out that took several hours with sticks and it was amount of joints as much as deposit. Mobile home beams, 3/16 flanges and 10 or 11 ga webs, all fast single pass.Last edited by Sberry; 7 Hours Ago at 08:29 PM.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:Thanks. What brand is your 210 with 6k?
Reply:Point being, bigger machine wouldnt make much difference. Last 5/32 i burn was a customer portable job 14years ago welding some lugs on a big bucket.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:Its an old Lincoln, they dont even make it anymore. I have another with 8 has a lot of poop too.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:Got ya. I wasnt aware the ratings on genders were mostly BS. I was looking at a general 17500 or something like that. Supposed to be 15000 running watts. May end up biting the bullet now and buying a legit stationary backup genset for my meat lockers and butcher building and just buy a cheaper welder generator to stick weld in the field with.
Reply:Yea seams like they dont make any of the machines that would be ideal for me anymore haha. Those smaller old Lincolns or Miller wildcat 200 would be perfect
Reply:Main reason i would want bigger is more steady diet of hitch type work where i can single pass.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:I wonderef if they made the Wildcat anymore.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:After looking at the duty cycle max generator wattage and max welding amps I think Im gonna go with Lucan outlaw. 195 amps is more than enough to stick weld any field work I have to do. I have a 260 amp esab and 300 amp syncronowave in my shop and Im the same way. If its gonna be a long job Im taking to the shop and wire welding it. I dont really care about running grinders or ports Bands at the same time as welding cause its just me and I cant do both at the same time. I generally steer clear of harbor freight and dont own any of their stuff but at that price Im gonna give that machine a whirl
Reply:Nope haha and youll go bow legged blind trying to find a used one. I cant find one anywhere in the country
Reply:The number of tools purchased from Harbor Freight is just 3. They all have something in common they fit in small space. All my welder before retirement weight over 300 pounds. The welder I purchased from Harbor Freight I pick it up and runs on 240 volt. Works very well and can easily run at 110 amps (Chicago 170). The other tools is a mill and 4x6 saw all works great. All my other tools are America made.Dave

Originally Posted by Paulfitz08

Nope haha and youll go bow legged blind trying to find a used one. I cant find one anywhere in the country
Reply:Ya, that has plenty of welding power.www.urkafarms.comYep. I think I own a HF lady slipper cause I left mine in the field and thatÂs it for me. But for the price and the job I need it to do IÂm willing to gamble on that machine.
Reply:Yea I think I own a HF lady slipper cause I left mine in the field a while back and thats it. But as far as that machine for the price and for what I need it to do Im willing to gamble on it. Its no Miller but Im no rig welder either
Reply:Don't know what type/size tool boxes you have but some guys mount the welder on top of a tool box that just has the side doors.Ol' Stonebreaker "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Yea Ive seen a few like that. Unfortunately that wouldnt work in my case. Theyre both side and top open. The tops are where I keep my impacts and my most frequently used stuff
Reply:Dont hurt its only 300#.www.urkafarms.com |
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