Beginner welder recommendations?

[JubjubW]

Not looking to buy a Lincoln as of yet, just want something small that can run off 110V. Not doing any heavy welding, my father-in-law has a heavy duty welder for that. I just want one to do some sheet metal and simple welding. Any recommendations?

 

[SouthernComfortTahoe]

what type of welding are you looking at doin? MIG? TIG? Lincoln are definitely gonna be your more expensive machines.. just under those would be your Miller welders.. and Hobart makes some small 110V welders as well...

I have exclusively used Miller in my career welding in the air force and they are good welders for the money..

and i used to sell Hobart welders when i worked at Tractor Supply Company. i didnt know much about welders back then but never had any complaints

 

[emay]

I'd used eastwood and get their 135 amp welder. Don't judge on the $299 price tag this gem is a work horse and has the options of the lincolns.

I myself will have a 175 amp from them shortly in order to finalize some frame work on my 53's notch and 4 bar set up.

Link to 135 - http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html

 

[carcrz]

try the eastwood i just got mine about 2 weeks ago to replace my lincoln weld pak 100 and i couldn't be happier with it i got the 175 but you can get the 135 and i think they have free shipping

 

[redemn93]

i have the eastwood 135 and its great. i bet it will handle most all your needs. i got mine with cart, nice helmet, 2 rolls of wire, chipper/hammer, tip grease, tips, tip cleaner and more stuff for $250 on CL. guy used it once and put it in the corner for a year. thing was brand new. i think its a lincoln knock off and pretty decent quality. i think even some lincoln replacement parts will work on them. now i just need a couple small tanks to learn aluminum and stainless welding. wish the tanks werent so expensive.

 

[emay]

redemn - do you have someone local you can rent em from. I'm renting 2 tanks for 19.00 and change a year. Cheap because they make their money on fills (if your welding enough). Something worth looking into vs buying.

 

[redemn93]

i never thought of renting them. i didnt know you could. is that price for both or each? with as little as i would really use them i bet i could get the smaller tanks and they will last me a whole year each i bet. do the gasses have a shelf life?

 

[emay]

That's both for the year. I refill about every other month so I'm not sure on a shelf life to the gas since I use quite a bit. Never gone longer than 3-4 months on the long end.

I'm using 55cu ft cylinders x2. You can get larger and smaller based on your requirements and space in the garage. They make me strap them in my vehicle. Won't let me leave without doing so - so be prepared in the event your filler has safety rules in play.

 

[Young28]

you need to strap them in the truck, and against the wall in your garage. that way they dont fall.

Actually just keep them strapped at all times.

 

[95TwinTT]

If you are just starting out with welding, a "Flux Core Wire Feed" would be a inexpensive welder to begin with. They are small, do a decent job and you don't have to screw around with the gas.

If all goes well and you want to expand, then you can move up to the MIG with the inert gas. Keep in mind, there are a variety of gas combinations for different types of welding. Welding suppliers can advise.

I have the big shop welders, MIG, TIG and Plasma Cutter and they are great, but for the small jobs, it's nice to have the flexability, portibility and ease of the Flux Core...........Good Luck what ever way you chose to go.

 

[alc5m]

do not listen to del, lol, i hate flux core, and so do a lot of other people, if you learn on mig and stick, and you are decent at it, you will find you hate it as well

my reccomendation would be a hobart handler or a nice miller or lincoln, cant go wrong with either of the three and parts are easily and readily available

 

[Vegasf6]

try the eastwood i just got mine about 2 weeks ago to replace my lincoln weld pak 100 and i couldn't be happier with it i got the 175 but you can get the 135 and i think they have free shipping

I have the Lincoln SP-100 which I think is the precursor to the weld-pak. Same welder pretty much, maybe different accessories?
It does have the gas solenoid and hose, and two different liners for the feed tube depending on the wire type you wish to use.

The Eastwood looks pretty darn nice! Did you 175 come set up for gas or flux? Thanks for posting those.

 

[redemn93]

you can do either gas or flux with the eastwood and lincoln replacement parts work in them. they are a pretty nice lincoln knock off.

 

[fiatdale]

Hobart Handler 140. Perfect welder, they're made by Miller, so all the parts are high quality. I use that at home and I use a Millermatic 220 at work that I LOVE, but it would be out of your price range, and it runs on 240. A guy at our shop just bought one from Northern Tools - the 135. I think he paid $350 and it does a great job. He uses it almost every day and it holds up to professional shop use.

Like they said above - go gas. Screw Flux.