10

12 if your using TIG , but 10 is fine for MIG and stick.

s

"Jimw" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:27:11 -0800 (PST), Joe wrote:

On Jan 13, 7:49 pm, Jimw wrote:
I just noticed an ad in the paper for a local guy selling a Hobart 120
Wire feed welder. I called the guy and he said it belonged to a
relative and he inherited it. He knows it works, but he has never
used it, and said he knows nothing about welding which is why he is
selling it. He said its complete with a spool of wire and the gauges
for the gas, but no tank of gas.

I went to the Hobart website and they dont have this model listed, but
have a Handler 125 listed, so I assume its similar but a newer model.
Hobart has a .PDF file for the manual, but I downloaded it 3 times and
it's a defective file. The only other info I could find is just a
basic list of features. I think I know most I need, and know it can
use flux wire without the gas, or use solid wire with the gas. My
question is what kind of gas is used for these welders?

snip

Your welding supply store will sell you an argon-CO2 mix. If you are
going to other type wire, different gas will be required. Argon by
itself is a bit hot, and better welds with good penetration will be
the norm with the CO2 mix and steel. Have a look at the Miller Welding
web site and sign up for their newsletters. They have a dandy archive
of articles for pros and newbies, too. There are some unusual wire
types available that are good for projects that shouldn't be exposed
to much heat. One of these is silicon bronze. It needs a good machine
to work well, because the voltage and current parameters are quite
low. Buy a good supply of consumables, gas, tip cleaners, and scrap
for practice. If you don't have a good self darkening helmet, buy one.
The shade 10 we use for stick welding is a bit too dark. Let your
neighbors know you have the machine working and you should get lots of
broken things to practice on. Enjoy your new tool, it's a very useful
shop item.

Joe

If it's not a self darkening, what number shade should I use?

Thanks for all the info and help.

Jim