Hello All,

I am contemplating the purchase of a small / medium sized MIG welder, but
would like some opinions regarding the best machine for my money. Here are
those welders I've looked at so far:

Hobart Handler 135 MIG @ +/- $400 (
http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...0bc14fcd4b05b5
)
Millermatic 135 @ +/- $550 (
http://www.weldingmart.com/Qstore/c000024.htm )
Lincoln SP-135 T @ +/- $440 (
http://www.weldingmart.com/Qstore/p001645.htm )
Clarke 180EN 220 @ +/- $360 (
http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/we...WE6524P-1.html )
Chicago Electric Dual MIG welder 151 @ +/- $240 (
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=6271 )



I appreciate your opinions and comments,
Thank you in advance,
Jon

"Laurel Crawford" wrote in message
...
Hello All,

I am contemplating the purchase of a small / medium sized MIG welder, but
would like some opinions regarding the best machine for my money. Here
are
those welders I've looked at so far:

I would base my welder on what I was going to do with it. I plan on buying a
Miller 210 within the next month or so. I based this decision on people who
own this type of machine. Also how easy is it to get service on the machine
your going to buy. The reason for a larger welder is that one can always
weld smaller stuff with a bigger welder, but you can never weld bigger stuff
with a small welder. So in conclusion I say base your choice on service and
what your going to weld.

Regards,
Bernd

"Laurel Crawford" wrote in
:

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...851501/ut=430b
c14fcd4b05b5



Jon,
I would rule out the chicago for sure, only a 15% duty cycle.

The hobart looks like a decent buy, factory reconditioned.

--
Anthony

You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just make
better idiots.

Remove sp to reply via email

Thanks both of you. I "need" :) the welder to continue with my airplane
project, so I'll be using it to weld flight control components from 4130
tube and sheet. Pretty light-duty stuff, mostly. I do foresee the need to
weld aluminum in the future, though.

Thanks again,
Jon Crawford
www.joncrawford.com





"Anthony" wrote in message
...
"Laurel Crawford" wrote in
:

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...851501/ut=430b
c14fcd4b05b5



Jon,
I would rule out the chicago for sure, only a 15% duty cycle.

The hobart looks like a decent buy, factory reconditioned.

--
Anthony

You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just make
better idiots.

Remove sp to reply via email

Laurel Crawford wrote:
Thanks both of you. I "need" :) the welder to continue with my
airplane project, so I'll be using it to weld flight control
components from 4130 tube and sheet. Pretty light-duty stuff,
mostly. I do foresee the need to weld aluminum in the future, though.

Thanks again,
Jon Crawford
www.joncrawford.com
Then you might want to Google Ernie's advice on welding rigs for aluminum. I
don't think a Hobart 135 is up to the task.





"Anthony" wrote in message
...
"Laurel Crawford" wrote in
:

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...851501/ut=430b
c14fcd4b05b5



Jon,
I would rule out the chicago for sure, only a 15% duty cycle.

The hobart looks like a decent buy, factory reconditioned.

--
Anthony

You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just
make better idiots.

Remove sp to reply via email

I have a Lincoln SP-170 which I bought used for less than half of the cost
of new. I had a small 110volt/75 amp MIG machine before and it was pretty
much useless. Anyway I recommend you go with a 170+ MIG. Like others have
said you can always weld light stuff with a bigger machine but not
viseversa. I do a lot of aluminum welding with mine and it works perfect for
that. I have to say I am 100% satisfied with my machine, it is small enough
to be carry around, but large enough to do serious work. I have used it for
thin sheet metal on up to 1" aluminum plate.
"Laurel Crawford" wrote in message
...
Hello All,

I am contemplating the purchase of a small / medium sized MIG welder, but
would like some opinions regarding the best machine for my money. Here
are
those welders I've looked at so far:

Hobart Handler 135 MIG @ +/- $400 (

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...0bc14fcd4b05b5
)
Millermatic 135 @ +/- $550 (
http://www.weldingmart.com/Qstore/c000024.htm )
Lincoln SP-135 T @ +/- $440 (
http://www.weldingmart.com/Qstore/p001645.htm )
Clarke 180EN 220 @ +/- $360 (
http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/we...WE6524P-1.html )
Chicago Electric Dual MIG welder 151 @ +/- $240 (
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=6271 )



I appreciate your opinions and comments,
Thank you in advance,
Jon

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 22:30:40 GMT, "Bernd" vaguely
proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I would base my welder on what I was going to do with it. I plan on buying a
Miller 210 within the next month or so.

I based this decision on people who
own this type of machine. Also how easy is it to get service on the machine
your going to buy.

Agreed. And this is often overlooked.

So in conclusion I say base your choice on service and
what your going to weld.

I agree with the last sentence, but with caution. It's a simple enough
statement, but requires a lot of judgment and knowledge, or luck. When
I bought my welder, I was lucky. I bought a little-known (or little
touted at least) brand, but which was fairly expensive. It has served
me well. I have had the use for it. Luckily, service is available as
well.

The reason for a larger welder is that one can always
weld smaller stuff with a bigger welder, but you can never weld bigger stuff
with a small welder.

You _can_ weld big stuff with a smaller welder. It just takes more
work, and longer time. If you are doing a _lot_ of work at a minimum
size, then it's worth upsizing. I use a 220 A welder and have welded
3" thick steel with it, then dragged that welded piece at right angles
to rock, through the rock, behind a 200 Hp dozer. I had to cut a 45
chamfer on both pieces, and completely fill the gap with weld. It took
me a couple of hours. But it can be done. With a 100 A welder it would
probably have taken all day, because the duty cycle of those things is
usually tiny, so I would have been waiting quite a bit.

And for welding smaller stuff with a bigger welder, it depends on how
good the welder is. When you get way down, the quality of the voltage
control and feed speed etc can vastly affect the result. I would
generalise and say that from my experience (what crappy piece of
writing! G) and understanding (that's better!) the bigger welders
are usually better, because they are built better. Bu in this day and
age, when the prosumer is being gulled by "bigger is better", you may
simply be buying a crappier welder, with "more current".
************************************************** **
I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got
us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry
.........no I'm not.

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 23:35:53 GMT, "Laurel Crawford"
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Thanks both of you. I "need" :) the welder to continue with my airplane
project,

Then if you are asking the advice you have, I would seriously suggest
learning from a class, or someone who has built a lot of planes
(successfuly flown of course! G), and practice after that.

so I'll be using it to weld flight control components from 4130
tube and sheet. Pretty light-duty stuff, mostly. I do foresee the need to
weld aluminum in the future, though.

Good light duty welds are harder than heavier ones. You are often
working right on burn-through to get a good weld.


************************************************** **
I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got
us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry
.........no I'm not.