Becoming a better welder...

[Uncle Gump]

So my old cheap 110v flux core welder has run it's course and it just doesn't work anymore. I would typically use that for tacking things together at home and then take whatever I was working on to the buggy shop to fully weld it. Even with a nice Miller welder my welds just didn't look good and I would usually let someone else do my final welding. I attribute my poor welding to the fact that I just can't see well. I've tried different hoods with fixed glass and a also have bought a couple cheap auto darkening hoods with the same results... I can't see what I'm doing. I've had poor eyesight my entire life but it is livable with corrective lenses... and at this point in my life... I have to wear bifocals and with those my right eye is 20/20... not so much with my left eye. As a kid... I was the one kid in school that wore a patch over my right eye because they wanted my left eye to become stronger... it just didn't work.

So yesterday out and about looking at welders... I found a Hobart Impact welding hood on the clearance shelf. Regular price was $135 and was clearanced for $75... so I bought it. It has a bigger viewing area and they sell magnifying lenses for it. I'm wondering if that might help me to better see what I'm working on? My gut says it would but I'm hoping someone else has experience with them.

The second part is... I'm totally on the fence about which welder to buy. I don't plan on becoming a professional welder... just a hobbyist. Price is always a factor and some machines are just plain expensive. I don't want to break the bank but I don't want to go to cheap either. I want one welder (just mig) that performs well and will last. I have 220v in the garage but I like the welders that will work on 110v also. Any suggestion?

 

[Ranger850]

That Hobart hood is a god one, for sure. My welder is a little "century" I picked up from Home Depot. Does just fine for me. Some people are Brand whores and will only work on Lincolns or Millers, but I say it is the artist that makes the art, not the brush.

 

[91stranger]

Anything that isn't the "cheapest they sell" would be fine. From my experience with welding is that a cheap welder can make a good welder look like a novice. You can get a mid grade mig for a few hundred. If you buy the cheap $100 harbor freight then expect cheap looking welds.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

HF welders are actually supposed to be pretty good (and cost more than $100)

I was looking at them Saturday actually, better duty cycle than a Hobart according to their little chart thing. One thing I didn't really like is they didn't seem to have as much heat adjustment. After welding floor pans in I have found it is hard to get a welder than can go too low. Dad's on the lowest setting is kind of nip and tuck with Ford's thin sheetmetal, it was on the verge of wanting to blow thru a lot.

I liked the look of their neon green 170 except for that. I need to research it more. I also want to get a wire welder and learn how to weld better.

Anyone hear anything about the new Titanium Unlimited 200 welder from HFT?

Thinking about buying myself one around Christmas (there's a coupon for $50 off until the 31st)... I know what everyone says about multi process welders, better off buying dedicated but so far I've read reasonable things... In case you haven't heard anything about it, you can see it HERE For...

www.therangerstation.com

 

[Bird76Mojo]

I was a welder/fabricator for well over 20 years. The main reasons to buy a Lincoln or Miller is long-term part availability and being able to service them 10 or 15 years down the road, plus they just plain last longer than 90% of other units out there. With welding machines, bigger is always better, because just when you think you've bought a machine that's large and powerful enough, you run in to a project that requires a larger machine with more capability.

My main concerns when buying a machine is the material thickness it can achieve good penetration on, and the duty cycle. PAY ATTENTION to the duty cycle on your machine if you want it to last and FOLLOW THAT DUTY CYCLE to the minute. If it's 20% then only let yourself weld for 2 minutes out of every 10 minutes, letting it run the fan to cool itself for 8 minutes.

With welding machines you pretty much get what you pay for. The same can be said for plasma cutters and TIG machines. Why buy an el cheapo unit that may fail on you or not be big enough, and then have to buy another in a couple years, when you can just save money for a little while longer and buy a bigger, more powerful unit the first time.

As for eyesight, I can't comment there. I've always had perfect vision and I suspect that's why I've always been one of the best welders in whatever shop I was in. I can pay closer attention to my "puddle" as I go.. I was chosen to train others to weld both steel and aluminum for good reason.

Do yourself a favor and don't buy anything unless it can do at least 1/4" steel in single pass, and don't pay attention to the duty cycles listed on Harbor Fright welders. They over-rate them severely. I'd also stay away from 110v units. Most of them just aren't capable enough. Again, save up money a little longer...

The Lincoln Easy MIG 180 is a nice starter machine. The next step up in my mind would be the Power MIG 180C. BUT they're still both starter machines. The Lincoln 210MP looks like a pretty versatile machine as well, giving you the ability to also use stick welding should you need it, although I don't like the dual voltage machines myself.. I stick with 220v machines.

Keep an eye on your local market places, etc.. Killer deals can be found on used machines. If it's a well known name brand and model, just because it's old, that doesn't mean it's not a good machine that may last you for decades. This is often the best way to get yourself in to a larger machine that you'll be happier with long-term. Just be sure that the seller can allow you to test it out before purchase. Don't take anyone's word for it.

 

[Ranger850]

Lots of good advice ^^^^
I don't know a lot about the machines but I do know how to dial one up to get good penetration with a decent bead. A lot of my welds are ugly. I guess I'm more of a fabricator than a welder. I like to build things out of metal, so I weld. I learned to weld aluminum first and prefer it to steel but aluminum set up for a welder requires gas and that complicates my set up. I have no shop or garage at the moment. But if you can go ahead and get one that is more than what you need.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

I’ve been a welder for the better part of 10 years. I use my old school airco dipstick for anything thick. I have a Hobart 140 machine that I use everyday. I love it. I also have a Lincoln weldpack that I use strictly for exhaust systems (I keep .30 wire in this) and I also like it.

But my advice. How far you looking to go with your welding? Hobbyist? Or career? Miller makes top of the line machines that are affordable and high quality. I’d also recommend looking into everlast if you wanna make a career of welding.

If you just want a hobbyist machine, that will yield good results. I’d recommend Hobart. Either the 140 or the 180 machine.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Before buying any machine, you might also look in to who owns the parent company that produces it. Lots of intermingling going on with various manufacturers..

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Background; I've been a hobbiest welder for close to 40 years. I can lay down a pretty nice bead.
As far as eyesight goes, I'm near-sighted and I wear bi-focals. I bought a second pair with the prescription flipped so the close-up section is at the top of the lens, that works OK but there are still times I have to crane my neck to be able to see properly. I recently bought single vision lenses that are optimized for 12" in front of my face and those seem to work good so far but I've only had them for a short time. I have also used the magnifiers taped inside the hood and that works too. And finally I've heard the cheap reading glasses can work well too.

Now for the important part that isn't glasses related; get as much light on the work piece that you can. A couple 500 watt halogens pointed fom 2 different directions will be good, and two 1000 watt bulbs will be even better.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I have one of the Harbor Freight green 170A wire feed welders and have been abusing it lately... I got it in the winter for cheap on a sidewalk sale so have been using it for my go to, it'll do 110V or 220V on the fly and comes wired for both (comes with a 2' lead that plugs into the 220V plug to convert to 110V). I've used it on both voltages and I know for a fact you don't break it connecting it to the wrong one... I honestly like how it welds, I've laid some very nice beads starting with the settings recommended on the side cover, and I've made some very ugly welds with it but that's been a large part the redneckery I was attempting... The brass thing (the contact pads) on the ground clamp is cheezy, it looks beefy but is beer can thickness so burns through quickly but it still does the job... I'm no professional welder and am using some .030" flux core wire in the thing but it is very smooth to weld with, way better than the old 90A flux core welder I had that just had the two heat settings and the wire speed knob...

I second the tips on the back lighting, you would think the arc would be enough but extra light helps, and I've heard that "cheater lenses" help so I believe you are on the right track.

 

[adsm08]

HF welders are actually supposed to be pretty good (and cost more than $100)

I was looking at them Saturday actually, better duty cycle than a Hobart according to their little chart thing.

I have found HF's spec sheets to be deceiving.

Their impact gun that on paper should beat even Snappy's biggest one hands down wont. I've seen the Snappy gun they compare to in the flyers spin the HF gun backwards when you hook them together, and even my AirCat would hold it still when it was new. The Cat is 8 years old, has been beat, and needs rebuilt now, but when it was new it was at least a match for the HF gun, and on paper it is rated much lower.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I have found HF's spec sheets to be deceiving.

Their impact gun that on paper should beat even Snappy's biggest one hands down wont. I've seen the Snappy gun they compare to in the flyers spin the HF gun backwards when you hook them together, and even my AirCat would hold it still when it was new. The Cat is 8 years old, has been beat, and needs rebuilt now, but when it was new it was at least a match for the HF gun, and on paper it is rated much lower.

I kind of expect that too.

I have heard a lot of good things about their welders though. On the other hand according to their little chart thingie they don't have as much adjustment as others.

I have an old tombstone Lincoln stick welder a guy gave me I need to check for mouse nests and see if it works.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

You could give me a welding robot from the ford factory and my welds would still look like a toddlers.

 

[adsm08]

I kind of expect that too.

I have heard a lot of good things about their welders though. On the other hand according to their little chart thingie they don't have as much adjustment as others.

I have an old tombstone Lincoln stick welder a guy gave me I need to check for mouse nests and see if it works.

I have seen their welders in action. We used the little one to patch my frame. Once the plate was welded in the guy ground the welds off flush and went over it again, did that two or three times before it was good.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Not sure what "little one" you are referring to but something like their 125 is only rated for 3/16"

They also have different brands.