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What kind of money are you looking to spend?(long) Posted by DougM [Email]  (#211)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from DougM) on Tue, 4 Dec 2001 21:35:24
In Reply to: OT:Anyone recommend good MIG welder?, BobH, Tue, 4 Dec 2001 20:10:47 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
About nine years ago I bought a close-out model from a local dealer for $260. It was a 80Amp, 110 volt unit and it came with a full bottle(next size up from the standard size for a portable welder) of argon/CO2 shielding gas. It worked well for about five years and then I started to have problems. The rollers that fed the wire kept slipping and the wire was arcing in the tip. Once the wire is welded to the tip, then it's worthless. Time for a new tip and pray it feeds OK the next time. Well, eventually I ran out of tips and the local dealer had since went out of business. I searched about 10 different local weld shops and none of them had seen tips that small, let alone stock them. So, I get the owners manual to see if I could write or call the manufacturer for replacements. The damn welder was made in the Shepshed, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 9NH. HUH, where the hell is that. I'm screwed.
Time for a new welder. HMMM, what to buy? I went to the local Lowe's and looked to see what they had. Lincoln welders in stock(local company that's been around for over 100 years and a great reputation). On the shelf was a weld-pak 100 model, 110v, 88amp, gasless mig(flux-cored wire) for $300. So I bought it.
Took the welder home, fired it up, and started welding. Boy, I said, that's an ugly looking weld. Flux-core wire welding is similar to arc welding. Dirty weld with slag and nothing like the clean weld of a mig w/shielding gas. So back to Lowe's I go. In stock for $80 was a mig conversion kit. You have to change the polarity of the power cables, install the gas tube in the gun and cable, change the wire, and hook up the regulator, but what a difference it made. Back to beautiful welds again. Fortunately I had the bottle of gas from the other welder because I'd never priced bottles(they might be near $100, but don't quote me on that). They also sell utility carts for like $100 more, but I didn't want to spend the extra cash at the time(I ended up fabbing one from an old cart I found in a steel mill junk pile where I work). It's also light enough to carry from job to job without the cart.
The welder also came with a how-to-weld video tape and has the potential to weld up to 1/4". Perfect for around the home repairs for a DIYer. I've welded car exhausts, bicycles, shovels, rototillers, The top stud of a C900 front shock back on(it rusted off and has been holding for the last year and a half), replacement panels for bodywork, rebuilt the front bumper channels of a C900, rebuilt the front lower A-frame mount of a C900, etc. etc.
I don't think Lowe's sells Lincoln's anymore, they switched to an off brand, which I'm not familiar with and probably wouldn't buy if a Lincoln was available for a little more money. My investment was under $500 and I highly recommend this welder and brand. Do some research on the web and make sure replacement parts are available. Buying off the web might also be cheaper than a local weld shop. One near me wanted over $800 for the same set-up.
I hope this helps.
posted by 24.51.7...
, Tue, 4 Dec 2001 21:35:24 <-- Viewing This Message, Tue, 4 Dec 2001 22:14:27
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