Affordable Mig welder?

[srgtlord]

So I have decided to be proactive and reinforce the front shock towers. In order to do so I need an affordable MIG welder. Does anyone have an idea of where I could find one?

[theman53]

I don't know about affordable, but you don't want cheap. I would check the local listings to see if any businesses are selling out. Craigslist...eventhough I never go on there, my wife finds all sorts of things. If you stick with the brand names you know you will always find parts if needed. I have heard from another salesman in my area, the Hobart and the Miller are the same machine, except the Hobart is plastic inside and the Miller has brass/steel construction. I don't know how true it is, but i believe this guy most days. Do some research and don't buy the first one you see and you should be ok.

[CRSMP5]

affordable as in how much do you have to spend?? 500ish will get you a hell of one.. 200 will get you junky/cheap..

now i hate flux core wire.. makes a mess so on... i suggest a gas mig.. but you can put flux core wire in it till you save up for a bottle/regulator thats a good 200-300 aditional cost..

non gas migs cost less... why i point that out...

now garage.. got 220 or just 110? cannot use extension cords on welders... reduced the weld quality very quick..

i myself feel a 220 does better then 110... but my tig is 220.. and the mig i use is 110..

[maxfax]

^^^ x2

Even if you think you're not going to use it that hard get a best you can afford..  Once you have it you'll find a dozen and one things to use it for...You can pretty much avoid anything from the big box stores..  Schumaker, Century, even Forney are complete garbage.. There's several other off brands I can add in there..    I have both a 110 Hobart and a 220 Miller.. 

The 110 is more or less for jobs on the go, it gets the job done but not as pretty.. Currently I have a Hobart which replaced a Forney (that never worked right from the day I plugged it in)..   I gotta say I'm pretty pleased with how well it has worked for a cheaper welder..  And it's given no issue in the last 5 years.. My generator runs it just fine..  I run flux core wire in it simply for the convienience of not having to drag a bottle out to the middle of a hay field..  Again it doesn't do pretty welds, but it will get the job done.. 

The 220 volt Miller is an AWESOME machine.. Beautiful welds every time.. I picked it up used from a government surplus auction for $100 bucks less the regulator and gas bottle..  Did have to put a new lead on it after about a year, but still worth every nickel..

Something else to keep in mind after you have the welder (maybe some others can chime in on this) is the quality of wire you use.. Once again, avoid the big box stores..  Seems lke if it has sat around too long it gets funky, I'm guessing from moisture...

I used to get the 10lb spools (of the flux core) for the portable which can go unused for months.. It'll work great when the spool is new, but after it sits a while it just won;t weld for crap..  I get the little 5lb (?)  spools for it now..  I even find the same thing on the big one with the solid core wire, it just doesn;t age well, not does it pay for me to keep too much extra on hand..

[theman53]

X2 on maxfax. I have a guy helping me with welding and he has a rod oven. I don't know that it actuallly cooks anything, but keeps the environment off the wire. It seems like maxfax said after 6 months of being on a spool in your welder stuff starts going to crap. I personally like the copper coating on the wire as opposed to the bare uncoated wire. I still have a clamp and a scotch bright pad before the rollers to help take off any contaminants. Seems to me and others I know you put more liners in using the uncoated or contaminated wire.

I have a miller 250. I paid 800.00 for it and it still had the original spool of wire in it. I bought a bigger tank ~ 5ft tall or so and had the guy fill it for under 200.00. It was some of the best money I have spent.

[clbanman]

One thing to keep in mind is your weld environment.   If you are welding outside, your best bet is stick or flux-core.   Wind or air movement will wreak havoc with shielding gases.    If you are doing limited welding and want to keep costs down, a stick machine is a viable alternative.  The biggest downside is that it will be difficult with sheetmetal.  I would also recommend an industrial machine if you can swing it.   Check with your local weld supply shop and see if they have any used trade-ins.

[R.O.R-2.0]

One thing to keep in mind is your weld environment.   If you are welding outside, your best bet is stick or flux-core.   Wind or air movement will wreak havoc with shielding gases.    If you are doing limited welding and want to keep costs down, a stick machine is a viable alternative.  The biggest downside is that it will be difficult with sheetmetal.  I would also recommend an industrial machine if you can swing it.   Check with your local weld supply shop and see if they have any used trade-ins.

if your a GOOD stick welder, you can basically weld beer cans with one..

they make TINY little sticks to weld with..

and yes, in moist climates, a rod oven is TITS..

ever try welding with a rod that isnt 100% dry?

[Syncroincity]

Spend a little more for a good name brand. I had a Harbor Freight wire-feed and it was a nightmare. Then I got a small used Lincoln wire-feed, it made all the difference. Even using flux-core wire with no gas, I get even welds with almost no splatter... just keep the tip real close to the work, and keep an eye on the puddle. Practice on some scrap before you work on the car, find the machine's sweet spot for thin metal. I found lower amperage and a higher feed speed gave good results on mine.

[srgtlord]

                  So the consensus is to use a flux-core unit? I thought they didnt work for crap? Everyone I have ever talked to has said go for a gas feed unit. Now Im really confused.

[Syncroincity]

Same thing...it's optional; you can use flux-core wire in a MIG machine, it eliminates the need for the gas, but the welds aren't super clean. Most lower-end wire feed welders don't come with a gas bottle & regulator, you have to buy them separately. Flux core wire is a lot cheaper than buying the gas rig.  

I was able to get welds like this with flux core;
(the one in middle of the pic)

[theman53]

IMHO you should buy a welder that has the option of gas. You will want it someday and then you will only have to buy the bottle, instead of the bottle, lines, regulator, etc. You can use gas with flux core and the weld looks a bit prettier. Mig is a good way to go for needing a bunch of welding done fast. I still like stick welding for very heavy stuff.

I personally like the 220v mig better than the 110v even welding thin stuff. The 110v I never owned but borrowed and for me it just seemed like the 110v units don't melt the wire like the 220v units do. I ran .023 wire in my miller to finish the jetta I had replaced the floors in. I had borrowed 3 of my friends 110v units and used the same wire. For me it was night and day difference in how easy it was to weld. That being said I know how much more expensive these units are and most times $$$ is important, so I understand it maybe a tough choice for you.

My other reason I love the miller 250 I bought is that I can add a 250.00 spool gun and do aluminum...with another gas bottle too. So if you ever have ambition to do aluminum that may weigh in as well.

[R.O.R-2.0]

if you have a perfect environment for gas welding, then by all means, buy the gas shielded welder. but if your going to be welding outside, or anything like that, then you will want the flux core option..

[belchfire]

Qualifications: Welding for 46 years. 13 certifications including U.S. Navy nuclear powerplant welder. Still I admit that I don't know everything in this evolving technology. I agree with just about everything that's been said previously . Brand name definitely. You get proven quality and parts are easier to come by. We have a Lincoln 115 volt unit @ work and it's been adequate and dependable. Terminology can get confusing but real flux core uses an additional shielding gas and will really put the coals to the metal. Gasless flux core has it's pluses and minuses. First is no gas. No bottle, no regulator, no control system. 2, as stated it's great for field welding as wind will ruin a shielded weld. Bad part is weld quality. Cow peeing on a flat rock comes to mind. But perhaps the worst is the weld itself. This type of weld cools extremely fast and makes it brittle. The most common mistake in wire feed is running too cool. You can melt wire at a relative low amperage but there is no fusion with the base metal. A lot of people think that they can weld the Queen Mary with a Play skool machine. Gasless can do an acceptable job if it's sheet metal and the welds are of sufficient size. The thin stuff will go better if you weld down hand. I used a cracker box for 20 years at home before I got my DC-tig machine. Stick takes a lot more skill and isn't something I'd try out on tin the first time out. Moisture is bad. Water will disassociate and the hydrogen will cause cracking. Soggy wire/electrodes will make a lot of porosity and will fail. Clean your metal too. People will weld through dirt & paint & then wonder why it runs & looks like crap. Practice, practice, practice, and buy a good grinder.

[R.O.R-2.0]

another thing, if all you are welding is light duty stuff, thin sheet metal, body work, or exhaust work, then you can get by with, and perform BETTER WELDS with a 110v welder.. and they are usually cheaper..

for doing exhaust work, i prefer to use my grandpas refurbished hobart 110v suitcase welder over my millermatic 250..

my miller blows right thru exhaust tubing like its nobody's business!

and for body work, the 110v machines are easier to use..

so, unless you NEED to weld thick stuff, i would say that a 110v welder will get you by..

[theman53]

I have had great luck with my miller 250 with sheet metal. Just have to get the .023 wire and drive rollers. If you go with .035 or .045 wire you can do sheet metal but it is a dance at best to try to melt the wire without going through as ROR suggested.

Bottom line is usually you will buy one welder cheap and then be looking for your next welder. I bought a "good" welder, but am now always wanting another toy. I would love to get the spool gun and then a nice tig. Maybe even that miller 110v for around 800.00 to leave the .023 wire in full time. It is almost as bad as the VW addiction, you'll see for yourself soon.