Decent welding machine

That’s possible I’ve never seen that myself. I know I don’t have to paint it blue haha. The local Airgas guys are Miller dealers. My family has dealt with them since they used to deliver oxygen/acetylene to my Great Grandfathers place in Harrison Ar back in the 70s.

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That’s the exact one I was going to recommend. Hobart 190 will give you some learning room so if you do want to weld something a little thicker one day and not hit the duty cycle so quick.

Hobart is the best value. It’s made by miller and shares 95 percent of the parts for half the cost .
Your going to want something 200amp or more. It’s more about duty cycle the max power. Truth is 130amps will weld 1/4 steel. But if your welder is only 130amp max it will only weld it for a few inches . Also a 200amp welder allows you to add a spool gun later for aluminum. I’m speaking to mig welders in general because they are the most common and easiest to learn.
Hears the catch if you want the best weld possible skip mig welder and learn to tig weld.
They are twice the price and much more difficult to learn but when you do you’ll be able to weld everything from a soda can to 1/2 steel or aluminum.

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One of these with a couple of cotton balls clipped on your copper and a tip one size bigger than your wire will help tremendously

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/8325143486907806767?lsf=seller:7933,store:6950404703298500122&prds=oid:116074872861165843&q=paper+binder+clips&hl=en&ei=FvFMXMvOCIjcswWT0Ygg&lsft=cm_mmc:PLA-_-Google-LIA-_-870881690-_-561339-VQ6-204202580870-VQ16-m-VQ17-pla-VQ18-local-VQ20-522847216552-VQ21-317&lsft=gclid:Cj0KCQiAp7DiBRDdARIsABIMfoAARLn4pACGwcOpU1VKmHaHzb4DPPUJYqkwyrnjkVXryNwgASX-WZAaAqbeEALw_wcB,gclsrc:aw.ds

I have an Eastwood. 135 mig I think, but could be wrong. I just wanted a less expensive mig that I could play around with and do some small stuff with. I like it so far. I have it set up with gas and like the gas a lot more than fluxcore. I looked at the Hobarts, Lincoln’s and the Miller’s but they were all a little more than I wanted to spend for something to just tinker with. If I was a proficient welder and used it a lot, I wouldn’t have a problem spending the extra but that wasn’t the case for me so Eastwood it is.

Buy a used miller . A 10 years old miller will still last longer than a new Chinese one .

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My millermatic 220 is about 10 years old and has never let me down . It works very well on anything from 1/8 to 3/8 . Steel and aluminum. You need to decide what you want to tinker on . Thinner than 1/8 a tig would do much better. Any thicker than 3/8 you’ll need a very expensive welder . I can weld 1/2 with mine but only if you weld from both sides .

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Miller IS Chinese. Lincoln IS Chinese. Hobart IS Chinese.

I have a lil experience on this one.

$2400 For Miller multi process welder. 3 yr warranty. Breaks. No sparky.
Take to repair center 6 hrs total dealing. Works great.

Breaks. No sparky. Take to repair center. 6 hrs total dealing. Fixed!

Breaks 3rd time. Take to repair center. They replace with new welder.

Breaks again. 21 days after warranty. $1100 for new
“Board”. I told them Lowe’s has lots of boards for $10 or less. Nobody laughs. I tell them to kiss my…

Nice pretty blue shelf now.

My solution

Buy VULCAN For $300 less than the “board”. Welds perfect. As good as any I’ve used. And I’ve used all the name brands over the years. I spent $100 of that $300 on extra 2 year warranty. No sparky? Here’s a new one. For 3 yrs. after 3 yrs, buy new one. Still lots of $ ahead.

Welders have changed guys. They are most all Chinese crap, save for the blue and red machines over the $3500 range.

The Vulcan welders are nothing short of amazing. The only thing I’d ask for is ac and dc tig in one machine. But I ain’t tiggin up any aluminum these days.

Kinda like the snap on fan boys and their AMERICAN MADE TOOLS. Not any more! Over 60% of snap on tools are MADE IN CHINA!!!

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My Chinese made Eastwood is doing just fine for my needs! :sunglasses:

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I wasn’t saying all Chinese stuff isn’t any good, just that spending 2 or 3 times as much $$$ on Chinese crap is not really smart. :rofl::rofl:

How many of y’all know that STANLEY/black and decker own these companies?

Craftsman
Dewalt
Mac tools
Irwin
Facom
Porter cable
Lenox
Bostich
Proto, and several others…

Most all of the have that cute little CE on the box somewhere

I bought a cheap Chinese welder off ebay a few years ago, had never welded before, but had some hose reels that needed to be welded up. I spent about $250-300 on a 185 amp mig welder, now I can pull that welder put and repair most things in a few minutes, last week my hose reel( different one from when I needed it) broke off at the 2 welds that hold the reel to the base plate, I was able to put a full weld around the whole base and have already done 2000 miles with it and remains solid.

I don’t weld much and so far have only used a mig and only used it gasless. I watched many hours of welding instructional videos and learned something that a close friend of mine who claims to be a pro class welder didn’t now, with flux as I’m sure everyone is aware of when ever you un trigger you have to clean up. he never did meaning he had contaminated welds.

I honestly enjoy welding these days, if I had to choose another path it would probably be steel fabrication, specifically custom motorcycles.

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Still made in America and often what you’d find in Navy tool rooms in 2003-2008 or so.

Anything else Stanley B&D is GARBAGE though minus DeWalt and Lenox, but they’re on their way

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I almost giggle when I see dewalt and craftsman cordless tools with that sticker showing Old Glory with GLOBALLY SOURCED PARTS under it. I think about how many people fall for that. Now I won’t say they aren’t good tools, I’ve been using dewalt tools for 25 years, and I probably own $5000 worth today and they are top notch. Its just that marketing that kills me​:rofl::rofl: I paid $700 for a 20v brushless set last year and its amazing. The sawzall and the 7 1/4 circular saw are beyond belief. But I’d gladly pay $200 more for that set made in USA with USA :us:

Yeah, the dewalt is no different than any other Chinese manufactured brand, but Milwaukee‘s warranty is still 2 years longer.

Tools from Taiwan though… manufacturing practices aren’t far behind Japan, maybe 2 steps behind Germany.

If it comes down to American made tools versus Taiwanese made tools… I’m giving serious consideration to Taiwanese made tools these days and don’t feel bad when I pick them over US made tools.

15-20 years ago even attempting to argue that any tool made outside of the US or Germany were worth buying over US/German tools (Makita excepted) might’ve started a fist fight on a jobsite.

Now even on Union job sites there’s 20 Tundras (more American made than Chevys and Fords though) in the lot and Chinese made Milwaukees and DeWalts as far as the eye can see.

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I have one simalar to that one you posted. Its not really good for much. I wouldnt weld anything on my trailer with it. You can get a decebt holbart mig/stick welder for like $600. Mig is expensive to start out with because you have to buy tank and gas. Stick is cheaper to use and probably better for someone thats only going to weld like 2 times a year.

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If you’re only going to weld 2x per year, this is the best buy. I bought it because it can run on 220 or 110, it has a shoulder strap because it’s only 20 lbs, and I can run it off my my generator or my buddies generator down at his hunting cabin.

$160 and I’ve actually been really happy with it for the times I used it.

@Harold if you plan to use it more than a few times a year, look elsewhere, but if you want a welder you can sling over your shoulder and take with you to fix something even once a year, this isn’t a bad buy to have on the shelf.

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That seems like their attempt at something like the Maxstar 150. I have one of those and absolutely love it :heart_eyes:. I was going to say something about it earlier but decided to keep my over priced Chinese stuff to myself :joy::joy:. Just the way they are so light and can run off 120 or 240 by just switching the plug absolutely priceless.

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Still reading on all the PWing info, but I have built a few smokers and grills using the Hobart. Very good machine and beginner friendly!

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I bought this one on black Friday for $70 its ok for small stuff. I just got it so i didnt have to go back a forth to my grandpas to use his Lincoln. Welded some legs back on my table by my fire pit. Should be good for another 10 years lol


3/32 is as big as you can go with it

Im taking my trailer to the high school. They are going to weld it for me all i have to do is buy the metal.
Id be careful if you dont know any of them. I confident in them because i know the teacher and he will not allow a bad weld. He will make them grind it off and start over.

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