Let's say I wanna buy some welders...

[ViperMan]

So I somewhat-begrudgingly hit up Craigslist today and found several units of - of course - a wide variety of makes/models/sizes/condition/price.  It's kinda hard to know much about the unit when the listing says, "Mig Welder.  Rarely used.  Will trade for guns..."   

I see a Lincoln 180 HD for $425 that looks too good to be true (and it's in downtown Columbus, OH - so it might be...)  I also see a Snap-On unit here in Cincinnati - looks to be in great shape but as I even read here, the reliability of the unit can be iffy...  I also see a bunch of Hobart units.  Anyone have any experience with them?  They look like decent welders, and there's a bunch of them nearby at good prices.  Just wondering if anyone has any experience with that brand.

[dutch]

Hobart is good stuff

[ViperMan]

Hobart is good stuff

There's a fairly reasonable deal on a Hobart Handler 140 over in Indy - seems fairly robust for a 110V welder.  Watched a video of a guy building an old Ford truck with it, and said he used it for everything from sheet metal to about 1/4" chassis stuff without any problems.  I'd probably need someone to come check out the wiring in my garage, but I should be able to do some sheet metal practice for now.

It doesn't have the regulator and hose, but those don't look super-expensive.  I'd jump straight to gas-shielded welding because I know how important that is for sheet-metal work.

[Brads70]

Hobart is good stuff

  I used a Hobart tig and a place I worked for 18 years with no issues.

[dutch]

110 sounds way light to me.... we dont have that... it`s 220 or 380v.  I have both and all I know is, 380 has more umpf than 220, so my guess is that goes for 110 vs 220 also... I`d go for 220.  Also I`d get some serious amps. You can turn a 250 amp machine down for welding sheet, but when you get a 110/140 machine, I`m pretty sure you will kick yourself one day not too far from now.
Also, I`d visit a professional welding equipment supplier before doing anything.  Go get some decent advice and do some welding with different machines. I don`t know how good your welding is, but I`d advice to buy a new, good quality machine. If you don`t have a lot of experience, you need trust your welder to perform well. Learning to weld and fighting malfunction at the same time, leads to nowhere.

[ViperMan]

110 sounds way light to me.... we dont have that... it`s 220 or 380v.  I have both and all I know is, 380 has more umpf than 220, so my guess is that goes for 110 vs 220 also... I`d go for 220.  Also I`d get some serious amps. You can turn a 250 amp machine down for welding sheet, but when you get a 110/140 machine, I`m pretty sure you will kick yourself one day not too far from now.
Also, I`d visit a professional welding equipment supplier before doing anything.  Go get some decent advice and do some welding with different machines. I don`t know how good your welding is, but I`d advice to buy a new, good quality machine. If you don`t have a lot of experience, you need trust your welder to perform well. Learning to weld and fighting malfunction at the same time, leads to nowhere.

Thanks for the feedback.

I'd love to swing for the fence and buy some $2000 unit, but besides not having a ton of money to invest in hobbies (believe me, if I did, I'd be brewing beer on this:



and not this...)





Anyways, the other problem is that I will likely be renting a house for at least another 2 years, and I don't really want to drop big bucks getting a 220V outlet in a garage that isn't mine - if the owner will even let me...  So I gotta keep it simple, and something that'll work just about anywhere.

By the time I get my own place again, I'll be able to afford the big welder AND the electrician.

It's really a lot like brewing; trust me - everyone WANTS the top-of-the-line equipment, but it's not always the best option for everyone.  I still brew in a basic pot, mash in a plastic cooler, ferment in glass carboy jugs, and not until I get to storage do I use equipment on-par with the at-home pros...    I don't make the best beers in the world, but I've still got a few dozen medals that says I'm not the worst!

[dutch]

I`d still visit that supplier. Apart from decent advise, they may be able to hook you up with what you`re looking for. I would not buy something online.

[ViperMan]

I`d still visit that supplier. Apart from decent advise, they may be able to hook you up with what you`re looking for. I would not buy something online.

I'm not against that idea.  I do like the link a few pages back for the combo mig/tig 120/230V welder - should really give me the best of all worlds, shouldn't it...?

But I'm not pulling the trigger...

aaaaah puns...


...for another few weeks or so.  I'm just anxious to start making some new sh!t... 

[soundcontrol]

...someday I'm gonna learn how to brew beer! 

[RUNCHARGER]

My old welder was a 110V and it did a great job on sheet metal. Just don't try welding 3/8" plate with one pass.

[ViperMan]

...someday I'm gonna learn how to brew beer! 

Then maybe you can teach me!!   

I feel like I used to be good - picked up several medals over the past few years, including some golds.  Lately I can't even seem to make the podium...

Made a Belgian Tripel last night - we'll see how it goes. 

[soundcontrol]

...someday I'm gonna learn how to brew beer! 

Then maybe you can teach me!!   

I feel like I used to be good - picked up several medals over the past few years, including some golds.  Lately I can't even seem to make the podium...

Made a Belgian Tripel last night - we'll see how it goes. 

Got a buddy who brews a lot, he asked if I could weld him a large stainless container, don't know what its for but I got some clues from your pictures there. ...but I gotta finish my car first

[1 Wild R/T]

The Hobart does fine with 120V....  It welds 12 ga easily, I've welded 1/4" no problem..... 3/8 your gonna either be doing multiple passes or most of us know someone with a bigger machine.....

I've done lots of automotive stuff with my Hobart & built allot of metal fence & gates....

[Cuda Cody]

Impressive!!!  Very nice work man.  For the money, convenience and versatility it's hard to beat a good 120v welder.

[ViperMan]

...someday I'm gonna learn how to brew beer! 

Then maybe you can teach me!!   

I feel like I used to be good - picked up several medals over the past few years, including some golds.  Lately I can't even seem to make the podium...

Made a Belgian Tripel last night - we'll see how it goes. 

Got a buddy who brews a lot, he asked if I could weld him a large stainless container, don't know what its for but I got some clues from your pictures there. ...but I gotta finish my car first

A container?  Probably looking for a fermenter.  It's either that or a brew pot - depends on how many fittings he wants mounted to the side.  Most of our stainless tanks/vessels we purchase use "Sanitary tig welds" for all fittings, and some can be pretty damned complex.  The one pot I'd love to get my hands on runs over $400 bucks, though I think a lot of that cost is mere novelty and brand name...

Thing is, it's not all entirely necessary.  All my medals were earned using an aluminum turkey fryer.  Ideal?  No.  Sufficient?  Damn right...  Meanwhile I only started seriously using glass carboys for fermenting within the past 2 years or so - before that it was food-grade plastic buckets.

Now, what I'D love to use a welder for would be building my own horizontal brew-stand.  Something like that first picture I showed above, but not necessarily with all the fancy pumps and tubing and electronics.  Just something to hang a few burners on, run some simple gas lines with T-fittings, and get everything off the floor and at waist-height for less strain on the body.  I was doing a smidge of research and it looks like, provided I can get stainless filler for the MIG welder, I should be able to weld something pretty easily.  The one set of instructions I read called for .12 wall thickness on 1.5" square tubing.  Should be a piece of cake, right?