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cityslicker
09-22-2009, 03:25 PM
I haven't welded in years, but I loved it and want to buy a cheep welder so I can make my own stuff...
what type brand and size welder would you guys suggest.. I'd want to be able to weld 1/4 inch plate with 2 or less pass's.

limegreentj
09-22-2009, 03:57 PM
ive used every brand of welder you can think of, and i bought a clarke 125en the 130en is the same thing, but it is a really great welder and they can be had cheap. i honestly think that my clarke competes with a lincoln or hobart. and it'll weld 3/16 in a single pass, thicker in multiple passes...and 1/4 with just pre-heat. and everyone says, get a 220 volt blah blah blah....110v works just fine, sure they have a smaller duty cycle, my clarke has a 30-40% at full power which means, you can weld 3-4 minutes out of ever 10 without stopping. and the only time i ever pushed that to the limit was welding the rti ramp i built for BBnT. when/IF business ever picks up i'll be buying a 220v stick welder for heavy stuff and then a 220 mig later down the road. a jeeps frame is 1/8th inch thick, and bumpers, sliders and stuff are typically made of no thicker than 3/16ths...i personally wont build bumpers or anything out of 1/4 for people and strongly advise against it because 1/4 is overkill for stuff like that. you want the bumper to bend in a crash...not the frame...anyone that has ever seen my welds know that my little machine does a kick ass job, but its not just the machine, its more the operator.

cityslicker
09-22-2009, 04:11 PM
right right, I would of course need to "get back on my feet" as far as becoming anywhere near decent at welding..
I'll look into that, would like some more feedback though... No offense i just want to hear from a few cats and base a decision on all statements.

that does sound good though.

fedorchak1635
09-22-2009, 08:39 PM
There is tons of older mig/flux core welders on craigslist:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/for/1377197590.html

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=mig+welder&catAbbreviation=sss&minAsk=min&maxAsk=max

Peccavi18
09-22-2009, 11:15 PM
what kind of welder are you more comfortable with, what kinds do you have previous experience with? I had a shitty stick welder and hated using it, so I bought my Hobart 187 mig to be able to do anything i planned and more and really like it, My welds look consistant and I am comfortable using it, unlike the old stick welder. I like that I can go to tractor supply which is a 15min drive from my parents and pick up wire or whatever parts needed 7 days a week. Although I was at a friends a few weeks ago and used his linclon tomsbstone and was surprised that my welds came out ok and were plenty stong, I doubt they were close to yeild but they were 100 times better than using my old machine I hated.

are you looking 110 or 220?

Fourx4sr4me
09-23-2009, 02:47 AM
You can pick up the Hobart 187 at tractor supply for a great price.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_36272_-1______?rFlag=true&cFlag=1

I know a few people that have it and love it.

village_idiot
09-23-2009, 02:57 AM
i would go for the hobart 187, i have used one a few times at my uncles place, great welder for the price, when i have the cash for a new welder, that is at the top of my list.

john00TJ
09-23-2009, 12:06 PM
i would go for the hobart 187, i have used one a few times at my uncles place, great welder for the price, when i have the cash for a new welder, that is at the top of my list.


Maybe Santa will bring you one this year

limegreentj
09-23-2009, 12:31 PM
:044:

village_idiot
09-23-2009, 02:04 PM
Maybe Santa will bring you one this year
i can only hope:042:

Sycotik Skier
09-23-2009, 04:35 PM
I wish Santa would bring me a welder

village_idiot
09-23-2009, 04:59 PM
I wish Santa would bring me a welder
when i get a new one, you can have the one i got now for 80 bucks

Sycotik Skier
09-23-2009, 09:36 PM
thats alright. I have access to a Lincoln power mig 255 at work and I can always borrow gilly95's snap on welder which is comparable. I get in too much trouble when I have a decent mig lying around.