Thinking about buying a welder this week

[Bobbo3234]

Ok I am working on some projects and need the ability to do some welding. Just need some feedback on options that I have. I am currently renting and don't have a whole lot of storage space so i need something relatively small. I will only have 110VAC available.

I was thinking about getting a cheap stick welder from Sears or someplace similar, thinking that it is low cost and will work for what I need. Or do i put more money down and get some sort of wire feed welder, probably flux core for now. I just don't know if I can afford a decent wire feed welder right now. What is your guys thoughts?

 

[Nuzzy]

I used to spend some time stick welding when I worked for my buddy's landscaping company. Hard surfacing rod to rebuild worn edges and reinforcement on equipment, and a few other basic kinds of rod for all the rest of the basic fab **** we decided to do whenever the opportunity presented itself. It worked fine for our purposes and certainly held up to abuse. Not a bad cheap option for the time being IMHO.

 

[Zoediak]

Just how cheap is cheap??

I mean you can get the 110 boxes from like home depot, or places like that.

I have a lincoln 3200HD 110 wire feed. Works great. I use it for a lot of the small stuff and tacking things together and stuff.

Not to mention the thing is pretty tough.. I survuved a roll over this past winter. It went skidding down the road, got it home straightened it out, went through a bunch of zip-ties and the thing still chugs along.

 

[NotMatt]

Bobby, I have a Lincoln SP-135T (I think that's the model, it's an SP-135 series for sure) that I bought from a friend a bit back that I'm thinking about selling. It's got an almost new roll of flux core in it plus it includes all the accessories to add a bottle (just have to get the bottle) with it. It's a nice compact unit when it's set up for flux core. I'm going to be over that way this weekend in Monroe so send me a PM if you're interested.

Here's a link to Lincoln's page about it: http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Catalog/equipmentdatasheet.asp?p=2515

Plus I still have that sweatshirt you left at the shop on Oktoberfest. :awesomework:

 

[Hip]

IMHO stick or mig you will want 220V either way. save your pennys and get something you can actually use for fabrication.

.02

ohh and they are 27 spline both em....:awesomework:

 

[Bobbo3234]

IMHO stick or mig you will want 220V either way. save your pennys and get something you can actually use for fabrication.

That is what i was thinking to, but right now I don't know when I will be at a place where I will have 220 available. I am renting looking to buy a place and will probably only be able to afford a condo with a single car garage, hopefully. I was thinking that if I can get something that I can at least tack things together and take it to someone to get it finished welded i would be alright for now. I figured that would be a cheaper solution than just taking a bunch of parts to someone and asking them to do everything.

As for cheap, I really did not want to spend much more than $250 right now. The buzz boxes from Sears are only like 150 but some i don't know who the manufacturer is. Just trying to see what the best value is for me right now. If i can get a cheap stick welder for 150 bucks that does the same thing as a wire feed welder, i would rather do that and save the extra cash for a 220V welder when I am ready.

 

[GRW]

Use the dryer or the stive & go 220.

 

[Bobbo3234]

Use the dryer or the stive & go 220.

Ok ..... currently I am renting a room in a house and i don't think the owner, who lives downstairs, would approve.

 

[toyrunner95]

i use a 13 lincoln for all my welding and i have yet to break a weld, and i usally do 1/4" stuff. which is about the max you need. just crank the heat and slow down the speed. i picked up a welder/cart combo for like $600

 

[boxboy]

I much prefer DC stick over wirefeed fluxcore only although you can get the desired effect out of each.

Is the welder your looking at both AC and DC? Most cheapo's are AC only as the transformer is cheap compared to the DC rectifier. AC welding is not as good as DC.

 

[Bobbo3234]

I much prefer DC stick over wirefeed fluxcore only although you can get the desired effect out of each.

Is the welder your looking at both AC and DC? Most cheapo's are AC only as the transformer is cheap compared to the DC rectifier. AC welding is not as good as DC.

Very true...i did not think of that. I will have to look into this. I am assuming it is only AC

 

[boxboy]

Have you thought about a generator/welder like 4500 watt unit? not sure what these cost but I am sure they are more them a couple hundred like you looking to spend but it can be very useful for more then just welding.

 

[skrause]

Have you thought about a generator/welder like 4500 watt unit? not sure what these cost but I am sure they are more them a couple hundred like you looking to spend but it can be very useful for more then just welding.

$3000+ for an entry level model. That's only about 10x what he was wanting to spend. :haha:

 

[Bobbo3234]

$3000+ for an entry level model. That's only about 10x what he was wanting to spend. :haha:

No doubt....i was actually looking into that aswell. Knowing how often the current place I live loses power it probably wouldn't be such a bad investment.

 

[boxboy]

$3000+ for an entry level model. That's only about 10x what he was wanting to spend. :haha:

no you can get a hobart(name brand even) for 1000 and I have seen other off brandsfor around 500

Champion 4500 Welder Generator


What I am talking about is a Generator that has been setup to weld not a welder that also works as a generator.

 

[CrustyJeep]

I bought a welder this week...

 

[boxboy]

I bought a welder this week...

You just shutup up you weren't willing to share in that other thread and I am still bitter:flipoff:

 

[CrustyJeep]

You just shutup up you weren't willing to share in that other thread and I am still bitter:flipoff:

I sawwy

You can come help me break it in, how's that? Bring something at least 1/2" thick

 

[boxboy]

I sawwy

You can come help me break it in, how's that? Bring something at least 1/2" thick

I think I had some plate laying around:awesomework:

 

[skrause]

no you can get a hobart(name brand even) for 1000 and I have seen other off brandsfor around 500

Champion 4500 Welder Generator


What I am talking about is a Generator that has been setup to weld not a welder that also works as a generator.

Ah, I was talking quality while you were talking kwality. :haha: