Welding Tips and Tricks

New to the forum & was hoping to get some advice. I'm looking to get a welder for my house. I was interested in the gxt by Lincoln but then i figured I woild have to have an electrician come out and up the amps to my garage etc etc.. Then I thought of a gas drive welder such as the ranger 225 which I could take anywhere and practically weld anything. Stick tig mig. Any opinions or thoughts on the 2 welders? Thanks in advance

As this forum is to sell and trade equipment for our forum members I'm going to move your topic to the "General" sub-forum where you'll likely get more views. On that note I'd love to have a Ranger but it's not in the budget.

Welcome to WT&T!

Ohk sorry!! & yes the ranger is pricey (3200,00) but it's well worth it in my opinion. Throw it in the truck and away you go!

I have an SP 175 for the little stuff. I also run a SP 200 for some larger projects but when I need versatility for field welding, I wouldn't trade my Ranger 9 for anything. I have a little suitcase welder for running .068 and also a LN 7 GMA that hasn't seen daylight for a couple years.

I have a Tweco / Thermal Arc Fabricator 211i and I cannot recommend it enough. Got it on sale from Baker's gas and supply for 900$ w/ no tax and free shipping

Bigdeer 597,

It may not matter to you, depending on the type of welding you plan on doing, but the Ranger 225 has DC welding output only. If you plan on needing AC welding output, you'll need to go to the Ranger 250 (for considerably more money) if you want to stay red. Or, if blue goes with your truck, you can get the Miller Bobcat 225, which has both AC and DC welding output, for roughly the same price as a Ranger 225. I have a Bobcat 225 and I love it. Does everything I've ever asked of it.

ldb

I have a miller bobcat 250 and i would not trade it for anything. I like it as much now as i did the day I bought it. I have had it on strip mines, road jobs, and I still use it now for my business and I haven't had hardly any trouble out of it. Its been very dependable and performed every time I called on it. I have nothing against lincoln I used to have a ranger 9 up until I bought this miller and it also done very well it just got to the point where I was putting more oil in it than I was gas lol.

I am new to welding, took a 30 hour class on stick at CC. I found a small used mig for tacking together stuff and practice. I want to make some implements for my mini backhoe. Got a deal on some recycle 1/2 X 4 steel plate that is just right for a stump ripper, but the little 125 a mig won't do. Looking for probably used 200 amp DC cc. Not much of a budget. No plans for business, just hobby.
I stopped by a weld supply shop and the fellow said I should get a new Everlast Power arc 200ST. They want $400 for stick only. Unit will do TIG with additional kit purchase about $150. Not for me now but maybe future. Has 5 yr warranty. It is an inverter unit.
ANY comments would be appreciated.

Gene

Gene,

Everlast has excellent customer support from what I've seen. If the machine does not perform as advertised "out of the box", or even during warranty, they'll ship you another (no waiting on a fix).

I've heard mixed things on using 6010 rod... many comments on this. 7018 or 7014, apparently run smooth as glass.

Steve S