Welding Tips and Tricks

Trying to decide on a good entry level Mig welder.
Primary purpose will be for tack welding brackets etc in place for an expedition vehicle build I am going to be starting.
All of the final welds will be done with my Tig Welder.

That said at most the thickness of material used would be 1/4" maybe up to 3/8 but not much thicker than that.

I have both 110 & 220 in the shop so would prefer a dual voltage machine. I want to set it up for dual shield welding and be done with it (don't ask why my answer wont make any sense)

The kicker is I am trying to stay within a budget of $800 I have been looking at used but keep seeing all the import stuff and just get lost as to what is good or not.

I want to stick with Lincoln or Miller but dunno if they will be in my price range.

I've got a Tweco Fabricator 211i. It's 120/240 and does GMAW, SMAW, FCAW, and lift arc GTAW. It'll take 12" spools, which is a nice touch. I'm really happy with it. $900 + tax at my LWS.

Larry

If you can find a used Millermatic 211 or some equivalent it may work well for you. Or you could buy a Hobart mig welder which is essentially Miller welders.

I've been real happy with my Lincoln 210 mp.

Poland308 wrote:I've been real happy with my Lincoln 210 mp.

If you do the 210 mp you can get it with a tig weld kit and have everything in one and sell your old if welder. Just another option to think on.

Except you can't tig ac with it.

Poland308 wrote:Except you can't tig ac with it.

True but the vehicle he works on would be steel but always good to have everything you need. Always have the spool gun as an option as well.

Farmwelding wrote:

Poland308 wrote:Except you can't tig ac with it.

True but the vehicle he works on would be steel but always good to have everything you need. Always have the spool gun as an option as well.

Actually I do a lot of AL work. Some of it about 1" thick which is why I have a 325amp Tig.

But to your point, yes I did look at the multiprocessor machines and given my needs will most likely stick to just mig. The main focus here is to be able to tack things into place and then do me real welding with the tig as I like the precision and finished product I get with it.

Regardless thanks for all the inputs, I will be keeping an eye out for some of the machines listed, at this time going to try and find a Miller, Hobart or Lincoln and those are the ones I have seen the most reviews on for reliability etc in the size I am looking for.

DSM8 wrote:Trying to decide on a good entry level Mig welder.
Primary purpose will be for tack welding brackets etc in place for an expedition vehicle build I am going to be starting.
All of the final welds will be done with my Tig Welder.

That said at most the thickness of material used would be 1/4" maybe up to 3/8 but not much thicker than that.

I have both 110 & 220 in the shop so would prefer a dual voltage machine. I want to set it up for dual shield welding and be done with it (don't ask why my answer wont make any sense)

The kicker is I am trying to stay within a budget of $800 I have been looking at used but keep seeing all the import stuff and just get lost as to what is good or not.

I want to stick with Lincoln or Miller but dunno if they will be in my price range.

might want to look at one of the smaller Miller or hobart machines, one thing i would recommend though is look at your local welding supply stores and see what kinda stuff they offer as far as tips go. no use getting a machine that will be hard to get stuff for.. i know my local farm store only has stuff for hobart machines so i would have to drive a far distance to get anything for a lincoln or order off line.

i have been thinking on getting a miller 125 as i rarely use MIG.