Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello All

It's been a while since I spent any time lurking on the site. Since the last time I was here we replaced a 5,800 square foot shop building on our NY farm that burned, had two kids get married, sold our farm and moved to our place in Stokes County, NC for what has turned into an "active retirement". One thing I had put off for some years was building some trailer mounted wood burning BBQ smokers that I had stockpiled some retired 120 gallon propane tanks for. At any rate, the propane tanks made the trip and I can hear them calling me....

For welders I have a 2012 Miller Bobcat 225 and an older Dialarc 250P (with power factor correction). For smokers I'll mostly be welding on 1/8" to 1/4" sheet with maybe some 5/16" to 3/8" thrown in. The only MIG welder I have really used was a 120 volt Astro-Mig welder used for sheet metal stuff and that went up in smoke in the fire.

I'm interested in getting input on a wire feeder or MIG welder choice. As I will be welding in a breeze some of the time I think flux core and probably dual shield is most likely where I want to be and the ability to MIG weld aluminum would be a bonus. In addition to the two Millers I have a clean 120/240 volt 100 amp panel in the garage so a stand alone MIG or multi-process machine is an option.

I know where a good used Lincoln LN-25 can be had but have never used one. The LN-25 would not include a gas regulator and may not have the gas solenoid kit but the price is right. I'll have to get the product code and serial number from them and check whether it has the gas kits but even if it doesn't I think I'll be all in around $12-1300 for the LN-25.

So, any thoughts on running a wire feeder off either of the welders I have or should I start looking for a separate machine? And thanks for looking and maybe feeding me some brains....


Lance

Welcome back. You've been busy it seems

What kind of a price range do you have?

A 12VS Suitcase from a Miller will plug into your Bobcat and offer you hardwire, Self-shielded Flux Core, dual shielded, or Aluminum (with a liner change). Runs about $1,400 and checks all the boxes you listed.

Farmwelder, I don't have a budget per se but would like to keep it below $2k. And that might be stretching it for something I want as opposed to need.... Over the years I've done the vast majority of my welding with stick and probably 90% of that with 3/32 and 1/8" 7018. I could use stick to build the smokers but that means a boatload of rods, restarts and slag cleaning before restarts as there is an awful lot of bead to weld. I figure a suitcase or stand alone machine with flux-core or dual shield will really cut fab time down. But if it gets to spendy I might have a hard time convincing my bride that I need another welder more than we need say, new composite decking on a porch or another wall oven

cj, I'm not seeing 12vs X-treme for much less than $2K new with a 300 Amp gun. If you're seeing them for $1400 please point me the way to them. Do you know if it has or will accept the hardware for pre and post flow?

Thanks to you both.


Lance

I stand corrected. It’s right at $2,000.
https://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.com/ ... ers-951544

I’m not aware that pre- and post- flow are MIG features in this unit.

Thanks. Have a great evening.


Lance

not sure about a wire feeder for either one, but you could look at a Hobart ironman 230 for around $1500.00 and they are 250amp welders and if you have a atwoods near you check them. they are switching from hobart to Lincoln and have the hobart welder's marked down I picked up a Ironman 2 weeks ago for 1175.00

Thanks, it looks like it's about 800 miles to their nearest store...

Have a great weekend.


Lance

Thanks, it looks like it's about 800 miles to their nearest store...

Have a great weekend.


Lance