Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi all,
I have a Hobart Auto Arc 130,
which I THINK is a re-branded MillerMatic 130 ?

If so, I was pretty sure I had previously found a Gas Kit for it - for the Millermatic which is supposed to work on the Hobart as well.. but, I cannot find it now despite hours of googling.

Can anyone point me to this information or confirm it ?

Appreciate the help !
Brian

Welcome to the forum!

I googled and saw a lot of references saying the Hobart is a rebranded Miller. During those google travels i found a hobart part number for a gas kit; when i followed that path it lead me to the Northern Tool website and said that exact part is out of stock. It gave a little picture, showing a fixed flow regulator, a length of hose, and a brass threaded fitting.

If your machine has an external fitting for gas, any reason you couldn't gin up your own "gas kit"? Buy an actual flowmeter (instead of a fixed flow regulator), available everywhere, and get a couple feet of braided hose and hose clamps (which you may already have in your inventory). The inlet fitting should be standard, meaning you can get one at your LWS or Lowes or Home Deep.

Unless the Hobart/Miller gas kit includes a gas solenoid to install in the machine, based on that picture I don't think there's any magic to this. You can make your own and have a more robust flowmeter instead of a fixed flow regulator.

I think you're good to go: the Amazon description of the current Auto Arc 130 says this:
"For greater flexibility, the welder includes a gas valve for welding with solid wire and shielding gas."

So you should be able to work up your own with no worries. If you switch to gas shielded MIG, remember to change the polarity of your machine from DCEN (used for flux core) to DCEP (for gas shielded MIG).

Also, consider that you might want to use CO2 for shielding gas: it's cheaper, but works on thicker steel (as opposed to auto body stock). But we can cross that bridge later if you like.

Artie F. Emm wrote:Welcome to the forum!

I googled and saw a lot of references saying the Hobart is a rebranded Miller. During those google travels i found a hobart part number for a gas kit; when i followed that path it lead me to the Northern Tool website and said that exact part is out of stock. It gave a little picture, showing a fixed flow regulator, a length of hose, and a brass threaded fitting.

If your machine has an external fitting for gas, any reason you couldn't gin up your own "gas kit"? Buy an actual flowmeter (instead of a fixed flow regulator), available everywhere, and get a couple feet of braided hose and hose clamps (which you may already have in your inventory). The inlet fitting should be standard, meaning you can get one at your LWS or Lowes or Home Deep.

Unless the Hobart/Miller gas kit includes a gas solenoid to install in the machine, based on that picture I don't think there's any magic to this. You can make your own and have a more robust flowmeter instead of a fixed flow regulator.

Thanks Artie - would you mind sending me the link you found ? Not sure why I couldn't find it again!

As for working up my own - thank you for the information - I will look into it !
I guess I didn't realize that would be an option.
I will check and see if the external fitting "goes anywhere" - meaning that there isn't also something on the inside needed too!

Post #1 at this link...
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?10 ... utoArc-130
...references Model# 770717. When I googled that it lead me here:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200456477
... but that says model 164195 is not available. It does give a picture at the top of the page, though. Here's a bigger picture:
http://www.kmart.com/hobart-770717-fixe ... 935860000P

You can get a CGA 580 flowmeter from amazon prime for $26. Braided hose and hose clamps are easy, if you lived close I'd give you spares out of my inventory. The fitting to the machine *looks* to be this one, another $7 (free shipping).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Argon-F ... xycgVThl-6

Artie F. Emm wrote:Post #1 at this link...
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?10 ... utoArc-130
...references Model# 770717. When I googled that it lead me here:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200456477
... but that says model 164195 is not available. It does give a picture at the top of the page, though. Here's a bigger picture:
http://www.kmart.com/hobart-770717-fixe ... 935860000P

You can get a CGA 580 flowmeter from amazon prime for $26. Braided hose and hose clamps are easy, if you lived close I'd give you spares out of my inventory. The fitting to the machine *looks* to be this one, another $7 (free shipping).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Argon-F ... xycgVThl-6

Thanks again!
you have been most helpful !