I am asking this for a simple reason. I actually was a welder in the chemical plants for a good little while. But I have always used pipeliners and nothing smaller than a 300 stick and TIG. I actually have very little MIG welding experience. I have my 78' F100 Ranger super crew that needs a ton of body work on the cab. I do not have a welder yet and will be getting one very soon. Just needing some ideas from the experienced guys out there with these dent sides.

 

I have Hobart Handler that runs off of 110 and 220. Have had really good luck with it. Probably 7 years old now.

 

I personally have a Lincoln 180C. Its a 220V and the smallest 220V Lincoln offers. I have ran anything from solid .025 wire to .045 flux core. It's one little power house of a welder!

 

Is it a high end machine? I wouldnt think you would really need a high end machine just to basically tac weld

 

I have a Century 80GL that I rarely use. Most of the time I borrow my cousins 115V Campbell Hausffeld MIG welder. Ive used it alot for body work on my '62 Plymouth project with no complaints.

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Now I don't know about the others, the CH, Hobart and such, I went to a welding shop a while back, the salesman asked me right up, do I tend to use stuff at or above rated duty cycle. Of course I do, so he suggested the Miller XP130 welder as it has a copper wound transformer versus aluminum wound. I guess the Al ones crack with repeated heat cycles.

Its a 120v welder and is good up to 1/4 inch and after a dozen 10lb spools of wire, its still going strong. I also have a big Lincoln 400 ac/dc and hi freq tig adapter for it. Wire feed is the fastest for bodywork.

 

I have a Lincoln WeldPak HD. It's a 110 volt flux cored unit. It can be used with gas but I never have. It works well on everything up through exhaust pipe. And also very effectively on mild steel up to 1/8". Does body welds just fine.

I do need to buy an arc welder soon though, the little thing won't do everything.

 

Lincoln 175 220 V wire feed. best tool i've ever bought.

 

I have a Miller XMT 304. Mig/Tig/Arc. Love that thing. Currently out of gas so I have been fluxing and sticking everything.

 

I have a Lincoln 180HD. Its 220v plus I got it from Home Depot so if there are any problems it is easy to return. It welds great and was a good price too.

 

Miller Miller-Matic 120-240. Nice machine.

 

Lincolin Ranger9 gas powered...............a bit big for body work...............LOL But am contemplating a small 120V wirefeed just for small stuff. A lot easier than dragging 50 ft of leads out of the service truck to tack together a bracket or something..............

 

My "old" big boy.


My "new" one


I also have a little Century 110v MIG. It works well for gates and other junk that deserves a MIG. I'm a fab snob though and MIG or stick welds are not allowed on my truck. MIG is only good for body work in my eyes and even then I'd rather TIG it with silicone bronze rod...

 

Fab snob my a**...............................youre **** retentive.................LOL............Not that theres a damn thing wrong with that!!!!!!!!!!

 

Miller 140 with Autoset, Miller 211 with Autoset (just ordered it), Miller Diversion 180 TIG (on order too), and the "unwelder" is a lil Hobart Airforce 250i.