Help deciding on a welder
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More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 529
Likes: 54
From: Houston
Help deciding on a welder
Howdy all,
I'm trying to decide if I should get a welder, and I need some advice. The bed of my truck has pretty much rousted away (PO had a drop in bed liner and water didn't drain). I need to put a floor in and have considered building a wood drawer system and a whole replacement bed. I've seen some $100-$200ish welders, and wondered if they might work and what to look for in a welder. A decent bed would be about $250 from what I've gleaned, and my drawer plans would be about the same. I know If I have a welder, I will find additional jobs, but for now, just want the bed functional. I've searched for threads covering which to buy, but all the results are about 10+ years old.
Requirements and limitations:
- I am new to welding, so the more forgiving, the better
- I live in an apartment, so must run on 110 volts
- I portable and small size (the apartment again)
- Price no higher than $250ish
Or should I just find a professional welder, buy the materials, and let him tack it in?
Thanks
I'm trying to decide if I should get a welder, and I need some advice. The bed of my truck has pretty much rousted away (PO had a drop in bed liner and water didn't drain). I need to put a floor in and have considered building a wood drawer system and a whole replacement bed. I've seen some $100-$200ish welders, and wondered if they might work and what to look for in a welder. A decent bed would be about $250 from what I've gleaned, and my drawer plans would be about the same. I know If I have a welder, I will find additional jobs, but for now, just want the bed functional. I've searched for threads covering which to buy, but all the results are about 10+ years old.
Requirements and limitations:
- I am new to welding, so the more forgiving, the better
- I live in an apartment, so must run on 110 volts
- I portable and small size (the apartment again)
- Price no higher than $250ish
Or should I just find a professional welder, buy the materials, and let him tack it in?
Thanks
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
Welding and forgiveness don't go together. You either make a quality weld without porosity or you don't. That comes down to prep, correct Welding process, settings and the operator. For 250.00 you will be limited to very basic level inverter machines or old transformer based machines.
For that I would have to strongly suggest the HF easy 125. I own a few of them and for 200.00 they flat out work well and know the limits. Anything past 1/4"" and you will need proper material prep and will be doing multi pass but that is expected.
https://www.harborfreight.com/easy-f...0aAmXREALw_wcB
For that I would have to strongly suggest the HF easy 125. I own a few of them and for 200.00 they flat out work well and know the limits. Anything past 1/4"" and you will need proper material prep and will be doing multi pass but that is expected.
https://www.harborfreight.com/easy-f...0aAmXREALw_wcB
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,273
Likes: 131
From: Missouri
I bought the HF flux 125 a few months ago. I too have very little welding experience. I took a stick welding class a few years ago. Welding with flux core is nice because you don't need any gas bottles and it's far easier than stick. I've done several small jobs with my 125 and it does the trick. The only downside to cheap machines are the duty cycles. You can weld something like 2 minutes and have to rest for 8 minutes. For being such a small machine it can burn a nice weld.
Don't buy too cheap of a welder. The super cheap ones are AC welders. Spend a little more on a DC welder. Don't forget you have to buy a bunch of accessories too. Auto helmet, gloves, sleeves, apron. hammer, mig pliers, brush, grinder and attachments, ect ect.. fire extinguisher!
Don't buy too cheap of a welder. The super cheap ones are AC welders. Spend a little more on a DC welder. Don't forget you have to buy a bunch of accessories too. Auto helmet, gloves, sleeves, apron. hammer, mig pliers, brush, grinder and attachments, ect ect.. fire extinguisher!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,652
Likes: 79
From: Mooresville, NC
^^^^ Just want to second what muhford said -- those AC buzz boxes are safety nightmares.
I'd actually avoid the HF low end machines since you're working on sheet metal and go with a used Miller or Lincoln full up MIG w/either pure Co2 or C25 (mix of argon and Co2)..............run 023 or 024 wire, butt weld and use compressed air to cool so you don't warp the material. Some great (used) portable MIGs:
Miller 130
Miller 130 XP
Lincoln 140
these run on 115V @ 20% duty cycles
The low end HF inverters will "work" but using flux core on 18,20, 22 gauge sheet metal is messy, not recommended. I'm not crazy about HF welders (lousy warranty), but if you do go that way the HF Titanium Pro 140 that runs solid and flux core wire would be my choice in the price range you mentioned--- believe it can be had in the $300s w/coupons. Add a new ground clamp ($7-$15 @ HF) and look for clamps that have heavy copper braiding interconnecting both sides of the clamp or go with a full copper alloy clamp -- good grounds are critical.
DO NOT USE EXTENSION CORDS -- safety issue along with the fact there's a good chance they'll destroy the welding machine.
I'd actually avoid the HF low end machines since you're working on sheet metal and go with a used Miller or Lincoln full up MIG w/either pure Co2 or C25 (mix of argon and Co2)..............run 023 or 024 wire, butt weld and use compressed air to cool so you don't warp the material. Some great (used) portable MIGs:
Miller 130
Miller 130 XP
Lincoln 140
these run on 115V @ 20% duty cycles
The low end HF inverters will "work" but using flux core on 18,20, 22 gauge sheet metal is messy, not recommended. I'm not crazy about HF welders (lousy warranty), but if you do go that way the HF Titanium Pro 140 that runs solid and flux core wire would be my choice in the price range you mentioned--- believe it can be had in the $300s w/coupons. Add a new ground clamp ($7-$15 @ HF) and look for clamps that have heavy copper braiding interconnecting both sides of the clamp or go with a full copper alloy clamp -- good grounds are critical.
DO NOT USE EXTENSION CORDS -- safety issue along with the fact there's a good chance they'll destroy the welding machine.
Thread Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 529
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From: Houston
Just for my own understanding, how does a cord cause damage?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,273
Likes: 131
From: Missouri
With any equipment using a cheap cord, too long, or too small (gauge) could be hazardous. Use a nice quality 10 gauge cord for 50' - 100' lengths. 12 gauge should be fine for less than 50'. Your receptacle wiring is 12 or 14 gauge anyways. If you're really concerned just check your voltage at your cord end and make sure you have enough for the welder, 115 volts or so.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
You can use a proper gauge and length cord. The inverter machines are far more friendly to this because there is no ramp up like the transformer units. I do not suggest a 120v transformer machine on a cord. I do use 240v machines on 50amp drop cords.
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FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Angier, NC
^^^^ Just want to second what muhford said -- those AC buzz boxes are safety nightmares.
I'd actually avoid the HF low end machines since you're working on sheet metal and go with a used Miller or Lincoln full up MIG w/either pure Co2 or C25 (mix of argon and Co2)..............run 023 or 024 wire, butt weld and use compressed air to cool so you don't warp the material. Some great (used) portable MIGs:
Miller 130
Miller 130 XP
Lincoln 140
these run on 115V @ 20% duty cycles
The low end HF inverters will "work" but using flux core on 18,20, 22 gauge sheet metal is messy, not recommended. I'm not crazy about HF welders (lousy warranty), but if you do go that way the HF Titanium Pro 140 that runs solid and flux core wire would be my choice in the price range you mentioned--- believe it can be had in the $300s w/coupons. Add a new ground clamp ($7-$15 @ HF) and look for clamps that have heavy copper braiding interconnecting both sides of the clamp or go with a full copper alloy clamp -- good grounds are critical.
DO NOT USE EXTENSION CORDS -- safety issue along with the fact there's a good chance they'll destroy the welding machine.
I'd actually avoid the HF low end machines since you're working on sheet metal and go with a used Miller or Lincoln full up MIG w/either pure Co2 or C25 (mix of argon and Co2)..............run 023 or 024 wire, butt weld and use compressed air to cool so you don't warp the material. Some great (used) portable MIGs:
Miller 130
Miller 130 XP
Lincoln 140
these run on 115V @ 20% duty cycles
The low end HF inverters will "work" but using flux core on 18,20, 22 gauge sheet metal is messy, not recommended. I'm not crazy about HF welders (lousy warranty), but if you do go that way the HF Titanium Pro 140 that runs solid and flux core wire would be my choice in the price range you mentioned--- believe it can be had in the $300s w/coupons. Add a new ground clamp ($7-$15 @ HF) and look for clamps that have heavy copper braiding interconnecting both sides of the clamp or go with a full copper alloy clamp -- good grounds are critical.
DO NOT USE EXTENSION CORDS -- safety issue along with the fact there's a good chance they'll destroy the welding machine.
- I live in an apartment, so must run on 110 volts
- I portable and small size (the apartment again)
- I portable and small size (the apartment again)
Heck I have all that in my garage and when working I have to stop and pick up stuff just to have room to work again.
I have a Lincoln 135 plus. I started with flux core wire that came with the unit and yes it did the job but left a lot of splatter that needed to be cleaned up.
I then used Co2 as I got it for free and the welds where good, not great and no splatter.
I then switched to a Argon mix and the welds are a lot better & cleaner, less clean up if any.
I do have a spool of flux wire for when working out side. Any wind will blow the shield gases away and make the welds no good.
BTW even a fan blowing to keep you cool when wearing everything when welding will blow the gas away!
So outside using gas you would need to build a tent to weld in so in the OP request that is not going to happen LOL
I do use a cord as the machine cord is not long enough where I work in my garage to reach a outlet, it is a heavy gauge wire cord and have no issues.
Dave ----
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 486
Likes: 174
A MIG welder is the way to go for a rookie welder. Easy to learn. Plenty of YouTube videos. But, as others have said, don't go cheap!
I have a really nice Miller TIG/Stick machine that I paid a good chunk of money for. It does a lot of things really well
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I bought a cheap Lincoln 140 "EasyMig". it uses gas, and is a 110v input. But it is virtually worthless for anything other than sheet metal. It hasn't the power for any wire size bigger than .023, and can't get proper penetration on even 1/8" stock. At $300, I paid too much.
If I had it to do over, I'd spend at least grand and get something quality that actually welds a good variety of thicknesses.
I'm old enough and experienced enough to have known better is the thing that ticks me off the most.
I have never ever regretted spending the money buying quality.
I have FREQUENTLY regretted buying something cheaper.
I have a really nice Miller TIG/Stick machine that I paid a good chunk of money for. It does a lot of things really well
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I bought a cheap Lincoln 140 "EasyMig". it uses gas, and is a 110v input. But it is virtually worthless for anything other than sheet metal. It hasn't the power for any wire size bigger than .023, and can't get proper penetration on even 1/8" stock. At $300, I paid too much.
If I had it to do over, I'd spend at least grand and get something quality that actually welds a good variety of thicknesses.
I'm old enough and experienced enough to have known better is the thing that ticks me off the most.
I have never ever regretted spending the money buying quality.
I have FREQUENTLY regretted buying something cheaper.
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