Yep the CH is what I'm gonna go with cause it can be flux core or MIG and it will handle what I need it for. As for how nice the weld looks, I could give a hoot cause they are gonna be grinded down anyway, all it's gotta do is fuse 2 pieces of metal together. I guess reliablity and availability and procurement of parts was my main concern.

 

I guess a good piece of advice that hasn't been given yet:

Call some local weld supply stores. Many will let you try out machines. One local place here that's a Lincoln dealer has probably every model set up in a room in the back with pieces of scrap, so you can try them all out all you want.

So, for example, if you want to be able to weld 1/4" steel and a machine says it will weld it, you can see just how well that machine will run it. Say you try ot a HH175, you will then know what most machines with the same amperage ability will weld like on that thickness of material. In some cases, they will say a machine will weld certain thicknesses, but it may not weld it very effectively at all if it's a large piece of metal (kinda soaks up the heat).

A couple places like this, and you can likely answer a lot of your own questions. Sometimes you get many conflicting opinions on message forums and it's good to find out some on your own and then add it to what advice you've been told.

Also ask ahead of time and see if you can return the machine if you're not satisfied. Then when you get it, within a couple days, put it to the test of its abilities to make sure it will do what you want it to do.

 

Good advise as usual Engloid.

 

Yeah, just as the thread seemed finished, I noticed that we'd all overlooked something so obvious.