I have an Ltec 250 kinda the cadilac of Migs. Esab bought them out...Anyway if you want to fabricate do bumpers hitch work and yes frames My rule of thumb is go a little bigger so you don't buy it twice. 180 or bigger and 220 volt. Mine will do 300 amps when I need it to and spray arc which is nice. I also have a 50ft spool gun which is good for moving around. From what I hear from my supplier go Miller..
Gotta go auto dark..

 

One thing to keep in mind too is that if you will be welding aluminum, the 115 VAC units are fairly limited in what they can do.

 

I have a Miller Shopmaster 300 with all the goodies and a Miller 250 with a spool gun and an ESAB 250 all good machines.

GENE

 

All good posts. Check out www.hobartwelders.com. I would go with a 180 or larger 220v machine. Being the cheap sob I am I bought a Clarke EN 180. It's done really well for me.

 

only thing I say to ensure you get is a welder with rheostat heat control as well as wire speed. the ones with 4 click heat controll restrict you too much good luck
Phil

 

oh, and remember, if you're not used to mig/gas welding, and you do some outside,shield your work from the breeze which will blow your gas away and ruin your weld job. LOL. the words of experiance
Phil

 

Although I haven't MIG/gas welded yet, I did know that. The shielding gas acts like the flux on a stick welder. Good advice thought because there are those that may try to weld with a breeze and thing their welder is broken!

 

I am a Welding Supply Salesman in San Diego, CA and highly recommend a Millermatic or Hobart MIG Welder. 220VAC is best for Gauge sheetmetal up to 1/2". The 110AC unit is only good for up to 3/16" thick metal. Get's whimpy with an extension cord. MM175 good for up to 5/16" and can take a spool gun for Aluminum, MM210 good for up to 3/8" and can take a spool gun for Aluminum, MM251 is good for up to 1/2" and can take a spool gun for Aluminum.

Stay away from the Cheap Mexico Made Lincoln Welding Machines. Lincoln makes most of the welders in Mexico and repairs are common and warranty is hard to get done. Lincoln will try to get you to pay for break downs.

Lincoln also uses PLASTIC WIRE DRIVE Systems that BREAK. MILLER uses CAST ALUMINUM.

Miller has an excellent service department for any issues with their welders.

**Lincoln has very poor service after the sale.**

Miller also makes a VERY GOOD ELECTRIC HELMET.

Our Local San Diego Lincoln Rep sells Lincoln products direct to customers, so the San Diego Welding Distributors look at Lincoln as a Competator.

Miller works through distribution and loves to help

I suggest to buy a Miller/Hobart Welder

 

The Miller Electric Company and Hobart gives "YOU" the Welder the most options when you buy their product.

Miller has Metal Wire Drive Systems, Lincoln has plastic on their small units

Miller Rep Works with Distributors, Lincoln Sells Direct and cuts out the distibutor

Miller Machines have expensive infinite voltage/wire speed control, Lincoln has cheap mexico made tap system.

Miller has Current up to date technology, Lincoln is still in the 1930's

Miller has TOOLESS DRIVEROLL CHANGEOUT, Lincoln driveroll needs a SPECIAL allen wrench to take the TINY drive roll off and takes about an hour to change.

Miller has safety features, Lincoln machines can shock you !!!!

Compare for yourself and make a decision, I prefer Miller for long term use and Lincoln for throw away after a couple years of ownership

 

OK, I was accepting what myfordf350 was saying up untill about half-way through his first post. His posts sound much more like a sleazy sales pitch than sharing useful information about welders .

I have welded on both Miller and Lincoln welders and both are good welders. I would not have any reservations about buying either of them. When I went looking for a mig machine in the early '90's, I looked at and welded on the Millermatic 250 and the comparable Lincoln mig (forget the model) and also looked at Hobart and 'Linde' I think it was.

A friend and very accomplished welder suggested I give HTP a try. I had never heard of them, but since I trusted my friend and the owner of the company promised a money-back gaurantee if I didn't like it (it's a small company), I bought one and have been happy ever since. Mine is a 220v (input) 200 amp (max output) HTP MIG 200 (www.htpweld.com) that I've used for over 10 years now on everything from light sheetmetal to 3/8" and I really like it. They also make a dual-voltage 160-amp mig that can run on both 110v and 220v. I looked at that one but decided I didn't need the 110v feature since I have had 220 available in every house I've lived in. Mine runs fine on the 30-amp breaker for the dryer, as long as I don't attempt to dry clothes while welding.

I have welded on a 110v gasless wire feeder and really didn't like it. It was a small Lincoln, don't remember the model. It ran out of juice on 1/8" fence pipe the flux core wire doesn't make for very clean welds either. Shielding gas does much better. I run argon/CO2 mix and it works pretty good for most stuff I do.

At work, I weld on a huge 440 3-phase Miller. I forget the model but the thing is as big as a large home freezer and is about 25 years old. It's hooked up to a Cobramatic wire feeder and I think an ESAB mig pulser. We weld light gauge aluminum extrusion and the machines are great for that. At home I also have a Powcon 300 DC powersource (220v) with spray arc, mig pulser, and a Cobramatic wire feeder I got from work that I'm hoping to find a torch for so I can do aluminum at home too. The motordrive torches for these things are super expensive to buy new, I'm finding out. If anyone has an old one they want to get rid of, let me know... .

Recently, I looked at the new Lincoln Powermig 300 with built-in push-pull Cobramatic feeder and motordrive torch, like what I use at work. It comes with pulse unit inside too and seems to be all set up for welding aluminum right out of the box. I may try one sometime if I get the chance. They're super expensive, but from what I have seen of the computer controlled Lincoln migs in the hands of a skilled welder, they are really good. I worked at a shop a few years ago that had one and the operator made welds with it that looked like TIG. Not that I would be able to do the same, but it's nice to know the machine can do it in the right hands.

 

Cool - sooooo, what kind of prices can you get us - shipped to our homes?

I am sure there may be others besides myself that would be interested.

 

DougD

I would go to your local "Weld Supply House or Internet or Ebay" and look for yourself and decide on the Machines, Gas, Gloves and Electric Helmet you are going to invest in.

Miller seems to have their act together to supply the best unit for your money and long term use.

I also design and build metal sculptures and have a 1988 MM200 with dual head feeder on top with an additional spool gun, The machine is 220VAC single phase, can weld up to four different guns (one at a time) Mild Steel, Aluminum, Stainless, Silicon Bronze. Gases used are CO2, Argon/CO2, Argon, Argon/Helium Mix, Trimixes.

Other machines owned are Syncrowave 351 with all the pulser goodies, Computerized(Burney 2.5 controller)/Optical Eye Plasma Cutter with Hypertherm Max900. Also a Max900 for hand cutting, Lathe, Miller 200DX portable Tig/Stick welder, Miller 301G Trailblazer Gas Drive, Voltage sensing feeder (Red-D-Arc)and one Millermatic135 and Millermatic175 mig welders, Scotchman 40 ton ironworker, 20" faceplate sander, Mill, 6'x3' - 3/4" thick work/weld steel table, Magnetic Drill, Handheld motorized Koike cutting Torch, Three Miller Electric Helmets (Four Sensor Type), and lots of power to run these tools.

Welding can be fun and making projects is much better than watching sports on TV and getting drunk. I have yet to see a Sports Fan ever get true satisfaction from watching a game. Take a piece of metal and fabricate it into a usefull tool, car, sandbuggy, BBQ's, farm implement, spaceship, gift for your wife, hotrod, product to market with your name on it !!! THAT'S COOL.

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!! Ford TOUGH TRUCKS have lots of TOUGH long term welds on their trucks. You may want to contact FORD and ask who they get help from for Welding Engineering challenges.

 

Socaldesertrider

I have Two 2002 Yamaha Banshees, One 1988 CR500 and Two 2002 Yamaha 660 Raptors and we all ride at Glamis and Gordon Wells. The desert is a blast. It's like riding on Warm Snow. I pull my stuff to the desert with a 32 foot Fleetwood Bounder (It has a FORD 460 Gas motor in it)

I love it !!!!!!!!!!! Lot's fo FORDS pulling Trailers to the desert too.

If you still need that push pull system, you can try RED-D-ARC at 858 268 4585 and ask for RICK. He is the Welding God of New/Used Equipment and parts for your machine at home.

Rick also owns a F350 CC, 4x4, Long bed Gaser.

Ever notice that the Ford Blue Oval Logo is Miller Blue or is it Ford Blue ?

Ford/Miller, what a great combo !!!!!

We will be at Glamis/Wash 12 for Thanksgiving, see you there.

 

Millermatic 250-been working great for a few years now

 

myFordF350, thanks for the info on Red-D-Arc . Thanks for the kind words as well, despite my not-so-kind words to you in my first message.

Yep, I love the Desert as well! If it wasn't for being able to get away and blow off some steam with a few twists of the right wrist, I think I would go crazy in this city. We will be out at Ocotillo Wells for Turkey Day weekend. Yea!! . Have fun in the Dunes!

I agree, Ford makes great trucks and Miller makes great welders, no arguements there! So do Dodge, Toyota, Lincoln Electric, etc... I like any company that makes a good product :-).

Nice bikes you have there too. I ride an '85 ATC 250R and an '89 CR500R, and also have a YZ80 and, untill recently, two '85 ATC 200X's. I have alot of fun racing Banshees and big 4 strokers up Blowsand on the 250R . Those 'Shees are fast...

Have Fun and Always Ride Safe. -So.Cal.