Flux core/ MIG welder recommendations

[6R9Runner]

There are a couple of small projects i'd like to do myself, such as weld in the spare hold-down and repair the sway-bay mount on the LCA (long story). Can anyone recommend a decent welder, make/model? Preferred 120V.

I don't plan on welding a dune buggy in my spare time, just to fix these and other small things around the house (go kart etc). Thanks.

 

[moparchris]

A small 110 welder from Lincoln or Miller is a great choice. I would stay away from the Flux Core stuff though, no matter how small the project it will look bad and you will have trouble getting proper penetration for a structural weld. I would say flux core is good for sheet metal if you could stand to look at the end result and not go blind from the ugly welds. Spend a little more on a gas shielded unit and you cant go wrong.

 

[6R9Runner]

Flux core sounded too good to be true- weld outside, cheap unit, no bottle. Ok, now to find a MIG on sale...

 

[Big John]

I have a little Lincoln Welder that does MIG and flux core. Works great as long as you understand that you aren't gonna weld 1/4" plate together.

 

[sixgunrunner68]

I weld for a living and I'm a big fan of Lincoln products, however all major brands are making quality equipment. So if you want a Miller, Thermal Dynamics, Hobart etc. you won't go wrong. I have a weld pak 100 mig at home and its handy for sure. I converted it from flux core to gas for personal preference. That doesn't mean that flux core is no good. Penetration is no issue with flux core, if anything, set up correctly will give more penetration than gas, and I have welded 1/4" plate with it as long as you preheat the steel. It really depends on what you are doing with it. Go kart repair flux core is fine, body work gas shield.

 

[mac]

i have a Hobart 135. 110v mig. used it to put together the whole car. love it!! have seen them at Tractor Supply, if there is one in you area.

 

[Big John]

I weld for a living and I'm a big fan of Lincoln products, however all major brands are making quality equipment. So if you want a Miller, Thermal Dynamics, Hobart etc. you won't go wrong. I have a weld pak 100 mig at home and its handy for sure. I converted it from flux core to gas for personal preference. That doesn't mean that flux core is no good. Penetration is no issue with flux core, if anything, set up correctly will give more penetration than gas, and I have welded 1/4" plate with it as long as you preheat the steel. It really depends on what you are doing with it. Go kart repair flux core is fine, body work gas shield.

OK.. 5/16" plate... You aren't gonna be able to weld 5/16" plate... Then again, what do I know. My high school welding teacher dropped dead one day. Lesson learned, never weld galvanized steel. His replacement was run over on his motorcycle and killed. The third welding teacher was pretty good (and he lived through the class), but by the time he came around, there wasn't much of the school year left to learn anything.

Speaking of dead welders.... This bears repeating.
http://69roadrunner.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1273

 

[sixgunrunner68]

I weld for a living and I'm a big fan of Lincoln products, however all major brands are making quality equipment. So if you want a Miller, Thermal Dynamics, Hobart etc. you won't go wrong. I have a weld pak 100 mig at home and its handy for sure. I converted it from flux core to gas for personal preference. That doesn't mean that flux core is no good. Penetration is no issue with flux core, if anything, set up correctly will give more penetration than gas, and I have welded 1/4" plate with it as long as you preheat the steel. It really depends on what you are doing with it. Go kart repair flux core is fine, body work gas shield.

OK.. 5/16" plate... You aren't gonna be able to weld 5/16" plate... Then again, what do I know. My high school welding teacher dropped dead one day. Lesson learned, never weld galvanized steel. His replacement was run over on his motorcycle and killed. The third welding teacher was pretty good (and he lived through the class), but by the time he came around, there wasn't much of the school year left to learn anything.

Speaking of dead welders.... This bears repeating.
http://69roadrunner.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1273

Holy crap! What are the odds on that?
Yes I avoid galvanized like the plague, bad stuff, although the green flame is pretty cool while it's burning. :loco: Hmm, maybe I have done too much galvy welding.

 

[george68hemirr]

i welded for around 34 years and was a welding instructor for us union ironworkers.....innershield really penatrates and is mostly used by us for 3/8 iron all the way up to unlimited thickness....we have welded 6-9 inch flanges on columns.....i bought a lincoln SP-155 and it runs on 220....this way you can weld light gauge tin up to say 1 inch with multi-passes.....if you are doing lite stuff the 110 will work for ya but the reason i went with the 155 amps was so i could weld anything i ran across....mig conversion for this machine was about 60-90 bucks and then you have to get a bottle....i am using 50-50 mix....argon/carbon dioxide mix....this gas shields the weld using a solid tubular wire.....this is great for welding body panels but has to be clean grounded steel for perfect welds.....you cant weld in the wind outside unless you tarp around yourself so the gas doesnt blow away.....penatrates and has no slag...this is not a splattery mess like innershield which has the flux core inside the tubular wire....it would be smart to get a resporator when welding....really nasty for breathing......galvinized is a must for a resporator.....when it starts getting tough to breath change your filters....been there done that

 

[Big John]

So... is everyone in the Hudson Valley a welder?

 

[george68hemirr]

So... is everyone in the Hudson Valley a welder?

no just the select few.....
i am a jack of all trades but welding was one of my specialties....still have my ny state welding papers/aws papers and automatic flux-core papers...... you have to take a test to recieve these certs....and its not easy

 

[generaljmwlee]

YOU THE MAN GEORGE!

 

[sixgunrunner68]

So... is everyone in the Hudson Valley a welder?

no just the select few.....
i am a jack of all trades but welding was one of my specialties....still have my ny state welding papers/aws papers and automatic flux-core papers...... you have to take a test to recieve these certs....and its not easy

I can vouge for that...Pretty labor intensive.
Welcome back George.

 

[moparchris]

i welded for around 34 years and was a welding instructor for us union ironworkers.....innershield really penatrates and is mostly used by us for 3/8 iron all the way up to unlimited thickness....we have welded 6-9 inch flanges on columns.....i bought a lincoln SP-155 and it runs on 220....this way you can weld light gauge tin up to say 1 inch with multi-passes.....if you are doing lite stuff the 110 will work for ya but the reason i went with the 155 amps was so i could weld anything i ran across....mig conversion for this machine was about 60-90 bucks and then you have to get a bottle....i am using 50-50 mix....argon/carbon dioxide mix....this gas shields the weld using a solid tubular wire.....this is great for welding body panels but has to be clean grounded steel for perfect welds.....you cant weld in the wind outside unless you tarp around yourself so the gas doesnt blow away.....penatrates and has no slag...this is not a splattery mess like innershield which has the flux core inside the tubular wire....it would be smart to get a resporator when welding....really nasty for breathing......galvinized is a must for a resporator.....when it starts getting tough to breath change your filters....been there done that

I hereby declare this a run on sentence! Congrats George!

 

[george68hemirr]

alot of periods too :acme:

 

[69hemibeep]

We now have a run on sentence deputy :worship: :worship: :worship:

 

[george68hemirr]

boy this is a tough crowd :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

 

[moparstuart]

to many ass hole deputy's around here :basketcase: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

 

[6R9Runner]

I finally picked up a flux core welder on the weekend, $109 from HF (could have probably done even better with a coupon but I couldn't wait). The face shield was junk but I knew that in advance, having read most of the on-line comments. I'll practice with similar gauge materials before welding the spare hold-down in the trunk. LE Innershield wire gave me good results.

Many thanks about the cautions about welding galvanized steel, and the use of solvents.

 

[sixgunrunner68]

Glad it worked out for you.