need a welder

[papastoyss]

Ok folks, here goes. I am setting up a shop at home to do some rod work & need to buy a mig welder. I want a reostat type heat selector so I can weld sheet metal w/o blowing too many holes in it. I want around a 150 -160 amp machine as I sometimes have to weld on my bush hog or grader blade.We have a Century 160 welder in our day job shop that does ok, but the place I bought it doesn't carry them any longer. I would appreciate suggestions on what to / not buy & sources for same. I am not opposed to buying online on a name brand machine. THANKS

[Dave]

Ok folks, here goes. I am setting up a shop at home to do some rod work & need to buy a mig welder. I want a reostat type heat selector so I can weld sheet metal w/o blowing too many holes in it. I want around a 150 -160 amp machine as I sometimes have to weld on my bush hog or grader blade.We have a Century 160 welder in our day job shop that does ok, but the place I bought it doesn't carry them any longer. I would appreciate suggestions on what to / not buy & sources for same. I am not opposed to buying online on a name brand machine. THANKS

id go with a Miller..
Dve

[1FATGMC]

I have a 175 amp Miller Mig that I've used a lot and love it and it has not given me any problems.  Sounds like you are going with a 220 volt.  That is good as something in the 170 - 180 amp range will weld about anything you will probably do with confidence.

A few months back I bought a 225 amp Lincoln Precision TIG and love it as much or more than the Miller.  It is a great machine and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a TIG.

   

That weld was about an hour after welding my first piece of aluminum with a TIG.  If I can do that anyone can.  I had been welding steel for a couple months at that point so that helped, but these square wave welders are so good anymore you don't have to be welding a long time to get a weld down in aluminum

You can do some amazing stuff and really fine intricate things with a tig like................

   

.............I welded a piece of 20 gauge to the top of this bolt for a hose clamp to go through and..............

   

...............this is the fuel tank I just made for the lakester.

Still if I could only have one welder in the shop it would be a MIG and would be either a Miller or Lincoln as I know they will be there and they make great dependable machines that you can get parts for anywhere.

I got the TIG and I've been getting my welding supplies from ..............

https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/cgi-bin/browsecatalogs.pl

..................on line and they have about the best pricing I could find and the service has been great.

c ya and have fun with your new welder,

Sum

[chimp koose]

I have a miller 210 mig and am quite happy with it.

[zzford]

I have a miller 210 mig and am quite happy with it.

^What he said^

[enjenjo]

Miller 179 or 210 are both great machines. If you want the ultimate mig machine, Miller 250

[1FATGMC]

Miller 179 or 210 are both great machines. If you want the ultimate mig machine, Miller 250

Frank do you do ok with that on sheet metal??  My friend Mike has one and had difficulties doing say 20 gauge with it and bought a 110 Miller for body work, but kept and still uses the 250.  He has been doing some nice work with it with a spool gun on aluminum (thicker aluminum).  

c ya,

Sum

[enjenjo]

Miller 170 or 210 are both great machines. If you want the ultimate mig machine, Miller 250

Frank do you do ok with that on sheet metal??  My friend Mike has one and had difficulties doing say 20 gauge with it and bought a 110 Miller for body work, but kept and still uses the 250.  He has been doing some nice work with it with a spool gun on aluminum (thicker aluminum).  

c ya,

Sum

If he changes to 023 wire, it will do fine on sheet metal.

[Fuzzy]

I just bought a Miller 180,and I know they are great welders.However,I'm having a problem when I first start a weld.It pops and I get a bunch of spatter.I'm using .023 wire,and I figure it's something I'm doing wrong,but can't straighten it out.I went back to my Lincoln,and it's ok.If I can fix my problem,I'll probably sell the Lincoln.

Fuzzy

[1FATGMC]

I just bought a Miller 180,and I know they are great welders.However,I'm having a problem when I first start a weld.It pops and I get a bunch of spatter.I'm using .023 wire,and I figure it's something I'm doing wrong,but can't straighten it out.I went back to my Lincoln,and it's ok.If I can fix my problem,I'll probably sell the Lincoln.

Fuzzy

What thickness metal are you welding??  Are your settings on your miller variable for both the wire feed and the amperage??

I use .030 on almost everything and switch to .023 if I'm doing sheet metal.

c ya,

Sum

[enjenjo]

I just bought a Miller 180,and I know they are great welders.However,I'm having a problem when I first start a weld.It pops and I get a bunch of spatter.I'm using .023 wire,and I figure it's something I'm doing wrong,but can't straighten it out.I went back to my Lincoln,and it's ok.If I can fix my problem,I'll probably sell the Lincoln.

Fuzzy

I'm guessing your tip is too big for the wire you are using.

[river1]

miller, hobart (made by miller), or lincoln you won't go wrong. preferences are like chevy or ford or dodge, my personal choice is miller as it is assembled in the USA. find out which brand is prevalent in your area and buy that brand so if you need service it will be easy to find.

later jim

[Fuzzy]

I'm just doing tackwelds on sheetmetal,and the tip is matched to the wire--.023.Yes the settings are adjustable.When I do small tackwelds like this,I have the tip almost touching the work.But that's the way I've always done it with the Lincoln too.It's probably just an adjustment thing but I haven't been able to get the settings right.The Miller is the 180 with auto-set.You set the metal thickness on the dial,and the wire size,and it aotomatically sets the amps and wire speed.Or you can turn off the auto-set and do it manually.By the way,didn't mean to hi-jack the post.Sorry about that :oops: .

Fuzz

[Rochie]

Papastoy,
I bought a Miller 220v 180 A from these guys last year..   http://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.com/servlet/the-1894/MILLER---MILLERMATIC/Detail

Everything but the tank and Free delivery!!!  I checked apples to apples everywhere and couldn't beat the price
Wayne

[phat46]

Do NOT buy a Century....