Looking to buy a welder? Help me pick.

Date 09-24-2003 02:29

135 - 175 amp mig welder. you would need gas. your total investment would probably be in the 4 to 6 hundred dollar range. this would be set up for carbon. You can set it up to run stainless, but that would require another gas bottle (unless you only want to weld stainless), and more expensive filler wire. My lincoln 175 plus runs off of 220, but that was very easy to wire. My fuse box is in my garage, and was easy to set up a 220 outlet. i believe some of the 135's do plug directly into the 110 though, you will have to research that. a smaw (stick) machine is allot harder to use for that kind of work, especialy on thin metals like exhaust pipe. a gtaw (tig) makes a much prettier bead, but requires much more skill. Tig also costs more to run for both the machine and the consumables. I have used my welder for exhausts, intake manifolds, engine mounts, bumpers, turbo brackets, and roll cages.

you mentioned that this was for a project.... You can ask anyone, I am the last person to dicourage someone from looking into welding as a hobby or a career.... It is only fair to you that I say this. If you are going to buy a machine for this one job, with a slight chance of using it on another car project later on down the road, you may want to call a local fab or exhaust shop for quotes. Odds are it would be an awful lot cheaper!!

ps, with the above welder, you would also have the option of running fluxed cored wire instead.... and that would not require any gas. This would allow you to weld thicker metal, but would limit you on the thinner stuff.

By bobalouy Date 09-24-2003 14:17

OK thanks for the help.

so when you say "unless you only want to weld stainless" what would I do for that?

So the downside of useing Fluxed Cored Wire, is that you can't do thin stuff? Do they make Fluxed Cored Wire for stainless?

I have been planning on using those pre-bent U-bends you can buy at summit, and jegs. It says they come in Mildsteel or stainless in 8 gauge. And the stainless is 409 series stainless steel. So could I use FLuxed for this? Is there a better place to buy these pipse?

Im talking to a couple local shops, but I really enjoy doing stuff myself, and I do have other uses for the welder.

Thanks Again
Anthony V

By kam

Date 09-24-2003 15:55

I also have an sp175 in my shop at home. Great lil unit!!! I would suggest buying the gas option. Bought mine about 3 yrs ago and the entire setup cost me about $700.

For stainless steel you are going to need a stainless steel wire & a different gas. I dont believe they make a flux cored wire for stainless since thier primary purpose is to increase penetration. I would suggest either a 98argon/2% oxygen or a 95argon/5% co2. For welding 409 buy a 409 wire. If you cant find that 308 or 309 wire will do. 309 works great for joining low carbon steel to stainless.

For all your other projects (carbon steels) you may use 75argon/25% co2.

good luck

kam

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 09-24-2003 15:57

Hi Anthony V,
Welcome to the forum. If you are going to use flux core for mild steel, you can used something like E71T-11. This is an any position wire and is self shielded (no external gases required). You also mentioned Stainless. Yes, you can get a stainless flux core wire. I think most of the stainless flux cored wired require some external shielding like CO2. Someone on the forum may be more familiar with the stainless wires and can recommend one or know whether or not a stainless wire is available in a self shielded type. Also, you will need to furnish which grade of stainless you will be working with to get a good match.
John Wright