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Another welder Buying Decision thread

Home depot did have the conversion kit at one time.

From what I have been reading lately, Hobart has kinda went down hill. Personally I like Lincoln, because thats what Ive always been around.

Edit: The Hobart has a max of 140 amps. Where the Lincoln only has max. of 125 amps.
 
bronc3buster842001 said:
Home depot did have the conversion kit at one time.

From what I have been reading lately, Hobart has kinda went down hill. Personally I like Lincoln, because thats what Ive always been around.

Edit: The Hobart has a max of 140 amps. Where the Lincoln only has max. of 125 amps.
Click to expand...

found a kit on-line for 120 bucks :eek1:. May be able to do better if i shop around.
https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/cgi-bin/einstein.pl?PNUM::1:UNDEF:OR:K2526-1

I saw the hobart has a higher amperage setting but they both claim to penetrate 1/4'' so i have no complaints if the lincoln can go deeper with less amperage especially since it plugs into household plugs. Its a really tough choice. I love the lincolns 120V outlet compatibility though. im leaning pretty hard towards the lincoln atm due to its portability,price,household outlet compatibility and the fact that i dont plan on doing alot of sheetmetal i just need something that is able to do it clean. Arc welds arent quite as clean as mig welds IMO.

I guess my biggest issue right now is i have no way of knowing how integral using gas is to sheetmetal welding. Can anyone tell me from experience the differences/difficulty in welding on there 70's and 80's Gm's sheetmetal with flux and with gas.
 
gotblazers said:
Well then it looks like im down to these 2 welders

The Lincoln can run on a household 120v which is a major plus although it needs a special self shielding wire from lincoln to reach the 1/4 capacity according to the lowes AD but it is cheaper and has the lincoln name and lowes is local to me. This may be the good deal since a regulator is only like 40-50 bucks, Is anything but a regulator needed for mig capabilities.
Click to expand...

It is not a "special" wire... it is just good old everyday flux core wire. You can buy it anywhere.

Also
I have welded thin sheetmetal ( a lot thinner than older chevy sheet metal) a bazillion times using flux core and am too lazy to swap out my spool from the .032 to the .025. If I can weld sheet metal with it, anybody can.
 
the hobart also runs on standard power 120.
something that may be better is not buying local. that way you can avoid the 9.5% tax we have... but then you dont get the welder right away....
 
hughmungas said:
It is not a "special" wire... it is just good old everyday flux core wire. You can buy it anywhere.

:doah:,Shows you how much i know about mig welding. The lowes ad made it sound like it was some special wire.

Also
I have welded thin sheetmetal ( a lot thinner than older chevy sheet metal) a bazillion times using flux core and am too lazy to swap out my spool from the .032 to the .025. If I can weld sheet metal with it, anybody can.
Click to expand...

Exactly what i wanted to know, Thank you. In that case i think im going to go for the Lincoln.

Smokinthehippies said:
the hobart also runs on standard power 120.
something that may be better is not buying local. that way you can avoid the 9.5% tax we have... but then you dont get the welder right away....
Click to expand...
The hobart runs on 115V according to the Ad. Unless 115 and 120 are interchangeable?
 
bronc3buster842001 said:
Came across this one from another forum Im on.

http://www.amazon.com/Century-140-M...MGSQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1289613443&sr=8-6
Click to expand...

Damn, Theres just too many good deals to pick one :D. That one looks like the other lincoln but it has 140Amp max instead of 125 and it comes with the mig kit for an extra 50 bucks. Pretty good deal in the long term if i ever decide to use gas. Looks like thats my newest top choice :bow:.

dfl701 said:
115 and 120 are the same thing
Click to expand...
:doah:, Again my genius is showing. When you say the same you mean they both will go into a household outlet just the same but they actually pull different voltage right?
 
bronc3buster842001 said:
Century is made by Lincoln.

If I was in the market I would prob chose the Century over the Hobart.
Click to expand...

Agreed, Thats my top choice thats what i was trying to say before. It looked so much like a lincoln i just assumed it was but im glad to hear that it actually is a lincoln at least through association.
 
I was looking for user reviews on the product and i seem to have struck a pretty good deal. I found a very recent discussion on it here
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1171868#post1171868

browsing it, it seems that century has good customer service and reliable trouble-free welders. Also i managed to find its minimum is 24 ga. which i couldnt find in the other ad and it goes thicker than any of the other welders and after finding...

http://weldingsupplyusa.com/index.p...category_id=59&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

Its also cheaper than any of the other welders

So what gives, When things seem too good to be true they usually are :dunno:
 
110v/115v/120v is what comes out a standard wall outlet, just as 220v/230v/240v are the same as each other. different geographical locations call it by different designations b/c it can vary by that much. i.e. you can see 120v out of a 110 outlet & vice versus & it be correct. the same outlet may have 110v now & in a hour it can read 120v or anything inbetween, like 112v,116v or 119v. the voltage can change within a tolerance range of a few volts above 120v(i.e. 122v) & below 110v(i.e. 108v)
 
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blazin_blazer said:
110v/115v/120v is what comes out a standard wall outlet, just as 220v/230v/240v are the same as each other. different geographical locations call it by different designations b/c it can vary by that much. i.e. you can see 120v out of a 110 outlet & vice versus & it be correct. the same outlet may have 110v now & in a hour it can read 120v or anything inbetween, like 112v,116v or 119v. the voltage can change within a tolerance range of a few volts above 120v(i.e. 122v) & below 110v(i.e. 108v)
Click to expand...

yep exactly what i was going to say
 
Well im coming up to a point where im going to actually have to start fabricating on my build but the budget is pretty tight now. I'd like to spend about 300 bucks + shipping/tax and my main criteria is
1.120v for mobile use
2.1/4'' steel w/ flux
3.Reliable

Main thing i want to use it for is roll cages,Axle trusses,bumpers etc.. (almost everything 1/8''-1/4'' steel. I cant really foresee much sheet metal work in my future so maybe i could save some money getting a machine that is flux only?

I put in a bid at 300 on this . Homo depots sellin em at 524+tax so i figure at 360+tax its a good enough deal to take. No worries though by the time anyone reads this im sure i will have been outbid :haha:

Looking for thoughts/experiences/ideas again :dunno:.


edit: trip down memory lane
I just read back through this thread looking for previously suggested welders and realized i sounded like a retard. Thank god i wasnt on pirate4x4 :doah:. You guys must be the most patient people in the world, Hell even i would have flamed me for calling flux ''special wire'' :D. And what was i thinking saying i wanted a welder for body work? I dont give a rats ass about my sheet metal :confused:. Alot changed in 6 months i guess lol.
 
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I think your getting a pretty good deal. I have a hobart 140 and I love it. Get a cart and an argon co2 bottle and go to town.
 
def dont go any smaller. the 110 i have wont even come close to a solid weld on 1/4"

keep an eye on craigs man. a lot of construction/shop guys are closing down and putting some good used stuff up for cheap
 
Smokinthehippies said:
def dont go any smaller. the 110 i have wont even come close to a solid weld on 1/4"

keep an eye on craigs man. a lot of construction/shop guys are closing down and putting some good used stuff up for cheap
Click to expand...

I found the same welder for only 400 bucks supposedly brand new and hes including a new helmet and pair of gloves. I just know with my luck the wire feeder or something will be screwed :doah: :haha: . I might go for that deal if i cant get this deal at less than 320.
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/tls/2416125193.html
 
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