badmix
1/2 ton status
Looking for a 110v welder that I can do some small stuff, including aluminum. what do you recommend for budget minded peeps.
CK5
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Need a 110v welder
- Thread starter badmix
- Start date
I am partial to Miller's, I had a 140 that was a great little welder and only upgraded because it was deemed a "company expense" 
. I don't know what kind of price range you are considering, but , Miller has a newer model 211 IIRC that will run on 110 of 220 and is a very portable sized unit, I see them on evilbay with a spool gun for alum. for around 1200 IIRC .
. I don't know what kind of price range you are considering, but , Miller has a newer model 211 IIRC that will run on 110 of 220 and is a very portable sized unit, I see them on evilbay with a spool gun for alum. for around 1200 IIRC .Harbor frieght. I picked up a 120 amp 240V mig welder for $150. The number of times I'll actually use the thing it will work perfect. If you intend to do lots of welding one of the higher priced American names is probably better.
thedrip
1/2 ton status
A friend brought this one to my attention... $299 from Eastwood, sure looks like a Millermatic 135 to me. I'd buy this WAY before I bought a $280 WeldPak from home depot.
http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html
http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html
People have welded aluminum with 110V MIG machines and no spoolgun, but it's a royal beotch. It has to do with only being able to run small-diameter wire on those machines - you can get a bird's nest in the spool bay super easy. Not impossible, just tough.
Spoolguns solve the feeding problem, but they are a pricey add-on.
You could go TIG - Miller Maxstar 150 is a great 110V machine, but they are much more money than a MIG. Not sure what's out there for Chinese 110V TIG, but I'm sure there's something.
Spoolguns solve the feeding problem, but they are a pricey add-on.
You could go TIG - Miller Maxstar 150 is a great 110V machine, but they are much more money than a MIG. Not sure what's out there for Chinese 110V TIG, but I'm sure there's something.
Stomis
Professional Amateur
For a 110v mig I would get a hobart handler. I've got one and love it.
As far as aluminum just do the right thing and get a stick/tig combo.
As far as aluminum just do the right thing and get a stick/tig combo.
I have a hobart 125 handler and a lincoln 110 and out of the two i'd take the lincoln i've had issues with the hobart overheating and had to replace the trigger twice but the lincolns still going strong after 3 years of hard use...
Just curious - how much attention do you pay to duty cycle? In other words, was it a design issue where the Hobart was overheating within its design duty cycle, or did your Lincoln just hold up better if design duty cycle was surpassed?
Duty cycle on the 110V machines is not great...
zombie1969
1/2 ton status
Ive had my millermatic 135 for 8-9 years now and no problems so far.Its home used and so far maybe 40lbs wire used.The harbor freight one is junk.My friend got one and died first year.Not sure about the eastwood one.Could be a good unit only problem is finding a part localy if needed.Cant exactly walk into any welding supply store and say need cheep chinese welder part.Once you get a welder youl wonder how you ever lived without one and if its cheep and dies youl kick yourself in the a$$.
I rarely, if ever exceeded the duty cycle on the hobart. After 5 minutes of low voltage tacking on sheet metal it would shut itself off, Ultimately I took the cover off and that seemed to help it dissipate heat better. I can practically run the lincoln 'til it runs out of wire doing sheet metal and on thicker material it does fine but is less in it's element but with .035 wire and the heat cranked up it burns in enough to hold it. On anything over 3/16 i use my arc welder to burn it in anyways.
DieselWarrior
1/2 ton status
Thats the one I have, and I LOVE IT! It can do think stuff down to 22ga and up to some much thicker stuff, Id venture to say... because I havent had time to play with it yet, but Im sure it would do stuff thick enough to do D-Rings, bumpers and new shackle mounts... Ill have time to weld some thicker stuff later and will post back, but I totally love this welder!!
Andrew
