New (to me) welder.

[82355]

I bought this Millermatic 130 MIG welder from a buddy of mine. He bought it used as well. So I don't know how old it is or isn't.



Paid $400 for it with a cheesy cart, and a CO2 cylinder.

Good buy? Bad buy? Middle of the road buy?

I know it's not much of a welder, but it is better than what I had.....

Martin

 

[yellowK20]

Not sure what bottles go for down there , but up here a buying the bottle and then filling it can be about 200.00

The welder is a good machine for doing thin stuff , body work , exhaust ,ect . I think you got an Ok deal.

 

[76zimmer]

the 20% duty cycle will slow you down some, but like Gus says, only good for thinner stuff.
How big is the cylinder? In my area I think size 80 cylinders and smaller you can exchange without purchase, anything bigger and you have to buy the tanks.

 

[blazinzuk]

Pretty sure that's a late 90s model round about.

 

[ryoken]

gotta figure a bottle is worth 75... hopefully it's local, or your gas guy doesn't mind refilling it and tagging it as his.. that can be an issue sometimes with unknown bottles.. (some guys wont fill an unknown one without testing them first)

can never go wrong with Miller stuff.... with some creative chamfering, etc, you can do some 1/4" projects in addition to thinner stuff...

a fair deal....

 

[wazzabie]

I have the Miller 130xp. It is a great little mig for sheet metal work. The gun is out dated and I can only put 0.30 liner. I run .23 easy grind wire. I'm slow any ways when I weld so the 20% duty cycle does not bother me. It was built in 2000 and is much heavier then the latest model. I've been running it on 15amps. I was design for 20amps. I keep the heat setting low.

 

[Bent77]

I have that same model from when it was first introduced, guessing early 90s. Good machine for what it was designed for.

If I need more heat I grab 7018 anyways

 

[82355]

I know it's limitations. I have access to other welders. I just wanted one for my shop.

Martin

 

[Babaganoosh]

My millermatic 150 has been great, it welded everything on my truck except the link tabs, that was done before I got it.

 

[sweetk30]

It is a great little mig for sheet metal work. I run .23 easy grind wire. .

love easy grind wire for body work .

but watch your self on reg fab stuff . should swap to reg wire . I had a problem few years ago the spot weld I was doing was popping off to easy . swapped the wire to regular stuff and perfect . the easy grind was a hair to soft .

 

[wazzabie]

love easy grind wire for body work .

but watch your self on reg fab stuff . should swap to reg wire . I had a problem few years ago the spot weld I was doing was popping off to easy . swapped the wire to regular stuff and perfect . the easy grind was a hair to soft .

I only use easy grind for autobody work. That wire is expensive. For reg fab I use flux core wire. I'm also getting into arc welding for heavy duty work with a Linclon red tombstone welder.