Plan on picking up a welder today

[cegusman]

Here is my list so far. What else would you add to it?

Millermatic 180 Mig with cart
Miller Welding Helmet - non auto darkening
Pkg of 10 .030 Contact Tips
Mig Nozzle
80Cu Ft Cylinder
Welding Glove
10lbs spool of .030 wire "Not sure if this will fit this machine
Mig Pliers

From Home Depot
20ft 8/3 cable and plug ends to use the dryer outlet

Also is there any good websites with the overview of mig welding. I took welding in high school 10 years ago, but was a f@#k up pot head that took it as a blow off class. So I don't really remember much.

 

[dhcomp]

I wouldnt' get that non-auto dark helmet. I haven't spent a ton of hrs welding, but have taken my share of classes, etc. and i would DEFINITELY by an auto dark.

Get the cheap harbor freight one, hell i just got a 20% coupon from them. Well worth the $50. Even has a decent sized window now.

Welding with a non-auto just blows. Might as well close your eyes.

 

[cegusman]

I have one of the Harbor freight auto darkening ones and it sucked from day one. Didn't darken fast enough and ended up getting flash burn from it the few times I used it. When I go pick everything up I will look at what they have.

 

[dhcomp]

I've got the nicer one from there (Came with blue flame stickers on it, which i promptly tranfered to my garage wall, haha) and have had no such problems. I don't use it much, but when i have, it has darkened plenty quick for non-daily use.

If yours was a solar powered version, maybe it needs some time in the sun?

 

[cegusman]

Yeah mine was the solar powered one. Let sit in the sun for days and still was slow to respond.

 

[dhcomp]

Ok. Well i wouldnt' rule it out entirely. The metal shop on campus had some nice expensive lincoln ones, and for the price value, bought a bunch of new HF ones. Most ppl would pick up the new HF ones over the old lincoln. I'm just saying its worht trying for $50/60/70, whatever the day price is. If you hate it, take it back.

 

[cegusman]

Yeah I may do that.

 

[dhcomp]

I'd let you borrow mine, but it would be a trek

Mine is probably rotting away from lack of use.

 

[cegusman]

Went and ordered my stuff at AirGas.

$850 for the welder.
$220 for the full c25 80cu ft cylinder
$19 for a 10lb spool of .030 wire
Replacment tips
Replacment Nozzle
$30 for 2 Pair of welding gloves. - wife wants to learn to weld.

Came out around $1200

Should have it by next Fri.

 

[dhcomp]

Good work. HF sells some cheap welding gloves you can learn with too. When you grab hot pieces wiht the gloves, they harden up over time even though its not hot to your hand. Might want to use some cheapy gloves at first until you learn not to do this, or continue to do it and just throw cheap gloves out more frequently.

I'm jealous.

 

[cegusman]

I may pick up a set from there to go. But really liked the one I tried on at AirGas, they where only 13.99 or so. Maybe give the wife the cheap ones. lol

 

[dhcomp]

thats what iw as thinking