need welding expertise

[05xrolla]

I want to do my own work on my truck and I hate waiting on people so they can weld for me. I was wondering what is a good decent welding machine to work on my truck. I went to home depot because they had a few in their store but nobody can recommend to any of them because they don't know anything about welding. So please help so I can start my project asap. thnx.

[Willy Mammoth]

Your best bet will be a 220 volt model allthough a 110 volt will work too, you will get better welds and a higher duty cycle with 220.

A 130 amp or bigger will give good performance. The higher the amperage the longer you can weld before it gets too hot.

Miller, Century, Hobart and Lincoln all make good machines. You will want to use the 75/25 argon/co2 for steel for the best welds.

[kneedownnate]

Pssshhh, whatya even know bout weldin Mark...it's not like you've mated a toyota tranny to a nissan diesel or anything

I had a bitchin miller suitcase welder that can weld thin to VERY thick metal, but you need a big (like the welders you see mounted in the bed of service trucks) ac/dc welder to supply power, so I sold it and bought a hobart handler 135.  Haven't used it, but I've seen what they can do and know it'll do most or all that I want it to.  I really wanted a miller, but when a good deal pops up you gotta jump!

[86bobbedtoy]

good idea I have a lincoln pro mig 175 from home depot and I use mig 0.35 and it kicks ass and you cant beat the price, oh yeah the welders go for about 100 less on ebay, just my 2 cents good luck and happy new year.

[Shamb]

Yea just get the 220 Lincoln mig at Home Depot. I use that for almost everything and it does the job just fine.

[05xrolla]

thanks for the inputs guys, much appreciated.

[Tallchevy]

My buddy has a Lincoln SP-100 that uses flux core wire so you don't have to carry around a gas tank when you take it some where. He was over this weekend welding on my 4Runner. 

[RynothealbinO]

I do most of my welding with a Clarke 180 EN MIG welder that I bought off of www.weldingdepot.com.  I run .30 wire and that works just fine for most situations.  Also,
I would not run flux core because it seams to be harder to predict when welding and it will make lower quality welds.  I would spend my last money on upgrading to gas shielding but that is just me.  I also have an Oxy-Acetylene torch with Smith torches.  And just in case that is not enough I have a Solar 235 AC/DC arc welder with a Lincoln High-Frequency box so I can do TIG, and arc welding with high-frequency starting.

[rednk1980]

i've built my entire truck with a hobart 135 with co2, i love it the only thing better would be a 220. Good welder for the price. 450ish

[AaronB]

I got mine from HD. pretty good welder

[86bobbedtoy]

hay what wire do you prefer? mig? flux? I like mig but flux is alot easier to make the welds look pretty,

[AaronB]

I prefer Mig Its cleaner,  if you have to go back and work on a spot that you flux welded its a pain.

[boggerunner]

Sorry to jack this thread, but is this welder any good, it seems like a great deal?
http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/weldingdepot/WE6523P-8.html

[Stinky]

EHH...it ify buyin off brand names...ever heard of htp welders... www.htpweld.com  good customer service, well built machines, been around a while...if not them then lincoln or miller...esab's are nice....exspensive and all of the ones that are in the shop at school, the high freq boxes take a all the time...just wat ive seen, and the shop is REALLY clean...id golincoln, cuz we have ALOT of oooold lincoln machines in the shop, and STILL run like new...

[KYOTA]

EHH...it ify buyin off brand names...ever heard of htp welders... www.htpweld.com  good customer service, well built machines, been around a while...if not them then lincoln or miller...esab's are nice....exspensive and all of the ones that are in the shop at school, the high freq boxes take a all the time...just wat ive seen, and the shop is REALLY clean...id golincoln, cuz we have ALOT of oooold lincoln machines in the shop, and STILL run like new...

I remember an old ass article in Petersen's of a HTP plasma cutter that would do 1/2" clean and sever 5/8" that was about $800 they seem to be a bit more recognisable company these days (easier to get consumables, customer service etc)

[boggerunner]

ok, so i didnt want another cheasy welder so i bought a lincoln 140C mig today, got it for 600 bucks