Need help with Welder

[yoshaleng]

I'm in the market for a welder. At work I can get a THERMO ARCH 110v (weld 1/4")for about 600 after taxes and 210 (weld 3/8)for about 700. But I don't know anything about THERMO ARCH, according to the brochure their made by THERMO DYNAMICS. I know THERMO DYNAMICS make great plasma cutters but is THERMO ARC actually theirs is it jus ttheir lable? I'd prefer a MILLER or LINCOLN but price is a little too steep for me right now.

[jimbo74]

you can easily get good 110v millers or lincolns for under $600

check out craigslist and ebay

[yoshaleng]

Scared about spending that kind of money on EBAY

[jimbo74]

Scared about spending that kind of money on EBAY

do research, you might get screwed... but if you see that this person sells a lot, then they probably aren't shady....

look on craigslist, lots of people trying to sell tools to supplement income in this economy, have them show you it works before you buy it

look on the for sale forum here.... one of the truck websites i belong to is how i sold my old welder

do you have any friends with welders? that is the reason i sold mine, becuase i rarely used it, and i borrowed my friends welder that was a much nicer unit

[yoshaleng]

Yeah, my buddies got a BLUEPOINT. So far, I've been borrowing his. Sometimes it's inconvienent for the both of us.

I'll do more research as sujested look further int the forum you referred.

Thanks a bunch.

[junya92toy]

I paid 550 for my lincoln 135t. 110v mig, and with the proper skills you can weld any thickness you need.

[4RunnerChevy]

We have a Thermo Dynamics welder at work, it has a gas motor, and we use it for mobile welding with stick and wire feed aluminum.  I forget the model, but it was a very exspensive and large machine.  Worth every penny.  If your going to buy a 110 or 220 machine then there is only 1 choice and that's Lincoln.     (start the arguing now)

[Toymin8r]

First you need to decide if you want a 110v or a 230v.   The 230v is obviously going to be hotter but your are limited to using it where you have a power source.   The 110v is fine for most vehicle fabrication work.

I have a Lincoln weld pak 3200HD. with is a 135 amp 110v.   Its about the hottest 110v you can get.  You can weld 1/4" all day long with it.  3/8's you would have to do a double pass. I got it on Ebay new for $325.00 and it include the gas shield regulator.  

Here is one now.

 http://cgi.ebay.com/Lincoln-Weld-Pak-3200HD-K2190-1-MIG-Welder-Complete-Kit-/270677637643?pt=BI_Welders&hash=item3f05a4fa0b#ht_2614wt_134

[junya92toy]

3/8s you need at least 5 passes.

[yoshaleng]

I remember Miller has one that you can change output from 110v to 220v w/ an adapter but sells for 1k. Is 220v really needed for what we do......(build or fab parts for our wheelers)?

[superyota]

came accross a lincoln 140 today on craigs.  new in box.  guy wanted $375.  pretty good deal i think.  ended up going with a hobart 140 though.  just personal preferance.

[junya92toy]

I remember Miller has one that you can change output from 110v to 220v w/ an adapter but sells for 1k. Is 220v really needed for what we do......(build or fab parts for our wheelers)?

that is the miller 211, which is a very good welder. Ive wanted one for a very long time. fair price is 1000

[yoshaleng]

Yeah I'm really leaning towards the Miller 211 but still not 100% set on it.
Like jimbo74 said, it's not an everyday use tool but it's really nice to know you have reliable unit when needed. I went to the local praxair and the guy said he cdan do the Miller 211 w/ 40lb tank for 1160 after tax.....Does that sound reasonable?

[Peterbuilt84]

Sounds like a good price to me. They are listed on the website for $1200.

[santa cruz crawler]

I have a Lincoln 140 c mig
Got it for 300 , spent 70 on a bottle and 25 on a Harris reg

It likes clean surface's   Lol.

[Sparkplug]

DO NOT BUY A LINCOLN MODEL WITH HD AT THE END. These have a reverse thread tip, thats damn near impossible to find, and is EXTREMELY notorious for burning up after a year or 2. Read reviews before you buy anything. A welder is the most handy tool you could ever have, make it a good one. And yess, a welder will tell you it can do 1/2 inch in a single pass, but as junya92toy said, that is not the right way to weld.

[superyota]

DO NOT BUY A LINCOLN MODEL WITH HD AT THE END. These have a reverse thread tip, thats damn near impossible to find, and is EXTREMELY notorious for burning up after a year or 2...

good to know.  what does HD and C and T and all the different letters stand for.  I read somewhere that T is tapped, C is continuous, and not exactly sure with HD if its Home Depot of Heavy Duty.  Either way, not sure what any of that means, if some coule explain please.

[4RunnerChevy]

3/8s you need at least 5 passes.

I understand for the 110 machine, but tell us why we have to lay 5 passes to achieve a 3/8 weld ?  

[Sparkplug]

The hd for lincoln means Home Depot. I have a hobart 210, 230v, its real hot for alot of stuff I do, never actually turned it up all the way yet. It is a tap machine, Does everything I need it to do, and could do far more. I kinda wish I had gone with a smaller 110. I reccomend a hobart, or a real lincoln. Miller IMO is the best, but they real expensive. Cant go wrong with either 3.


Tap means it will have settings, that it clicks to for voltage, not a infite coltage setting thats a dial. Infinite voltage is nice, but usually cost more, and is unnesscessary for trucks fabbing IMO.

[94MtnYote]

  Got my Hobart 187 off Craigs $600 including cart and owner bottle. I wouldn't mind having something with a higher duty cycle but it works great!  runs hot n smoove good little machine. I would like to get a spool gun for aluminum so I may upgrade someday. 

[junya92toy]

I understand for the 110 machine, but tell us why we have to lay 5 passes to achieve a 3/8 weld ?  

Because you will over heat the metal trying to put in some big honking bead that measures 3/8s of a inch. You build up, or stack your welds to get the size required, its a better quality weld, it does not over heat the metal because you can stop and let it cool when it reaches max inner pass temp.

Even when I run 1/16th dualshield wire, It takes about 5 passes to do a 3/8s weld.

[yoshaleng]

Thanks for the great info you guys.....keep them coming, my purchase wont take place till next week due researching and canvasing for the best deal.

[4RunnerChevy]

Because you will over heat the metal trying to put in some big honking bead that measures 3/8s of a inch. You build up, or stack your welds to get the size required, its a better quality weld, it does not over heat the metal because you can stop and let it cool when it reaches max inner pass temp.

Even when I run 1/16th dualshield wire, It takes about 5 passes to do a 3/8s weld.

[redrocket93]

DO NOT BUY A LINCOLN MODEL WITH HD AT THE END. These have a reverse thread tip, thats damn near impossible to find, and is EXTREMELY notorious for burning up after a year or 2. Read reviews before you buy anything. A welder is the most handy tool you could ever have, make it a good one. And yess, a welder will tell you it can do 1/2 inch in a single pass, but as junya92toy said, that is not the right way to weld.

Really? You might want to get your facts straight. I have a Lincoln 180 HD. The threads on the tip are standard and are the same tips that 90% of other welders use. I picked mine up new in box off craigslist for $400. It has been a fantastic welder. No issues what so ever I've run 2, 12 pound spools through it now and it has been flawless. Before this one I had a Lincoln pro mig 140HD that I bought new at Home Depot. This was also a great welder. I built 3 rigs with it and probably ran 15, 12 pound spools through it over the 5 years that I owned it. Never skipped a beat at all, I just wanted a 220v welder with a little more umph to weld thicker material. Never had an issue with the 140, just had to move a little slower and make multiple passes sometimes.    

[howyadoin]

Because you will over heat the metal trying to put in some big honking bead that measures 3/8s of a inch. You build up, or stack your welds to get the size required, its a better quality weld, it does not over heat the metal because you can stop and let it cool when it reaches max inner pass temp.

Even when I run 1/16th dualshield wire, It takes about 5 passes to do a 3/8s weld.

WTF are you talking about???

[redrocket93]

Because you will over heat the metal trying to put in some big honking bead that measures 3/8s of a inch. You build up, or stack your welds to get the size required, its a better quality weld, it does not over heat the metal because you can stop and let it cool when it reaches max inner pass temp.

Even when I run 1/16th dualshield wire, It takes about 5 passes to do a 3/8s weld.

Hopefully you did'nt apply this theory to welding any vital suspension or steering components. If so, hopefully your not driving this rig on the same roads my family is driving on.

Man, there is a lot of mis-information in this thread.

[Toymin8r]

DO NOT BUY A LINCOLN MODEL WITH HD AT THE END. These have a reverse thread tip, thats damn near impossible to find, and is EXTREMELY notorious for burning up after a year or 2. Read reviews before you buy anything. A welder is the most handy tool you could ever have, make it a good one. And yess, a welder will tell you it can do 1/2 inch in a single pass, but as junya92toy said, that is not the right way to weld.

Really? You might want to get your facts straight. I have a Lincoln 180 HD. The threads on the tip are standard and are the same tips that 90% of other welders use. I picked mine up new in box off craigslist for $400. It has been a fantastic welder. No issues what so ever I've run 2, 12 pound spools through it now and it has been flawless. Before this one I had a Lincoln pro mig 140HD that I bought new at Home Depot. This was also a great welder. I built 3 rigs with it and probably ran 15, 12 pound spools through it over the 5 years that I owned it. Never skipped a beat at all, I just wanted a 220v welder with a little more umph to weld thicker material. Never had an issue with the 140, just had to move a little slower and make multiple passes sometimes.    

x2.   I've bought tips from Harbor Freight and from my local welding store with no problems whatsoever.  My whole truck was welded with one of these welders 10 years ago and I've never broken a weld and the welder works as good now as the day I bought it.

[junya92toy]

Hopefully you did'nt apply this theory to welding any vital suspension or steering components. If so, hopefully your not driving this rig on the same roads my family is driving on.

Man, there is a lot of mis-information in this thread.

Dude Im a professional welder with a 2 year degree in welding. I have certs in bridge welding, and this is how its done.

http://instructor.iwcc.cc.ia.us/dsalerno/basic_welding.htm

http://mstd.nrl.navy.mil/6320/6324/MultipassWeld.html

Take a look at the picture towards the bottom, thats how you do it.

[Sparkplug]

Really? You might want to get your facts straight. I have a Lincoln 180 HD. The threads on the tip are standard and are the same tips that 90% of other welders use. I picked mine up new in box off craigslist for $400. It has been a fantastic welder. No issues what so ever I've run 2, 12 pound spools through it now and it has been flawless. Before this one I had a Lincoln pro mig 140HD that I bought new at Home Depot. This was also a great welder. I built 3 rigs with it and probably ran 15, 12 pound spools through it over the 5 years that I owned it. Never skipped a beat at all, I just wanted a 220v welder with a little more umph to weld thicker material. Never had an issue with the 140, just had to move a little slower and make multiple passes sometimes.    

Yes im serious, im not talkin about ur copper colored tip, im talking about the main tip. Yes im sorry, they do BURN UP, read reviews, I have seen 8 of tyhe hd machines on shelves for the exact same problem, the ti was melted. And junya is absolutely correct. You are not supposed to weld a 3/8 weld in one pass. I thought so at first too, till he schooled me and gave me good knowledge and qwebsites. The man welds for a living, he knows what he is talking about, Heating metal super hot is not good for it.


edit. ALSO. HF copper colored tips suck balls bad IMO, they jam, and I ran my cleaner thru it, and it egged the hole so bad from them being cheap. I get airgas ones now.

[Shamb]

I also have a Lincoln 180 HD and have never had a prob getting tips. It's a standard tip.....

The welders 210 but works great and i'm sure you can find one used for around $5-600

I've got close to $1000 into mine but that's with a caddy, long extension chord and I bought my bottle.

I've never had good luck with 110v welders, they just don't have the penetration it seems.... but maybe it's just me.